Report: NFL covered up key Deflategate evidence that favored Patriots

[BuffaloBillies]

[leh-nerd skin-erd]

3 hours ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Not that this is something new. 
 

Florio shared two notable pieces of reporting from the Deflategate saga that began after the 2014 AFC Championship Game, when ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that 11 of the Patriots' 12 game footballs were underinflated by at least two pounds each.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-nfl-covered-key-deflategate-150631069.html
 

 

The first time around, someone said something that someone did and someone reported on it.  We lacked clarity and transparency.  
 

This time, suddenly in the aftermath of TB12s retirement, we have someone saying that someone did something and someone else reporting about what that someone said. We lack clarity and transparency. 
 

The missing ingredient in both stories is transparency and clarity. 

[Nextmanup]

5 hours ago, stuvian said:

this league has become a corrupt third world dictatorship. I hope the USFL cleans their clock

Don't hold your breath waiting on that clock cleaning...

 

 

[The Wiz]

im shocked

[RunTheBall]

3 hours ago, ToGoGo said:

 

The real story with Deflategate was the fumbles, or the lack of fumbles for the Patriots over many years by several standard deviations lower than the 2nd lowest team. Deflated balls are harder to fumble. 

 

https://slate.com/culture/2015/01/stats-show-the-new-england-patriots-became-nearly-fumble-proof-after-a-2006-rule-change-pushed-by-tom-brady.html

 

People should care. It's a great example of how effective the Pats were at cheating for years. These things add up. 

Has the Pats* fumbles reverted back the the league average since Deflategate? That would add some strong evidence to their cheating, not that we need anymore. Most corrupt franchise in history. 

[Punching Bag]

34 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Has the Pats* fumbles reverted back the the league average since Deflategate? That would add some strong evidence to their cheating, not that we need anymore. Most corrupt franchise in history. 

 

Part of the reason why things will change is Director of Spying claims he retired but he could just be doing it remotely since nothing requires being on site and would make it more difficult to get evidence off private property from someone officially not on books.

[ToGoGo]

38 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Has the Pats* fumbles reverted back the the league average since Deflategate? That would add some strong evidence to their cheating, not that we need anymore. Most corrupt franchise in history. 

 

Don't have that data. But extremely unlikely. 

 

But the chart in the article is damning regardless. Especially with Brady pushing for that rule change. 
 

[dave mcbride]

4 hours ago, ToGoGo said:

 

The real story with Deflategate was the fumbles, or the lack of fumbles for the Patriots over many years by several standard deviations lower than the 2nd lowest team. Deflated balls are harder to fumble. 

 

https://slate.com/culture/2015/01/stats-show-the-new-england-patriots-became-nearly-fumble-proof-after-a-2006-rule-change-pushed-by-tom-brady.html

 

People should care. It's a great example of how effective the Pats were at cheating for years. These things add up. 

?? - Deflategate was in 2014. They had the second fewest fumbles in the league that year. They were 23rd in 2013, 5th in 2012, 4th in 2011, and first in 2010.

 

2015: second fewest

2016: 27th fewest

2017: 4th fewest

2018: fewest (led the league)

2019: 6th fewest

 

(2019 was Brady's last season in NE)

 

That's four top-ten finishes and 3 top-five finishes in 5 years. The median ranking was 4th fewest.

 

The pattern post-2014 is exactly the same as it was from 2010-2014. The median ranking is even the same: 4th fewest in the 2010-14 window.

 

So no, nothing really changed. I hate the Pats, but this story was always a friggin' joke.

15 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

 

Don't have that data. But extremely unlikely. 

 

But the chart in the article is damning regardless. Especially with Brady pushing for that rule change. 
 

Nope, See above. https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/fumbles-per-game?date=2019-02-04

57 minutes ago, RunTheBall said:

Has the Pats* fumbles reverted back the the league average since Deflategate? That would add some strong evidence to their cheating, not that we need anymore. Most corrupt franchise in history. 

