#DFG: Canceling the Noise

[Eddie Jurak]

I think it's more that no NFL official, Goodell/Troy Vincent etc, wants to be forced to own the Wells Report in an appeal hearing and be hammered by Brady's/NFLPA lawyers over the inconsistencies.
 
 

This may lead them to penalize the Patriots, who cannot appeal, and leave Brady unpunished.
 
Pats fined $500,000 and forfeit a #1.  Brady not penalized or fined $25,000.

 

[Harry Hooper]

An additional motivation for Wells & Exponent to do the gauge switcheroo was that otherwise they could have stopped the investigation right there, and they would have never earned $$$$$$$$ in fees.

 

[KingPK]

Why can't the team appeal a punishment when the Holy Writ Wells Report states the coaches and organization had absolutely no role in any of this? It's like me going to jail if I let someone borrow my car and they ran someone over.

 

[Captaincoop]

Why can't the team appeal a punishment when the Holy Writ Wells Report states the coaches and organization had absolutely no role in any of this? It's like me going to jail if I let someone borrow my car and they ran someone over.

The two stooges are Patriot employees. On some level the organization is responsible for whatever they do.

Of course, it's not really been established that they did anything.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Why can't the team appeal a punishment when the Holy Writ Wells Report states the coaches and organization had absolutely no role in any of this? It's like me going to jail if I let someone borrow my car and they ran someone over.

 
Brady's right of appeal comes from the CBA.  
 
Kraft (and the other 31 owners), on the other hand, most likely had to agree in writing to abide by the league's disciplinary actions in order to be allowed to buy the team.  (This the same reason why the NBA was able to oust Donald Sterling so easily).

 

[crystalline]

There is a level of Pat hatred out there that is almost hard too fathom. I live in suburban NJ and many of my bar-buddies are Jets/Giant fans and for the past week I've had to address the Tuck rule, Spygate, ineligible receivers and now Deflategate with the central theme being the Pats always bend and then break rules.They cheat.
 
No matter how this plays out re: penalties to Brady/Pats, the reputational damage has been done.
 
The only real recourse for the Pats to keep on winning and flipping the bird to the haters. 

You need to work on your response. Here's what you should say:

"The Wells report is biased. It frames Brady and both the science and legal reasoning is crap. Remember, Brady printed out the 12.5 rule and GAVE it to the refs- he wanted to abide by the rules. Goodell is a former Jets intern. The Wells report just shows the NFL hates the Patriots and is running a witch hunt. Spygate was a witch hunt too- this bias revealed in the league office shows even more why Spygate was blown hugely out of proportion. None of these frame jobs affect the Pats. I bet the NFL is going to try to frame the Pats for something else this year.

Despite all that, Belichick and Brady are some of the best of all time. Other teams wish they were the Patriots. Who cares about the NFL trying to frame the Pats- they will just keep winning."

 

[Nick Kaufman]

That Florio article is great. It solidifies the idea that the scientific part of the Wells report is utter junk.

 

[dcmissle]

Ive been of the opinion that Florio has been serving as a mouthpiece for the NFL arm for a while now.
 
The last week he has been essentially serving up statements ripping Brady to shreds, seemingly setting up a punishment. 
 
Suddenly, today, on a dime, he posts this gauge thing...
 
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/10/pressure-gauge-discrepancies-undermine-wells-report/
 
Wondering if there is any chance the NFL is thinking of going on the slightly softer side and is trying to sow the seed of reasonable doubt with the evidence?

I called him a metronome because Florio has been bouncing back and forth. This is at least the third time he has questioned the Wells' narrative. For example, one of his points last week was that Wells' denial notwithstanding, the whole operation smells like a sting and all of this trouble could have been headed off at the pass by one phone call to the Pats after Grigson registered his concern.

I don't think you can infer much about the League's mindset from PFT because Florio goes back and forth.

