Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 10:54:00 AM (view original):
A) you know I don't give a **** about PED.

B) maybe the PSI gauge was bad.    After all, it was 11 of 12.    Bad equipment(like a gauge) doesn't excuse you but underinflated balls doesn't mean you were necessarily actively attempting to cheat. 


I'm pretty sure someone tampered with the balls.  I'm not sure the order came down from management or even a player.   I'd need some sort of evidence that it was to punish individuals.    Take away a pick, fine the organization.    I just don't see how this can be put on BB or Tommy Boy without something more than underinflated balls as the sole piece of evidence.

Posted by The Taint on 1/23/2015 10:55:00 AM (view original):
My guess is that they wanted to catch them in the act. Now they get to set an example.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 11:05:00 AM (view original):

Posted by The Taint on 1/23/2015 10:55:00 AM (view original):
My guess is that they wanted to catch them in the act. Now they get to set an example.

I doubt the NFL wants to "set an example" the week before their premier event. 

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 11:05:00 AM (view original):
Did the Pats accidently submit underinflated balls?  Maybe.   Maybe they did it on purpose and were hoping the NFL wouldn't catch it.   Is there a punishment for submitting underinflated balls?  I doubt it. 

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 10:24:00 AM (view original):
Yes, of course it would.   I would not get jail time or fined.    Maybe the authorities would pour over records and make my life difficult.  Maybe they would find something to fine me for after doing that.   But I wouldn't be fined for kitten crushing.  

You want BB's head on a stick and this does not warrant it.    Perhaps a rogue employee, one that he does NOT oversee and had no hand in hiring(which doesn't apply to my kitten crushing driver), did something against the rules.   Punish the organization not the guy who has no hand in ball management.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 11:05:00 AM (view original):

Posted by The Taint on 1/23/2015 10:55:00 AM (view original):
My guess is that they wanted to catch them in the act. Now they get to set an example.

I doubt the NFL wants to "set an example" the week before their premier event. 

Posted by burnsy483 on 1/23/2015 11:12:00 AM (view original):

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 11:05:00 AM (view original):
Did the Pats accidently submit underinflated balls?  Maybe.   Maybe they did it on purpose and were hoping the NFL wouldn't catch it.   Is there a punishment for submitting underinflated balls?  I doubt it. 

And maybe the batboy gave that slugger a corked bat. And maybe that trainer told that player he was shooting him up with B-12. And maybe that infielder scuffed that ball. And maybe someone planted that gun in my carry-on bag. And maybe 9-11 was an inside job. And maybe someone photoshopped Ray Rice in that video. 

OR! Go with the most logical answer and take appropriate action.

Posted by burnsy483 on 1/23/2015 11:33:00 AM (view original):
Someone smarter than me told me that the Pats probably filled the footballs with hot air before handing them to the refs. This increases the pressure, despite not having as much air in them.  As they cool off (after the balls were checked) the air pressure falls.  So it would be unlikely, even with security tapes and the like, that you see anyone walking over the footballs on the field and tampering with them.

Tires lose PSI during the winter.   They heat up when you drive.   Maybe all the balls were legal but, due to cold weather, lost PSI.    Patriots balls started the game 12.5 PSI, Colts started at 13.5.    Halftime balls were 11.8 for Pats(lower than the limit), Colts were at 12.7(still legal).

Possible?

Posted by tecwrg on 1/23/2015 11:13:00 AM (view original):

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 10:24:00 AM (view original):
Yes, of course it would.   I would not get jail time or fined.    Maybe the authorities would pour over records and make my life difficult.  Maybe they would find something to fine me for after doing that.   But I wouldn't be fined for kitten crushing.  

You want BB's head on a stick and this does not warrant it.    Perhaps a rogue employee, one that he does NOT oversee and had no hand in hiring(which doesn't apply to my kitten crushing driver), did something against the rules.   Punish the organization not the guy who has no hand in ball management.

I'm not calling for BB's head on a stick.  That was stinenavy who said that he should be suspended for the Super Bowl.  I think that's both extremely unlikely, and extremely excessive.  Unless the NFL investigation finds something really egregious going on in Foxboro as part of their investigation.

My only comment has to do with Belichick's accountability in all of this.  If he has virtually complete control of all things related to football operations in the Pats organization, and somebody on the payroll who falls under football operations (that would exclude the ticket people, security, secretaries, other purely administrative functions, etc.) tampered with the footballs, then it needs to roll up to him.  Again, that's how the business world works.

Most likely (and appropriate) punishment will be fines and loss of a draft pick, much like after Spygate.  I wouldn't expect the team and/or Belichick to be hit as hard as they were then, but again, we need to see what the NFL investigation finds.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/23/2015 12:12:00 PM (view original):

Posted by burnsy483 on 1/23/2015 11:33:00 AM (view original):
Someone smarter than me told me that the Pats probably filled the footballs with hot air before handing them to the refs. This increases the pressure, despite not having as much air in them.  As they cool off (after the balls were checked) the air pressure falls.  So it would be unlikely, even with security tapes and the like, that you see anyone walking over the footballs on the field and tampering with them.

Tires lose PSI during the winter.   They heat up when you drive.   Maybe all the balls were legal but, due to cold weather, lost PSI.    Patriots balls started the game 12.5 PSI, Colts started at 13.5.    Halftime balls were 11.8 for Pats(lower than the limit), Colts were at 12.7(still legal).

Possible?

The reports were that the Patriots balls were 2 PSI below the limit - there's been plenty of discussion about the fact that a drop that significant can't be explained by having inflated the balls properly at room temperature and then moving to the outdoor temperature in Foxboro.  It wasn't even that cold early in that game.  So no, if the balls were actually at 12.5 to start, not possible.

But I think the scenario burnsy describes is probably what actually happened.