Sports: Deflate-Gate

[undertheradar]

Yet you still attempt to justify the actions of the Patriots. Bottom line, they got caught. Instead of owning up to it and bringing it to a quick closure, they chose to take the low road and go on the offensive.
Yes, teams abuse rules, don't see where anyone has implied anything different. What is different here is a pattern of rule bending/violating that has been taking place for many years. Why are the Patriots being viewed as the "black sheep" of the NFL? Perhaps all of these "little" things, when added together, become a "big" thing. Too bad that it will be two low level employees who take the fall for this and not the highly overpaid qb Brady!

 

[MickeySP]

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.

Again. A week ago!!!
So,it's ok for Goodell to know more probably than not about Ray Rice decking his then fiancée to skate but deflating balls which had no impact. Really !!! People you can hate all you want but at least Brady never beat his wife

 

[Stitchypoo626]

Again. A week ago!!!
So,it's ok for Goodell to know more probably than not about Ray Rice decking his then fiancée to skate but deflating balls which had no impact. Really !!! People you can hate all you want but at least Brady never beat his wife

As much as I am a Patriots fan and I really like Tom Brady, but the two issues you are comparing are two totally separate things. The Ray Rice issue as horrible as it is was a personal issue and did not affect anything on the field other than Ray Rice not being able to play. The ball deflating issue is a violation of the rules of the game and it was determined that a player was involved in that happening. That really affected the game and could have even affected the outcome of playoff games. Two totally different issues. Both bad, but different.

 

[Callie]

I'm pretty sure they were the guys personal phones. A seasonal employee isn't going to have a team phone that he is texting to his mom with. He has no use for a team phone.

 

[bcla]

I'm pretty sure they were the guys personal phones. A seasonal employee isn't going to have a team phone that he is texting to his mom with. He has no use for a team phone.

I wouldn't be surprised if they provided even low level employees with phones and an implied OK to use them for personal use until returned. It's not that much of an expense (and many have unlimited text and copious/unlimited minutes these days) and would be a way for them to keep in contact with them. There used to be a time when communication by equipment managers would have been through handheld radios or by phone, but a modern mobile phone is ubiquitous.

 

[TaylorEar]

IMHO I think the punishment should be a redo of the last 60 seconds of the Super Bowl game, and one of the conditions should be that Marshawn HAS to be given the ball in the final play... (um, of course I am NOT a Seahawks fan - just somebody who is looking for fairness and justice FOR ALL! )

Edited to add: I really dislike Tom Brady because he seems really smarmy and self-congratulatory, plus he has a creepy smile. I'm all about QB's who have their original teeth.

 

[GAN]

IMHO I think the punishment should be a redo of the last 60 seconds of the Super Bowl game, and one of the conditions should be that Marshawn HAS to be given the ball in the final play... (um, of course I am NOT a Seahawks fan - just somebody who is looking for fairness and justice FOR ALL! )

Edited to add: I really dislike Tom Brady because he seems really smarmy and self-congratulatory, plus he has a creepy smile. I'm all about QB's who have their original teeth.

You must have only seen that part of the game? Right before all that happened, there was this catch with the WR falling backwards, rolling around, the ball bouncing a couple times, then it landed right in his hands! It was amazing -you should have seen it!

I LOVE when people remember how "lucky" the Patriots were to have intercepted that pass at the Goal Line. The Seahawks were lucky to even be there.

 

[Jellybass]

Like my signature says, it was all started by a mouse. Let's remember we are on the happiest place in the world discussion forum and it's only a game we are talking about, there are real concerns in the prayers requested forum. It's ok to talk about the game and the potential suspension but it's not that important in the grand scheme of things.

That being said, and being a Pats fan, I am with TaylorEar, I still don't know why Lynch didn't get the ball.

 

[Disney Ron]

I'm pretty sure they were the guys personal phones. A seasonal employee isn't going to have a team phone that he is texting to his mom with. He has no use for a team phone.

It's already been reported that they were team issued phones. Did you actually think I made it up?