The point I referenced above is just devastating from the NFL's standpoint. Who in their right mind allows one of the three most important games in the NFL season be tarnished like this? You just pick up the phone and say, if you are doing it, stop; we'll be watching closely.

 

[tims4wins]

I keep coming back to that same point - if ball pressure was SO important, and if the balls went missing before kickoff, why on this earth was the game allowed to start before the balls were tested? (regardless of whether or not it was a sting)

Edit: and if the Wells report was truly an investigation into the entire incident - and not just a sting - then it should have absolutely addressed this point. I would want to hear answers from all involved parties on this one.

 

[bankshot1]

You need to work on your response. Here's what you should say:

"The Wells report is biased. It frames Brady and both the science and legal reasoning is crap. Remember, Brady printed out the 12.5 rule and GAVE it to the refs- he wanted to abide by the rules. Goodell is a former Jets intern. The Wells report just shows the NFL hates the Patriots and is running a witch hunt. Spygate was a witch hunt too- this bias revealed in the league office shows even more why Spygate was blown hugely out of proportion. None of these frame jobs affect the Pats. I bet the NFL is going to try to frame the Pats for something else this year.

Despite all that, Belichick and Brady are some of the best of all time. Other teams wish they were the Patriots. Who cares about the NFL trying to frame the Pats- they will just keep winning."

I've tried rational discussion, these are Jet/Giant fans, rational doesn't work with them
 
So I do a little Otter riff from Animal House,
 
"the issue isn't whether we took some liberties with our footballs, we did..."
 
I then mention its worked for 4 Lombardi trophies, and count out four on my fingers pinky, ring, index, thumb, and then say we're going for a 5th and flip the middle finger.
 
That and a round of drinks seems to work.

 

[ivanvamp]

I keep coming back to that same point - if ball pressure was SO important, and if the balls went missing before kickoff, why on this earth was the game allowed to start before the balls were tested? (regardless of whether or not it was a sting)

Edit: and if the Wells report was truly an investigation into the entire incident - and not just a sting - then it should have absolutely addressed this point. I would want to hear answers from all involved parties on this one.

Or if it takes time to test them and get them back to proper pressure, just use the bag of backup balls until the Pats' balls were dealt with properly.

Good grief a seven year old could have figured this out.

 

[ivanvamp]

I called him a metronome because Florio has been bouncing back and forth. This is at least the third time he has questioned the Wells' narrative. For example, one of his points last week was that Wells' denial notwithstanding, the whole operation smells like a sting and all of this trouble could have been headed off at the pass by one phone call to the Pats after Grigson registered his concern.

I don't think you can infer much about the League's mindset from PFT because Florio goes back and forth.

The point I referenced above is just devastating from the NFL's standpoint. Who in their right mind allows one of the three most important games in the NFL season be tarnished like this? You just pick up the phone and say, if you are doing it, stop; we'll be watching closely.

They did that during the Vikings-Panthers game. Hey guys knock it off. That's it. Problem solved.

But noooooooooo......

 

[j44thor]

That Florio article is great. It solidifies the idea that the scientific part of the Wells report is utter junk.

Convenient that it comes out on a Sunday, mothers day no less. Can you say buried by Monday?

 

[Grimace-HS]

I called him a metronome because Florio has been bouncing back and forth. This is at least the third time he has questioned the Wells' narrative. For example, one of his points last week was that Wells' denial notwithstanding, the whole operation smells like a sting and all of this trouble could have been headed off at the pass by one phone call to the Pats after Grigson registered his concern.

I don't think you can infer much about the League's mindset from PFT because Florio goes back and forth.

The point I referenced above is just devastating from the NFL's standpoint. Who in their right mind allows one of the three most important games in the NFL season be tarnished like this? You just pick up the phone and say, if you are doing it, stop; we'll be watching closely.