No, they remained at the same excellent rate in all the remaining Brady years save one.

Edited February 9, 2022 by dave mcbride

[Success]

As long as people continue to put an asterisk when they write the word Patriots*, I don't really care....

 

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

I thought most rational folks stopped believing this “Deflategate” stuff…

 

…when 2 weeks after the ‘Deflategate’ TB12 (with League approved NFL Footballs) unloaded on the ‘Legion of Boom’ for

 

37-50 328yards 4 TDs and MVP

 

Oh well…

[dave mcbride]

3 minutes ago, RalphWilson'sNewWar said:

I thought most rational folks stopped believing this “Deflategate” stuff…

 

…when 2 weeks after the ‘Deflategate’ TB12 (with League approved NFL Footballs) unloaded on the ‘Legion of Boom’ for

 

37-50 328yards 4 TDs and MVP

 

Oh well…

Lotta irrational people out there ... It seems obvious to me that Deflategate was a total joke. Bills fans hate the Pats, though, so they're primed to believe ...

[RoyBatty is alive]

Gee, what a shock NBC Sport Boston and constant Brady ball washe Mike Florio.

 

The article title is incredibly, misleading and inaccurate.  "NFL covered up key Deflategate evidence that favored Patriots"

 

We dont know what the data had so how can anyone say it "favored" the Pats.   If they had written "NFL covered up key Deflategate evidence that MAY HAVE favored Patriots" is the correct statement.  Or this is also a correct statement, "NFL covered up key Deflategate evidence that MAY HAVE DAMAGED Patriots.  Trying to create clickbait and a controversy.  The NFL frequently "destroys" evidence after they have a ruling.  How many years is the NFL required to keep it, forever?

[Donuts and Doritos]

I guess I'd say they're innocent your Honor, except for that Pats equipment guy, in the bathroom playing with the balls & an air needle. Plus none of Indy's balls (which were not invited to go to the bathroom) didn't have the same problem. That's tough to explain... But I guess Florio & the Boston Media will write next that the equipment guy was known to wash Tom's balls in the bathroom during games. Still not buying it. Guilty (but didn't matter they'd have won the games anyway, which is why it was stupid cheating).

[ChrisWatson#21]

42 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

?? - Deflategate was in 2014. They had the second fewest fumbles in the league that year. They were 23rd in 2013, 5th in 2012, 4th in 2011, and first in 2010.

 

2015: second fewest

2016: 27th fewest

2017: 4th fewest

2018: fewest (led the league)

2019: 6th fewest

 

(2019 was Brady's last season in NE)

 

That's four top-ten finishes and 3 top-five finishes in 5 years. The median ranking was 4th fewest.

 

The pattern post-2014 is exactly the same as it was from 2010-2014. The median ranking is even the same: 4th fewest in the 2010-14 window.

 

So no, nothing really changed. I hate the Pats, but this story was always a friggin' joke.

Nope, See above. https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/fumbles-per-game?date=2019-02-04

No, they remained at the same excellent rate in all the remaining Brady years save one.

I remember once asking a Pats fan about that and he debunked it all for me.  He told me its because Belichick is so great he teaches players how to correctly hold a football once they get to New England.   He was also the first coach ever to bench players for fumbling according to him🙃

[dave mcbride]

2 minutes ago, ChrisWatson#21 said:

I remember once asking a Pats fan about that and he debunked it all for me.  He told me its because Belichick is so great he teaches players how to correctly hold a football once they get to New England.   He was also the first coach ever to bench players for fumbling according to him🙃

I remember Jimmy Johnson cutting a RB after a game for fumbling. It was the final game of the 1992 season, a year that they went 13-3.

[Success]

It's probably been stated on this thread, but there was that story that Deflategate was kind of a "make up call" for Spygate, which was allegedly worse than what was reported.

