Sports: Deflate-Gate

[GAN]

They probably just switched gauges when they switched from the Pats' balls to the Colts'...every measurement is about 0.4 different. The difference just switches from one side to the other when they changed.

Yeah ....more "probably's" -right! This gets funnier by the minute. The officials shouldn't be switching gauges, whatever statistical analysis you're shooting for is blown.

 

[GAN]

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

Tom Brady found with Aaron Hernandez' missing murder weapon!!!

 

[JoeA]

Yes they broke the rule, but cheating means you have an advantage. Please tell me what advantage they had? Let's see how smart you are or if you're truly just a hater.

Isn't breaking a rule cheating?

 

[Disney Ron]

Isn't breaking a rule cheating?

No cheating is when you do something to gain an unfair advantage in a situation. The rule the Patriots broke in Spygate was that they filmed the Jets signals from the sidelines. They could have legally filmed them from the stands or the coach's box, but instead they did it from the sideline. It would have been cheating if teams weren't allowed to tape the opponents signals at all and the Pats were caught taping them. So what unfair advantage did that give them? Like former Steelers coach Bill Cowher said it was nothing. All teams film the opponents signals, but why deal with the truth?

 

[sam_gordon]

No cheating is when you do something to gain an unfair advantage in a situation. The rule the Patriots broke in Spygate was that they filmed the Jets signals from the sidelines. They could have legally filmed them from the stands or the coach's box, but instead they did it from the sideline. It would have been cheating if teams weren't allowed to tape the opponents signals at all and the Pats were caught taping them. So what unfair advantage did that give them? Like former Steelers coach Bill Cowher said it was nothing. All teams film the opponents signals, but why deal with the truth?

So if a student copies from another student but gets a lower grade than he would have normally, it's not cheating?

If the Pats could have recorded the signals from anywhere, why would they do so from someplace they're NOT allowed to do so?

You may be right on everything you've posted, but you're coming off just as biased (if not more) as those you accuse of jealousy/hatred. Despite what you feel, not everyone hates the Pats. So you can take your martyr cape off anytime now.

 

[Stitchypoo626]

So if a student copies from another student but gets a lower grade than he would have normally, it's not cheating?

If the Pats could have recorded the signals from anywhere, why would they do so from someplace they're NOT allowed to do so?

You may be right on everything you've posted, but you're coming off just as biased (if not more) as those you accuse of jealousy/hatred. Despite what you feel, not everyone hates the Pats. So you can take your martyr cape off anytime now.

Most fans hate/cheer against the Pats for the same reason they cheer against the teams like the Yankees or Lakers. They are winners. It is nothing more than that that. No one cared about the Cleveland Cavs for years until they got Lebron on there the team and they became good. Then he left and they sucked and no one cared about them again. Now they have him back and fans love to hate them because he is on there team.

 

[ilovefh]

So if a student copies from another student but gets a lower grade than he would have normally, it's not cheating?

If the Pats could have recorded the signals from anywhere, why would they do so from someplace they're NOT allowed to do so?

You may be right on everything you've posted, but you're coming off just as biased (if not more) as those you accuse of jealousy/hatred. Despite what you feel, not everyone hates the Pats. So you can take your martyr cape off anytime now.

No, your analogy doesn't work in this situation. To go with a student/school analogy, it would be something like this:

The teacher writes all the answers for the test on the board. Students are allowed to copy them while sitting in the last row of desks. One student copied them while sitting in a desk a few rows up.

While they broke the rules, it did not allow them any advantage of any other teams because all teams are allowed to film the signals, just not from the sidelines.

 

[Hrhpd]

No, your analogy doesn't work in this situation. To go with a student/school analogy, it would be something like this:

The teacher writes all the answers for the test on the board. Students are allowed to copy them while sitting in the last row of desks. One student copied them while sitting in a desk a few rows up.

While they broke the rules, it did not allow them any advantage of any other teams because all teams are allowed to film the signals, just not from the sidelines.

It would matter if the teacher wrote some of those answers small enough that they could only be seen from a closer seat. So the student who was not following the rules also gained an advantage by sitting closer or in a different spot than those following the rules.

It is pretty naive to think a team would break the rules to that extent (max fines) if there was no advantage to it. There is always a reason.

 

[soccerdad72]

You can be the greatest of all time (see Rice, Jerry) and still be constantly looking for even the slightest edge. And if that edge doesn't have any real effect on the results of a game, it still doesn't mean it's not cheating.

Do I personally give a crap at this point? Nah.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

What I find more offensive & disgusting is that Goodell makes 35 million & the NFL is considered a non-profit organization

Not anymore it isn't.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/28/nfl-will-give-up-its-tax-exempt-status/

 

[ilovefh]

It would matter if the teacher wrote some of those answers small enough that they could only be seen from a closer seat. So the student who was not following the rules also gained an advantage by sitting closer or in a different spot than those following the rules.

It is pretty naive to think a team would break the rules to that extent (max fines) if there was no advantage to it. There is always a reason.

