Patriots Accused Of Deflating Footballs

[Vin+ 3,121]

It's always the random locker-room attendants.

 

 

FOX's Jay Glazer reports the NFL has identified a Patriots locker room attendant as a "strong person of interest" in the ball-deflation scandal.

The league finally has its Ollie North. Per Glazer, the attendant "allegedly took balls from the officials' locker room to another area on way to the field." There is reportedly video of the incident. Glazer says the league is "still gauging if any wrong doing occurred." It's been obvious from Day 1 the Pats were going to set up some sort of underling as the fall guy, the only question is if he'll sing. The entire "scandal" is long past played out. It would be a shame were it to dominate all pre-SB chatter.

Source: Jay Glazer on Twitter

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Hopefully when / if the league takes action against what is undoubtedly 'rogue' and 'random' employee, the Patriots make sure to take care of him beyond his termination.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I think we all knew there would be a fall guy. Sad that someone totally innocent will have to lose their job over something that really is no big deal at all.

[oochymp 2,393]

if the Patriots escape any punishment by scapegoating one of the lowest level employees I'm going to be pissed, there is absolutely no way that a locker room attendant would do something like this independently, largely because I don't think a locker room attendant would do anything independently, there is no doubt in my mind that if it was a locker room attendant who deflated the balls he was instructed on what to do and how to do it, hopefully he tells the league who instructed him and someone higher on the totem pole gets hit, even if it's just a nominal fine

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

if the Patriots escape any punishment by scapegoating one of the lowest level employees I'm going to be pissed, there is absolutely no way that a locker room attendant would do something like this independently, largely because I don't think a locker room attendant would do anything independently, there is no doubt in my mind that if it was a locker room attendant who deflated the balls he was instructed on what to do and how to do it, hopefully he tells the league who instructed him and someone higher on the totem pole gets hit, even if it's just a nominal fine

If he snitches, he will be fire and probably won't find work in the league again. If he keeps quiet, he probably won't find a job again, but at least have (hopefully) a nice severance package for taking the fall from the Pats.

[BradyFan81 404]

Definitely not looking good for the NFL on this one. Their 'big break' in the case- of the ball boy taking the balls... somewhere - that they probably knew 6 days ago and felt the need to leak today in a feeble attempt at a comeback after BB's epic beatdown of them Saturday, shows just how weak their case is.

 

Oh, and Kraft is demanding an apology from the league. lmao!! Definitely not good that one of Goodell's biggest defenders is turning on him.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I don't think Bill had much of a 'beatdown'. He was just confident and douchey like usual....

http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2015/01/25/deflategate-bill-nye-refutes-bill-belichick-science-calls-out-claims-ball-pressure

[Eefluxx 113]

Quote

 

FOX's Jay Glazer reports the NFL has identified a Patriots locker room attendant as a "strong person of interest" in the ball-deflation scandal.

The league finally has its Ollie North. Per Glazer, the attendant "allegedly took balls from the officials' locker room to another area on way to the field." There is reportedly video of the incident. Glazer says the league is "still gauging if any wrong doing occurred." It's been obvious from Day 1 the Pats were going to set up some sort of underling as the fall guy, the only question is if he'll sing. The entire "scandal" is long past played out. It would be a shame were it to dominate all pre-SB chatter.

Source: Jay Glazer on Twitter

Yes but did the NFL ask for the video and get denied?

[Guest Phailadelphia]

They had the video but nobody at the league office watched it.

[oochymp 2,393]

If he snitches, he will be fire and probably won't find work in the league again. If he keeps quiet, he probably won't find a job again, but at least have (hopefully) a nice severance package for taking the fall from the Pats.

if he snitches he should get a job with the league, I'd definitely hold that out as a carrot for him

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Credit to Vin for posting this first... thought it was a good read and worth reposting here. If anyone thought this was a one-off type of thing, you may be in the dark a bit.

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2015/01/stats_show_the_new_england_patriots_became_nearly_fumble_proof_after_a_2006.html

[BradyFan81 404]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/26/video-shows-employee-taking-24-balls-into-bathroom/

 

So the incriminating evidence at the center of the NFL's investigation is..... the ball boy took a piss while on the way to the field.

 

Great work, Roger. Job well done.

[Attyla the Hawk 197]

I'd guess the incriminating evidence would have been 11 of the 12 balls being underinflated.

 

Proving it was done intentionally -- I doubt there will be clear cut evidence such as the spygate case.

 

Ultimately, I expect there to be little repercussion from this incident. It'll likely result more in a different method for securing balls after they are conditioned by the teams. To me, it's a simple procedural fix. One likely to be enacted as a result.

