Belicheat at it again.

[hawaiiansteel]

[Sword]

And going to the other side myself, who's to say they haven't? You cannot go by the public face they put up -- its highly stage-managed. Their lawyers would have told them exactly what expression to put on, when to smirk, etc.

That said, I found Belichik to be believable in this mess. Brady, not so much. Belichik seemed as annoyed as he can ever express himself as. I don't believe for a second that he doesn't know all about ball pressure and suchlike -- that was a flat out lie -- but I do believe he had no clue about the state of the game balls. He doesn't handle them himself once the refs have the balls, and has no way of knowing unless informed.

In all likelihood, it was only Brady. I suspect the center and the WRs (and possibly the RB) suspect or know about it too, though. These are pros, they handle the ball dozens of times each game. They'd know.

To much speculation with no witnesses or physical proof...and on a matter that wouldn't have changed the outcome...NFL needs to change their process with the balls going forward...
I'm more concerned with the refs in a game and the NFL consistency.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

To much speculation with no witnesses or physical proof...and on a matter that wouldn't have changed the outcome...NFL needs to change their process with the balls going forward...
I'm more concerned with the refs in a game and the NFL consistency.

Again, it's not about whether it changed the outcome of the game. If they had found, following the game, that Andrew Luck had been full of banned drugs, he can't say, "Since it didn't affect the outcome of the game, you can't punish me."

I do agree with you that the NFL needs to change the process with the balls going forward. This nonsense about teams having their own footballs, and getting to doctor them up, should go away. Instead, everyone ought to play with the same footballs, which need to be under the league's control and continual supervision.

[bostonsteeler]

Again, it's not about whether it changed the outcome of the game. If they had found, following the game, that Andrew Luck had been full of banned drugs, he can't say, "Since it didn't affect the outcome of the game, you can't punish me."

How can you be so sure? If its a long habit, it almost certainly affected the fact that the Pats found themselves at home in the AFCC.

[feltdizz]

yep.. IMO this was a great way to get through the first week of the SB run up.

[Steelhere10]

If anything, I want to tune out.

[fordfixer]

[url]http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/nfl-investigating-patriots-locker-room-attendant-for-deflategate/ar-AA8BMMr[/url]

[fordfixer]

NFL investigating Patriots locker room attendant for DeflateGate



SB Nation
SB Nation
SB Nation



Jason Hirschhorn

4 hrs ago

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 


 © Elsa/Getty Images

The New England Patriots have spent much of the past week answering questions from the league and media regarding whether they knew their football were illegally deflated during the AFC title game. Now it appears the NFL has honed in on a potential culprit, per a report by Fox Sports' Jay Glazer.

According to Glazer, the league has reason to believe a Patriots locker room attendant may have taken the footballs from the officials' locker room to a different area on the way to the field. The league has apparently already interviewed the assistant and may have video, though it is still deciphering whether any actual wrongdoing occurred. Still, the assistant is currently a "strong person of interest."

The NFL has not only specific rules for inflating footballs but also how those balls are handled before and during a game. The league's game operations manual states, "Once the balls have left the locker room, no one, including players, equipment managers, ball boys, and coaches, is allowed to alter the footballs in any way." Accordingly, a locker room attendant moving the footballs from the officials' locker room before the game raises red flags.

Head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have steadfast denied deflating the footballs below the prescribed limit. Belichick offered a possible scientific explanation for the deflated balls, though neither Bill Nye nor the manufacturers of the balls themselves buy it. Perhaps the NFL will find the correct answer from their targeted locker room assistant.

[fordfixer]

[url]http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/jay-glazer-nfl-has-interviewed-patriots-locker-room-attendant/vi-AA8Cj1E[/url]

[birtikidis]

And we found our scapegoat.
somehow he managed to sneak 12 footballs into a bathroom.
curious

[bostonsteeler]

And we found our scapegoat.
somehow he managed to sneak 12 footballs into a bathroom.
curious

And, clearly, Belichik and Brady are innocent.

