Deflate-gate

[mark]

The Patriots are under investigation for using under inflated footballs during the playoff game. Any guesses to the outcome, or will it be swept under the astroturf ?

 

[MisterE]

That's up there with the pine tar incident a few years back.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Tar_Incident

 

[docwatson]

Are they guilty of this alleged practice?? Who knows. I don't think it is the first time any team has tried to get a competitive edge in any sport. For all I know, this could be a pretty common, hidden, practice that only the competitors know about and keep as an inside secret. If so, and if it is illegal, it would surely put a damper on the Super Bowl IMO. Cheating is cheating no matter how you look at it. We will all soon see how this plays out. It's just a shame that so much attention goes into sports these days when there are so many more important happenings in the world that we could focus on. My 2 cents.

 

[scotties22]

I really feel that they should have to forfeit the win and the Colts should go to the Super Bowl. Will it happen? No. And that's a shame. Doc is right....too much emphasis is put on sports and our young are influenced by things like this.
Aren't good enough to win? Cheat.

Don't like what someone said? Beat them up.

Your woman's attitude isn't what you think it should be? Hit her.

Your 4 year old didn't listen? Whip him with a stick until he bleeds.

I'm starting to see a disturbing trend here.

Cheating is cheating and it SHOULD NOT be tolerated on ANY level. I have 3 small children and I'll be damned if I will raise them to think **** like this is okay.

 

[RDPipes]

Are they guilty of this alleged practice?? Who knows. I don't think it is the first time any team has tried to get a competitive edge in any sport. For all I know, this could be a pretty common, hidden, practice that only the competitors know about and keep as an inside secret. If so, and if it is illegal, it would surely put a damper on the Super Bowl IMO. Cheating is cheating no matter how you look at it. We will all soon see how this plays out. It's just a shame that so much attention goes into sports these days when there are so many more important happenings in the world that we could focus on. My 2 cents.

I agree wholeheartedly with ya Doc, there's way to much emphasis on sports and being competitive nowadays. Hell all Texas and Texas schools think about is football and beating the other guy. How about getting back to what's really important like an education instead of spending most the school funds on football fields, score boards, Fancy Shamcy buses and such.
I never been very competitive, so the other guy is better then me at throwing a ball, Big Deal, that'll get him far in life. I do what I do to the best of my ability, if it's not better then the other guy so what. I'm happy with who I am and that's all that counts.

 

[d4klutz]

I agree with Scottie, IF they actually cheated. From what I understand, there are officials responsible for verifying the ball is inflated correctly before allowing it on the field? If so, then they really dropped the ball (no pun intended) on this one and they should be penalized, and not the team. If there is not oversight, then the team should be penalized.

All in all, who really cares? What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things? Also, if a slightly under-inflated ball would help the one team, why wouldn't it help the other team? it appears to me that this is much ado about nothing.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

At the very least if this is true, the ball boy from the Colts should be allowed to kick the ball boy from the Deflatriots in the jimmy during the Super Bowl half time show. That beats having to listen to Katie Perry.

 

[Fumus]

At the very least if this is true, the ball boy from the Colts should be allowed to kick the ball boy from the Deflatriots in the jimmy during the Super Bowl half time show. That beats having to listen to Katie Perry.

:lol!: True.

 

[riff raff]

What I'd like to happen:
- The Colts should play the Ravens on Monday Night and that winner goes to the Superbowl.
- Then, the Patriots lose not a draft pick but lose having any draft pick higher than the 3rd round for five years (that should hurt, and not allow if they trade up).

What do I think will happen:
- Already has: Belicheat was "shocked" and knew nothing, same for Brady
- They'll get a fine, than burn twice that amount lighting cigars with $100 bills, laughing at the "investigation".

 

[mark]

  All in all, who really cares?  What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things?  Also, if a slightly under-inflated ball would help the one team, why wouldn't it help the other team?  it appears to me that this is much ado about nothing.  

Who cares? A few million fans, and yes it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but how many kids are paying attention to how things are handled? Pro sports and politicians are in the limelight. Neither sets a good example.

Each team has its own balls, 12 in number, and plays offense with their own, so it could be a factor

 

[RobJ]

Well as Belichick and the team have already been found guilty of "cheating" once, imo opinion chances are they'll cheat again with a high probability they did it here. With all the publicity and media coverage I don't think the league can sweep this under the rug, I see no possible upside in doing so but we'll see of course.

And yes each team supplies and uses its own footballs.

 

[puros_bran]

NFL is either WWE or NASCAR.

If it's WWE then they deliberately paint the Patriots as cheats.
If it's NASCAR they are all to close together to not cheat, the biggest cheat wins.

All I know is in 6th grade football they started teaching us to cheat in plain view and get away with it.

 

[idbowman]

At the very least if this is true, the ball boy from the Colts should be allowed to kick the ball boy from the Deflatriots in the jimmy during the Super Bowl half time show. That beats having to listen to Katie Perry.

Having the Colts' ball boy kick me in the jimmy would be a better alternative than Katie Perry.

As to deflategate? I find it just as likely that Tom Brady's experience in big games, plus his experience playing in cold, New England weather late in the season is a big part of the reason he outperformed the young, dome-bound Andrew Luck. Not to mention that Belichick - love him or hate him - can game plan like there's no tomorrow.

I'm no Pats fan and I have no doubt Belichick would do anything to win, but I'm not terribly bothered by the whole thing.

 

[mark]

Well nobody came up with the simple solution,,,both teams play with the same ball,,,,

 

[RobJ]

Maybe not new news and really probably not unexpected either.

Inflate Gate

While I never had any doubt the Patriots cheated by purposely deflating game balls I'm wondering how long they were doing it. Now that the locker room guys names are out there maybe one of them will tell the truth. No way do I think that will happen, I'm sure both will be well compensated to keep their mouths shut. If the feds step in and decide to investigate (I think they should), all bets are off I think.

 

[bosun1]

The better a team plays the more money they make. The more a team wins the more money they make. The better a player is (talent/training/physical conditioning/steroids) the more money he makes.
What a surprise?

 

[tslots]

Seems like the Patriots (and Brady) have been near the center of the universe for NFL rule changes, clarifications, additions, subtractions, bends, breaks for awhile.

Remember the "tuck rule" from the 2002 Championship game? The Pats cashed in on that one too. Perhaps it's time the scales were balanced in the opposite way.

Of course NFL leadership, especially over the past couple of years, doesn't help matters with their consistent inconsistency.

 

[Hermit]

 

[Buckshot]

Brady needs to have his balls deflated. :affraid:

 

[riff raff]

The latest news only confirms what a dirt-bag Brady is. The test messages exchanged by the two guys he had do the dirty work is pretty damning. They should lose some draft picks, but it's too late for that. I suspect the penalty will amount to a slap on the wrist. It's interesting that Brady was part of the group that made the rules on how game balls are handled. On the other hand, I guess that I would be surprised if any team DIDN'T cheat.