I don't think that at all. And no way that will happen. Im more interested in the big picture not a single game. And the ramifications as an organization not an individual. I just wonder how long it's been going on and how "tainted" the legacy would be if found to have been happening for a long period of time. Someone referred to the steroid era in baseball. Although I think the steroid deal had a bigger impact on performance and more severe than air pressure of a football, it is still a valid analogy .... if found to be over a long period of time.
Maybe using a corked bat would be a better analogy. Doesn't really improve performance greatly, but it does to a point, and it is against the rules. It generally results in a suspension of a few games for the player. To my knowledge, no super star has ever been caught doing this in the playoffs though.. In Brady's/Patriots case, I will be surprised to see anything other than a fine result if they hand down a punishment, since it needs resolved before next Sunday. They certainly won't suspend anyone for the Super Bowl. And yeah it probably will have an effect on Brady's legacy to some, if he wins the game.
Yes that's better. I'm not sure anyone will ever know what happened. This is a pretty easy one to simply plead ignorance. I don't see a way to prove anything as far as who was responsible. I'm still confused at how the teams get to have the game balls in their possession for 2 hours before the game after being checked. That part is the NFL's fault. And assume to be changed now.
I'm still blown away that the teams have 12 balls each and use their own for a game. I always assumed there were 3-4 common balls both teams used.
As a pats fan I am disappointed to an extent. I do not think it is a big deal and I would bet every quarterback does something to doctor the footballs they use in the games. Keeping with the baseball analogy, every time an ump throws a new ball to a pitcher they start scuffing the ball to their liking. I see it as very similar performance wise. The Patriots have been putting a superior product on the field for the better part of 15 years, and I have had the pleasure of going for the ride, even during my boycott of the NFL for the first 12 weeks of this year. It was a long a painful journey for the previous decades of Patriots football with few winning records and two no show appearances in the Super Bowl in 86 and I think 97? All major sports are riddled with scamming and cheating to a degree. It is up to the fans to decide what the impact is and how we think it affects the outcome of the sport. Then we can do our talking with our wallets.
Different though because it is done within the rules (most of the time) of MLB. They are allowed to do that.
One thing people keep overlooking when it comes to this tactical performance edge... The refs inspected and replaced the game balls at halftime with regulation balls.... Tom Brady comes out and completes 9 of his first 9 passes and they go on to blow out the Colts 28-0 with real balls. Maybe whoever it was that deflated these balls was actually trying to sabotage Brady's game If a manager was found to have done this on purpose (or even assumed to have done so), they should be fined by the defined rules laid out by the NFL. To act like this is the biggest conspiracy that will forever wreck the dynasty Brady/Belichek built is pretty laughable.
I think it has more to do with intent than it does what happened on the field. The rules are there for a reason, not to say, "Oh well it doesn't matter, because he blew them out in the 2nd half." And you're right, this isn't the biggest conspiracy on Brady/Bellichek......SpyGate is lol. Former and current players aren't exactly jumping to support Brady on the matter, and his new conference yesterday sure as hell wasn't convincing.
I can not believe major "New's" networks are leading with this story, had it been anyone else but the patriots it would be a none issue and almost no coverage.. This will be the most watched super bowl ever.... and don't expect to NFL to announce anything till after..
I disagree. But then again, I didn't think Spygate was as big of a deal as most. It was common practice and Belichek made no efforts to conceal what he was doing... He thought he operated within the rules, and when you read them you can see why he thought that. Trying to decode other teams signals has been going on since the 70s, it only matters when a good team does it after being warned not to (because they adamantly believed to have not broken rules). Doesn't really matter. Those that love the Patriots will continue to. Those that hate them, will do so even more now. Others will forget about it other than the humorous memes a month from now.
This isn't an issue because it's the Patriots. It's an issue because it happened in the AFC championship game, is right before the biggest game in the world, and has all signs pointing at the biggest star involved in the game. So tired of hearing Patriot fans cry about this not being fair that they were the ones who got caught cheating AGAIN, and only being a big deal because the world hates them. You honestly think it would be less of a deal had it been Peyton Manning dealing with this last year before the Super Bowl?
I agree 100% with this. It's as if some people are trying to argue that cheating is okay as long as you win?
Agree 100%. I don's see where this is a witch hunt against the Pats or blown out of proportion because its the Patriots. Would be the same deal with any team in the league under the same circumstance. For the record like I've said I don't dislike the Patriots or Tom Brady. I respect and admire greatness. The Patriots organization and Brady are great! I dislike that this is even going on. I don't like things being tarnished or astericks next to them. But at the end of the day, something stinks with the whole thing. Did it make a bit of difference in the AFC Championship game? Absolutely not. Did it make a difference in another game (if there was one)? Who knows? Why push the envelope and bend the rules or try to get away with something like this? Because you have been? Who knows?
