Patriots locker room attendant implicated in Deflate gate

[BRH]

That's not the point. About who would talk out of school. The point is he wouldn't give his son a job as towel boy. It's the equivalent of lunch monitor and not quite bathroom attendant. And his son wouldn't do it. He wants to be a coach.

 

His son will do anything his daddy tells him to do is how I look at it.

[Kelly the Dog]

You're assuming the news reports - and the NFL - got the job title right.

 

I think The Devil Wears Hoodies would make his son a locker room attendant - give him a nice "coach's assistant" title, but make him do scut work like picking up towels. It just strikes me as the thing that he'd do.

I would agree that it's something he may do at the beginning to make him grovel and start from the bottom and learn every job. I doubt sincerely he would be a locker room attendant after three years and have his picture in the media guide and online with the other coaches. That makes no sense, even for the real Devil.

 

Wells is officially leading the investigation and always has, if only to present the guise that it's being handled independently. Who knows what chicanery is going on behind the scenes. The NFL is a total mess right now. Goodell keeps looking worse, as if that were possible. I predict something big is going to come of this after the season. Just not sure who will be left standing. Kraft has a lot of power but is such a scum he might have screwed himself. The NFL may just give Goodell 100m to walk away and take the fall for everything. I Have no idea. But there's no question this is a huge thing inside the NFL.

[BRH]

I would agree that it's something he may do at the beginning to make him grovel and start from the bottom and learn every job. I doubt sincerely he would be a locker room attendant after three years and have his picture in the media guide and online with the other coaches. That makes no sense, even for the real Devil.

 

I'm sure he has actual coaching responsibilities and that those have increased since he started. I'm also sure that this would fall under his "other duties as assigned." Bill could tell him, look, I'm giving you a job on the coaching staff of an NFL team, something you would never get unless you were related to me. In exchange I just need you to do this one thing on Sundays before the game. It'll take you no more than, oh, about a minute and a half. The rest of the time you can act like a coach, okay?

Edited January 28, 2015 by BRH

[Kelly the Dog]

 

I'm sure he has actual coaching responsibilities and that those have increased since he started. I'm also sure that this would fall under his "other duties as assigned." Bill could tell him, look, I'm giving you a job on the coaching staff of an NFL team, something you would never get unless you were related to me. In exchange I just need you to do this one thing on Sundays before the game. It'll take you no more than, oh, about a minute and a half. The rest of the time you can act like a coach, okay?

That's not the point. I doubt he would do that but okay let's say he would. The person of interest is "the locker room attendant". That's not a guy who also has coaching responsibilities.

[Mark80]

On a side note, I'm so sick of every potential scandal ending in "gate" these days. I know the journalistic world has lost a lot of it's reputation lately with unnamed sources, false reports, quotes out of context, inability to proof read etc., but now they have lost all their creativity too? Just annoys the hell out of me for some reason.

[Deranged Rhino]

Now Brady has a "cold"... could it be from exposing his balls to inclement weather? Or is this just an attempt to have a "Michael Jordan Flu Game" on Sunday so he can put deflate gate behind him?

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000464572/article/tom-brady-battling-cold-eating-garlic-watching-film

[TheBillsWillRiseAgain]

I see they're already prepping the excuses for when the Pats get crushed on Sunday. Tom Brady had a cold!

[Alphadawg7]

It could be....but it didn't happen with Cassel or Manning.....and I'd bet that it wouldn't happen with most QBs to the extent it is with Brady. I could run some stats on it but I doubt it would make a difference in this discussion.

 

You state a softer ball would not help against strip sacks as a fact. Apart from the concept that one would really want to know what percent of sack/fumbles typically come from strip sacks.....I do not subscribe to your point of view. On the instant of player impact the QB would naturally(in most cases) grip down on the ball. If that ball has a little more give, that could be difference between a fumble and bringing the ball in. Sure, there are some that it would make no difference due to the nature of the hit....but many (some?) would make a difference IMO.

 

 

I know not why so many people here are forcing excuses at this situation. I understand playing devil's advocate.....and anyone who has followed my posting throughout the years knows that I like to have ample facts before drawing some sort of conclusion......but everything pretty much points in the one direction on this topic and the counter arguments are more like possible excuses rather than reasons for why it isn't so.