I think the metronome aspect actually gives a bit more credibility for him in this situation.  Florio clearly is not seeing the Patriots through rose-colored glasses, and should appear to be more objective (in addition to being respected by the league).  As Matt Chatham hinted in his interview this morning, the more days that pass since the release of the report, the responses seem to be less emotional and with more critical analysis and detection of flaws.  It is nice that the integrity of a game being allowed to use questionable footballs is being brought up more as well.
 
As a sidebar related to gaining a competitive advantage, I am sure Aaron Rodgers would not think that deflated footballs provide that advantage.  The issue of tampering should certainly be addressed, but the notion that a competitive advantage is the result is very subjective.  If QB A prefers footballs at 13.0 psi while QB B prefers them closer to the upper or lower levels, but the officials carelessly adjust to the approximate midpoint (which they probably should do if they're going to use gauges with needles bent at a 45 degree angle), then it could be argued that QB A has a competitive advantage because this midpoint fits his preference.  And I'm not sure the correlation to fumble rates is very clear either; for Aaron Rodgers' preference for over-inflated footballs, Green Bay was #15 in fumbles per game last year (basically, right in the middle; which includes playing outdoors in Green Bay).

 

[wilked]

So to be clear, the two ways Brady is being examined for not complying with the investigation are:
1. Not turning over his cell phone, and
2. Indicating he did not know McNally

?

I honestly don't think they have a leg to stand on for the first one. He is under no obligation to turn over his cell phone pr any other private property.

The second, again, it seems as if there is nothing conclusive that he was lying. They may have interacted, but what is there to indicate he actually knew him by name?

I feel like once you move from generalities to specifics there really isn't much there, and any suspension wouldn't hold up

 

[speedracer]

Then there is the stuff about "not going to ESPN." Afraid I got nothin'. Bueller?

 
Can easily argue that no sane individual would ever say something like this in text if he thought it were seriously controversial.

 

[DJnVa]

That second Florio article seems to have what amounts to something that could possibly, just maybe, kinda, somewhat, if you are in the right frame of mind, be a smoking gun. For the Patriots. The ref's "BEST RECOLLECTION" is that he used the logo gauge. The Wells reports, however, bases most of it's finding on the ref saying "it's possible" he used the other one.
 
WHY DOES WELLS SUDDENLY NOT USE THE MORE PROBABLE THAN NOT STANDARD HERE?
 
If the ref's "best recollection" is actually the right one, then the halftime measurements make more sense and, as Florio says: " leads to a finding of no tampering."
 
Beyond that Florio is still a bit off the reservation with the "suspend until phone is turned over" but this point, to me, should be the basis of any appeal.
 

 

[Nick Kaufman]

That second Florio article seems to have what amounts to something that could possibly, just maybe, kinda, somewhat, if you are in the right frame of mind, be a smoking gun. For the Patriots. The ref's "BEST RECOLLECTION" is that he used the logo gauge. The Wells reports, however, bases most of it's finding on the ref saying "it's possible" he used the other one.
 
WHY DOES WELLS SUDDENLY NOT USE THE MORE PROBABLE THAN NOT STANDARD HERE?
 
If the ref's "best recollection" is actually the right one, then the halftime measurements make more sense and, as Florio says: " leads to a finding of no tampering."
 
Beyond that Florio is still a bit off the reservation with the "suspend until phone is turned over" but this point, to me, should be the basis of any appeal.
 

 
Yup. The Wells report provides an explanation why they determined it was the other gauge, but Florio deems it incomprehensible.

 

[tims4wins]

That second Florio article seems to have what amounts to something that could possibly, just maybe, kinda, somewhat, if you are in the right frame of mind, be a smoking gun. For the Patriots. The ref's "BEST RECOLLECTION" is that he used the logo gauge. The Wells reports, however, bases most of it's finding on the ref saying "it's possible" he used the other one.
 
WHY DOES WELLS SUDDENLY NOT USE THE MORE PROBABLE THAN NOT STANDARD HERE?
 
