New England Patriots caught deflating game balls

[Jauronimo]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12244290/ex-quarterback-jeff-blake-deflating-footballs-common

 

 

I'm just going to let the cat of the bag, every team does it, every game, it has been since I played," Blake said. "'Cause when you take the balls out of the bag, they are rock hard. And you can't feel the ball as well. It's too hard. Everybody puts the pin in and lets just enough air out of the ball that you can feel it a little better. But it's not the point to where it's flat.

[NoSaint]

That's completely immaterial to this game. They did a sting. They're having a full investigation. There is zero case if they didn't start out with a gauge. This would all be over with if they didn't. The refs checked the balls before this game, with a gauge. There is no question about that. Otherwise they would have zero idea if the Patriots deflated them.

 

i agree, and edited to note i misread.

 

that said, if they normally have let it slide and "everyone does it" would you feel differently about the sting, and possible penalties?

[BRH]

So more access to balls makes his commentary less relevant?!?

 

Yes. It does.

 

 

He operated his entire career under a system that is completely different from the one that's been in place for the last nine seasons. How is "back in the day everyone did it out in the open" even the slightest bit relevant today?

[bbb]

 

Yes. It does.

 

 

He operated his entire career under a system that is completely different from the one that's been in place for the last nine seasons. How is "back in the day everyone did it out in the open" even the slightest bit relevant today?

 

This is exactly what I thought.

[eball]

i agree, and edited to note i misread.

 

that said, if they normally have let it slide and "everyone does it" would you feel differently about the sting, and possible penalties?

 

No, because the Pats* (namely, Belichick and Brady) could have immediately said, "well, damn, everybody does that" and acted like it was no big deal and this would have gone away quickly.

[bbb]

 

 

 

 

If you're doing a linky thingy to a Yousetube video just go to the "< Share" button below the "Subscribe" button. It gives you a clean linky for the viewing pleasure of youse and yourin'.

 

Good info.

 

It probably removes the s for you!

[Kelly the Dog]

i agree, and edited to note i misread.

 

that said, if they normally have let it slide and "everyone does it" would you feel differently about the sting, and possible penalties?

There is no indication whatsoever that everyone does it. Not from what Leinart said, not from what Blake said about 10-15 years ago, and not from what Rodgers said.

 

If normally they let it slide because they just assumed players wouldn't cheat, I still wouldn't feel differently. The fact that they did this sting, at this time, against this team, in this way, makes me very much believe it's not what everyone does.

[BRH]

 

No, because the Pats* (namely, Belichick and Brady) could have immediately said, "well, damn, everybody does that" and acted like it was no big deal and this would have gone away quickly.

 

Bingo. Or they could have tried the Spygate defense of "that's not how we interpreted the rules."

 

Instead they went with flat-out denials and dared the league to produce evidence.

 

This is exactly what I thought.

 

It was my very first thought. Actually my second. "Who tf is Jeff Blake" was my first. Seriously, it took me awhile to remember the dude.

[dave mcbride]

I understand that and you have good reason. But think for a second. They hired an outside litigation firm to do this investigation. They have spent a lot of time and money and have lost a ridiculous amount of credibility in the last few weeks. The first thing Wells is going to ask is did the officials weigh the balls before the game. Otherwise there is ZERO case at all and zero reason to go through this and zero reason to drag this out. If they didn't measure the balls with a gauge they have nothing.

 

Except of course, proof that the Patriots did cheat. But there would be no investigation at all if they didn't check with a gauge. Not to mention that it's absolutely impossible to believe they set up this mini sting and then didn't check before the game. That is impossible to believe, even under the "they are so dumb and such clowns that anything could happen" theory.

I hear what you're saying. What we don't know, though, is whether there was in fact a sting and whether the refs had been duly informed beforehand. They may have been told by the league to check after the game started once the Colts voiced their criticism after the interception. The refs could then have gone into CYA mode and said that they had done it properly. You're assuming everyone was fully informed beforehand that this was coming down. I'm suggesting that only some people - those at a higher level - were informed and put the hammer down mid-game. I'm not saying that happened; I'm just saying it's a possibility if one assumes that not everyone was informed of what might (emphasis on might) come down. After all, presumably nothing would have happened if Brady hadn't thrown that pick, and the refs - presumably in the know - would have let that game continue despite knowing that the Pats were using non-reg balls. That's hard to fathom.

Edited January 29, 2015 by dave mcbride

[TheBillsWillRiseAgain]

[Kelly the Dog]

There go the Patriots messing with the injury list again. When will it stop?

[TheBillsWillRiseAgain]

lmao someone pulled the alarm in their hotel again. I bet they put guards on all of them this weekend.

