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[chuckddd]

I am specifically talking about illegally manipulating footballs. As you pointed out, even something as benign as pumping in crowd noise or communicating via text messages were reported on. But no one cared that footballs were tampered with in the Vikings/Panthers game in November. It was a non story.

In other violations, we care no matter who committed the infraction. But with football tampering, we only care when it's the Patriots.

Yeah. Did you see the way they were covering up the evidence by having the ballboys hold the footballs in front of the heaters? Then how they danced around the issue and lied about it? Give us a break with the false equivalency.

 

[Gigglepoo]

Yeah. Did you see the way they were covering up the evidence by having the ballboys hold the footballs in front of the heaters? Then how they danced around the issue and lied about it? Give us a break with the false equivalency.

Cheating is cheating, no? Both incidents involved teams manipulated footballs so they could get a better grip on them. And there wasn't an opportunity to dance around the issue. It was settled immediately instead of having it drag on for four months.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Cheating is cheating, no? Both incidents involved teams manipulated footballs so they could get a better grip on them. And there wasn't an opportunity to dance around the issue. It was settled immediately instead of having it drag on for four months.

If the balls were deflated before the examination and the refs missed it, or caught it and inflated them to the correct pressure, then it wouldn't be nearly as big a deal.

This is a big deal because they took the balls and then deflated them AFTER the refs had checked and ruled them fit for play. It's purposely going behind the backs of the officials and trying to cover the whole thing up.

People trying to equate it to the Vikings/Panthers example are either homers acting deliberately obtuse or are actually genuinely stupid.

 

[LyleLanley]

If the balls were deflated before the examination and the refs missed it, or caught it and inflated them to the correct pressure, then it wouldn't be nearly as big a deal.

This is a big deal because they took the balls and then deflated them AFTER the refs had checked and ruled them fit for play. It's purposely going behind the backs of the officials and trying to cover the whole thing up.

People trying to equate it to the Vikings/Panthers example are either homers acting deliberately obtuse or are actually genuinely stupid.

Do we know that for certain though? I may be wrong but I don't think the refs ever properly checked the balls.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Do we know that for certain though? I may be wrong but I don't think the refs ever properly checked the balls.

Does that change the fact that the guy took the balls from the official's locker room without permission, took them into a bathroom, locked the door behind him and then lied about it afterwards?

 

[chuckddd]

Cheating is cheating, no?

I say false equivalence and this is your response...

Do we know that for certain though? I may be wrong but I don't think the refs ever properly checked the balls.

You're wrong. Read the report if you want more information.

 

[LyleLanley]

Does that change the fact that the guy took the balls from the official's locker room without permission, took them into a bathroom, locked the door behind him and then lied about it afterwards?

Hey man, I think the Pats deflated footballs but if they never measured the balls in the first place how can they prove that it was deliberate?

Edit:

You're wrong. Read the report if you want more information.

If you say so, I'm not going to read 200+ pages of a report on deflated footballs especially after the summaries I read.

 

[DrForester]

Do we know that for certain though? I may be wrong but I don't think the refs ever properly checked the balls.

I really do think any crime here was one of negligence at a rule that was never properly looked at. Ball boys keep the balls on the lowest threshold, NFL never checks them during a game where they could deflate during the game.

Was there ever anything backing up or rejecting this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxsXFX3tDpg

You're wrong. Read the report if you want more information.

The table showing wildly different pressures from the two officials measuring the same balls?

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Hey man, I think the Pats deflated footballs but if they never measured the balls in the first place how can they prove that it was deliberate?

So McNally nicked the bag of footballs from the ref's locker room and took them into a bathroom alone because...?

 

[CitizenCope]

Well, all the championships the Pats won should have a *. Once a cheater, always a cheater. Brady needs to be suspended for the season.

So now we lead the AFC East**** in Super Bowls and *? I'll take it!!

 

[LyleLanley]

So McNally nicked the bag of footballs from the ref's locker room and took them into a bathroom alone because...?