Case closed.

[hawaiiansteel]

And we found our scapegoat.
somehow he managed to sneak 12 footballs into a bathroom.
curious

and he did this all on his own without the franchise QB knowing about it or directing him to do so...

[lord_of_six_rings]

I laid out what was going on in my last post. Now, I am certain. Below is a release from Kraft. Notice the wording: "not able to definitively determine" "expect hard facts rather than circumstantial leaked evidence" I said Belicheat hard core aggressive science lesson friday was the sign they know the only source / involved party is under wraps and the nfl will not have definitive proof...it will be circumstantial. I knew it because like a chess game belicheat would not expose himself or put himself out there so far (in a way of scorning the media). He would never risk the huge mistake of that friday talk and then it smeared in his or pats organization two weeks later with some definitive proof(or whenever the investigation ends). The second Bellicheat presser signaled he wasn't afraid of "the truth" coming out.

As for all you doubters / pats fans the strange split personality pats pressers is exactly what I said has happened / is happening.

First pat team address (belicheat) soft spoken, curious, oh shucks, I wish I had answers, my reputation is clean look other places, don't "pete rose" me over this getting in the hof

Second pat address (brady) responds because bill rightly / wrongly is perceived by media as throwing him under bus. Gives odd answers like I don't think I have cheated, body language is very poor.

*** In time of brady to bill 2nd presser, guilty accomplice (s) shut up and pats have had time to cover all bases ***

Third pat address is bill shaming media w/ science lesson. I already detailed as has others the massive BS / problems w/ bill (IF PETER KING REPORT IS ACCURATE)

Fourth pat address is kraft statement. Knows their is circumstantial and looks bad w/ history, BUT he smartly lays down the rules (he expects to be judged) and by laying those things out attempts to influence findings / punishment if any to blind loyalists and casual fans. Also, frames his problem (w/ investigation) and maybe appeal if their is a "stiff" penalty.

I give it to the pats organization, they mobilized a hell of a public relations / damage control effort. However, every knowledgeable fan should just remember the standard goodell established couple years ago w/ the saints suspension of HC payton "should of been aware or had knowledge" of scheme.

[url]http://www.theredzone.org/BlogDescription/tabid/61/EntryId/47590/Robert-Kraft-expects-apology-from-NFL-if-no-ball-tampering-found/Default.aspx[/url]

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft demanded an apology from the league once the Patriots are found to be not guilty of breaking any rules regarding using under-inflated footballs in the AFC championship game, the Associated Press reports.
A conclusion Kraft is certain will occur.
In an unscheduled statement, Kraft strongly defended his team's actions and integrity Monday night.
"I believe unconditionally that the New England Patriots did nothing wrong in this process that was in violation of NFL rules," Kraft said at the team's first media availability in Arizona.

"If the (Ted) Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope the league would apologize to our entire team, and in particular to coach (Bill) Belichick and Tom Brady, for what they've had to endure this week," Kraft added, at times sounding angry.
"I'm disappointed in the way this entire matter has been handled and reported upon. We expect hard facts rather than circumstantial leaked evidence to drive the conclusion of this investigation."

FYI- I know there is also the glazer report tonight . However, I still think that is the scapegoat or the (missing gunmen) where we will have no definitive answers and everyone will do mystery shows 25 years from now where the show will say to the audience "what really happened? That January 2015 playoff game......

[Slapstick]

Yeah. One reporter tweeted something to the effect of, "Basically, Belichick and Kraft just told the NFL to prove them liars because they are pretty sure that the NFL won't be able to."

Again, I say that the NFL has shown in the past that definitive proof is unnecessary...

[MCHammer]

The only definitive proof needed is the FACT that 11 out of 12 footballs were underinflated after the pre-game check while those balls were in the sole custody and control of the Patriots. Everything else is just a smokescreen from the reality that they have already been caught cheating.