 

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/12247092/fire-alarm-goes-again-new-england-patriots-team-hotel?ex_cid=espnFB

[dave mcbride]

That's completely immaterial to this game. They did a sting. They're having a full investigation. There is zero case if they didn't start out with a gauge. This would all be over with if they didn't. The refs checked the balls before this game, with a gauge. There is no question about that. Otherwise they would have zero idea if the Patriots deflated them.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/29/nfl-didnt-log-the-psi-of-each-patriots-football/

[TheFunPolice]

lol

 

Goodell needs to be fired tonight then.

 

What a complete cluster. The only positive is the damage it did to the Patriots* reputation.

[Kelly the Dog]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/29/nfl-didnt-log-the-psi-of-each-patriots-football/

You're kidding me. Why would they log them? They are either within the limits or they are not. They don't need to log them. What does that prove? They need to check them. Then they check them again at halftime.

 

You could say they should have in retrospect for more proof. But the balls are either within limits or not. They would take balls out if they were not within limits. Plus, according to Bellichick, the Patriots asked the officials to put them at exactly 12.5. So they are going to inflate them themselves and then log it? Onto what?

[dave mcbride]

You're kidding me. Why would they log them? They are either within the limits or they are not. They don't need to log them. What does that prove? They need to check them. Then they check them again at halftime.

 

You could say they should have in retrospect for more proof. But the balls are either within limits or not. They would take balls out if they were not within limits. Plus, according to Bellichick, the Patriots asked the officials to put them at exactly 12.5. So they are going to inflate them themselves and then log it? Onto what?

If you're doing a sting - as you surmise - not logging the levels strikes me as cutting corners. Usually in such situations, you want your bases covered. It may be nothing, but it may also be a sign that the huffing and puffing about refs being exacting on this issue is just hot air.

Edited January 29, 2015 by dave mcbride

[Kelly the Dog]

You think these balls have VIN numbers? What good would it do? You wouldn't even know which started at what number.

If you're doing a sting - as you surmise - not logging them is the height of folly.

No. You note whether they are legal or not. If they are anything within 13.5 and 12.5 they are legal. Before, at half, or after the game. They are going to use a sharpie and number the balls?

[dave mcbride]

You think these balls have VIN numbers? What good would it do? You wouldn't even know which started at what number.

 

No. You note whether they are legal or not. If they are anything within 13.5 and 12.5 they are legal. Before, at half, or after the game. They are going to use a sharpie and number the balls?

Let me ask you this. If Brady hadn't thrown that interception, would they have done anything? If not (the presumptive answer), what does that tell you about the refs being informed about the issue beforehand?

[Kelly the Dog]

Let me ask you this. If Brady hadn't thrown that interception, would they have done anything? If not (the presumptive answer), what does that tell you about the refs being informed about the issue beforehand?

I don't know. I assume that the report of the "sting" is true. That is why Kraft is all bent out of whack. It explains a lot. If that were true, I think it would have all played out exactly the same, yes. They would have checked all the balls at halftime and they would have determined they were all illegal, and they would have measured the same.

 

There were also reports that they took different balls out of the game during the first half at different times. I don't recall who said that, and I of course have no idea if it is true.

 

The NFL was surely looking into the earlier games. Harbaugh said several members of the Ravens organization were called by the NFL and spoke to them, including him. I think that when Grigson notified the league about the INT they were more inclined to check carefully and take all the balls out.

 

The only two things so far that I don't really have a clue as to what happened, was 1] why did they start the second half, set the ball down, and then stop the game for a minute so they could take that ball out. I assume it was to see if there was another way that the Patriots were deflating the balls because they used different ones in the second half. and 2] How did the Patriots not know they were using different balls in the second half (or better I would assume the ball boys would have told them the first half balls were confiscated). Maybe they did know, but since maybe only Brady was really in on it, he didn't say anything to anyone.

[dave mcbride]

I don't know. I assume that the report of the "sting" is true. That is why Kraft is all bent out of whack. It explains a lot. If that were true, I think it would have all played out exactly the same, yes. They would have checked all the balls at halftime and they would have determined they were all illegal, and they would have measured the same.

 

There were also reports that they took different balls out of the game during the first half at different times. I don't recall who said that, and I of course have no idea if it is true.

 

The NFL was surely looking into the earlier games. Harbaugh said several members of the Ravens organization were called by the NFL and spoke to them, including him. I think that when Grigson notified the league about the INT they were more inclined to check carefully and take all the balls out.

 

The only two things so far that I don't really have a clue as to what happened, was 1] why did they start the second half, set the ball down, and then stop the game for a minute so they could take that ball out. I assume it was to see if there was another way that the Patriots were deflating the balls because they used different ones in the second half. and 2] How did the Patriots not know they were using different balls in the second half (or better I would assume the ball boys would have told them the first half balls were confiscated). Maybe they did know, but since maybe only Brady was really in on it, he didn't say anything to anyone.

Good points. The whole thing is crazy.