NFL finds Patriots used underinflated footballs

[mystery-ak]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/01/20/nfl-says-patriots-used-under-inflated-footballs/7UlPZI3eotRTBadM89saeO/story.html


   
D’Qwell Jackson carried the ball that led to the dispute. (Globe Staff Photo/Jim Davis)

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

D’Qwell Jackson carried the ball that led to the dispute.
By Ben VolinGlobe Staff  January 21, 2015

The Patriots used underinflated footballs on Sunday night.

The next question is how did it happen?

According to a National Football League letter about the investigation into the controversy that was shared with the Globe, the Patriots were informed that the league’s initial findings indicated that the game balls did not meet specifications. The league inspected each of the Patriots’ 12 game balls twice at halftime, using different pressure gauges, and found footballs that were not properly inflated.

According to ESPN, 11 of the 12 game balls were found to be underinflated by about 2 pounds each. The NFL specifications say they must be inflated to 12½ to 13½ pounds.

The investigation is still ongoing.

continued..

[DCPatriot]

If they REALLY wanted to clean up the league, here is the ONE thing they need to do immediately.

I think the Patriots should be forced to lose that title game by forfeit.

Strip them of the championship.   This is not the first, second or even the third time New England has 'cheated'.

[Scottftlc]

Belichek should be suspended for at least a year...if not life.  The franchise should be fined at least $2 million, the owner Kraft (a crony of Goodell's and an "influential" owner) should be banned from contact with the team and games for at least one year.  And the Patriots should lose their first 3 draft picks in the upcoming draft plus a $10 million penalty on their salary cap for the next 3 years.  A "death penalty" (to use the college term) penalty.

Go Seahawks!

[musiclady]

If they REALLY wanted to clean up the league, here is the ONE thing they need to do immediately.

I think the Patriots should be forced to lose that title game by forfeit.

Strip them of the championship.   This is not the first, second or even the third time New England has 'cheated'.

And if they get away with cheating again, they WILL cheat again.  That's what happened before, and it will happen again.

How about getting rid of the Patriots entirely, and start another team in New England from scratch?

And yes, as much as I dislike Pete Carroll, I hope the Seahawks win by default.

[alicewonders]

Not a football fan at all - only watch the games in passing through the room while my husband watches - but I do have a question.  Did they investigate the other teams balls?  Were they all correctly inflated?  I only ask because I have read that the weather was cold and that naturally, anything inflated at a warmer temperature will deflate some when it gets colder.  The other team's balls should bear that out.

Disclaimer:  I don't know anything about past seasons - maybe there have been previous allegations of cheating, don't know.     I have no favorites for the Super Bowl - except that I like the Patriot's uniform colors better!

[Luis Gonzalez]

If they REALLY wanted to clean up the league, here is the ONE thing they need to do immediately.

I think the Patriots should be forced to lose that title game by forfeit.

Strip them of the championship.   This is not the first, second or even the third time New England has 'cheated'.

They'll be hit with a $25K fine and may lose a draft pick.

How much is each SB ring worth?

[flowers]

It seems the balls were all correctly inflated at halftime right? By then Patriots were ahead 17-7. The second half with correct inflated balls Patriots scored 28 more points? Am I correct on this?

[Scottftlc]

It seems the balls were all correctly inflated at halftime right? By then Patriots were ahead 17-7. The second half with correct inflated balls Patriots scored 28 more points? Am I correct on this?

That is not correct.  The balls NE used were inspected and cleared 2 hours before gametime by the referee (as were the balls Indianapolis used).  The NE balls were found to be deflated when during the game, twice, Indianapolis intercepted Tom Brady passes and brought those balls to the Colt's sideline...they thought they felt underinflated.  (It is noteworthy that the balls that have been approved  2 hours and 15 minutes pre-game are brought out to the sideline just before the game and are not guarded in any way). They were then tested, as were the other NE balls after the game and found to be underinflated.  Reports are league officials are upset because they were aware of the issue with NE balls before this - probably another team complaining during the year - and this has created the big kerfuffle.

[flowers]

That is not correct.  The balls NE used were inspected and cleared 2 hours before gametime by the referee (as were the balls Indianapolis used).  The NE balls were found to be deflated when during the game, twice, Indianapolis intercepted Tom Brady passes and brought those balls to the Colt's sideline...they thought they felt underinflated.  (It is noteworthy that the balls that have been approved  2 hours and 15 minutes pre-game are brought out to the sideline just before the game and are not guarded in any way). They were then tested, as were the other NE balls after the game and found to be underinflated.  Reports are league officials are upset because they were aware of the issue with NE balls before this - probably another team complaining during the year - and this has created the big kerfuffle.

