Deflate-gate? Report: Patriots being investigated for using deflated footballs

[Alex.]

"The NFL will investigate the possibility that the New England Patriots deflated footballs during the AFC championship game, which they won 45-7 over the Indianapolis Colts, according to Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com.

The league has guidelines on how much pressure the ball must have — between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, weighing between 14 and 15 ounces.

The Patriots have faced accusations that they've skirted the rules for years, and they were penalized for spying on the New York Jets during the 2007 season with the loss of a first-round draft pick and a hefty fine paid not by the team but by Bill Belichick himself."

Deflate-gate Report Patriots being investigated for using deflated footballs Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports

I would not be surprised, not one bit. Beli-cheat is a cheater.

Looking forward to a great super bowl, maybe the best in a while.

There will always be PLENTY of Patriots haters out there, spewing nonsense about deflated balls, spying on other teams (like THAT is something new in the NFL), and other assorted NONSENSE.

A lot of people HATE success. A lot of people have serious problems with jealousy and envy. A lot of people are nothing more than useful idiots.

Let's face the facts. Even if there were a SHRED of truth to the footballs being deflated, the balls were deflated for BOTH teams. So there was no advantage gained by either team. Unless of course somebody has film of a mysterious Patriots flunky deflating the footballs that only the Patriots used. LMAO!

Get over it, Patriots haters. Suck it up, and move on to some other "conspiracy theory". There are plenty of them out there.

Nope not a "Patriot hater" but a hater of those that cheat.

I won't hide it, I think I hate the Patriots and the Cowboys, not sure in which order. I am not even I know why. I think mostly because they put on the airs of being America's team.

Old Billychek is supposedly such a football genius yet he didn't know that video taping the opponents defensive calls was cheating? Really? I hope that the Patriots lose just like GB lost, the whining and crying will be deafening.

The America's Team thing is bullshit, I agree. It is not about a team, I respect the efforts of any ball players regardless of who they play for; not cheaters though.

 

[Nutz]

Cheating is cheating, no matter how minor or how big the Patriots won. This is not the first time they have been accused. The last time, the were found to be cheaters...this time, we will see.

False

They didn't lose a draft pick after the last scandal of filming the opposition?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

The much-hated Patriots.

 

[Freewill]

Cheating is cheating, no matter how minor or how big the Patriots won. This is not the first time they have been accused. The last time, the were found to be cheaters...this time, we will see.

False

They didn't lose a draft pick after the last scandal of filming the opposition?

A cool 3/4 of million and a first round draft pick.

NFL fines Belichick strips Patriots of draft pick - NFL.com

New England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriotswere ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive signals.

The commissioner also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't. If the Patriots lose their first-rounder next season they still will have a first-round pick, obtained from San Francisco in the deal that brought Moss from Oakland.

"This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field," Goodell said in a letter to the Patriots.

 

[Nutz]

Cheating is cheating, no matter how minor or how big the Patriots won. This is not the first time they have been accused. The last time, the were found to be cheaters...this time, we will see.

False

They didn't lose a draft pick after the last scandal of filming the opposition?

A cool 3/4 of million and a first round draft pick.

NFL fines Belichick strips Patriots of draft pick - NFL.com

New England coach Bill Belichick was fined the NFL maximum of $500,000 Thursday and the Patriotswere ordered to pay $250,000 for spying on an opponent's defensive signals.

The commissioner also ordered the team to give up next year's first-round draft choice if it reaches the playoffs and second- and third-round picks if it doesn't. If the Patriots lose their first-rounder next season they still will have a first-round pick, obtained from San Francisco in the deal that brought Moss from Oakland.

"This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field," Goodell said in a letter to the Patriots.

Thank you.

 

[manifold]

Cheating is cheating, no matter how minor or how big the Patriots won. This is not the first time they have been accused. The last time, the were found to be cheaters...this time, we will see.

False

They didn't lose a draft pick after the last scandal of filming the opposition?

They did.

But being found in violation of league policy =/= cheating. They weren't even using the video during the game and the alleged policy they violated was a memo sent out over a year earlier. Goodell is a petty twat, which is the only reason the punishment was so harsh.

