Deflategate

Legend had it that The Raiders used to send in deflated balls when The Steelers were attempting FG's in
the '74 playoff game. They also wrote "Go Raiders" and "Fuck You" on the balls.

 

It was talked about but no one was ready to turn it into the federal case that "deflategate" is sure to become.

 

Cheating isn't OK to me, period. My only point with the joke was it wasn't the difference in the game, looked at simply in the context of the game.
Bigger picture context, yes, it's a bigger deal, especially if it is true.
Given the history of the Patriots, any sniff of cheating is going to be big. It's pretty similar to NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus. Knaus has a history of pushing the limits of legality. If anything on his car is considered suspect or declared illegal, it reignites the "Knaus is a cheater who works for that corrupt Rick Hendrick, who should be in prison for that illegal Honda bribe" cries. Past history certainly plays a factor. Another racing example is Tony Stewart last year: he has a history of run-ins with others, so he wasn't given the benefit of the doubt most of his competitors would have been.
Even if nothing comes from the investigation (like others, I'm not sure how it could be truly investigated after the fact), this will be added to the "Patriots are known cheaters and here are the FACTS" mantra among many football fans. If the NFL announces nothing was found, it won't quiet such fans anyway.

 

If the NFL announces nothing was found, the only rational conclusion is that it happened and is being covered up.

To think otherwise on anything that involves The Ginger is just foolish.

 

Guilty until proven innocent. And even then, they are guilty. Got it.

Flawed proclamations of foolishness aside, the Patriots and the NFL certainly earned the public's distrust. The Pats have proven they are willing to cheat to gain any advantage and even if the league hadn't done so much to damage its reputation over the last few months, the fact that Goodell was so quick to destroy the Spygate evidence without ever giving a good reason to do so certainly casts a considerable shadow of doubt on any action he takes in this matter.

In short, fair or not, the NFL and the Patriots are going to look bad on this one.

 

Considering the prior actions of both parties, I'd say it's fair.

 

Which is completely understandable. I'm leaving open room for the unlikely possibility that the Patriots are innocent. What we know so far is the officials took a ball out of play and that led to the investigation. We also know the Patriots are willing to cheat and the league will do whatever it thinks is best for business, even trying to make an ugly incident go away. It's certainly one hell of a circumstantial case, enough that it is understandable that some folks will assume guilt no matter what.

 

Why would anyone be dumb enough to think the NFL is an impartial arbiter here? It's a marketing organization. It isn't unlike the tobacco lobby deciding whether Philip Morris had too much nicotine in its cigarettes.

 

Nobody said the NFL is an impartial arbiter. In fact, that is the opposite of what everybody is saying.

 

Thought this story sounded familiar:
USC fined for deflating footballs during game against Oregon

 

Original story says deflating the balls make it tougher to throw, which would hurt Indy's passing game. Now it's being said deflating balls makes it easier to throw, which would help the Patriots.
Let's pick one conspiracy and stick to it, fellas.

 

In the NFL, does each team use its own ball when it's on offense, as they do in high school or college or does the same ball stay in the game for both teams?