If the ref's "best recollection" is actually the right one, then the halftime measurements make more sense and, as Florio says: " leads to a finding of no tampering."
 
Beyond that Florio is still a bit off the reservation with the "suspend until phone is turned over" but this point, to me, should be the basis of any appeal.
 

 
Here is what the report says verbatim:
 

In addition, Exponent determined that when the Logo and Non-Logo Gauges measure an identical pressure, different readings are produced. According to Exponent, the Logo Gauge produced readings that were generally in the range of 0.3-0.4 psi higher than the Non-Logo Gauge. However, for a given set of measurements, the differential between the gauges generally remained consistent when compared to a calibrated gauge. In other words, in the short term, both the Logo Gauge and Non-Logo Gauge read consistently, though differently from each other. Exponent‟s experimental results were aligned with the measurements recorded at halftime, which indicated a consistent gauge-to-gauge differential of 0.3-0.45 psi. Exponent relied upon this information, as well as the fact that during the testing the Non-Logo Gauge never produced a reading higher than the Logo Gauge, to conclude that Walt Anderson most likely used the Non-Logo Gauge to inspect the game balls prior to the game, that Clete Blakeman most likely used the Non-Logo Gauge and Dyrol Prioleau most likely used the Logo Gauge to test the Patriots game balls at halftime, and that the game officials most likely switched gauges before measuring the Colts balls at halftime (with the one anomaly described above).

 
Bolded emphasis mine.
 
Of all the fishy shit in the Wells report - and there is a ton - this may be the fishiest. Where in this paragraph, or in the report as a whole, does it explain why it was more likely that Anderson used the Non-Logo Gauge? This paragraph doesn't explain it at all. It is circular logic, if that. There is no logic really. It basically says it was likely he used the Non-Logo Gauge because that would explain what we were trying to prove. Which is a COMPLETE load of shit.

 

[soxhop411]

 
Here is what the report says verbatim:
 
 
Bolded emphasis mine.
 
Of all the fishy shit in the Wells report - and there is a ton - this may be the fishiest. Where in this paragraph, or in the report as a whole, does it explain why it was more likely that Anderson used the Non-Logo Gauge? This paragraph doesn't explain it at all. It is circular logic, if that. There is no logic really. It basically says it was likely he used the Non-Logo Gauge because that would explain what we were trying to prove. Which is a COMPLETE load of shit.

Says the same company that concluded that second hand smoke does not cause cancer. They have no credibility

 

[DJnVa]

 
Here is what the report says verbatim:
 
 
 
 
Bolded emphasis mine.
 
Of all the fishy shit in the Wells report - and there is a ton - this may be the fishiest. Where in this paragraph, or in the report as a whole, does it explain why it was more likely that Anderson used the Non-Logo Gauge? This paragraph doesn't explain it at all. It is circular logic, if that. There is no logic really. It basically says it was likely he used the Non-Logo Gauge because that would explain what we were trying to prove. Which is a COMPLETE load of shit.

 
It's because Greg Brady "fit the suit".
 

 

[speedracer]

 
Here is what the report says verbatim:
 
 
 
 
Bolded emphasis mine.
 
Of all the fishy shit in the Wells report - and there is a ton - this may be the fishiest. Where in this paragraph, or in the report as a whole, does it explain why it was more likely that Anderson used the Non-Logo Gauge? This paragraph doesn't explain it at all. It is circular logic, if that. There is no logic really. It basically says it was likely he used the Non-Logo Gauge because that would explain what we were trying to prove. Which is a COMPLETE load of shit.

 
They tested 10 different makes of gauges and found that some makes consistently read higher than others with roughly a normal distribution (page 183 of the pdf report, I believe).  The gameday Logo gauge is on the high side while the non-Logo gauge is close to the center.  The Patriots and Colts both used their own gauges to inflate the balls pre-inspection.  Since Anderson claimed that all the Pats balls were close to 12.5 and all the Colts balls were close to 13.0, Exponent deduced that it's most likely that the Pats, Colts, and whatever gauge Anderson used were all close to each other.  Since the gameday Logo gauge was on the high end, they surmised that the gameday non-Logo gauge was used by Anderson pre-game.
 