Sean Payton was suspended for a year for Bounty-gate, was that cheating?

Pretty much every team in the league has lost draft picks over the years for tampering, is that cheating?

I guess an argument can be made that it's all cheating, if one takes a very liberal view of what constitutes cheating, but I would disagree.

 

[Alex.]

"The investigation of illegally under-inflated footballs possibly being used by the Patriots in their AFC Championship Game triumph Sunday began following a second-quarter interception of Brady by Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, a source told Newsday.

Jackson, picking off a pass intended for tight end Rob Gronkowski near the goal line with the Patriots ahead 14-0, returned to the Colts sideline and gave the ball to a member of the team’s equipment staff. That person reportedly noticed the ball seemed under-inflated and notified coach Chuck Pagano, who passed the information up the food chain to general manager Ryan Grigson, who contacted NFL director of football operations Mike Kensil."

NFL investigating whether New England Patriots deflated footballs against Indianapolis Colts - ESPN Boston

I say throw the rule book out.

 

[HUGGY]

The receivers should have an easier time catching hard thrown footballs that land "softer". THAT effect could be significant. Two of Wilson's ints probably would not have skipped off Kearse's hands had the balls been more forgiving.

 

[JoeMoma]

It seems that 11 of 12 of the Patriots footballs were under inflated. IMHO, if this proves that the Patriots cheated, the win should be overturned and the colts should go to the SB.

 

[hortysir]

The receivers should have an easier time catching hard thrown footballs that land "softer". THAT effect could be significant. Two of Wilson's ints probably would not have skipped off Kearse's hands had the balls been more forgiving.

Apparently that's what tipped them off (pun).
When Indy intercepted the ball the guy that caught the ball took it to their bench coz he thought it was softer than usual

 

[ChrisL]

Hmm, I wonder if those deflated balls are the reason why the Colts couldn't score too? Sounds like a bunch of sore losers to me.

 

[ChrisL]

I mean really, the score was 45-7. Lol. Of course, the Colts are embarrassed, so the Patriots must have cheated.

 

[ChrisL]

The Colts are the ones with the deflated balls after the ass whooping they took.

 

[hortysir]

I agree with all of the above.
But if I fail a test and someone else passes because they cheated doesn't null the point that they cheated

 

[Alex.]

 

[Alex.]

Hmm, I wonder if those deflated balls are the reason why the Colts couldn't score too? Sounds like a bunch of sore losers to me.

The question is not why the Colts lost it is how the Patriots won.

Great playing




and deflated balls. CHEATING!

 

[deltex1]

Do you have to know a ball is deflated in order to take advantage of the deflated ball? Does a deflated ball affect the way the offensive line makes their blocks?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

So the Patriots are caught bending the rules yet again.
No surprise there,yet I highly doubt it would have changed the outcome of the game considering they were checking the balls in the second half...and we all saw what happened in the second half.

But the constant cheating by Bellecheat has to be addressed and it sure as hell makes you wonder what he's gotten away with in the past.

 

[Alex.]

So the Patriots are caught bending the rules yet again.
No surprise there,yet I highly doubt it would have changed the outcome of the game considering they were checking the balls in the second half...and we all saw what happened in the second half.

But the constant cheating by Bellecheat has to be addressed and it sure as hell makes you wonder what he's gotten away with in the past.

It is not whether NE would have won, it is NE repeatedly breaks the rules that everyone has to follow. The intergrity of the game has been damaged once again by Beli-cheat & Company

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

So the Patriots are caught bending the rules yet again.
No surprise there,yet I highly doubt it would have changed the outcome of the game considering they were checking the balls in the second half...and we all saw what happened in the second half.

But the constant cheating by Bellecheat has to be addressed and it sure as hell makes you wonder what he's gotten away with in the past.

It is not whether NE would have won, it is NE repeatedly breaks the rules that everyone has to follow. The intergrity of the game has been damaged once again by Beli-cheat & Company

Which I addressed.
I think the penalty should be harsh since this is his second infraction.
I wouldnt be opposed to a multi year ban for Bellacheat or maybe a loss of all draft picks for a season or two.