 

I don't buy for a second the atmospheric excuses for why the Patriots (and only the Patriots) balls being deflated. I don't believe Brady's account of ignorance on the balls' conditions. Honestly, I think the excuses put forth by Belichick are horribly contrived. The Patriots, doing their own experimentation and study -- is in every way akin to the Tobacco industry sponsoring studies why their products aren't toxic. But then I don't really see this as a major offense either. Regardless of whether I think they are lying about the whole thing (which I do entirely), it's really a non issue for me.

 

If they want to deny it to the last breath -- fine. Obviously I see the Patriots as a team that seeks to find any advantage they can. And clearly they've broken rules in order to achieve that in the past. Their history affords them no benefit of the doubt. And similarly, their history warrants no official apologies for assuming the result (deflated balls) was by competitive advantage intent.

 

I don't see this as serious as the spygate incident. It's a minor issue. It should go away quietly as time passes.

 

As for tainting a legacy. I'm sure it will to a degree. Reputations are fragile records that require care to maintain. Besmirching your reputation in the name of bending or breaking rules has a cost. In this case, not in wins or losses. But certainly in legacy.

[blotsfan 2,112]

Reports are the refs approved the under inflated footballs, so this is on them not the Pats IMO

[Vin+ 3,121]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feuNeJewzDo Edited January 30, 2015 by Vin

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Colts GM Ryan Grigson has been revealed as the league's source in the "Deflategate" scandal.

According to NFL executive Troy Vincent, Grigson brought the issue to the league's attention "some time during the second quarter" of the AFC Championship Game. The balls, as you've probably heard by now, were then inspected at halftime. The NFL's investigation into the apparent scandal of the century remains ongoing.

Source: CBS Sports

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/story.asp?i=20150219161838498749608&ref=hea&tm=&src=

 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) General manager Ryan Grigson said Thursday that the Colts had contacted NFL officials before last month's AFC championship game about their concerns with New England's game balls.

 

Grigson did not say how the team was tipped off. Previous reports have indicated Indy first became suspicious after Mike Adams picked off two of Tom Brady's passes in November and that the Ravens had noticed the kicking balls were softer during a divisional-round loss to the Patriots.

 

All Grigson would say is that Indy knew what to expect.

 

"We took the proper steps to try and ensure that (fairness) and it's up to the league to make sure that happens," Grigson said. "If rules were broken, we'll see. If not, that's what the investigation is for. Again, we are just doing our jobs and trying to ensure that we give our team the best chance to win on a level playing field."

 

League officials have not provided any updates on Ted Wells' investigation into "Deflategate."

 

All along, the Colts have acknowledged the inflation level of the game balls used by New England's offense were not the reason they lost 45-7. Grigson and coach Chuck Pagano have mostly remained quiet, instead deferring to the league office.

 

Pagano, a former Ravens defensive coordinator, said he had spoken with Baltimore's staff during that week about an unusual formation New England used in its playoff game and other things.

 

Ravens coach Jim Harbaugh insisted that Baltimore was not involved.

 

"There's not one shred of any kind of fact that would in any way lead to any reason to believe that's true, and it's been a long time since that report was put out," he said Wednesday at the NFL's annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. "There was nothing there, it didn't happen, and I'm not sure why it hasn't been recanted, to be honest with you."

 

Grigson declined to say how the Colts knew there might be a problem but that their concerns went deep enough to warrant a call to the league office.

 

The Patriots have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and a radio station even suggested earlier this month that it was actually the Colts who took air out of the ball D'Qwell Jackson intercepted in the championship game.

 

"That's ludicrous," Pagano said, responding to the implication Indy was at fault.

 

What the Colts will do now is wait to see what the investigation finds.

 

"We went into the game, we had some issues, but we are going to do what we can and that's to participate with the league and the investigation and wait until the Wells Report comes out," Grigson said. "We really have no other recourse than to wait until that investigation comes out."

 

New England, New Orleans and Philadelphia are the only teams not scheduled to speak in the combine media room this week.

 

Notes: Grigson would not say whether running back Trent Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 draft, would return next season. Richardson is expected to be released after two sub-par seasons with the Colts, who got him in a trade from Cleveland. The Colts also are waiting to hear whether receiver Reggie Wayne and defensive end Cory Redding will play next season. Both players, who are in their mid-30s, can become free agents next month.

[Thanatos 2,847]

This makes it way worse.

 

The NFL knew about this issue, but instead of warning the Patriots about it and telling them they'd be watching for it, they instead set up a sting to catch the Patriots in the act? And potentially compromised the integrity of the AFCC to do it? Holy shit. And now it turns out that really only 1 of the 12 balls were grossly underinflated and that just so happens to be the one D'Qwell Jackson intercepted and the Colts had in their possession?

 

This looks more and more ugly for the NFL.

[Vin+ 3,121]

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/story.asp?i=20150506131633515262408

 

(AP) -- An NFL investigation released Wednesday concluded New England Patriots employees likely deflated footballs used in the AFC Championship and that quarterback Tom Brady was "at least generally aware" of the rules violations.

