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 ?

[Big Johnny69]

Each team uses their own balls on offense.

[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?

[Chieflongtee]

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?

No big deal to some people:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...194020439.html

Moreover if they had been forced to kick a winning field goal in the last seconds of the game they could have been at a disadvantage:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...122-story.html

"

When I went to Arizona, it was up to Boomer (Esiason). He was the quarterback, and then Kent Graham,” Butler said. "I would fight a quarterback not to have a deflated ball, because you lose distance and you lose everything with a deflated ball as a kicker.

[Golfer100]

No big deal to some people:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...194020439.html

Moreover if they had been forced to kick a winning field goal in the last seconds of the game they could have been at a disadvantage:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...122-story.html

"

This is the very reason that the Pats had 11 deflated balls for Brady to use and one regular inflated ball for the place kicker to use. Cheaters are not necessarily stupid.

[Chieflongtee]

This is the very reason that the Pats had 11 deflated balls for Brady to use and one regular inflated ball for the place kicker to use. Cheaters are not necessarily stupid.

Blame it on the referees then. Seems to me like a strong case of Pat haters.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content..._2013_Ball.pdf
In the event a home team ball does not conform to specifications, or its supply is exhausted, the Referee shall secure a proper
ball from the visitors and, failing that, use the best available ball. Any such circumstances must be reported to the
Commissioner

[Chieflongtee]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/2...s-ravens-colts
Kicking balls are an entirely different story.
Kicking footballs are shipped directly from the manufacturer to the official of the game. He then opens the eight balls prior to the game and a representative from each team is allowed 45 minutes to use brushes, towels and water to remove the slickness of a new ball, according to MMQB. At that point, the balls go under the control of the kicking ball coordinator. The coordinator keeps watch of the eight specially marked kicking balls during the game and works directly with the officials to get them into play, according to Newsday. There are eight kicking balls for the game. Period. The Ravens and Patriots used the same kicking balls. So if they were deflated for Baltimore, they would have been deflated for New England.

[Chieflongtee]

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?

IMHO you can't compare it to other sports. Example: A weaker tennis player plays with a racket strung at 50-60 lbs to produce more power(trampoline effect). The stronger player plays with a tighter strung racket to keep the ball under control. Shouldn't they all play with a racket with the same poundage?

[Chambokl]

IMHO you can't compare it to other sports. Example: A weaker tennis player plays with a racket strung at 50-60 lbs to produce more power(trampoline effect). The stronger player plays with a tighter strung racket to keep the ball under control. Shouldn't they all play with a racket with the same poundage?

As long as they play with a racket that conform to the rules....What are they allowed by the rules? Same thing for golf clubs... COR for driver, wedge have different rules since 2014 (I think), etc... Whatever the rules allows you to do is what you should do...

As for kicking... teams have special balls for kicker... the soft balls were never in play for kickers as there are 6 or 12 balls specifically mark for kickers only...

We have the same problem in slo-pitch... players using what are considered illegal bats.... all kind of tricks (illegal) to get an edge... Sorry, but I think it is more of a problem than you seem to think... even though I really don't rally care that much. I feel bad for Brady... that might tarnish his reputation forever...

[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.

[jeffc]

IMHO you can't compare it to other sports. Example: A weaker tennis player plays with a racket strung at 50-60 lbs to produce more power(trampoline effect). The stronger player plays with a tighter strung racket to keep the ball under control. Shouldn't they all play with a racket with the same poundage?

and the pros should all use the exact same golf clubs by that logic. As longs as its within whatever rules that the governing body sets out is what they should play with.

[Sakuraba]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/2...s-ravens-colts
Kicking balls are an entirely different story.
Kicking footballs are shipped directly from the manufacturer to the official of the game. He then opens the eight balls prior to the game and a representative from each team is allowed 45 minutes to use brushes, towels and water to remove the slickness of a new ball, according to MMQB. At that point, the balls go under the control of the kicking ball coordinator. The coordinator keeps watch of the eight specially marked kicking balls during the game and works directly with the officials to get them into play, according to Newsday. There are eight kicking balls for the game. Period. The Ravens and Patriots used the same kicking balls. So if they were deflated for Baltimore, they would have been deflated for New England.

Nobody (especially Belichick) wants a deflated ball for kicking. They want the maximum pressure in that ball. Gostkowski has been the best NFL fantasy kicker for the past 2 seasons btw.

[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/