Apparently it took a guy sneaking into the bathroom to make that cheating work against the Colts. How do you think that worked in all the other games when the balls stayed with the officials up until game time?
The report describes the area that adjoins the official’s locker room, where the balls were usually kept, as typically affording ample privacy, and McNally as very comfortable coming and going. His problem on the day of the Colts game was that there were lots of extra people around, and people were watching the end of the nfc championship game there too.
Sounds like typically, the balls weren’t that closely watched, and the refs have pregame duties that take them to the field or to do media stuff.
The problem with the honor system is that some people have none. Like the Patriots.
You haven’t demonstrated that the Patriots are outliers.
As one of many possible examples, consider the Vikings and Panthers illegally tampering with footballs to get a competitive advantage during a game this past November. Are the Vikings and Panthers also teams without honor, or are the Patriots the only honor-less team?
Also consider that in the same season, the same basic cheating (tampering with game balls) happened at least twice, and the two reactions were the following:
In one instance, the league warned the teams “don’t do that.” No suspensions, no fines, no penalty of any kind.
In another instance, the league hired an investigator who spent months compiling a lengthy report, and after concluding with the minimum possible “guilty” threshold in lawyer-speak, it looks like a starting QB will get suspended for at least one game, possibly up to four.
One of those punishments is out of whack with reality. It’s not random chance that it just happens to be the Patriots.
You might think the Patriots earned a penalty just by stonewalling, and on that front I would agree with you. Again, we have (fairly) recent precedent: Back in 2012, the Chargers were suspected of putting stickum on a towel for nefarious purposes. When investigating, the Chargers failed to provide the towels for inspection, and in fact tried to conceal them.
Eventually they were cleared of any stickum on any towels, but for the coverup Phillip Rivers was suspended for 4 games. Just kidding; that would be stupid. The team was fined $20k. That’s it. That would be an appropriate penalty for the Patriots. If you want to make a statement, kick the fine up to $100k, maybe. (The fine for tampering with equipment is $25k.)
These penalties are examples of what would be the proper reaction to this ridiculously overblown deflategate. But the league can’t respond with the proper reaction because the fans are outraged, and the fans are outraged because they’re fucking morons who can’t see past “Cheatriots!!! derp de-hurrr.” Tune in to any sportstalk radio for countless examples. And thanks to the impressive bungling of how they (failed to) handle domestic abuse issues this past season, the league can’t really afford to go against public sentiment for a while.
So what are your thoughts on, say, Jerry Rice admitting he used stickum on his gloves?
Based on your precedent of recommending Brady be suspended for a full year, I guess that means Jerry Rice should have all of his records removed from the record books and get kicked out of the Hall of Fame. Does that sound about right?
After all, cheating is unacceptable. Right?
Awesome! Ellis Dee wants to pretend that these are equivalent: 1) an instance, during a 12 degree game in which ball boys on both teams playing in that game were observed to be openly warming the balls;
- a years-long clandestine circumvention of the official procedure to certify footballs for which the player rewarded those tampering with the balls with gifts, valuable collectibles and special favors.
That’s really just a dumb comparison to make. Sounds like someone with a clear ax to grind.
Cite?
The fucking report. Try reading it.
How about an actual quote that demonstrates what you’re saying it says, and not what you wish it said? Something other than a complaint from an equipment guy that the refs were pumping the balls up to 16 psi and they had to be deflated down to regulation level, perhaps?
Everyone should check this out. In particular, compare the section on deflate gate to anything written about other teams.
That site should be called “Cheatriots fans are so desperate that they’ll spend hours to set up a false flag website that they can then link to when someone points out that they cheat.”
You know, Hentor, maybe you could find peace if you took Bill Cowher’s words to heart:
As a Steelers fan, you so clearly and obviously have an axe to grind.
By contrast, as a Giants fan I have no axe to grind at all. Unlike you, the Patriots have never eliminated my team from the playoffs.
Some speculation… I wonder if Brady had a hand injury last season? Not saying anything because it becomes a defensive target during games. Easier to strip the ball for a fumble. Someone’s helmet just happens to hit that hand during a tackle. They can be ruthless going after an injury.
A softer ball might be easier to grip. Especially for a hand that’s painful to flex and squeeze. Been there and I’ve dropped things on the floor when gripping is painful. A carton of milk comes to mind. I dropped and broke a couple serving bowls carrying them to the dining table. 
Thats always fun to clean up.
Yes, no excuse makes it right to cheat. I doubt Brady asked the trainer to consistently alter game ball’s air pressure. The locker room logistics of getting the balls from the referees makes it implausible it happened many times. Too many people to run their big mouth at a bad time. Secrets are hard to keep.
A. I have neither the time nor the inclination, and
B. If you have anything factual to rebut on that site, please contact its owner, and meanwhile,
C. Which team is yours, and are you *really *interested in exploring their history on this subject?
Oh, right, Steelers. What is incorrect about this?
Click for full summary.
That doesn’t even include the minor fact that the Patriots do not have a rapist as their quarterback.
Here’s how ElvisL1ves site currently describes deflategate:
That is so full of smarmy Patriots fellating that it could have been written by ElvisL1ves himself. Note that this is after the report was released (in fact, they appear to have removed some text they previously had in there attacking the report itself).
Yeah, that site sure is an impartial consideration of NFL cheating incidents.
So, *no *factual rebuttal. Didn’t expect any, of course.
Other than the fact that it lists signing practice squad players from opponents to get their information on plays and signals as cheating, even though it is not actually illegal? That was the very first thing I read.
“Not actually illegal”? Is that like being “more probable than not” of a guy “being at least generally aware”?
When you are able to explain why Belichick should be suspended, please do so, btw.
I would expect that ElvisL1ves wrote this same thing in an email to Ted Wells, too.
No, duckie, that is like not being against the rules. In fact, that’s exactly what it is. As in, the NFL has no rule prohibiting it.
I already conceded that Belichick would probably not be suspended, since my assumption was based on a false premise (that other NFL coaches were suspended for wrongdoing they didn’t know about.) You could learn a thing or two from me, given how utterly wrong you’ve been about everything in this thread.