Lena's Mud and Goodell's Balls - A Brief Commentary

[steve B]

Here's a newer article with better details.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ls_for_af.html

The key part about the problem being fixed at halftime.

"ESPN Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City reported that the Patriots footballs were tested during halftme, re-inflated after when they were found to be under-inflated, then the balls put back in play for the second half and then tested again after the game."

Even disallowing all the first half points leaves the Colts down 28-7

Steve B

This whole controversy is completely overblown, a lot of hot air from blustery windbags....

[D.P.Johnson]

Frank.....Really???

The best games I've ever participated in included at least one hocker of spit, as well as a lot of ball rubbing throughout the contest...

[pgellis]

Whether the pressure of the balls meant a difference or not, THE MAIN POINT is that the Patriots have been accused of tampering with the balls after the officials deemed them legal which takes place 2 hours and 15 minutes prior to kickoff.

So, somebody deflated 11 of the 12 balls prior to half-time. Too bad Pats fans....caught cheating again.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by D.P.Johnson

Frank.....Really???

The best games I've ever participated in included at least one hocker of spit, as well as a lot of ball rubbing throughout the contest...

I hope you all realize I am taking this issue very seriously and with respect to this thread

De odor ain't from de flatus.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by steve B

Here's a newer article with better details.

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ls_for_af.html

The key part about the problem being fixed at halftime.

"ESPN Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City reported that the Patriots footballs were tested during halftme, re-inflated after when they were found to be under-inflated, then the balls put back in play for the second half and then tested again after the game."

Even disallowing all the first half points leaves the Colts down 28-7

Steve B

How many times did the referees handle the balls in the first half and not notice anything? This is so much ado about nothing.

[pgellis]

Peter, I think you are wrong. Even if the officials noticed something, they need a team to make a complaint. It's much like in baseball last year when Michael Pineda had about a pound of pine tar on his neck. It may have been apparent to the umpires, but they needed the Red Sox to make a formal complaint before they could do anything.
Once the Colts intercepted a pass, they made their complaint.

To blame the officials does not lessen the fact that the Patriots cheated.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by pgellis

Peter, I think you are wrong. Even if the officials noticed something, they need a team to make a complaint. It's much like in baseball last year when Michael Pineda had about a pound of pine tar on his neck. It may have been apparent to the umpires, but they needed the Red Sox to make a formal complaint before they could do anything.
Once the Colts intercepted a pass, they made their complaint.

To blame the officials does not lessen the fact that the Patriots cheated.

So an NFL referee notices that there is something wrong with a game ball, and he is powerless to do anything about it? I haven't consulted the rulebook but that is very hard to fathom and if so it's a really stupid rule.

By the way my point is not to blame the officials but to suggest that this supposed deflation may not even have been perceptible.

Finally, they could have put a grapefruit out there and Brady would have outplayed Luck.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

So an NFL referee notices that there is something wrong with a game ball, and he is powerless to do anything about it? I haven't consulted the rulebook but that is very hard to fathom and if so it's a really stupid rule.

By the way my point is not to blame the officials but to suggest that this supposed deflation may not even have been perceptible.

Finally, they could have put a grapefruit out there and Brady would have outplayed Luck.

And if they kicked a field goal, the holder would be juiced?

[HRBAKER]

The Patriots must have also figured out a way to overinflate the Colts balls.

[clydepepper]

Am I the only one who never even knew that each team uses their own footballs while on offense? How strange is that? ESPN was discussing how it would never fly in either basketball or baseball. They surmised that the reasoning behind it was to keep all of thee quarterbacks happy.

They also brought up the fact that Brady was 11-for21 with one TD and one interception in the first half with the lower pressured balls and 12-for-14 with two touchdowns, no interceptions and twice as much yardage in the second half with the correctly pressurized footballs.

The questions are: If such a rule exists, but isn't enforced, then why even have the rule and if such a rule is broken what- if any should be the penalty. ESPN was stating that since it's Belichick, and since he has 'a past history of deception' the penalty should be sizable.

My question is: Isn't this just the minutia meant for a slow sports news day?

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

The Patriots must have also figured out a way to overinflate the Colts balls.

That's called epididymitis, Jeff.