 

The Pats* deserve the cheating reputation.  Maybe not Brady, but BB has always pushed the envelope.  As most here know, he supposedly had his D kick the ball at the LOS sporadically in our SB against the Giants to slow down the K-Gun.

 

If you're a great coach w/ a great team, just play the game & win it on the field.  

 

[ToGoGo]

58 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

?? - Deflategate was in 2014. They had the second fewest fumbles in the league that year. They were 23rd in 2013, 5th in 2012, 4th in 2011, and first in 2010.

 

2015: second fewest

2016: 27th fewest

2017: 4th fewest

2018: fewest (led the league)

2019: 6th fewest

 

(2019 was Brady's last season in NE)

 

That's four top-ten finishes and 3 top-five finishes in 5 years. The median ranking was 4th fewest.

 

The pattern post-2014 is exactly the same as it was from 2010-2014. The median ranking is even the same: 4th fewest in the 2010-14 window.

 

So no, nothing really changed. I hate the Pats, but this story was always a friggin' joke.

Nope, See above. https://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/stat/fumbles-per-game?date=2019-02-04

No, they remained at the same excellent rate in all the remaining Brady years save one.

 

Very interesting.

 

So what happened in 2006 that caused the Patriots to become the greatest ball security team of all time? 

[RoyBatty is alive]

4 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

I remember Jimmy Johnson cutting a RB after a game for fumbling. It was the final game of the 1992 season, a year that they went 13-3.

And people were upset McDermott benched McKenzie for a couple of games after his untouched fall down and fumble??

[RoyBatty is alive]

2 minutes ago, Success said:

It's probably been stated on this thread, but there was that story that Deflategate was kind of a "make up call" for Spygate, which was allegedly worse than what was reported.

 

The Pats* deserve the cheating reputation.  Maybe not Brady, but BB has always pushed the envelope.  As most here know, he supposedly had his D kick the ball at the LOS sporadically in our SB against the Giants to slow down the K-Gun.

 

If you're a great coach w/ a great team, just play the game & win it on the field.  

 

And all the evidence of spygate was also destroyed so this attempt to claim that Patriots were abused by the NFL in deflategate: because they destroyed potential exculpatory evidence is laughable.

[dave mcbride]

13 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

 

Very interesting.

 

So what happened in 2006 that caused the Patriots to become the greatest ball security team of all time? 

The lead fumbler on pretty much every team every year is the QB. Brady takes very few sacks and has always protected the ball. That's the key thing to know about their consistently low fumble rate. It's also extremely rare for him to take on of those ugly sacks where he gets blindsided and demolished. He's always known when to go down and to start turtling if necessary. He is the unquestioned GOAT, after all.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

caught again 

 

 

[buffalostu2]

4 hours ago, BuffaloBillies said:

You forgot defensive call stealing which gave an average QB at the time 3 SBs

[EasternOHBillsFan]

9 hours ago, prissythecat said:

If story is true, Pats have a good reason to get those picks that they  lost back.

 

No they don't... Tom Brady still deliberately destroyed evidence... all it took was one or two underinflated balls and if the Cheatriots were REALLY innocent then they would have fought it until the bitter end.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/07/28/tom-brady-destroys-cell-phone-nfl-says#:~:text=New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady obstructed the,alleged in his decision upholding Brady's four-game suspension.

[1stgm1993]

5 hours ago, TheFunPolice said:

Oh well, just give it to them. 

 

 

 

 

hated that ne game then and now

[ToGoGo]

2 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

The lead fumbler on pretty much every team every year is the QB. Brady takes very few sacks and has always protected the ball. That's the key thing to know about their consistently low fumble rate. It's also extremely rare for him to take on of those ugly sacks where he gets blindsided and demolished. He's always known when to go down and to start turtling if necessary. He is the unquestioned GOAT, after all.

 

You've inspired me. I'm going to drill down into that data and see what's really going on. 