In vacuo, one can make this assertion with some degree of confidence, but when you lump it in with all the other assumptions Exponent is making (that all the balls were 12.5/13.0 pregame, that the Patriots balls were tested almost immediately at half without much time to warm up, etc.) the uncertainty about the gauge Anderson used pregame weakens the whole case even further.

 

[tims4wins]

Ah thanks

Edit: still doesn't really make sense to me though

 

[Devizier]

Florio wants clicks. He's going to do what it takes. Playing both sides is good business. Out here in Steeler country -- noted rival of the Patriots -- the ballghazi news is page two fodder.

 

[DJnVa]

The point isn't that it's front page news everywhere.
 
It's that every single time I want to have a beer, eat nachos and watch the games on a Sunday this fall, I'm going to have to hear about this shit.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

The point isn't that it's front page news everywhere.
 
It's that every single time I want to have a beer, eat nachos and watch the games on a Sunday this fall, I'm going to have to hear about this shit.

No you don't.  The broadcasters won't bring it up after the suspension is done.  And those fans of other teams who might mention it - if you know who they root for you can memorize a few names from this list.

 

[MuppetAsteriskTalk]

I hope the Pats stop play in the middle of some game next year because they become generally aware that the balls are out of compliance.

 

[lars10]

No you don't.  The broadcasters won't bring it up after the suspension is done.  And those fans of other teams who might mention it - if you know who they root for you can memorize a few names from this list.

Yeah..because nobody still brings up spygate. I have no idea how the nfl can justify suspensions on a case built on assumption on top of assumption.

 

[Tito's Pullover]

I hope the Pats stop play in the middle of some game next year because they become generally aware that the balls are out of compliance.

Remember a week ago when everybody was giddy about the prospect of a Wells report that damns the Colts and NFL officials for running a sting operation?
 
I guarantee you that any complaint by the Patriots about non-compliant balls will result in a penalty for the Patriots for tattling, like we had hoped the Colts would get when the dust settled on this one.
 
It's funny to hear the buzz phrases "integrity of the game" and "level playing field", when it's clear to any rational observer that the Patriots have been placed under a much higher level of scrutiny, and will be until such time as they are no longer perennial contenders.  Hardly a level playing field for New England, but in the exact opposite way from what most mediots would have you believe.

 

[Section15Box113]

So what is a team to do if the refs give you the footballs at 16psi? You're not allowed to tamper with them after they've handled them. But the balls were given to you outside the correct range.

If you play with them you're violating the rules. If you adjust them afterward you're violating the rules.

And to suggest (as Goodell might) that the refs are more careful..... Uh... Obviously not.

The referees are the sole arbiters of whether the footballs are fit for play. So if they give them to you at 16 and do not adjust the pressure themselves, they are deemed ok.

If you touch them, however, Goodell will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger.

 

[djbayko]

 
They tested 10 different makes of gauges and found that some makes consistently read higher than others with roughly a normal distribution (page 183 of the pdf report, I believe).  The gameday Logo gauge is on the high side while the non-Logo gauge is close to the center.  The Patriots and Colts both used their own gauges to inflate the balls pre-inspection.  Since Anderson claimed that all the Pats balls were close to 12.5 and all the Colts balls were close to 13.0, Exponent deduced that it's most likely that the Pats, Colts, and whatever gauge Anderson used were all close to each other.  Since the gameday Logo gauge was on the high end, they surmised that the gameday non-Logo gauge was used by Anderson pre-game.
 
In vacuo, one can make this assertion with some degree of confidence, but when you lump it in with all the other assumptions Exponent is making (that all the balls were 12.5/13.0 pregame, that the Patriots balls were tested almost immediately at half without much time to warm up, etc.) the uncertainty about the gauge Anderson used pregame weakens the whole case even further.