 

The NFL began investigating what's now known as "Deflategate" after the Patriots defeated the Colts 45-7 on January 18. The Colts complained that several footballs were under-inflated and the NFL confirmed that 11 of the 12 footballs were under the limit. The investigation started as the Patriots were preparing for the Super Bowl - which they won two weeks later.

 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Troy Vincent, the league's executive vice president of football operations, would review the 243-page report on attorney Ted Wells' investigation and consider what steps to take next.

 

"We will continue our efforts vigorously to protect the integrity of the game and promote fair play at all times," Goodell said.

 

The NFL requires balls to be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, and each team is responsible for the balls it uses on offense.

 

Footballs with less pressure can be easier to grip and catch. Some quarterbacks prefer footballs that have less air.

 

Brady said he prefers footballs inflated to 12.5 pounds per square inch. On many occasions, Brady said he never asked for balls to be deflated outside of the rules.

 

But the NFL report concluded "it was more than probable than not" that Jim McNally, the officials' locker room attendant, and John Jastremski, an equipment assistant for the Patriots, were involved in "a deliberate effort to release air" from the footballs in the moments before kickoff of the AFC title game - and after they were examined by the referee.

 

The report cites evidence that McNally took the game balls into a bathroom adjacent to the field at Gillette Stadium, and stayed there for about 100 seconds - "an amount of time sufficient to deflate thirteen footballs using a needle."

 

Other evidence included referee Walt Anderson's inability to locate the previously approved footballs at the start of the game - the first time that had happened to him in 19 years.

 

The report includes salty text messages between McNally and Jastremski - sent in October and January - that imply Brady was requesting footballs deflated below 12.5 pounds per square inch. They also imply that Brady had previously been upset with the quality of the game balls.

 

The texts described requests from McNally for shoes and signed footballs from Brady in exchange for deflating the balls.

 

"Remember to put a couple sweet pig skins ready for tom to sign," one said.

 

"Nice throw in some kicks and make it real special," another said.

 

The report says there's no evidence that owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick or anyone on the coaching staff knew about the scheme.

 

Kraft, who strongly defended his team and said the NFL would owe the Patriots an apology if the investigation turned up no culpable evidence, called the conclusion "incomprehensible."

 

But, he said the Patriots would accept the findings of the report "and take the appropriate actions based on those findings as well as any discipline levied by the league."

 

 

Not exactly damning, but it's better than nothing? I still don't believe that Bill knew nothing about this though.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

We waited three months for "more probable than not." What a crock of shit.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Is there any evidence for this whatsoever?

[seanbrock 1,684]

Why would the NFL just make this up. If anything it makes the league look bad. The NFL just did a poor job at investigating it and the Pats did a good job covering their ass. In the grand scheme of things, the Pats still win this game but they're guilty and anyone who doesn't think they are is either dumb or a Pats fan in denial.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

You can read the entire report here:

 

https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/investigative-and-expert-reports-re-footballs-used-during-afc-championsh.pdf

 

There are incriminating texts from Brady to one of the deflators. Page 129 is the tl:dr summary.

[BradyFan81 404]

The report is pretty well done IMO, I've read about half of it. It's pretty clear what was going on and Brady should be punished. But, if I can agree that Brady's guilty, can everyone agree that 1.5-2 PSI of a football has zero fucking impact on how well you throw the ball? It's obviously an inexact science as evidence by the fact that the refs can measure the footballs at the same time and get a different reading on the guage by .5 PSI. I mean 3 of the 4 Colts balls technically were illegal by halftime according to Prioleau's measurements (page 8, but I guess that's okay since the other gauge got them at 12.5). And I can't believe I've written an entire paragraph about the PSI of a fucking football.

 

Here's how much the balls were under the limit based off the more 'liberal' gauge

.7

1.3

1

1.5

1.05

.55

.2

.95

1.15

1.15

1.6

1.15

 

For an average of: 1.18 PSI on average if I did my math right. Not 2 PSI like Mort reported. Zero of the footballs were 2 PSI below.

Edited May 7, 2015 by RevisFan81

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

The report is pretty well done IMO, I've read about half of it. It's pretty clear what was going on and Brady should be punished. But, if I can agree that Brady's guilty, can everyone agree that 1.5-2 PSI of a football has zero fucking impact on how well you throw the ball? It's obviously an inexact science as evidence by the fact that the refs can measure the footballs at the same time and get a different reading on the guage by .5 PSI. I mean 3 of the 4 Colts balls technically were illegal by halftime according to Prioleau's measurements (page 8). And I can't believe I've written an entire paragraph about the PSI of a fucking football.

It's refreshing to see a Patriots fan say that Lord Brady should be punished. However, what would the point of deflating them be if it wasn't easier for him to grip or whatever?