Patriots

[mpare]

Early in the season, when the Pats were 2-2 and their offensive line was just horrible, it would have been nearly impossible to predict that they would beat both Denver and Indy. But they did just that. These guys are playing hard-nosed, take no prisoners, football on both sides of the line. Barring injuries to key players, it's fair to say that they have a good chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Last night's game was fun to watch. Go, Patriots!!!

[Sakuraba]

Another impressive performance against a top-ranked defense yesterday...

[Ginker]

Pats and Packers are the teams to beat right now. Patriots are making winning look very easy.

[mpare]

Well that was an exciting victory, though I must say that the offensive and defensive lines left a lot to be desired. Go Pats.

[stevek]

Anybody but the Pats!! Go Colts and if that fails, Go Seahawks, again!

[Sakuraba]

Belichick making it easy to hate this team again, if the reports of under-inflated balls turn out to be true.

[orangeTANG]

Belichick making it easy to hate this team again, if the reports of under-inflated balls turn out to be true.

I don't quite understand this can even happen. From all the reports I've read today the officials are all provided the balls before game time where they are run through a series of measurements, then they are controlled by the officials for the period of the game.

Is it possible one of the valves had a leak and the referee noticed this, and took it out of the game at that point in time? Or do the Patriots actually hold the ball throughout the game where they can manipulate the air pressure in it?

[Chambokl]

I don't quite understand this can even happen. From all the reports I've read today the officials are all provided the balls before game time where they are run through a series of measurements, then they are controlled by the officials for the period of the game.

Is it possible one of the valves had a leak and the referee noticed this, and took it out of the game at that point in time? Or do the Patriots actually hold the ball throughout the game where they can manipulate the air pressure in it?

The referee does this 2 hours before the game... After that the Patriots are responsible of the footballs (12) that they would use during the game... During that time (2 hours) is when the Patriots supposedly tampered with the balls...

[Chieflongtee]

Belichick making it easy to hate this team again, if the reports of under-inflated balls turn out to be true.

Hello my favorite insurance broker
Such a lame excuse. They would have beaten the Colts with a frozen piece of turd. The Colts either did not show up and probably wished that Denver beat them.
Cheers

[Big Johnny69]

Tapmpering with the balls is a rather weak ploy to win a game, but I don't understand why the balls are given back after inspection. They should remain in the hands of the officials until game time.

[Sakuraba]

Hello my favorite insurance broker
Such a lame excuse. They would have beaten the Colts with a frozen piece of turd. The Colts either did not show up and probably wished that Denver beat them.
Cheers

You're %100 right Andre, and I think they will beat the Seahawks easily. Still, couldn't resist the story. Nothing surprises me with Belichick, he is a football evil-genius.

[Chambokl]

You're %100 right Andre, and I think they will beat the Seahawks easily. Still, couldn't resist the story. Nothing surprises me with Belichick, he is a football evil-genius.

Nothing Genius about this one... why would you do this? He is not the first one... In 2012 USC fired their student manager for doing exactly that... Lane Kiffin was let go at the end of that year...

Geoff... I don't think the NFL expects team to cheat... Supposedly the Colts complain to the NFL about the Patriots for the same reason after a game in November????

[Chieflongtee]

Nothing Genius about this one... why would you do this? He is not the first one... In 2012 USC fired their student manager for doing exactly that... Lane Kiffin was let go at the end of that year...

Geoff... I don't think the NFL expects team to cheat... Supposedly the Colts complain to the NFL about the Patriots for the same reason after a game in November????

Not sure that Kiffin was let go for that particular reason:

In three seasons, Kiffin’s Trojans won 25 games, but it wasn’t enough to appease athletic director Pat Haden after a 7-6 finish in 2012.

They should be more worried about muscle inflation than ball deflation as most are on PED's

[Sakuraba]

Funny quote today from Bill Plaschke in the LA Times:

"Belichick was the old guy sitting at the card table with the shells. Brady was the young guy leaning against the wall with the dice. Their obliviousness was obviously orchestrated, yet they spun it in the cocksure manner of those who have done this before and know they will never get caught."

[justsomeguy]

... and how exactly does an under-inflated football work in one team's favour and not the other ?

[Golfer100]

... and how exactly does an under-inflated football work in one team's favour and not the other ?

In the cold wet conditions an under-inflated ball is easier to grip and in turn catch. If one team deflates their balls and the opponent does not then the "ball" advantage goes to the deflated ball team. In this case the Pats…..

BTW….each team has its supply of 12 balls for each game, each team uses its own balls for this offensive plays.

[Chieflongtee]

In the cold wet conditions an under-inflated ball is easier to grip and in turn catch. If one team deflates their balls and the opponent does not then the "ball" advantage goes to the deflated ball team. In this case the Pats…..

BTW….each team has its supply of 12 balls for each game, each team uses its own balls for this offensive plays.

Just curious. Does an over inflated ball fly further than a deflated one?

[jeffc]

Just curious. Does an over inflated ball fly further than a deflated one?

depends who is throwing it.

[Chambokl]

Some people seems to think it is not a big deal... What about golfers playing with a smaller golf balls? There are some, they go farther and are illegal... but some people still uses them... What happen if it is during a tournament?