This is absolutely horrible reasoning. I mean, it is *plausible*, but so are several other scenarios I can think of. Therefore, it shouldn't be used as a fucking pillar upon which a guilty verdict is built. Another example of picking the option that least favors the Patriots and coming up with a plausible justification.

Edit: formatting

 

[ivanvamp]

Yeah..because nobody still brings up spygate. I have no idea how the nfl can justify suspensions on a case built on assumption on top of assumption.

I was going to reply with this but you obviously beat me to it. People still bring up taping walk throughs even though that never actually happened, for Pete's sake.

 

[Section15Box113]

So if he used the logo gauge, balls that the Patriots submitted at 12.2 or even 12.05 would have registered at 12.5.

But if the Patriots like them at the low end of the range, wouldn't they have submitted them right at 12.5 according to their own gauges, one might ask?

IIRC, BB or TB stated in their press conference that they bring them in low and tell the refs to inflate the balls to 12.5. If the refs reading of the 12.2 ball registered as 12.5, no air was added and QED.


Edit: in his science press conference, BB was the one who stated that the team tells the refs to inflate the balls to 12.5. Looks like the bring them in low point may only have been implied.

 

[ivanvamp]

We all need to remember that this still happened in the real world:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8

 

[EricFeczko]

It's a little late now, but I'd vote (and would have always, I pinky-swear) for a one-game suspension, which is overturned on appeal, and a stern rebuke to the patriots organization by goodell. The fact that the rebuke occurred will be aired pubicly, something along the lines of "and the patriots organization was rebuked for not cooperating fully with the NFL and Wells". Privately, the rebuke will be more like, "I've got 15 whiny, stuck-up, one percenter, man-childs riding my ass. I know you're right Bob, but be smart about it and don't make waves again".
 
On a separate note, I actually have an honest question: Is the report all that Wells produced or is there other information that wasn't released publicly? As it stands, the report is pretty piss poor in terms of actual evidence, and seems to be more of a very long PR piece than anything else; I'm reminded of the Globe's scholarly take on chicken and beer in the Red Sox clubhouse.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

A lot of the folks I hear (Adam Jones yesterday) are willing to concede that the science is flawed...but that it doesn't really matter.  Given the text messages; the "deflator" comment and that Brady lied about knowing who McNally is, it's enough to show there was some sort of nefarious goings on.  I don't agree...but that's where a lot of people are heading.   

 
This is fine for media blather.  But once you suspend someone, you bring in the CBA, and sitting behind that antitrust law and other background laws.  And each of them requires actual evidence in order to support these things.  
 
I have no sympathy for RG, who created the mess he now finds himself in.  And that mess is that he has spent millions on a report that was unable to find a shred of direct evidence against anyone on either team, and because his leaking office created a media firestorm he now has birthed an expectation of 'major penalties' which his lawyers are doubtless telling him will not be sustained.
 
The moral of this story is that RG is deeply over his head and a more serious person as commissioner would have foreseen this scenario and downplayed things initially until they could investigate to figure out what is what.  But RG is not that person, and now he's in a tricky place.  I expect him to try and engineer a suspension short enough that Brady won't go to war over it---and my guess is that Brady's camp will say (given his reputation) that a fine of $1 or a suspension for 1 hour of a single practice is sufficient cause for him to go to war.
 
I look forward to Brady's chosen litigation assassins (here's hoping it is Brendan Sullivan) obliterating everything about this process.

 

[DJnVa]

No you don't.  The broadcasters won't bring it up after the suspension is done.  And those fans of other teams who might mention it - if you know who they root for you can memorize a few names from this list.

 
I posted this elsewhere, and I don't want to get sidetracked, but I know that. But arguing over which team cheats more isn't my idea of a fun sports argument like arguing Ted Williams versus Babe Ruth or Brady versus Manning.

