AFC Championship time....

[Tripp11]

Originally Posted by HL65

Perhaps if properly inspected and handled the score would have only been 35-7? Just a thought...My guess is the balls weren't what made the Colts offense completely useless not to mention their defense.

PS I hear next year he will have them over inflated due to the weight from his 4 SB rings.

Originally Posted by Knappo 1307

X2... The patriots could have used a medicine ball, and the Colts defense still wouldn't have stopped them......

Only the most clueless non-Patriot fans would even suggest that the Colts would have had a chance if they were playing with legal footballs.

I realize your post was in jest (or so I hope), but no one with any fraction of common sense could possibly believe THAT was the reason the Colts got blown out.

As a Colts fan, the Patriots have always been that "nemesis" team that typically turns another AFC South Championship year into just another year without a Superbowl berth. I most certainly don't think the balls had anything to do with the dominance displayed by the Patriots that game.

[Knappo 1307]

Originally Posted by Tripp11

Only the most clueless non-Patriot fans would even suggest that the Colts would have had a chance if they were playing with legal footballs.

I realize your post was in jest (or so I hope), but no one with any fraction of common sense could possibly believe THAT was the reason the Colts got blown out.

As a Colts fan, the Patriots have always been that "nemesis" team that typically turns another AFC South Championship year into just another year without a Superbowl berth. I most certainly don't think the balls had anything to do with the dominance displayed by the Patriots that game.

Well said...

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Brady and the Patriots, Manny and Ortiz and the 2004 Red Sox.... Quite the Boston sports "legacy".

Spoken like as True New York fan ;)

Originally Posted by Tripp11

As a Colts fan, the Patriots have always been that "nemesis" team that typically turns another AFC South Championship year into just another year without a Superbowl berth. I most certainly don't think the balls had anything to do with the dominance displayed by the Patriots that game.

It has been an amazing run over the years, running into the Colts, sometimes winning, sometimes not. Or running into the Ravens and sometimes winning sometimes not. Makes for great Rivalries and Great Finishes. Colts are going to do something rare - have two outstanding Franchise Quarterbacks, Back to Back, and be right back in the hunt.

[Tripp11]

Originally Posted by linesiders

Spoken like as True New York fan ;)



It has been an amazing run over the years, running into the Colts, sometimes winning, sometimes not. Or running into the Ravens and sometimes winning sometimes not. Makes for great Rivalries and Great Finishes. Colts are going to do something rare - have two outstanding Franchise Quarterbacks, Back to Back, and be right back in the hunt.

To be honest, Colts fans (fellow fans) really don't know how good they have it. I've been a season ticket holder since 1992, but those early years (84-94) were brutal. With the Manning era over and the Luck era under way, we've truly been blessed with consistent, great QB play. Imagine some of those NFL teams with the revolving door QB situation and rarely, if ever, making the playoffs.

Looking forward to another season though.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Tripp11

Only the most clueless non-Patriot fans would even suggest that the Colts would have had a chance if they were playing with legal footballs.

I realize your post was in jest (or so I hope), but no one with any fraction of common sense could possibly believe THAT was the reason the Colts got blown out.

As a Colts fan, the Patriots have always been that "nemesis" team that typically turns another AFC South Championship year into just another year without a Superbowl berth. I most certainly don't think the balls had anything to do with the dominance displayed by the Patriots that game.

Yes I was trying to inject a bit of humor into it! Honestly I am so over Deflategate and could truly care less either way. We aren't talking about war heroes and true battles we are talking about sports a monstrous business after all. At the end of the day whatever for me. Did the Pats who I am not a fan of try to gain an edge over Colts or other teams? Sure they did. Do other teams try to gain edges on each other that we don't know about? Sure they do. At the end of the day the best way to take away an edge rightful or wrongful is to beat the snot out of the other team on both sides of the ball. Then we have little or nothing to talk about. Had the Colts done that then this whole story would have been nothing more than air.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by HL65

Yes I was trying to inject a bit of humor into it! Honestly I am so over Deflategate and could truly care less either way. We aren't talking about war heroes and true battles we are talking about sports a monstrous business after all. At the end of the day whatever for me. Did the Pats who I am not a fan of try to gain an edge over Colts or other teams? Sure they did. Do other teams try to gain edges on each other that we don't know about? Sure they do. At the end of the day the best way to take away an edge rightful or wrongful is to beat the snot out of the other team on both sides of the ball. Then we have little or nothing to talk about. Had the Colts done that then this whole story would have been nothing more than air.

All hail Ken!! You are my hero!!!

[GradyPhilpott]

Never mind.

