Sports: Deflate-Gate

[luvflorida]

Here's what I don't understand, and maybe someone here can explain it.

What is the point of having refs inspect footballs before a game if somehow, somewhere, someone can then handle the footballs and be able to inflate or deflate them, possibly putting too much air or not enough air in them causing the balls to no longer meet the rules of the game?

The balls are kept in the referee locker until 10 to 15 minutes before the game so if they were deflated when they came to the field the NFL didn't so it's job. Once on the field they are looked after by an attendant hired by the teams. I believe on Sunday the balls were kept in some sort of bag on the sideline, so I guess it would have to be the attendant that did it.

I didn't say there wasn't cheating, I said no one has offered any proof as to how and who did it.

I think the rules do allow for the pressure to be monitored during the game and at the half. It is entirely possible for the person that looks after the balls to do this so it is possible for the Pats ball attendant to have adjusted the pressure. My point is that no one has said that....yet.

Thank you for this info! My understanding was that the footballs are always carefully monitored, before and after inspection, and during the game. I even read somewhere that they were kept in locked boxes, so I just couldn't see how someone could tamper with the balls after they passed inspection.

Being from New England, most of my family (including myself) and friends are huge Patriots fans (along with all the other New England sports teams). If it is true that anyone connected with the Patriots did in fact illegally deflate footballs, then I find that to be really sad, and of course, wrong.

The University of Phoenix Stadium is only about a fifteen minute drive from our house. We have been closely following all the Super Bowl preparations. We took one of the last public tours of the stadium a few weeks ago, before it was handed over to the NFL for the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl. We have tickets for the NFL Experience in downtown Phoenix, and I will be one of thousands of volunteers on the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee. We've watched the Grand Canyon rock wall climbing experience come together, as well as lots of other construction at Super Bowl Central. I wonder how this ball deflating fiasco will affect the mood at all these festivities. The sad thing is, it didn't have to happen. Does it bother anyone else that nobody connected with the Patriots has denied any cheating?

 

[Hrhpd]

Post deleted.

I think Tax Guy and I are guilty of delete-gate

 

[TAX GUY]

I had already deleted the quoted post. Look above.

Bully!

 

[Hrhpd]

Bully!

 

[TAX GUY]

EDITED...... posts and comments "altered" after inspection

And I too fixed my post......in case you missed it.

 

[gwynne]

Post deleted.

I think Tax Guy and I are guilty of delete-gate

And I too fixed my post......in case you missed it.

The only thing missing is a

 

[TAX GUY]

ESPN Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City reported that the Patriots' footballs were tested at the half, reinflated at that time when they were found to be low, then put back in play for the second half, and then tested again after the game. The report did not reveal the results of the test following the game. All of the balls the Colts used met standards, according to the report.


http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...-had-inflated-footballs-afc-championship-game

 

[sam_gordon]

ESPN Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City reported that the Patriots' footballs were tested at the half, reinflated at that time when they were found to be low, then put back in play for the second half, and then tested again after the game. The report did not reveal the results of the test following the game. All of the balls the Colts used met standards, according to the report.


http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story...-had-inflated-footballs-afc-championship-game

Why would a radio station in Kansas City have an inside angle on what happened in an NFL game Foxborough?

Sure, if it was ESPN itself or a radio station in NY (NFL HQ) or someone in Indianapolis, I would understand... but KC?

 

[pat fan]

Anybody see Browner's tweet? I'd buy that shirt

 

[Squirlz]

That is one low-class team right there. That's all I have to say.

 

[Disney Ron]

That is one low-class team right there. That's all I have to say.

Don't be so hard on the Lions.

 

[LBIJim]

The Patriots are a good team. They don't need to cheat so I don't know why they continue to do so. It doesn't matter if the Colts would have lost the game anyway. (Which sadly I believe they would have lost regardless of the deflated balls). What matters is that the Patriots cheated. Period!

That's what I don't understand about the Patriots organization. I don't follow football closely, but over the last few years I kept hearing about the handful of questionable, illegal, or unsportsmanlike stunts they've pulled. They're good enough to win without those antics, so why keep trying to bend the rules?

As for Seattle, I have no idea why they're as hated as the Patriots. Don't tell me, I really don't care why. I rooted for Seattle in the Super Bowl last year because they've never won it before. By my irrational logic, I should be hoping for a Patriots victory this year. I looked it up, and out of the 4 teams that played Sunday, New England has gone the longest without winning.