 

[Luis Taint]

We all need to remember that this still happened in the real world:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8

Hightower almost stripping Butler, would have killed me.

 

[Hoya81]

Does the backup QB have any input on ball prep? If Garoppolo liked a higher PSI ball, would they prep 1 or 2 his way, just in case? I found it surprising that JG and Ryan Allen were not interviewed.

 

[djbayko]

Since the report came out, have there been any Ravens, Colts, or Seahawks players dumb enough to tweet that they were robbed [of a Super Bowl]?

There's been so much insanity on display this past week that I'm actually starting to crave it

 

[Hoya81]

It's a little late now, but I'd vote (and would have always, I pinky-swear) for a one-game suspension, which is overturned on appeal, and a stern rebuke to the patriots organization by goodell. The fact that the rebuke occurred will be aired pubicly, something along the lines of "and the patriots organization was rebuked for not cooperating fully with the NFL and Wells". Privately, the rebuke will be more like, "I've got 15 whiny, stuck-up, one percenter, man-childs riding my ass. I know you're right Bob, but be smart about it and don't make waves again".
 
On a separate note, I actually have an honest question: Is the report all that Wells produced or is there other information that wasn't released publicly? As it stands, the report is pretty piss poor in terms of actual evidence, and seems to be more of a very long PR piece than anything else; I'm reminded of the Globe's scholarly take on chicken and beer in the Red Sox clubhouse.

Wells' list of people interviewed includes Dean Pees and other Ravens personnel who didn't appear to have contributed to the findings. I'd be curious to see what they were asked and why.

 

[Van Everyman]

Hightower almost stripping Butler, would have killed me.

Thankfully, the ball was nice and soft and easy for him to hold onto.

Wait, no it wasn't.

 

[Leather]

Since the report came out, have there been any Ravens, Colts, or Seahawks players dumb enough to tweet that they were robbed [of a Super Bowl]?

There's been so much insanity on display this past week that I'm actually starting to crave it

No because players, most of all, realize how dumb this is and don't want to attract unwanted attention.

Glass houses and all that.

 

[JimBoSox9]

There's been so much insanity on display this past week that I'm actually starting to crave it

 
I'll be the first to tell you I'm openly rooting for a 1-2 game suspension.

 

[ivanvamp]

 
I'll be the first to tell you I'm openly rooting for a 1-2 game suspension.

Followed by the arbiter throwing it out with a sternly worded notice to the NFL to get its act together and stop being idiots.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Does the backup QB have any input on ball prep? If Garoppolo liked a higher PSI ball, would they prep 1 or 2 his way, just in case? I found it surprising that JG and Ryan Allen were not interviewed.

Zolak has said that Bledsoe loved them at the top end so he had to get used to it that way so no he didn't have any input. That was 10 years ago though.

 

[johnmd20]

Thankfully, the ball was nice and soft and easy for him to hold onto.

Wait, no it wasn't.

 
If you don't think the Patriots found a way to deflate all the balls in the super bowl, you're crazy.</tinfoilhat>

 

[jsinger121]

Zolak has said that Bledsoe loved them at the top end so he had to get used to it that way so no he didn't have any input. That was 10 years ago though.

More like 20 years ago.

 

[baruch20]

DAVIE, Fla. -- Hall of Famer Don Shula, the winningest head coach in NFL history, took a not-so-subtle shot at the New England Patriots and their latest "Deflategate" controversy on Saturday.

"Our record in those 50 years was always done with a lot of class, a lot of dignity, a lot of doing it the right way. We didn't deflate any balls."

Hall of Fame coach Don Shula

Serving as a guest of honor at the Miami Dolphins' 50th season celebration, Shula praised how the organization developed its football tradition "the right way," while slighting the rival Patriots.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

I don't spend much time in the death thread but I'll be doing a happy dance in there on Shula Elimination Day. He's 85. Tick, tock.