[warrior]

FWIW ( disclosure as a Pats fan), I dont think Wells really proved much of anything. Many seem to miss the ENTIRE point. You can do anything you want with the football PRIOR to the NFL Officials' approval of the balls before kickoff. No breaking of rules about altering prior. The circumstantial evidence that allegedly pointed towards Brady directing the employees AFTER is pretty weak. Hence, the "more probable than not....generally aware?" Doesn't seem like too strong a case and it's an embarassment to the NFL that they devoted enormous time and effort and millions to try to find more. Any investigator desperately wants to find violations. That's the nature of the beast. Let's see how the process plays out.

But, even if Brady is "guilty"( and I'm not saying he is), well...the Pats are one of many. Check out this website.... www.yourteamcheats.com.

[bdex75]

Saying everyone cheats is rubbish. Maybe they do, but the Pats must cheat more than most, either that or they are really bad at it because they keep getting caught. I know Atlanta got caught last year as did a couple others but not everyone cheats. Bottom line is that it would not have changed the end result of the game. But you are high on something if you think that Peyton or Brady or Rogers cannot tell the difference in a "legally" inflated ball and the ones in question. Full disclosure I am a colts fan, but not drunk on the blue KoolAid to think that they could have won that game with the way they played.



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[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by Tripp11

To be honest, Colts fans (fellow fans) really don't know how good they have it. I've been a season ticket holder since 1992, but those early years (84-94) were brutal. With the Manning era over and the Luck era under way, we've truly been blessed with consistent, great QB play. Imagine some of those NFL teams with the revolving door QB situation and rarely, if ever, making the playoffs.

Looking forward to another season though.

They were terrible under that slimeball Bob Irsay. He drive one of the great NFL franchises into the ground so that he could move it. It took Peyton Manning and a year of sucking for luck to save them.

Amusing to see Indy fans in the stands with Johnny Unitas jerseys.

[mailman]

GO STEELERS WHOOOO HOOOO

[Culley22]

When Sammy Sosa used a corked bat and got caught and said it was his "batting practice bat" everyone LAUGHED. At the pro level the minute detail is noticed in equipment, what they prefer and use day in and day out. Brady can tell the difference. He should have just said "they seemed soft...but hey, it didn't bother me so I didn't care." and that would have been it.

I'm not a Pats fan, not even close (full disclosure: Redskins fan), however I think this report is a JOKE. It didn't say anything. Basically "Brady failed to let us look at his phone and emails (probably because he has naked pics of his wife on there, so I don't blame him) and for that, we are mad so w/o NOT knowing what he didn't do...we're going to say you probably knew."

Waste of money, didn't say shit.

[77T]

As in all sports played at the pointy end of the field (i.e., championship level) - the unfair advantage is sought. Sometimes it yields an actual competitive advantage, other times it just gives the person/team a belief in one. Either way, once that advantage is one scintilla over the line of a rules infraction then it colors the pursuit.

In amateur sports, games are wiped off the books, titles vacated and sanctions levied. In pro sports, much less is done except fines and personal suspensions. I'm thinking TB and the Pats will lose some $$$, and he may sit out game(s), and perhaps Pats lose future draft picks. But the title & trophy will be retained.

Because it's partially tainted now, they may also remove his stats attained in the game from record books.

[tfly212]

I think stuff like this happens all the time... And always has. Jerry Rice said everyone used stickum... Bilitenkoff taped thumb tacks to his fingers under his gloves to aid in grip. Pitchers put just about anything on the ball...a little jalapeño in the nose...get that running real good.

Jon Stewart summed it up best...cheating is totally wrong, unless its my team.

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by tfly212

I think stuff like this happens all the time... And always has. Jerry Rice said everyone used stickum... Bilitenkoff taped thumb tacks to his fingers under his gloves to aid in grip. Pitchers put just about anything on the ball...a little jalapeño in the nose...get that running real good.

Jon Stewart summed it up best...cheating is totally wrong, unless its my team.

A pitcher loading up a ball or a guy with a corked bat is cheating. A guy taking adderall is cheating. I think it takes a bad turn when there is a conspiracy to cheat and the staff is involved. This is why bountygate was a big deal. The team, or part of the team, decided to do it.

[linesiders]

Couple things:

The report was not conclusive and there are valid points being made by both sides of the argument - but the report was not conclusive. The report indicated better than 51% Brady knew and was involved. IF he was involved - again, not conclusive - this is so low on the importance scale that it should not be a big deal. It is only a big deal when the Patriots do it.

The other numerous reports and even claims by other QBs that this is commonplace (cough, cough Aaron Rodgers) make no matter.

Or all the other documented instances: Chargers Stickum Towels (it was the coverup), Colts Stadium Noise, Pick players from any time with real issues such as domestic violence. Heck the Pats complained that the refs OVERINFLATED the balls to 16 PSI on the Jets Game

But this the Patriots. They cannot be that dominant over almost 15 years without cheating. Spygate (they were filming in an unapproved location - that is all) and all the other witch-hunts.