 

My gut isn't accepting what you're saying. But if you're right, you're right. But I'm going to analyze first. 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Doubt it! 

[stuvian]

6 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

I see Russian troops massing at Ukrane's border...

Florio's idea of obtaining intel is buying team sources and player agents drinks.

*
The Patriots idea of intel:

it's OK the Washington Commanders are on it

[Green Lightning]

13 hours ago, HeHateMe said:

F em..

Agree. Pats do not deserve the benefit of the doubt.  

[prissythecat]

6 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

No they don't... Tom Brady still deliberately destroyed evidence... all it took was one or two underinflated balls and if the Cheatriots were REALLY innocent then they would have fought it until the bitter end.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/07/28/tom-brady-destroys-cell-phone-nfl-says#:~:text=New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady obstructed the,alleged in his decision upholding Brady's four-game suspension.

 

Brady was suspended for the obstruction.   Now what does it have to do with the Pats fine and loss of draft picks?

[EasternOHBillsFan]

8 hours ago, prissythecat said:

 

Brady was suspended for the obstruction.   Now what does it have to do with the Pats fine and loss of draft picks?

 

Innocent people don't obstruct an investigation and then take the suspension without a protracted legal battle.

 

This means that Deflategate was another attempt to cheat and as repeat offenders, the club got hammered.

 

End of story.

[PatsFanNH]

16 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

No they don't... Tom Brady still deliberately destroyed evidence... all it took was one or two underinflated balls and if the Cheatriots were REALLY innocent then they would have fought it until the bitter end.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/07/28/tom-brady-destroys-cell-phone-nfl-says#:~:text=New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady obstructed the,alleged in his decision upholding Brady's four-game suspension.

Ahh thank you another lie the NFL spread they knew was false.

 

First, they had zero rights to HIS PRIVATE phone and he was under no obligation to tern it over to them. They knew this, the only reason they got the equipment managers phones was because they were team phones.. those phones showed zero communications about This with Brady.  For a good example be like your work asking for your phone from last year and you saying “I have a new phone I don’t have the old one.” Which could be true or false.

 

second they got everything they requested off the phone via the cloud. Proof? The stupid leaked text message about Manning that started an uproar for months..  it’s amazing how everything is on the cloud..

 

so you see yet another lie that the NFL told that was never corrected by SI or anyone else..

 

Again had ZERO to do with the integrity of the game, other teams were never punished for the same issue in the past and this was al about parity. The Patriots were good for to long and the NFL and other owners hated it.. Thus the bogus sting operation.. I mean come on! It’s so obvious a caveman would see it.. lmao I always wanted say that! Lol

[EasternOHBillsFan]

45 minutes ago, PatsFanNH said:

Again had ZERO to do with the integrity of the game, other teams were never punished for the same issue in the past and this was al about parity. The Patriots were good for to long and the NFL and other owners hated it.. Thus the bogus sting operation.. I mean come on! It’s so obvious a caveman would see it.. lmao I always wanted say that! Lol

 

Like Barry Bonds who cheated, I have ZERO interest in debating this. Cheaters in my mind, * in my mind, done.

 

Good day.

[Nextmanup]

4 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Innocent people don't obstruct an investigation and then take the suspension without a protracted legal battle.

 

This means that Deflategate was another attempt to cheat and as repeat offenders, the club got hammered.

 

End of story.

Exploring gray areas in the rules where there is no clearly defined right or wrong is not cheating.

 

It's called "being smart to gain an advantage."

 

All the teams in F1 motor racing are doing this sort of thing all the time!  But they are run by really brilliant people with Ph.Ds in mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, and so on.

 

 

[PatsFanNH]

3 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Like Barry Bonds who cheated, I have ZERO interest in debating this. Cheaters in my mind, * in my mind, done.

 

Good day.

Meh I am of the mind Bonds as well as. Clemons were the faces given to something EVERYONE was doing in that era.. on a level playing field where no one was using their stats be the same.. but that’s how I feel.. at least they made baseball fun to watch.. now it’s like watching paint drying. 
 

