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djskillz -> RE: Around the NFL (News) - 2013 Season (1/28/2015 11:16:55 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Lynn G.
You're viewing things from the point of view of someone who really, really hopes that the Patriots did nothing wrong. I disagree that it looks like nothing ever happened, and I understand that unless someone actually confesses to something there may never be actual proof.
In the end I'm not going to get too unwound about it because there are plenty of things that ALL teams do to push the boundaries of the rules and in some cases I think the league looks the other way because enforcement is a messy thing when something is widespread. Other times, teams (or coaches) get nailed. And it's clear that some teams get more of the benefit of the doubt on calls, etc. than others do. It's one of the reasons I have semi backed away from the NFL in recent years, which is a shame.
Again, keeping aside the absurdity of and perceived advantage of deflated balls vs. scuffing/heating/overinflating, etc. in the first place, which is all disputed by science, look at the facts as we know them:
The referees inspected the balls pre-game and gave them the go-ahead that they were all within a range of 12.5 psi to 13.5 psi. We actually still don't know if they PROPERLY inspected them. ie a gauge vs. just a "thumb test"
The only unaccounted, not in the open time with the balls that we know of is when an equipment manager went to a locked restroom for 90 seconds out of camera view. It's very hard to believe that he could "deflate" 12 footballs in 90 seconds.
The rest of the time, the footballs appear to be accounted for, out in the open of media/officials, team personnel, etc.
In the 2-3 hours following inspection 10 of the 12 Patriots' balls fell below the 12.5 psi by as much as about 1 psi (not the 2 that was erroneously first leaked).
The balls were properly brought back up to the 12.5-13.5 range at halftime.
Multiple studies have shown that based on the temperature conditions (70 degree environment to 50 degree, wet environment) footballs could lose as much as 1.95 psi under the timeline that we know.
The Patriots' HOF owner, head coach, and QB have all vehemently denied the allegations and have essentially staked their entire reputations on them being false.
The facts as we know them do not amount to any tampering whatsoever. Again, the most logical explanation, given what we know, is that the Colts' footballs were inflated on the high end of the official psi range (13.5) as Luck apparently likes his footballs, and the Patriots were inflated to the low end (12.5) as Brady likes them, and all footballs lost about 1 psi over the course of the hours due to the change in temperature/humidity. OR the official never properly inspected them in the first place.
There's not a plausible explanation, given the facts we know, that explains the Patriots tampering with or deflating all 12 balls.
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