 

[ilovefh]

I'm pretty sure they were the guys personal phones. A seasonal employee isn't going to have a team phone that he is texting to his mom with. He has no use for a team phone.

I'm pretty sure I read that they were Patriot team phones. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[Disney Ron]

You must have only seen that part of the game? Right before all that happened, there was this catch with the WR falling backwards, rolling around, the ball bouncing a couple times, then it landed right in his hands! It was amazing -you should have seen it!

I LOVE when people remember how "lucky" the Patriots were to have intercepted that pass at the Goal Line. The Seahawks were lucky to even be there.

GAN, what most forget is that the only reason the Seahawks were even in the Super Bowl was because the Packers screwed up the onside kick.

 

[pat fan]

And comparing apples to apples....http://www.csnne.com/new-england-pa...gers-2012-towel-violation-similar-to-patriots

I have always said I don't believe in breaking the rules. And while it may be "more probable than not" that Brady was "generally aware" I think the punishment should fall along the lines of the above article. Similar behavior (except the stick-um actually HELPED the team) and gee whiz...no hue and cry.

And yes, it is a Disney board, stay civil folks!

 

[ilovefh]

I'm pretty sure I read that they were Patriot team phones. Let me see if I can find it.

Ok, found it. Page 29 of the Wells report. Two Patriots provided mobile phones and select text and call logs from McNally's personal phone.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

And comparing apples to apples....http://www.csnne.com/new-england-pa...gers-2012-towel-violation-similar-to-patriots

I don't agree that the situations are completely similar. Their was no specific rule for the Chargers. The pats staff knew of the rule, and took specific bad faith actions to appear to comply with it, then changed things to be knowingly out of compliance.

And the pats did it in the AFC championship game, not a regular season one in October.

 

[pat fan]

I don't agree that the situations are completely similar. Their was no specific rule for the Chargers. The pats staff knew of the rule, and took specific bad faith actions to appear to comply with it, then changed things to be knowingly out of compliance.

You don't think there is a specific rule against stick-um in the NFL?????? There is. And has been for a VERY long time. Jerry Rice (from the 80's) admits he used it AGAINST the rules. So yeah, it's a rule. So VERY similar example. And it is more probable than not if the Chargers did it in game 1, they had done it the previous year and/or planned on doing it in game 2 etc...

 

[pat fan]

Their was no specific rule for the Chargers.

This is from 1981!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_NFL_season
Major rule changes

• It is illegal for any player to put adhesive or slippery substances such as the product "stickum" on his body, equipment or uniform. This rule is known as both the "Lester Hayes Rule" and the "Fred Biletnikoff Rule" since both players were notorious for using sticky substances to make it easier for them to catch passes.

 

[MickeySP]

Summary execution at the opening game!!! Line 'em all up & shoot them. This is now past into the realm of ridiculousness on both sides.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

This is from 1981!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_NFL_season
Major rule changes

• It is illegal for any player to put adhesive or slippery substances such as the product "stickum" on his body, equipment or uniform. This rule is known as both the "Lester Hayes Rule" and the "Fred Biletnikoff Rule" since both players were notorious for using sticky substances to make it easier for them to catch passes.

I was going by this language in the article you linked to, which indicated that the NFL did not accuse the chargers of violating a specific rule:

"In order to ensure that products that may have a possible competitive effect are given appropriate review and testing, our office -- after consultation with the Competition Committee -- has advised all clubs that the use of towels or other products that contain any type of adhesive substance is now prohibited on game days until further notice."

In any case, they didn't engage in a conspiracy to appear to comply with a rule with the intent of breaking it.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

And it is more probable than not if the Chargers did it in game 1, they had done it the previous year and/or planned on doing it in game 2 etc...

So how many times do you think Tom and McNally deflated the balls?

 

[Stitchypoo626]

So how many times do you think Tom and McNally deflated the balls?

I don't know how many times it happened this past year, but I bet it will be kept a close eye on this up coming year. What are all the Patriots haters going to say when they keep winning then? They will continue to win because they are a good team and have talented players.