He probably deflated them but for all we know they were improperly inflated in the first place and the refs fucked up by allowing them.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

So now we lead the league in Super Bowls and *? I'll take it!!

We're gonna need a few more Super bowls to lead the league friend.

 

[werks]

He probably deflated them but for all we know they were improperly inflated in the first place and the refs fucked up by allowing them.

lol

 

[Alligatorjandro]

He probably just rubbed on the balls a little.

 

[Stinkles]

He probably just rubbed on the balls a little.

He doesnt need to, since Pats fans are already washing his balls furiously.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

He doesnt need to, since Pats fans are already washing his balls furiously.

I see no problem with that.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

He probably deflated them but for all we know they were improperly inflated in the first place and the refs fucked up by allowing them.

I refer you back to post #1105

 

[werks]

He probably deflated them but for all we know they were improperly inflated in the first place and the refs fucked up by allowing them.

So the patriots over inflated their own balls and presented them to the refs. The refs fucked up by not realizing that the balls were overinflated. The patriots then realize that they over inflated their balls and instead of telling the officials about it, they stole the balls to "fix" the inflation.... Seems likely.

 

[LyleLanley]

So the patriots over inflated their own balls and presented them to the refs. The refs fucked up by not realizing that the balls were overinflated. The patriots then realize that they over inflated their balls and instead of telling the officials about it, they stole the balls to "fix" the inflation.... Seems likely.

That's not what I meant, I meant to say that it's possible that he did nothing to the balls in the bathroom and that they were deflated in the first place. Not sure why you responded to this post twice.

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

So the patriots over inflated their own balls and presented them to the refs. The refs fucked up by not realizing that the balls were overinflated. The patriots then realize that they over inflated their balls and instead of telling the officials about it, they stole the balls to "fix" the inflation.... Seems likely.

Actually if you read the report the refs messed up when they inflated balls and put them far over the legal maximum limit.

 

[forgeforsaken]

I say false equivalence and this is your response...



You're wrong. Read the report if you want more information.

They didn't log the information though for some reason, even though the report makes it sound like they were planning on checking the balls at half time all along with Grigson having complained the day before the game.

 

[werks]

Actually if you read the report the refs messed up when they inflated balls and put them far over the legal maximum limit.

Really?

2. Several hours before the AFC Championship Game, Jim McNally, the Patriots
employee responsible for delivering the Patriots game balls to the game officials
for pre-game inspection, brought the balls into the Officials Locker Room at
Gillette Stadium. At or around that time, McNally told the referee, Walt
Anderson, that Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback, wanted the game balls
inflated at 12.5 psi. McNally has been employed by the Patriots as a seasonal or
part-time employee for the past 32 years. His work for the Patriots during the
2014-15 NFL season took place only on a part-time/hourly basis on days on
which the Patriots had home games. His legitimate job responsibilities as
Officials Locker Room attendant did not involve the preparation, inflation or
deflation of Patriots game balls.

3. During the pre-game inspection, Anderson determined that all but two of the
Patriots game balls delivered by McNally were properly inflated. Most of them
measured 12.5 psi. Two tested below 12.5 psi and Anderson directed another
game official to further inflate those two game balls, which Anderson then
adjusted to 12.5 psi using a pressure gauge. Most of the Colts game balls tested
by Anderson prior to the game measured 13.0 or 13.1 psi. Although one or two
footballs may have registered 12.8 or 12.9 psi, it was evident to Anderson that the
Colts‟ inflation target for the game balls was 13.0 psi. No air was added to or
released from the Colts game balls pre-game because they were all within the permissible range.

4. When Anderson and other members of the officiating crew were preparing to
leave the Officials Locker Room to head to the field for the start of the game, the
game balls could not be located. It was the first time in Anderson‟s nineteen
years as an NFL official that he could not locate the game balls at the start of a
game. Unknown to Anderson, and without Anderson‟s permission or the
permission of any other member of the officiating crew, McNally had taken the
balls from the Officials Locker Room towards the playing field. According to
Anderson and other members of the officiating crew for the AFC Championship
Game, the removal of the game balls from the Officials Locker Room by McNally
without the permission of the referee or another game official was a breach of
standard operating pre-game procedure. According to Anderson, other members
of the officiating crew for the AFC Championship Game and other game officials
with recent experience at Gillette Stadium, McNally had not previously removed
game balls from the Officials Locker Room and taken them to the field without
either receiving permission from the game officials or being accompanied by one
or more officials.

