NFL 2014

[Granite]

The crazy thing is that this runs the risk, as Mark Brunell articulated, of tainting his legacy, instead of heaping more coals on the head of his coach who has taken by and large all of the negativity that's associated with the Pats. A coach that seemed to throw his qb under the bus in his press conference on the point.

If you get caught cheating, no matter how you spin it, it skews perception. Even more so given the larger jaundiced eye being turned on New England since spy-gate. This could finally reach him, especially given he has publicly stated his preference for (meaning he can tell) underinflated footballs.

And if it does it would be a tragedy, because while anyone who says an argument should be made that he's the best ever is either high or or a homer, he's still among the top qbs of his and any generation. And he'd have been that regardless. How high on that list? That's where this sort of thing, given his reputation rides on games decided by fairly slim margins, can impact.

I doubt Belichick threw #12 under any bus--the two most definitely spoke before this presser. And Brady's own was moved up from tomorrow to this afternoon. I'm sure as usual they're working in tandem.

And yes, this is aggravating from the whole legacy perspective (Brady himself used that word after the championship game, publicly acknowledging what everyone else assumed he was well aware of). So far he's always been able to stay above the fray. His intelligence, work ethic, and will to win have never once been questioned by anybody, even by fans and players who hate his guts. It'd take the mother of all revelations for that to change.

 

[Nick M]

Brady in the cross hairs? :shocked: Cue some shmuck in equipment standing by with a sword to fall on. :chuckle;

I listened to the presser from Bill. And since he is more candid that most, I believed him. He said knows nothing of it. Meaning the QB did it to his liking. Which is not abnormal in the NFL.

Unlike Obama or Clinton. You can tell they are lying and their heart is not in what they say. Except when they say how evil Christians are and how bad liberty is. Belichick came off truthful. And maybe he planned it that way.

 

[Granite]

I listened to the presser from Bill. And since he is more candid that most, I believed him. He said knows nothing of it. Meaning the QB did it to his liking. Which is not abnormal in the NFL.

Unlike Obama or Clinton. You can tell they are lying and their heart is not in what they say. Except when they say how evil Christians are and how bad liberty is. Belichick came off truthful. And maybe he planned it that way.

:jawdrop:

Ummm. Yeah. Maybe we can just stick to football?

I do agree, however, that you rarely see Belichick this emphatic and definitive. If he's lying, he just stuck his neck out on a national stage, and for all the man's arrogance, he is not that stupid. I tend to think he's probably telling the truth.

 

[serpentdove]

Brady in the cross hairs? :shocked: Cue some shmuck in equipment standing by with a sword to fall on. :chuckle:

Column: How Pats ball boy became America's Most Wanted

 

[Town Heretic]

I doubt Belichick threw #12 under any bus--

That was my initial reaction when he literally, after saying he didn't know anything about it, told reporters to talk to Tom about his preferences.

And this morning I was hearing the same response from a few of the analysts, so that feeling is out there.

the two most definitely spoke before this presser. And Brady's own was moved up from tomorrow to this afternoon. I'm sure as usual they're working in tandem.

What I expect you'll hear is Brady doing a mea culpa and something along the lines of there's a fudge factor built into that metric (which there is) and that he didn't realize they'd crossed the line in letting a little out to compensate for the rain. Not to excuse it, but having a lot of familiarity by feel with balls within the low tolerance he thought that's where he and they were, so to speak.

That would be groan worthy, but pull the teeth from the thing. So he let a little air out and should have tested but went with his gut. It's not necessarily an attempt to break rules, even if that should have been done prior to their being presented to officials. Maybe the weather changed.

And yes, this is aggravating from the whole legacy perspective (Brady himself used that word after the championship game, publicly acknowledging what everyone else assumed he was well aware of). So far he's always been able to stay above the fray. His intelligence, work ethic, and will to win have never once been questioned by anybody, even by fans and players who hate his guts. It'd take the mother of all revelations for that to change.

I think that's true in the larger, broader sense, but I think it may well be the difference maker when some try to argue for him as more than one of the greatest to play his position. Not that Montana needed any help, but he got some.

 

[Granite]

And this morning I was hearing the same response from a few of the analysts, so that feeling is out there.

I'm right at ground zero and heard the same thing, but I just didn't see it that way.

What I expect you'll hear is Brady doing a mea culpa and something along the lines of there's a fudge factor built into that metric (which there is) and that he didn't realize they'd crossed the line in letting a little out to compensate for the rain. Not to excuse it, but having a lot of familiarity by feel with balls within the low tolerance he thought that's where he and they were, so to speak.

Could be. Or he could throw this back at the league: "The officials checked them, and I play with what's out there. Last thing on my mind."

That would be groan worthy, but pull the teeth from the thing. So he let a little air out and should have tested but went with his gut. It's not necessarily an attempt to break rules, even if that should have been done prior to their being presented to officials. Maybe the weather changed.

It got colder and a little sloppier as the game went on. Hard for me to believe as big as this story got that an aw shucks even from Brady would be enough to kill this mess. Maybe. Goodell and the league (to say nothing of the Pats) want this gone quick as possible.

It could just be this simple:

"Ball felt fine to me, maybe a little slicker obviously 'cause of the rain. A couple, maybe I should've talked to an official. Next time I will. Big game, lot on my mind at the time."

I think that's true in the larger, broader sense, but I think it may well be the difference maker when some try to argue for him as more than one of the greatest to play his position. Not that Montana needed any help, but he got some.

Yeah, you could say the best wide receiver in history is "some" help.:chuckle:

 

[Nick M]

Yeah, you could say the best wide receiver in history is "some" help.:chuckle:

YAC

And Jerry Rice only had 4.55 speed. But like Moss, he had great football speed in pads.