But I just can't root for the Patriots. I liked how Seattle came back late to win over Green Bay the other day, so that's my justification in hoping for a repeat. Besides, I like Seattle's mascot and color scheme better. And their stadium appears more architecturally appealing. And it's right on the south edge of downtown, not out in no-man's land suburbia.

 

[pat fan]

Besides, I like Seattle's mascot and color scheme better. And their stadium appears more architecturally appealing. And it's right on the south edge of downtown, not out in no-man's land suburbia.

All valid reasons for picking your team. I'm a Pat's fan 'cause that's how my mama raised me

 

[georgina]

I was hoping for a Packers win, so I won't be watching and don't care who wins!

I did root for Seattle last year.

 

[Geoff_M]

As for Seattle, I have no idea why they're as hated as the Patriots. Don't tell me, I really don't care why. I rooted for Seattle in the Super Bowl last year because they've never won it before. By my irrational logic, I should be hoping for a Patriots victory this year. I looked it up, and out of the 4 teams that played Sunday, New England has gone the longest without winning.

But I just can't root for the Patriots.

Ditto...

As for the Pats Super Bowl drought, to many, the fact that they've won ZERO rings since getting busted in "Spygate" is no coincidence!

Only main thing that detracted me from the Seahawks last year was the whole post-game Richard Sherman interview with Erin Andrews.

 

[desamnik]

website and don't see any story saying that they have found that 11 out of 12 balls were found to be deflated. From where I sit, the NFL has said nothing publicly? The news stations are saying it, but where did that number actually come from?

Until an "NFL" official publicly tells us what they have found, I'm not going to believe it. Innocent until proven guilty.

All the QB's that have spoken have said they ALL try to find an edge, push the envelope etc.

Most real football players find this amusing.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ditto...

As for the Pats Super Bowl drought, to many, the fact that they've won ZERO rings since getting busted in "Spygate" is no coincidence!

Only main thing that detracted me from the Seahawks last year was the whole post-game Richard Sherman interview with Erin Andrews.

Where are these many? Why do they feel that's not a coincidence, but that the Patriots' lone appearance (and thrashing) in the first 35 years of the Super Bowl is explainable?

Isn't it more likely that they were outplayed in their mere two appearances since 2005?

 

[Dan Murfman]

I just don't get the why. They did all this for basically nothing. ESPN just did a segment on the science of this. 2 psi reduced weight by less than weight of a dollar bill. Grip compression was improved by less than 1 mm. Lower weight actually reduced the velocity of his throws and changed accuracy by an inch. The extra weight of rain drops actually increased weight of ball by factor of 10 compared to change from psi. So way to further trash your reputation for no reason.

 

[bcla]

I just don't get the why. They did all this for basically nothing. ESPN just did a segment on the science of this. 2 psi reduced weight by less than weight of a dollar bill. Grip compression was improved by less than 1 mm. Lower weight actually reduced the velocity of his throws and changed accuracy by an inch. The extra weight of rain drops actually increased weight of ball by factor of 10 compared to change from psi. So way to further trash your reputation for no reason.

However, it's easier to hold onto the ball if you can squish it in your hands/arms. I was listening to a sports talk station where one host was a former fullback. He said that if he could have let the air out of the ball, it would be near impossible to fumble. So I think the concern was about fumbling the ball when it was wet.

 

[bcla]

That's what I don't understand about the Patriots organization. I don't follow football closely, but over the last few years I kept hearing about the handful of questionable, illegal, or unsportsmanlike stunts they've pulled. They're good enough to win without those antics, so why keep trying to bend the rules?

As for Seattle, I have no idea why they're as hated as the Patriots. Don't tell me, I really don't care why. I rooted for Seattle in the Super Bowl last year because they've never won it before. By my irrational logic, I should be hoping for a Patriots victory this year. I looked it up, and out of the 4 teams that played Sunday, New England has gone the longest without winning.

But I just can't root for the Patriots. I liked how Seattle came back late to win over Green Bay the other day, so that's my justification in hoping for a repeat. Besides, I like Seattle's mascot and color scheme better. And their stadium appears more architecturally appealing. And it's right on the south edge of downtown, not out in no-man's land suburbia.

I don't particular hate Carroll. However, I do remember when there were reports of what his defense did at USC. Apparently when there was a pile, their players were instructed to grope at opponents' groins to make them feel uncomfortable.

USC also did some other weird things, like a pushup line where each male cheerleader had his head resting on the back of the next guy's legs.