5. Based on videotape evidence and witness interviews, it has been determined that
McNally removed the game balls from the Officials Locker Room at
approximately 6:30 p.m. After leaving the Officials Locker Room carrying two
large bags of game balls (Patriots balls and Colts balls), McNally turned left and
then turned left again to walk down a corridor referred to by Patriots personnel as
the “center tunnel” heading to the playing field. At the end of the center tunnel on
the left-hand side, approximately three feet from the doors that lead to the playing
field, is a bathroom. McNally entered that bathroom with the game balls, locked
the door, and remained in the bathroom with the game balls for approximately one
minute and forty seconds. He then left the bathroom and took the bags of game
balls to the field.

 

[forgeforsaken]

Actually if you read the report the refs messed up when they inflated balls and put them far over the legal maximum limit.

Going by the report and the texts that was a different game, against the Jets, but it does raise some questions that most people seem to be ignoring.

 

[Acerac]

We're gonna need a few more Super bowls to lead the league friend.

WUT?! YOUR JUST SALTY!!!

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

Really?

Talking about the Jets game in the texts.

It gives some credence to possibly "fixing" refs mistakes and making sure the balls were around 12.5 or possibly under.

And considering the balls were fucked for that game, clearly the deflating wasn't going on every single game or Brady wouldn't have been so pissed.

Even if the refs did fuck Brady for a game or two, still wrong to go behind their backs and needling the ball. I even think after this Brady wanted the Patriots to talk to the refs as they were finalizing the balls and making sure they didn't inflate them over 12.6 PSI or something

 

[CitizenCope]

We're gonna need a few more Super bowls to lead the league friend.

God damn it! Too late to delete?

 

[TheLostBigBoss]

God damn it! Too late to delete?

Just put an asterisk on your post when you edit it so everyone can see your wrongdoing.

 

[CitizenCope]

Just put an asterisk on your post when you edit it so everyone can see your wrongdoing.

Done thanks!

 

[Quotient]

I completely read the report, minus the appendix - I think for certain the NFL will fine the Patriots and/or take draft picks, as the Patriots did not give the NFL complete access to McNally and JJ.

 

[Link]

God damn it! Too late to delete?

Jesus man, if you're going to be an obnoxious shit-talker, at least get your bragging points right.

 

[werks]

Full access? The first three times Mcnally was interviewed by NFL security. When the Well's investigation found the text messages, they wanted to interview McNally and the Pat's counsel refused.

We all know that once Wells confronted Mcnally with the evidence, he would have flipped and implicated brady, if not more people. The pat's counsel not letting Mcnally talk to wells speaks volumes.

 

[Tallshortman]

So now we lead the AFC East**** in Super Bowls and *? I'll take it!!

lol you should have just left the original comment in all it's shame, this is literally worse. Turning a false brag into bragging about having the most super bowls among 3 other teams.

 

[Quotient]

Full access? The first three times Mcnally was interviewed by NFL security. When the Well's investigation found the text messages, they wanted to interview McNally and the Pat's counsel refused.

We all know that once Wells confronted Mcnally with the evidence, he would have flipped and implicated brady, if not more people. The pat's counsel not letting Mcnally talk to wells speaks volumes.

It was only in regards to one text message, though it was the most damming of them all, the "deflator" text.

Personally, the strongest evidence of any wrong doing was McNally taking the footballs out of the locker room without the consent of the referees, and the text message where McNally refers to himself as the 'Deflator'. I didn't find the rest of the evidence as compelling.

I did find it interesting that the report did not discuss the terrible jobs the referees did to ensure the integrity of the game - perhaps the NFL will commission an investigation into that.

 

[kmag]

Hey man, I think the Pats deflated footballs but if they never measured the balls in the first place how can they prove that it was deliberate?