 

[Town Heretic]

I'm right at ground zero and heard the same thing, but I just didn't see it that way.

I think it's probably more along the lines of what you were thinking. They'd talked. He knew what Tom was going to say and set the stage, but at the time it really sounded odd.

Could be. Or he could throw this back at the league: "The officials checked them, and I play with what's out there. Last thing on my mind."

I don't think that would fly. No way a guy who says he prefers under inflated balls wouldn't notice. That makes him culpable regardless of whether or not he literally deflated them or asked someone to. It's like a golfer allowing the other fellow's miscount on his score card.

It got colder and a little sloppier as the game went on. Hard for me to believe as big as this story got that an aw shucks even from Brady would be enough to kill this mess. Maybe. Goodell and the league (to say nothing of the Pats) want this gone quick as possible.

I think there will be league action at some point, but it's more important for the Pats to protect Bill from any part of this. If Tom tries to say he had nothing to do with it then the shadow falls on Bill. And given the past that might entice the commissioner, who doesn't care for him, to bring a much more impactful penalty.

Yeah, you could say the best wide receiver in history is "some" help.:chuckle:

He has two of the highest ratings for a qb in a SB. The second, coming in at 7th on the list, was before Rice was even on the team.

Or, a 127.83 career passer rating in those SBs, combined. And he played the second best single SB with a ridiculous 147.56. He has two of the all time, top ten rated performances in them. Neither of our favorites have one. And he got his when it was a harder get, rules wise.

Tom has a combined 93.8 and his highest single was in 04 when he posted a 110.

 

[Granite]

Biggest surprise from Brady's presser is that the league hasn't contacted him yet. Said he didn't alter the balls, said the equipment guys told him they didn't either. Said they beat Indy fair and square and that he didn't notice any difference between the game balls in the first and second half.

I really don't know what the NFL does next absent a smoking gun.

 

[Nick M]

Said they beat Indy fair and square and that he didn't notice any difference between the game balls in the first and second half.

Indy had no chance at 13 psi or 9.

 

[kmoney]

Biggest surprise from Brady's presser is that the league hasn't contacted him yet. Said he didn't alter the balls, said the equipment guys told him they didn't either. Said they beat Indy fair and square and that he didn't notice any difference between the game balls in the first and second half.

I really don't know what the NFL does next absent a smoking gun.

I didn't hear the whole press conference but from what I heard Brady didn't give them anything to work with. So now Belichick and Brady are both completely denying it. I agree it's surprising that the league hasn't talked to him yet.

Something sure happened though. And who would have done that without one of them, especially Brady, knowing?

I agree with TH that it seems odd for Brady to say he likes footballs on the under side and then he didn't notice anything?

And this afternoon I heard that Baltimore may have tipped the league or the Colts about NE doing this. And Indy possibly had concerns about this after their first game this season.


More will be coming, I'm sure.

 

[kmoney]

But what if the rain was more problematic early, when you're getting an offensive rhythm or when you're jumping out to a 17 point lead that changes the game plan of the other team and puts you in the easy driver's seat. :idunno:

It's possible that it started a snowball that created a big disadvantage but it's still unlikely to me.

I'm not going to be rooting for much more than a competitive game this time around. I like parts of both teams and have a problem with both on one or two points. I don't pull NFC, but I won't be upset either way.

I don't want a competitive game. I want NE to blow Seattle out of the stadium. Not that I expect that.

 

[Town Heretic]

It's possible that it started a snowball that created a big disadvantage but it's still unlikely to me.

If it helped you get a bit enough lead that changes the game plan of the other team. Pushes them into taking more chances which invites turnovers. And it can simply demoralize them.

I don't want a competitive game. I want NE to blow Seattle out of the stadium. Not that I expect that.

I've always rooted for the AFC representative and I don't like Sherman or Lynch, but this sours me a little. I hope it's close, the Pats win but Brady has a horrible day. Let the defense carry it.

 

[Ktoyou]

Wow! Was the air let out of the football, did Brady do it?

 

[Town Heretic]

Wow! Was the air let out of the football, did Brady do it?

Somebody did and for Brady to say "They felt fine" is just horsefeathers, so I'd be inclined to say he did it or had someone do it or knew it was being done to his benefit (see: his comment a while back on preferring to throw an underinflated ball, by league standard).

 

[tetelestai]

He said he knows nothing

 

[chrysostom]

so what?
we had a few bad calls that affected the outcome of two playoff games
we saw the head of the refs get off the cowboy party bus
we saw obscene gestures from the seattle running back
we are not talking about that
we are talking about air in the football that did not affect the outcome
that is all we are talking about
so what is really bothering you?
belichick keeps on winning
while your team with an overpaid quarterback will be home watching the super bowl
so what?

 

[Granite]

Now Jackson's saying he never alerted the officials that the ball he intercepted felt light--he's denying it completely. So where exactly did the story start and with who?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...olis-colts-says-one-noticed-ball-was-inflated

 

[Nick M]

That would be a weird thing to say. Because a ball that is underinflated "feels" heavy, not light.

 

[Granite]

That would be a weird thing to say. Because a ball that is underinflated "feels" heavy, not light.

Well one way or another he's denying the initial reports that named him as responsible for bringing this to the staff's attention. So...who started this whole mess? Who alerted the league? And where did Bob Kravitz, the Indy reporter who named Jackson as the initial whistleblower, get his information?

I'm telling you, the longer this story drags on, the weirder and fishier it gets. A few things don't add up. At all.