Did Brady just admit to deflating the balls?

[fredmccallyRTR]

Exactly and in this situation the conspiracy version that it was a big scheme doesn't hold water. It's the most complicated one and makes no sense.

Mean while the concept of no one on the team, or the league actually paying much attention to the ball pressure in any particular game makes much more sense. It's the least complicated.

Not when there is counter evidence, like folks saying the balls were tested before this game and all game from different positions within the league with no incentive to bullshit.

If the refs didn't measure prior to the game, the easiest thing for them to have done to minimize backlash would be to claim the balls were good no matter what at the half. No story, no controversy.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Not when there is counter evidence, like folks saying the balls were tested before this game and all game from different positions within the league with no incentive to bullshit.

If the refs didn't measure prior to the game, the easiest thing for them to have done to minimize backlash would be to claim the balls were good no matter what at the half. No story, no controversy.

You're going with media reports and not actual evidence. Doesn't work that way in the real world.

We only have a few media reports based on "league sources", a rather vague term.

Now we have the Patriots position, via BB and Brady, now we wait and see what the league has if anything. My hunch is that BB and Brady just called their bluff, especially since the league hadn't contacted Brady as of this moring, even though we are on day four and the league said it would have this investigation wrapped up in two to three days.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

Let's go to the NFL rulebook and assume the refs followed the rules since we have no good reason to question their credibility as of yet,

Ball
The home club shall have 36 balls for outdoor games and 24 for indoor games available for testing with a pressure gauge by the referee two hours prior to the starting time of the game to meet with League requirements. Twelve (12) new footballs, sealed in a special box and shipped by the manufacturer, will be opened in the officials’ locker room two hours prior to the starting time of the game. These balls are to be specially marked with the letter "k" and used exclusively for the kicking game.

 

[Wamu]

Troy Aikman calling Brady a liar is uncalled for. Skip Bayless was right about him.

Skip Bayless has never been right.

 

[Money]

Now we have the Patriots position, via BB and Brady

We do? What exactly is that (besides feigning ignorance and throwing others under the bus)?

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

If I was a Pats fan I'd just say something shady probably did occur from our side, it didn't make a huge difference and those responsible should be punished proportionately. - No loss, no conspiracies.

 

[NEhomer]

Well I'm glad that Brady at least tried to straighten the whole thing out. I was worried there for a while. I wish he knew more so he could tell us how it all happened but it seems as though he's as stumped as the rest of us. When he preps balls he only checks the laces and stuff and he doesn't squeeze them. That's too bad. If he squeezed them, he might know the difference. He says that 12.5 is perfect but he doesn't squeeze them so I suppose we'll just have to take his word on that.

At the start of the second half, the refs stopped play for over a minute and switched out balls right in front of Tom but you know, he's such a competitor, he was too much in the zone to notice.

My heart went out for him. The poor guy. Those reporters were asking unfair questions like if anybody had contacted him from the league. Then one of them had the gall to ask if he had questioned anyone himself! Imagine.

I was kind of thinking that Bill or Tom might know something but it appears that somebody secretly did this. We may not know who's responsible before the Superbowl and it was clear from Brady's interview that he's just tortured by that thought.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Let's go to the NFL rulebook and assume the refs followed the rules since we have no good reason to question their credibility as of yet,

Ball
The home club shall have 36 balls for outdoor games and 24 for indoor games available for testing with a pressure gauge by the referee two hours prior to the starting time of the game to meet with League requirements. Twelve (12) new footballs, sealed in a special box and shipped by the manufacturer, will be opened in the officials’ locker room two hours prior to the starting time of the game. These balls are to be specially marked with the letter "k" and used exclusively for the kicking game.

I don't assume someone has followed the "rulebook" when I conduct my investigations. I assume nothing.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

Report: Colts Raised Concerns About Under-Inflated Balls After Game vs. Patriots in Indianapolis - Extra Points - Boston.com

Eek. So, now the Colts are saying they first discovered it in week 11.