Originally Posted by HL65

Yes I was trying to inject a bit of humor into it! Honestly I am so over Deflategate and could truly care less either way. We aren't talking about war heroes and true battles we are talking about sports a monstrous business after all. At the end of the day whatever for me. Did the Pats who I am not a fan of try to gain an edge over Colts or other teams? Sure they did. Do other teams try to gain edges on each other that we don't know about? Sure they do. At the end of the day the best way to take away an edge rightful or wrongful is to beat the snot out of the other team on both sides of the ball. Then we have little or nothing to talk about. Had the Colts done that then this whole story would have been nothing more than air.

[GradyPhilpott]

The manifest content of this discussion is football, but the latent content is the very essence of character.

[linesiders]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

The manifest content of this discussion is football, but the latent content is the very essence of character.

I agree - to an extent. We have a hot mess of evidence and hearsay that is so open to interpretation that anyone can make a point, factual or emotional or otherwise.

We have a discussion on what may or may not have happened.

We have a discussion on an inconclusive report that more probably than not was conducted in a mediocre or better manner that was uncertain in its findings that TB more likely than not (51% -v- 49%) influenced several team equipment personnel to alter the pressure footballs. The same footballs that the team has permission to doctor up over the course of a week, that did not have pressures recorded properly by League personnel that are required to test said footballs, and were checked erratically with several different gauges. Additional league personnel (former NY Jets employees that hate the Patriots) leaked many untruths to the press which further outraged a national population prior to the biggest game of the year.

So we have something that lawyers would say is not strong enough evidence in criminal court but maybe enough in civil court.

We certainly have a failure of the system and it would be fairly easy to establish proper procedures that would mitigate or prevent any altering of equipment. If the report was more conclusive in its findings then heavy penalty should be done.

[Gaijin]

I read the e mails and there is not a lot " open to interpretation ."

Full disclosure here I am a die hard Broncos fan and grew up in Colorado. I hate the Patriots. The only reason I was kind of ok that they won the super bowl last year is that the beat the Seahawks who had stomped my Broncos into a mud puddle the year before.


That being said I don't think any of this is that big of a deal. It's callec "home field advantage" for a reason .

Brady and the Patriots are gonna pay in suspensions not for deflating the footballs but for thier lies and cover up. If they had said from the beginning yea we let a little air out we all might have laughed this off . League would have wrist slapped them.

[69mach351]

I can't believe there weren't procedures in place already. You could sit brady the whole season and the $$$$ from a super bowl win would have still been worth it. They just showed that it pays to cheat if you can win.

[Ed Rooney]

Well, cheating did not beat the colts. But subtle cheating like this can be the difference between a consistent 1 or 2 seed and home field advantage vs going on the road all the time in the playoffs. Too bad the Pats don't play in a competitive division like the AFC North that regularly sends 2-3 teams to the playoffs.

[77T]

4 game suspension for Brady just handed down...also fined the team $1 million and took away their first-round picks in 2016 and fourth-rounder in 2017.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...n-deflategate/

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[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by 77T

4 game suspension for Brady just handed down...also fined the team $1 million and took away their first-round picks in 2016 and fourth-rounder in 2017.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...n-deflategate/

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Hefty penalties, hope it was worth it Tommy...

[77T]

I know many fans will wait to see how team and TB react - whether they will appeal or not.


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[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by 77T

I know many fans will wait to see how team and TB react - whether they will appeal or not.


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Of course they will appeal. Isn't that SOP?

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by 77T

4 game suspension for Brady just handed down...also fined the team $1 million and took away their first-round picks in 2016 and fourth-rounder in 2017.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...n-deflategate/

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Spitting in the wind.

Should have been a year suspension for Brady, with fine and loss of pick for Pats.

BRADY LIED to EVERYONE. To the league that allows him to be employed, his fans, his enemies and to the children who look up to him.


Truly shameful...

[77T]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

Of course they will appeal. Isn't that SOP?

I guess that's true. I don't know the appeals process very well. Is there any hazard of steeper penalties if your appeal isn't well-founded? I mean could it reopen the investigation and require TB to share those PMs & EMs.?


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[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by 77T

I guess that's true. I don't know the appeals process very well. Is there any hazard of steeper penalties if your appeal isn't well-founded? I mean could it reopen the investigation and require TB to share those PMs & EMs.?


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I don't know really how the issue will be handled, but I would presume that whatever the higher authority is will look not so much at the facts of the case but at procedural issues.

If the league did not break any procedural rules, then I would think that the penalty would stand as is without a reduction or an increase.

Others may know otherwise.

[fmc000]

The first five articles on nfl.com are dedicated to the deflategate.

[Cru Jones]

‪#‎CONAN‬ Mono: "The NFL has suspended Tom Brady for four games over Deflategate. They’re going to punish him by making him stay home in his mansion with his supermodel wife and think about what he did wrong."