Do you honestly think in this day and age that they don't have one heck of a zoom on their cameras that they use in the designated locations? That they can't see the other sideline as well from those locations?

I can't speak to why they did it, I'm not Belichick. I'm sure there is a reason, perhaps a flagrant lack of respect for the rules, perhaps a misunderstanding of the rules since they had just changed at the end of the season prior. I wasn't involved so I don't know.

 

[TAX GUY]

My opinion...


There's no question the game balls were under the allowed PSI. Someone or something got them there (before or after, who knows. Ref's said themselves they "visually inspect and go by feel"). All QB's have their own preference on how the ball feels. Of course they let their equipment managers know this (as well as the media; Brady and Manning have said they prefer softer and pushed the league to adjust the required PSI, Rogers prefers them rock hard, etc). Now, ball/equipment manager and attendant know how TB likes the footballs, so they make every effort to prep them to his liking. If they don't? TB, or any QB complains and they are now removed from that position or flat out released, in comes the next guy. Did Brady specifically tell these guys to do it? Probably not directly BUT his preferences are known....

I don't see how the league can fine or suspend him for this. Unless they have solid proof he specifically instructed them to inflate them to only 12.5 +/- PSI, then it's only a he said/she said.

 

[undertheradar]

The NFL has to suspend Brady. Since the report already clears the HC, the obvious culprit is Brady. Isn't it odd that Brady refused requests for his communications? So just as everyone suspected, the lowest guys in the pecking order will take the fall for what was an obvious rules violation.

So far you have denial from Brady's agent, Dad, when does his wife go on the attack? The greatest defense is to go on the offensive. Exactly the playbook that Brady is using.

 

[Stitchypoo626]

The NFL has to suspend Brady. Since the report already clears the HC, the obvious culprit is Brady. Isn't it odd that Brady refused requests for his communications? So just as everyone suspected, the lowest guys in the pecking order will take the fall for what was an obvious rules violation.

So far you have denial from Brady's agent, Dad, when does his wife go on the attack? The greatest defense is to go on the offensive. Exactly the playbook that Brady is using.

Brady may get a 3 game suspension, but I don't think much more than that. Bill Belichick may get suspended for the entire season since this is not the first time he has been involved with his team in something shady.

 

[Glittercat]

These things should have been dealt with with the infractions occurred. I do fear that we will most likely see a case of least important person taking the brunt of of the punishment.

I really love NFL football, and have very high hopes for change within the structure. I just remind myself that we have another season coming up, and odds are the scrutiny will be higher this time around. I know I sound like a broken record but I just want them to play the game and conduct themselves honorably on and off the field.

 

[deedeetoo]

I don't understand how they can suspend Brady when all they say is "more probable than not" that he was aware of tampering. I can't see how the players union would let that stand.

 

[gwynne]

I don't understand how they can suspend Brady when all they say is "more probable than not" that he was aware of tampering. I can't see how the players union would let that stand.

Well, part of the reason they don't have all the answers is Brady was smart enough to not fully cooperate.
Just my prediction-Brady and Belichick will take whatever punishment the NFL assesses and move on.
Reports are that we may hear as early as this afternoon what the consequences are.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I don't understand how they can suspend Brady when all they say is "more probable than not" that he was aware of tampering. I can't see how the players union would let that stand.

"more probable than not" is generally the standard for who wins in a civil trial. The lawyers who did the report and investigation clearly had this in mind in the way they worded the report. They were basically telegraphing to Brady that if he were to dispute a punishment for breaking the rules, he would lose in civil court because the evidence supporting the accusation of cheating/rule breaking is "more probable than not".

Beyond a reasonable doubt is just for criminal trials.

 

[TAX GUY]

"more probable than not" is generally the standard for who wins in a civil trial. The lawyers who did the report and investigation clearly had this in mind in the way they worded the report. They were basically telegraphing to B & B that if they were to dispute a punishment for breaking the rules, they would lose in civil court because the evidence supporting the accusation of cheating/rule breaking is "more probable than not".

Beyond a reasonable doubt is just for criminal trials.

But then doesn't it become a he said/she said? I still stand by my previous stated opinion, I'm sure Brady's preference was/is well known and as an unwritten rule, the equipment better be close or else the next guy will be sure t is. I don't think there was any instruction/order handed down by Brady or Belichick but rather a "Tom likes the footballs on the softer side". And I honestly think Belichick had ZERO knowledge of all of this.

 

[undertheradar]

But then doesn't it become a he said/she said? I still stand by my previous stated opinion, I'm sure Brady's preference was/is well known and as an unwritten rule, the equipment better be close or else the next guy will be sure t is. I don't think there was any instruction/order handed down by Brady or Belichick but rather a "Tom likes the footballs on the softer side". And I honestly think Belichick had ZERO knowledge of all of this.

Except that the HC is responsible for what takes place within the organization. Remember that the HC for New Orleans was suspended for the actions that members of his organization performed. Since this isn't the Patriots first time at the rodeo, the NFL must punish.