Perception Of The Patriots & Suggested Punishment?

[UKMustangFan]

They are interviewing Jerry Seamen now who was the head of officials years back and said they are handling the balls only by setting them on the ground after each play and pay no attention to that.

 

He also said that he has learned that all 12 footballs supplied by the Patriots were deflated but only 11 of them were more than 2 pounds under the proper level, the 12th was deflated but less than 2 pounds.

 

And that they were inflated back to standards at halftime...

[LRCW]

If you want to send a statement that cheating won't be tolerated...send the Colts to the Super Bowl. Nothing else (fine, suspension, draft choices) is going to be a deterrent for anyone in the future. As has already been stated, the rewards (for cheating) are so far ahead of any risks that it's not even funny.

I was just getting ready to post the same thing.

[bugatti]

 

I'm guessing this helped Blount rush for 150 and 3 TD's too.

People are missing the boat if this is your response to these allegations.

 

(But, ball deflation can help with ball security so you could technically make that argument.)

[Jim Schue]

That is good but like I said above they don't care about a fine and a couple of draft picks.

 

This is different from a fine — although I would be OK with a fine being part of the punishment. Reducing their salary cap all but ensures they would be a worse team simply because they wouldn't have as much money to spend on players as the rest of the league. That leads to a severe reduction in positional depth across the roster, the same way cutting scholarships does for a college football program.

[GreyFox]

I now question the NFL. If they knew there was a problem at halftime, why didn't they do anything about the first half of the game including up to forfeiting the game in favor of the Colts? I understand some may think that would have been the extreme, but how else do you correct a wrong at that point of a game without going unpunished?

[bugatti]

I now question the NFL. If they knew there was a problem at halftime, why didn't they do anything about the first half of the game including up to forfeiting the game in favor of the Colts? I understand some may think that would have been the extreme, but how else do you correct a wrong at that point of a game without going unpunished?

 

That is a good question, though I am not sure what typical protocol is. And maybe they do not have a protocol for this? Balls have to be deflated somewhat from time-to-time, but probably not to this extreme?

[John Anthony]

Suspend him for the SB.

[16thBBall Fan]

This is different from a fine — although I would be OK with a fine being part of the punishment. Reducing their salary cap all but ensures they would be a worse team simply because they wouldn't have as much money to spend on players as the rest of the league. That leads to a severe reduction in positional depth across the roster, the same way cutting scholarships does for a college football program.

 

Yea I was agreeing with you just didn't type it correctly I think that would stop it I was saying they don't care about a fine or draft picks cause they build a lot of there team through resurrecting careers and free agency anyway.

[16thBBall Fan]

Suspend him for the SB.

 

that's good and also if they win it he doesn't get the winners cut or gets to count it on his record.

[HoopsLady]

If the balls were deflated before the game and the officiating crew did not detect it, the PAtriots are off the hook IMO. If the balls were deflated during the game, draft picks should be forfeited.

[CincySportsFan]

Here's the crazy thing about this whole situation...it's quite simple to avoid. 1.) Have the league supply the balls for each game, and 2.) Both teams use the same balls. Problem solved.

[JokersWild24]

I now question the NFL. If they knew there was a problem at halftime, why didn't they do anything about the first half of the game including up to forfeiting the game in favor of the Colts? I understand some may think that would have been the extreme, but how else do you correct a wrong at that point of a game without going unpunished?

 

If I'm a ref and I find out at halftime that the Patriots are trying to fool me as an official, then I'm not saying I'd go out and try to rip them in the 2nd Half, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I might look at the possibility that their linemen are holding or DB's are making illegal contact just a little bit closer. I mean, if they're going to cheat that way, who knows what else they might be cheating at, right?

 

Like PP92 always says, "fool me once, shame on you... fool me twice, nah... you won't fool me twice".

 

:idunno:

[GreyFox]

If the balls were deflated before the game and the officiating crew did not detect it, the PAtriots are off the hook IMO. If the balls were deflated during the game, draft picks should be forfeited.

 

Why would they be off the hook if they were deflated before the game? There is plenty of time to deflate the balls after the officials inspect them before the game. This clearly took place after the initial inspection, so what does it matter when they were deflated?

[plantmanky]

I think they should get extra draft picks for pulling it off. They should have been penalized during the game for it. They werent, thats on the officials and the NFL. To bad so sad move on.

[75center]

If you want to send a statement that cheating won't be tolerated...send the Colts to the Super Bowl. Nothing else (fine, suspension, draft choices) is going to be a deterrent for anyone in the future. As has already been stated, the rewards (for cheating) are so far ahead of any risks that it's not even funny.

 

Forfeiting the game would certainly be an interesting decision.