 

[Money]

Well I'm glad that Brady at least tried to straighten the whole thing out. I was worried there for a while. I wish he knew more so he could tell us how it all happened but it seems as though he's as stumped as the rest of us. When he preps balls he only checks the laces and stuff and he doesn't squeeze them. That's too bad. If he squeezed them, he might know the difference. He says that 12.5 is perfect but he doesn't squeeze them so I suppose we'll just have to take his word on that.

At the start of the second half, the refs stopped play for over a minute and switched out balls right in front of Tom but you know, he's such a competitor, he was too much in the zone to notice.

My heart went out for him. The poor guy. Those reporters were asking unfair questions like if anybody had contacted him from the league. Then one of them had the gall to ask if he had questioned anyone himself! Imagine.

I was kind of thinking that Bill or Tom might know something but it appears that somebody secretly did this. We may not know who's responsible before the Superbowl and it was clear from Brady's interview that he's just tortured by that thought.

 

[NEPatsfan]

We do? What exactly is that (besides feigning ignorance and throwing others under the bus)?

Who did they throw under the bus?

They claim to not have knowledge of how it all happened. You take them at their word and then check if it's credible.

 

[Money]

You take them at their word and then check if it's credible.

I'm sorry...what exactly have they done to earn that???

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

I don't assume someone has followed the "rulebook" when I conduct my investigations. I assume nothing.

Regardless, fact is the balls were deflated. Or are you assuming that isnt necessarily true as well because no one has proved they were measured at the half?

 

[dkmightyhammer]

Well I'm glad that Brady at least tried to straighten the whole thing out. I was worried there for a while. I wish he knew more so he could tell us how it all happened but it seems as though he's as stumped as the rest of us. When he preps balls he only checks the laces and stuff and he doesn't squeeze them. That's too bad. If he squeezed them, he might know the difference. He says that 12.5 is perfect but he doesn't squeeze them so I suppose we'll just have to take his word on that.

At the start of the second half, the refs stopped play for over a minute and switched out balls right in front of Tom but you know, he's such a competitor, he was too much in the zone to notice.

My heart went out for him. The poor guy. Those reporters were asking unfair questions like if anybody had contacted him from the league. Then one of them had the gall to ask if he had questioned anyone himself! Imagine.

I was kind of thinking that Bill or Tom might know something but it appears that somebody secretly did this. We may not know who's responsible before the Superbowl and it was clear from Brady's interview that he's just tortured by that thought.

Well done.

 

[NEPatsfan]

I'm sorry...what exactly have they done to earn that???

If you are the investigator you don't base it on the past, you follow what you know.

 

[fredmccallyRTR]

Well done.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Regardless, fact is the balls were deflated. Or are you assuming that isnt necessarily true as well because no one has proved they were measured at the half?

Deflated on what scale? Compared to being measured pregame? Where they in fact measured on a guage pregame and recorded?

Take off your team hat and step back and look at it from an investigative perspective. I have to do it every day even when it involves those I work with.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Well done.

How it's coming together so far from what I have heard at this point,

The balls were submitted to the officials as per norm for the Pats. The officials "checked" them but never actually used a guage. The league was then notified there was an issue and they checked them again at halftime but had no base line to go by.

Now I'm willing to change this opinion as more information comes in, and I suspect more will, it's just a question of will it be in favor of the league, or in favor of the Patriots.

 

[FlyerFinFan]

How sad for tommy. Somebody went behind his back and deflated footballs every week and he never noticed a difference because the balls were always deflated? What a mean trick. Cheating all along and he was not even aware of it.

But yet he said on camera that he likes them to be 12.5 PSI....how would he know and then not notice it deflated? My jaw dropped when he said that....

 

[NEPatsfan]

But yet he said on camera that he likes them to be 12.5 PSI....how would he know and then not notice it deflated? My jaw dropped when he said that....

FFF that leads me to believe the league has nothing and that the refs never fully checked them pregame.