 

How can you say it didn't get better with Cassel...Cassels first 2 years 7 fumbles, 14 fumbles. Year 3 he had just 3 fumbles. How is 3 not better than 7 or 14, and that was in KC? in fact, he would never fumble more than he did his first 2 years again ever in his career.

 

Wes Welker improved his fumbling in NE...on Kick and Punt returns which uses the opponents ball, not the NE ball. He had 11 fumbled returns in 3 years in Miami, then only 5 in 6 years in NE. HE went from almost 4 a year to less than 1 a year in NE. That 100% had nothing to do with the football because again, its the opponents ball, not NE's ball that he receives in punt and kick returns...plus its a K ball.

 

Brady fumbled one time in the 2 years sandwhiched around Cassel (2007 and 2009). Just once. Cassel fumbled 7 times in 2008 alone. Brady also got sacked only 37 times in 2 years combined, and Cassel 47 times that one year. If you can't see the ELITE difference in the two players, I don't know what to tell you. Brady doesn't fumble much, and he's also pretty good at avoiding pressure in the pocket.

 

2007, the offense went from mediocre talent to the most talented in the League. The level of overall talent on that team, Bradys continue growth as a QB, the changing offensive schemes, etc are significant factors.

 

You also keep ignoring that Peyton led teams fumble at a similar rate illustrating that the Pats fumbling isn't an abnormally...unless you are prepared to implicate Peyton on this too for deflating. Peyton is the one who spear headed the change along with Brady...in fact, Aaron Rodgers credits Peyton Manning for the rule change, not Brady.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Alphadawg7

[BRH]

That's not the point. I doubt he would do that but okay let's say he would. The person of interest is "the locker room attendant". That's not a guy who also has coaching responsibilities.

 

You know I'm only going around on this because, like everyone else, I have nothing better to do. But I will point out that until we know the identity of the "person of interest," we aren't going to know his true title. We only know him as "the locker room attendant" because that's what Glazer called him. I could definitely see a situation in which the league wanted to leak the information but protect the identity from the public for now. A true shot across the Patriots' bow, like "We know who it was, and now you know we know. Care to change your story?" And of course Kraft doubled down, for a whole host of reasons, chief of which are that he knows there was no camera in the bathroom AND he knows the kid isn't going to give his dad up.

 

That's my theory and I'm sticking to it. For now.

[Alphadawg7]

I see they're already prepping the excuses for when the Pats get crushed on Sunday. Tom Brady had a cold!

 

Ha...man I hope they lose

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

wussy boy said he'd be over the cold by Sunday

[BRH]

wussy boy said he'd be over the cold by Sunday

 

He probably took something he shouldn't have and needs the "cold" excuse to set up his alibi during appeal.

[thebandit27]

I'm sure this has been posted, but just in case it hasn't:

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/28/its-easy-to-quickly-deflate-a-football/

 

Yep...ball boy is taking the fall.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

He probably took something he shouldn't have and needs the "cold" excuse to set up his alibi during appeal.

 

I have heard HGH is great for fighting colds.

[Fadingpain]

I think the Warren Commission released its findings sooner, and the explanation for the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy was discovered sooner than we have had an NFL ruling on this matter.

 

It's shocking. Who knew this was so complicated!? The poor investigators. It must be overwhelming.

 

Is it possible they are delaying their findings to conveniently coincide with the conclusion of the Superbowl?

 

Here is the good news! If they are delaying a ruling until post Superbowl, it likely means that NE will receive stiff penalties. Like maybe even a suspension or two. That's probably wishful thinking, but seriously...if NE is going to emerge from this with a $50,000 fine and the ball boy being fired....couldn't that have happened already? Why wait?

 

I'll tell you why wait! B/C the penalty is going to be a LOT MORE SEVERE than that.

 

Like I said, probably just wishful thinking.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Stopthepain

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

If they are blaming the ball handler then I think we should rename this to Toiletgate

[Fadingpain]

If they are blaming the ball handler then I think we should rename this to Toiletgate

Not a bad idea.

 

Everyone involved here, regardless of the penalty, including the NFL, is going to emerge smelling like $*.

[BillnutinHouston]

Regardless of where you stand on this matter, one thing that has to be of interest to everyone is the role of Steve Belichick, if any. If it's determined/concluded/deduced that he was involved in deflating the balls, it immediately calls into question the veneer of plausible deniability that Bill has built for himself.