 

We are all allowed opinions..  

5 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Innocent people don't obstruct an investigation and then take the suspension without a protracted legal battle.

 

This means that Deflategate was another attempt to cheat and as repeat offenders, the club got hammered.

 

End of story.

What do you call Brady going to court then? He lost not on the merit of the argument but based on the fact the CBA gave the Commish the power to suspend anyone for any reason and for any length he sees fit. Wether right or wrong he can do it.  (FYI Brady won the first case he lost the appeal.)

 

also only 1 team has ever ever filed a lawsuit against the NFL.. 

[CIrvine]

On 2/9/2022 at 9:07 AM, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

I see Russian troops massing at Ukrane's border...

Florio's idea of obtaining intel is buying team sources and player agents drinks.

*
The Patriots idea of intel:

Thunderbird #5!

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

24 minutes ago, CIrvine said:

Thunderbird #5!

Sees all, hears all.  Any wonder Bill has bought it from Gerry Anderson's estate? 😁

[ToGoGo]

On 2/9/2022 at 3:14 PM, dave mcbride said:

The lead fumbler on pretty much every team every year is the QB. Brady takes very few sacks and has always protected the ball. That's the key thing to know about their consistently low fumble rate. It's also extremely rare for him to take on of those ugly sacks where he gets blindsided and demolished. He's always known when to go down and to start turtling if necessary. He is the unquestioned GOAT, after all.

 

Dave, I have a question for you. 

 

I'm starting to look at the data and I'm focusing on non-QB fumbles divided by touches (nightmare to find a dataset for fumble per touch by team on a season, much less by position). That is what the Slate article was based on. 

 

I'm seeing a pattern. Tell me your thoughts. 

 

Would it be possible for Brady's teammates to have lower fumble rates (based on attempts) when Brady was the starting QB and higher fumble rates when he's not? 

 

We know if Brady is QB he has control over his fumbles, but what about his rushers and receivers? Does having Brady around decrease their fumbles? Could it be the offensive design? 

[HalftimeAdjustment]

On 2/9/2022 at 9:50 AM, LeviF said:

 

"Errrm, uhhh, gonna (inaudible) the tape, but, uhhh, errrm, uhh, not a crook."

 

-Bill Belichick, probably.

 

"I f***ed this up." - Bill Belichick, definitely

[dave mcbride]

15 minutes ago, ToGoGo said:

 

Dave, I have a question for you. 

 

I'm starting to look at the data and I'm focusing on non-QB fumbles divided by touches (nightmare to find a dataset for fumble per touch by team on a season, much less by position). That is what the Slate article was based on. 

 

I'm seeing a pattern. Tell me your thoughts. 

 

Would it be possible for Brady's teammates to have lower fumble rates (based on attempts) when Brady was the starting QB and higher fumble rates when he's not? 

 

We know if Brady is QB he has control over his fumbles, but what about his rushers and receivers? Does having Brady around decrease their fumbles? Could it be the offensive design? 

Dunno. It's so hard to say because so many of those interchangeable NE RBs only played there. I suppose some of the receivers moved around -- Deion Branch, Randy Moss. And Brady himself only missed that one season (when Cassel was QB).

[Mr. WEO]

On 2/9/2022 at 5:13 PM, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

No they don't... Tom Brady still deliberately destroyed evidence... all it took was one or two underinflated balls and if the Cheatriots were REALLY innocent then they would have fought it until the bitter end.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2015/07/28/tom-brady-destroys-cell-phone-nfl-says#:~:text=New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady obstructed the,alleged in his decision upholding Brady's four-game suspension.

 

 

After the "deflated balls" were taken away from them at halftime in that game, NE came out and mopped the floor with the Colts and would appear in 4 of the next 5 SBs, winning 3.

 

This was always a goofball story.  Now confirmed.