OK thank you so much for that info.

[sinkspur]

This will mar Belicheck for the rest of his coaching career. And I couldn't be happier.

[musiclady]

This will mar Belicheck for the rest of his coaching career. And I couldn't be happier.

I hope you're right.

The last cheating scandal seems to have bounced right off him.

I hope this time is different....

[sinkspur]

No.  The label "cheater" will stick to him like glue after this. Win or lose the Super Bowl, he's tainted. Everybody knows NOTHING happens in that Patriot organization without Belicheck's approval.

[Machiavelli]

[raml]

A referee caught the mistake at half time so yes they had correct balls in the second half of the game this has been stated in the papers so where do you get it wasn't?. I don't think this is even a big deal the Patriots are a good team and unless they can prove one of them ( the team) did this it should be mute. I am not a Patriots fan either I love my Lions win or lose then comes the Chiefs so Patriots not even on my radar.

[Luis Gonzalez]

[Scottftlc]

A referee caught the mistake at half time so yes they had correct balls in the second half of the game this has been stated in the papers so where do you get it wasn't?. I don't think this is even a big deal the Patriots are a good team and unless they can prove one of them ( the team) did this it should be mute. I am not a Patriots fan either I love my Lions win or lose then comes the Chiefs so Patriots not even on my radar.

The one report from ESPN on the halftime issue said that the balls were reinflated at halftime per standard, but tested again following the game and that is when they found 11 of the 12 balls used (all except the one used by the kicker and punter) were again under-inflated.

[musiclady]

No.  The label "cheater" will stick to him like glue after this. Win or lose the Super Bowl, he's tainted. Everybody knows NOTHING happens in that Patriot organization without Belicheck's approval.

I repeat............. I hope you're right, sinkspur!

It's WAY past time for Belicheck to go down.

[sinkspur]

Exactly. It would be justice if both Carroll and Belicheck could lose the Super Bowl.

Carroll's a smug bastard, especially after leaving just before the NCAA sheriff put USC in the doghouse for recruiting violations.

[jmyrlefuller]

“The Persistence of Dishonesty”

[mystery-ak]

http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2015/01/22/brady-this-isnt-isis/

Tom Brady: ‘This Isn’t ISIS’
January 22, 2015 5:15 PM


Tom Brady speaks during a press conference about Deflate Gate on Jan. 22, 2015. (credit: CBS Connecticut)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (CBS Connecticut/AP) — New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he didn’t touch or think about the footballs used to get his team into the Super Bowl after he picked out the ones he wanted to throw.

Brady said Thursday that he didn’t know how New England ended up using underinflated balls in its win Sunday against the Colts in the AFC Championship game.

Brady says he doesn’t know the protocol for handling game balls after he chooses them a few hours before game time and that he didn’t alter the footballs whatsoever.

“I have a process that I go through every game, and I pick the footballs that I want to use for the game. Our equipment guys do a great job of breaking the balls in, they have a process that they go through,” Brady said. “When I picked those footballs out, at that point, to me they were perfect. I don’t want anyone touching the balls after that, I don’t want anyone rubbing them, putting any air in them, taking any air out. To me those balls are perfect and that’s what I expect when I show up on the field.”

continued

[mountaineer]

Ah, shut up, pretty boy. We all know you cheated. The sad thing is that you didn't have to, given how poorly Indianapolis played.

[Bigun]

Ah, shut up, pretty boy. We all know you cheated. The sad thing is that you didn't have to, given how poorly Indianapolis played.

Perhaps not.

If the ball boy inflated the footballs prior to the game to the maximum allowed 13.5 PSIG (minimum is 12.5 PSIG)  in a room at 70 deg F and then took those balls outside into 40 deg F environment those balls would each lose roughly 3 PSIG each just from that change of environment!

Not saying that is what happened but it is definitely a possibility and one that I very much doubt anyone in football has ever taken into account.

[DCPatriot]

Perhaps not.

If the ball boy inflated the footballs prior to the game to the maximum allowed 13.5 PSIG (minimum is 12.5 PSIG)  in a room at 70 deg F and then took those balls outside into 40 deg F environment those balls would each lose roughly 3 PSIG each just from that change of environment!

Not saying that is what happened but it is definitely a possibility and one that I very much doubt anyone in football has ever taken into account.

Then I have only one question for you, sir.

Were the Indianapolis Colts playing in the same stadium....or someplace else?

[Bigun]

Then I have only one question for you, sir.

Were the Indianapolis Colts playing in the same stadium....or someplace else?

The same! But that does NOT mean the balls were handled in exactly the same manner.

[DCPatriot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FAT_pRqo3w