[Big Johnny69]

Each team uses their own balls on offense.

[justsomeguy]

Each team uses their own balls on offense.

WOW - how stupid is that. Probably the wealthiest sports league on the planet and they make the teams supply the game balls. Truly amazing.

[justsomeguy]

Each team uses their own balls on offense.

WOW! Probably the wealthiest sports league on the planet and they make the teams supply the game balls and look after them. How stupid is that!

[stevek]

WOW! Probably the wealthiest sports league on the planet and they make the teams supply the game balls and look after them. How stupid is that!

It was likely to prevent this sort of thing in the first place. The home team could play with the ball pressures and provide a different pressured ball depending on if it was on offense or defense.

That the Pats would delate their balls between the original inspection and the start of the game never likely was thought of as a possibility.

The refs should be checking the ball pressure more than just at the start of the game and likely will now, especially for the Pats; who now seem to have had more than one complaint.

As the saying goes, "Cheaters gotta cheat."

[orangeTANG]

I guess we'll see how much this plays a factor in the issue if this is indeed true:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/2...ble-psi-level/

[Chieflongtee]

Cheating or what you can get away with???
http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/01/29/...ess-apparently

In the NFL, cheaters do prosper. And, hey! Stop snickering at the Patriots!
They might not even be the worst offenders. Or, at least, not lone offenders.
In the past three seasons, the top teams in the league — Seattle, New England, Denver and Baltimore — have all been at, or near the league lead in penalties.
And, the worst of these have been the Seahawks. It’s not even close.
The Seahawks, since the arrival of Pete Carroll as coach, have a well-earned reputation for pushing the envelope to the point that one general manager was heard to muse that if his team was allowed to play the same way, they could lead the league in defence, too. Seattle punishes receivers on every play — they pummell, manhandle and frustrate. On offence, they crowd the line of scrimmage, they grab defenders and they let the flags fall where they may — the theory being that officials won’t call every infraction.
In fact, many in the league will argue, they hardly call enough.
Officials penalized Seattle for a league-high 144 infractions this seaon. But whatever the Seahawks are doing wrong, they simply keep doing it — and, winning with it. Since 2012, they’re tied for the most wins in the NFL (36), most Super Bowl appearances and ... misbehavin’.
They have thumbed their noses at convention, pretty much put a lie to the theory that success comes by eliminating penalties. The best team in the league has been penalized 416 times the past three seasons. They play with a swagger, virtually daring officials to pull out their hanky. Play. After play. After play.
Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman even went on a NBC TV program last year, displaying to a teammate, his techniques for concealing illegal contact. They thrive with a dictum that says rules are made to be stretched and fragmented. Former NFL official Mike Pereira once explained the Seattle approach this way: “They look at it and say, ‘We may get called for one, but not 10.’”
So aggressive teams like the Seahawks, Pereira said, test officials early to see what they can get away with on any given day. Football is aggression, speed and a hint of malevolence and Seattle uses all three to wear down not just opponents, but also officials. It’s a game the Patriots aren’t unfamiliar with themselves.
They, too, took a road to the Super Bowl while treating the rulebook like Canadians treat speed limit signs; As suggestions. And, hardly, as law. New England ranked fourth in the NFL in penalties and cornerback Brandon Browner, as a graduate of the Legion of Boom, considers penalty flags as an occupational hazard , best ignored.
So, does a walk on the bad side, pay?
Consider this. The Jaguars were the most sportsmanlike team in football, committing just 73 penalties. All it got them was three wins, booed, ignored — and a front-row seat for Sunday’s game. On the mancave couch. You figure it out.

[Chambokl]

I think there is a difference between infractions and transgressions...

[Chieflongtee]

Both against the rules....

[mpare]

As I posted elsewhere, if this latest story is true, then ESPN's initial story was wrong. The problem with rushing to judgment before the confirmed facts are in is that it may leave the "judge" with egg on his or her face. I can't wait for the official report to be released. At least the we'll have confirmed facts to consider.

http://nesn.com/2015/02/adam-schefte...iots-football/

[Sakuraba]

The official report is released, and Belichick is cleared, so is Kraft, but it looks like Brady is taking some heat for it, may face disciplinary action?

[zee51]

The official report is released, and Belichick is cleared, so is Kraft, but it looks like Brady is taking some heat for it, may face disciplinary action?

Not so fast. Yes, they were not identified as being active participants but the Patriots personnel was found to be involved and ultimately management has the responsibility for its employees actions. There likely will be and should be a penalty of some kind. I just think it coincidence that the report comes out only after the NFL draft. Here is a portion of the report:

For the reasons described in this Report, and after a comprehensive investigation, we have concluded that, in connection with the AFC Championship Game, it is more probable

than not that New England Patriots personnel participated in violations of the Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules. In particular, we have concluded that it is more probable than not that Jim McNally (the Officials Locker Room attendant for the Patriots) and John Jastremski (an equipment assistant for the Patriots) participated in a deliberate effort to release air from Patriots game balls after the balls were examined by the referee. Base on the evidence, it also is our view that it is more probable than not that Tom Brady (the quarterback for the Patriots) was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of McNally and Jastremski involving the release of air from Patriots game balls.