 

This would lead all but the most ardent supporters to determine that not only was Bill involved in the plot, but also the coverup and outright lying about it. I think it would be a career-ender.

[TheBillsWillRiseAgain]

Florio knows what's up:

 

 

 

Whether or not the attendant deflated the balls in the bathroom with or without the knowledge of anyone higher up, though it may be true, might not be of concern to the league. Florio noted that Spygate caused Roger Goodell to tell the owners that they “need to reduce the standard of proof in these types of cases,” that they “don’t need to have a smoking gun.” He also added that even if the attendant says he was just relieving himself, the NFL doesn’t have to accept his explanation.

 

That was likely in response to what Robert Kraft said a couple days ago. The relationship between the two has definitely seemed to sour quickly.

[Dibs]

 

How can you say it didn't get better with Cassel...Cassels first 2 years 7 fumbles, 14 fumbles. Year 3 he had just 3 fumbles. How is 3 not better than 7 or 14, and that was in KC? in fact, he would never fumble more than he did his first 2 years again ever in his career.

 

The response was in regards to the point that a QB could get better through their careers at ball security(improved pocket awareness etc). Though you still don't seem to grasp the importance of Fumbles per Sack, you clearly point out here that it didn't get better with Cassel as his fumbling increased, rather than decreased further into his career(after leaving the Patriots). You really should read the points that are made before jumping in arguing.

 

 

Wes Welker improved his fumbling in NE...on Kick and Punt returns which uses the opponents ball, not the NE ball. He had 11 fumbled returns in 3 years in Miami, then only 5 in 6 years in NE. HE went from almost 4 a year to less than 1 a year in NE. That 100% had nothing to do with the football because again, its the opponents ball, not NE's ball that he receives in punt and kick returns...plus its a K ball.

 

So what's your point here? That Belichick had a special way of teaching players not to fumble....even though it didn't make a difference till the 2007 season and that some players regressed back after learning from him? Or perhaps that the Patriots target players that have low fumble rates.....even though Welker had a high fumble rate at the Dolphins?

 

 

Brady fumbled one time in the 2 years sandwhiched around Cassel (2007 and 2009). Just once. Cassel fumbled 7 times in 2008 alone. Brady also got sacked only 37 times in 2 years combined, and Cassel 47 times that one year. If you can't see the ELITE difference in the two players, I don't know what to tell you. Brady doesn't fumble much, and he's also pretty good at avoiding pressure in the pocket.

 

As I said to you before, I am totally happy to ignore Cassel's stats if you feel that the sample was too small(or for other reasons). The facts are that Cassel had a better Fumble Per Sack ratio than Brady(post 2006 at Patriots)......but that is totally irrelevant to the discussion. Brady's Fumble Per Sack ratio went from 1 in 3 sacks pre-2007.....to 1 in 5 sacks post-2006. You have continually ignored this fact.

 

 

2007, the offense went from mediocre talent to the most talented in the League. The level of overall talent on that team, Bradys continue growth as a QB, the changing offensive schemes, etc are significant factors.

 

Apart from the concept that that all of that talent didn't remain yet the fumbling rate maintained.....as I asked you before....How does having the better players on his team help Brady from not coughing up the ball when he is hit. Does having better WRs help him hold onto the ball better? Better RBs, TEs, Defense, OL??? How did Tom Brady go from fumbling once in every 3 sacks to fumbling once in every 5 sacks??

 

 

You also keep ignoring that Peyton led teams fumble at a similar rate illustrating that the Pats fumbling isn't an abnormally...unless you are prepared to implicate Peyton on this too for deflating. Peyton is the one who spear headed the change along with Brady...in fact, Aaron Rodgers credits Peyton Manning for the rule change, not Brady.

 

I don't know about that. What I do know is that Manning's Fumbles Per Sack rate remained pretty much the same throughout his career with no substantial deviation between the pre-2007 years and the post-2006 years......unlike Tom Brady.

 

My responses in red above......with the big question being......Why did Tom Brady's Fumble Per Sack rate improve from 1 in every 3 sacks pre-2007 to 1 in every 5 sacks post 2006? Dave Mcbride suggested natural improvement......which though possible, does not seem likely as a quick look shows that other QBs have not had a similar extreme stat change in this area.