Edit:


If you say so, I'm not going to read 200+ pages of a report on deflated footballs especially after the summaries I read.

They don't have to 'prove' anything, the legal threshold for NFL discipline is balance of probabilities (i.e more likely than not) just like any other civil matter. People saying the prevarication in the report opens it up to appeal are completely missing the point, it's a civil judgement written by a lawyer who specialised in civil cases, it's written to the standard of 'proof' required for the judgement to be valid.

 

[Crisco]

1 minute and 30 seconds lol. The dude probably did deflation drills right along side the players during practice. That's the work of a man with experience!

 

[chadskin]

1 minute and 30 seconds lol. The dude probably did deflation drills right along side the players during practice. That's the work of a man with experience!

Not really:

With minimal training (a single practice run), it is possible for an individual using a standard sports ball inflation needle to perform the following in approximately 60-70 seconds: open a door and enter a room, close the door, open a zippered bag containing 13 footballs, insert the needle into all footballs releasing a small amount of air from each, close and zipper the bag containing the footballs, and leave the room through the door, closing the door behind.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Not really:

This is ripe for a 12 Angry Men remake!

 

[M1ch04c4n0]

Given how they acted after the SB, calling the NE team "cheaters" is being too polite.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Given how they acted after the SB, calling the NE team "cheaters" is being too polite.

what would you call them

 

[BassForever]

He probably deflated them but for all we know they were improperly inflated in the first place and the refs fucked up by allowing them.

And maybe aliens stole air from the patriots balls because they're homers and needed extra air for their return trip to the delta quadrant

 

[Fox318]

I completely read the report, minus the appendix - I think for certain the NFL will fine the Patriots and/or take draft picks, as the Patriots did not give the NFL complete access to McNally and JJ.

Kraft gets away with a ton because he is the one that controls goodells pay.

You think the Cowboys would have gotten away with this?

 

[ampere]

what would you call them

I think he calls them GOATs

 

[Quotient]

Not really:

Just a thought: I find it amusing that 1 minute 40 seconds is enough time to deflate footballs, yet two referees weren't able to measure all the colts balls at half-time.

Kraft gets away with a ton because he is the one that controls goodells pay.

You think the Cowboys would have gotten away with this?

As i understand it is not only Kraft, their is a committee of 3 owners which includes Falcons, Patriots & Panthers, and I doubt the other owners would he happy if Goodell let the Patriots go easy.

I actually think right now the Jets, Dolphins & Bills, as well as the rest of the AFC, are probably putting heavy pressure on Goodell and the league to cripple the Patriots by giving Brady a lengthy suspension. The financial penalty and docking of draft picks is pretty insignificant for the Pats (and most owners), but losing your star QB is HUGE!

 

[CitizenCope]

Jesus man, if you're going to be an obnoxious shit-talker, at least get your bragging points right.

lol you should have just left the original comment in all it's shame, this is literally worse. Turning a false brag into bragging about having the most super bowls among 3 other teams.

Lighten up! =)
Your teams don't stand a chance in the AFC East.

 

[Acerac]

Lighten up! =)
Your teams don't stand a chance in the AFC East.

They're obviously just salty. XD

 

[bionic77]

what would you call them

Cheating cunts has always been the proper way to refer to them. It is such an accurate description that they should change their name to it.

I have a question. Since the Pats will now forever be known as cheaters, what does that say of the people who cheer for them?

 

[JJDinomite]

Are Pats fans at least honest about being the bad guys? They're aware, right?

 

[bionic77]

Are Pats fans at least honest about being the bad guys? They're aware, right?

They don't want to be the Raiders for some reason. They are pretty delusional.

I think it makes more sense to admit it but it really kills Brady's self made narrative.

In their defense it is hard to wake up and find out everything you ever believed was a lie. The villains often think they are the good guys...

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Are Pats fans at least honest about being the bad guys? They're aware, right?

I have no problem being the bad guy.

 

[LyleLanley]

I have no problem being the bad guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jr4PGeKtQ8