I am a Pats fan (not as much as UKMustang but a fan) and I am very disappointed in the Pats. I am also a HUGE Brady fan. One thing that is funny is that EVERYBODY is blaming Belichick for this. What if he had no idea and it was Brady going to the equipment guy and having this done? Brady is the one that benefits the most so I think it is plausible. What if Brady has had this done for years? I have always thought Brady was the best QB of this generation (better than Peyton) but if Brady has been getting away with this for a long time, I am not happy with him at all.

 

There is absolutely zero percent chance that Brady DIDN'T at least know about it, imo. I mean, if there were that many balls that were that underinflated, and he's the guy that's handling them EVERY SINGLE SNAP, you can't tell me he didn't know. Now, whether that was after-the-fact, I don't know. But, I can't imagine him coming over to the sideline after the first series and not saying something to somebody about it. And I don't think that's something you want to spring on you HOF QB after the game is already started. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me that they haven't practiced with them at some point in time, just to find the "right" air pressure that he felt comfortable with.

Patriot "gamesmenship":popcorn:

I am a Pats fan (not as much as UKMustang but a fan) and I am very disappointed in the Pats. I am also a HUGE Brady fan. One thing that is funny is that EVERYBODY is blaming Belichick for this. What if he had no idea and it was Brady going to the equipment guy and having this done? Brady is the one that benefits the most so I think it is plausible. What if Brady has had this done for years? I have always thought Brady was the best QB of this generation (better than Peyton) but if Brady has been getting away with this for a long time, I am not happy with him at all.

 

Brady knew, Brady had to know. Every interview you hear from QB's in the league all say the same thing and that is that the QB's are the one who gets with the equipment manager and tells them what they like there footballs to be like. I don't understand why everyone seems to be overlooking Brady in all of this.

 

This isn't a one time thing either. It was brought up by the Colts in their game in November and that was a game in Indy. Why Brady isn't even being talked about being suspended and only the coach is really surprising to me.

Brady knew, Brady had to know. Every interview you hear from QB's in the league all say the same thing and that is that the QB's are the one who gets with the equipment manager and tells them what they like there footballs to be like. I don't understand why everyone seems to be overlooking Brady in all of this.

 

This isn't a one time thing either. It was brought up by the Colts in their game in November and that was a game in Indy. Why Brady isn't even being talked about being suspended and only the coach is really surprising to me.

 

At the end of the day it goes back to the head coach though. He is the man in charge, and this probably was a pretty common practice for them to do this. So its safe to say he probably knew this happens and he did nothing.

Bill's presser just ended. Said in his entire coaching career he's never had a conversation with anyone regarding football pressure. Has no idea how it happened, and that they're completely cooperating with the NFL's investigation.

 

Brady's presser, originally scheduled for tomorrow morning, has been moved to 4 pm today.

Just saw an interesting take....

 

Brady taking the blame would actually be the best thing for the Patriots. If Bill or the organization does, it's a repeat offense and major penalties.

 

If Brady does, it's a first-time offense and nothing more than a fine.

 

:idunno:

Best suggestion I heard all day yesterday: "make the Patriots play the Super Bowl with balls that are overinflated by 2 pounds". Shouldn't be a big deal, right? I mean, everyone in the league tampers with the balls, and they'd have beaten the Colts regardless of what the balls weighed, so over-inflating them shouldn't be a big deal then.

Just saw an interesting take....

 

Brady taking the blame would actually be the best thing for the Patriots. If Bill or the organization does, it's a repeat offense and major penalties.

 

If Brady does, it's a first-time offense and nothing more than a fine.

 

:idunno:

 

 

If I'm a Patriots fan, what's really worrying me with all of this: the public is out for blood, and Commissioner Goodell hasn't had the best year. Following the whole Ray Rice thing, he could stand to gain some points in the court of public opinion. There are a lot of people who will be calling for blood just because it's the Patriots. There'll be more calling for blood because it's a repeat offender. I don't know if Goodell can really take too many more public hits before things like the Rice thing, being perceived as going soft on the Patriots, etc. lead to some kind of incident being the straw that broke the camel's back later on.

Here's an interesting scenario I just saw tweeted.

 

Patriots said they inflated the balls to the lowest legal level of pressure before they were checked. They sat out in the cold and wet for roughly 2 hours. Cold weather reduces ball pressure. Supposedly, the lower the pressure in the ball, the more drastic impact the temperature has on the ball pressure. Is that cheating?

Here's an interesting scenario I just saw tweeted.

 

Patriots said they inflated the balls to the lowest legal level of pressure before they were checked. They sat out in the cold and wet for roughly 2 hours. Cold weather reduces ball pressure. Supposedly, the lower the pressure in the ball, the more drastic impact the temperature has on the ball pressure. Is that cheating?

 

You also have to assume that the Pats are going to say anything right now to try to save themselves from getting punished. So that could be true, or they could be just saying that to try to save their butts. What the league then needs to find out is what was the exact reading on the balls when the refs checked them before the game. If they were not at the lowest they can be when the refs checked them before the game, then the Pats probably just dug themselves a bigger hole by trying to make that lie up.

You also have to assume that the Pats are going to say anything right now to try to save themselves from getting punished. So that could be true, or they could be just saying that to try to save their butts. What the league then needs to find out is what was the exact reading on the balls when the refs checked them before the game. If they were not at the lowest they can be when the refs checked them before the game, then the Pats probably just dug themselves a bigger hole by trying to make that lie up.

 

And if they were at the the lowest allowed pressure?

And if they were at the the lowest allowed pressure?

 

Still very hard to believe that all 12 of them ended up being a lot less by halftime, while all of the Colts footballs still were at the legal level. Not to mention I highly doubt the other 11 footballs not in play were just sitting on the ground by themselves in the cold. They probably were wrapped up in a bag and other things to keep them from getting cold and wet. So yes it is hard to believe.

Still very hard to believe that all 12 of them ended up being a lot less by halftime, while all of the Colts footballs still were at the legal level. Not to mention I highly doubt the other 11 footballs not in play were just sitting on the ground by themselves in the cold. They probably were wrapped up in a bag and other things to keep them from getting cold and wet. So yes it is hard to believe.

 

Hypothetical....So Brady likes the football deflated, that's been confirmed. What if the Patriots inflate them to the lowest possible pressure, then intentionally sit them out in the elements so they naturally deflate? In your opinion, is that cheating, or is it just a clever way to gain an advantage?

 

As to the Colts, maybe Luck is like Rodgers and prefers throwing a ball that is as inflated as possible. If so, it'd make sense for them to keep the balls in conditions or do everything in their power to keep them from deflating, right?

 

Who knows at this point, but I don't think it's that far out of the realm of possibility.

Hypothetical....So Brady likes the football deflated, that's been confirmed. What if the Patriots inflate them to the lowest possible pressure, then intentionally sit them out in the elements so they naturally deflate? In your opinion, is that cheating, or is it just a clever way to gain an advantage?

 

I would look at it as a circumvention of the rules, though technically not cheating. I do not know much about the science of it all, but it would be hard to imagine they could accomplish that in the laid out scenario. The temps were not that bad, though it was raining. I know air pressures deflate in cold temps, but not sure it is at that kind of a rate with it being no colder than it was. We are talking a 15% or so PSI drop in two hours. I think about air pressure in vehicles and the cold temps I live in now. Tires will deflate by about 15-20% but that is a lot more extreme conditions and not a sudden drop.

If I'm hosting the Patriots in the future, I'm maxxing out the pressure in the balls the Patriots use.