#DFG: Canceling the Noise

[johnmd20]

 
Of course they CAN lodge a complaint. But since the league has been on a 9 month mission to denigrate, tarnish, railroad, and otherwise screw over the franchise in any way possible, there's really no point to the team doing so. The complaint won't be considered at all and the act of lodging one will merely engineers more LOL CHEATERZ hottakes from the usual media suspects.
 
The league has put the Patriots into a no-win situation in these circumstances. Hell, I fully expect the Colts to have noise pumped into their dome, Falcons-style, for the upcoming Pats game there because there's zero chance the league would punish them for doing so due to the opponent.

 
The fact that the complaint will go nowhere shouldn't stop them from doing so. Just to put it on record. And you never know what's going to happen. But the Pats have to stand up or else every team might be compelled to try stuff like this.
 
edit -spelling

 

[C4CRVT]

I'm under the impression that teams report stuff all the time about other teams. Like it's not a big deal...until some douche-canoe makes it out to be a big deal (like everything dfg related).
 
Is that true or am I mis-remembering?

 

[bankshot1]

Is the train sound SOP at all Bills games or did the Pats get special treatment?
 
The Pats should go on record and file a complaint.
 
If the NFL has no comment and its an obvious breach of NFL policy, then that's the way it is, and the Pats should adopt a take no prisoner approach to the bullshit.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

The Browns complained about the train noise at Buffalo last year. So it's a repeated problem and the NFL sent out a memo this year clarifying the rules on the tactic.
 
But I fully expect nothing to be done.

 

[ifmanis5]

If only Eric Mangini had called them on it, maybe something would have been done...

 

[Jinhocho]

Sigh was listening to maddog today and some guy called in pointing out that the pats fumbled 16 times last year and already 3 so far playing with legal balls.  Russo said I feel for you and understand where coming from.  

 

[Ed Hillel]

Sigh was listening to maddog today and some guy called in pointing out that the pats fumbled 16 times last year and already 3 so far playing with legal balls.  Russo said I feel for you and understand where coming from.  

16 in 16 games last year, 3 in 2 this year, one on a blindside strip sack.

#Moresmoke

 

[lexrageorge]

Sigh was listening to maddog today and some guy called in pointing out that the pats fumbled 16 times last year and already 3 so far playing with legal balls.  Russo said I feel for you and understand where coming from.  

Nate Silver really fumbled the ball on that one; the credibility of 538 when it comes to proper use of statistics is completely shot in my book.  

 

[judyb]

16 in 16 games last year, 3 in 2 this year, one on a blindside strip sack.

#Moresmoke

And 4 in their first 2 games last year.

 

[Byrdbrain]

The other two from a player who wasn't on the team last year.

 

[phenweigh]

Also, deflated balls were supposed to make it easier for players to catch.
 
This season's completion percentage 69.2%
 
Career 63.6%
2014 season 64.1%
2014 first two games 55.8%
 
Brady and the Patriots are doing fine with properly inflated balls.  Of course this shouldn't be surprising since the only game we know they weren't properly inflated was the game against the Jets when the ref over-inflated them.

 

[DJnVa]

Polian said that deflated balls and PEDs were the same thing and when WEEI called him to come on the air he apparently told them to "Fuck off".

 

[joe dokes]

They can and should lodge the complaint, if only to create a record. Less discussion here would be fine.

 
Maybe they did. But what they won't do is then go running to the media with pee running down their legs like Tomlin did. 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

 
Maybe they did. But what they won't do is then go running to the media with pee running down their legs like Tomlin did. 

True. But if they did file a formal complaint, given the sieve-like nature of 345 Park Ave, do we really believe it would stay as quiet as the Patriots intend?

 

[Devizier]

Nate Silver really fumbled the ball on that one; the credibility of 538 when it comes to proper use of statistics is completely shot in my book.  

 
Wasn't it some clown at Slate? Or did 538 jump on that pigpile, too?
 
Anyways, Silver is looking foolish by making early predictions in the political arena, something that he steadfastly wouldn't do in the past.

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

Wasn't it some clown at Slate? Or did 538 jump on that pigpile, too?
 
Anyways, Silver is looking foolish by making early predictions in the political arena, something that he steadfastly wouldn't do in the past.

He was on Real Time last year at some point as a panelist and good god was he bad.

Anyone have a nagging feeling that he just got lucky in 2012? What's he done since? I'm honestly asking because I don't really live in the stats world like some of you fine gentleman.

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
Wasn't it some clown at Slate? Or did 538 jump on that pigpile, too?
 
Anyways, Silver is looking foolish by making early predictions in the political arena, something that he steadfastly wouldn't do in the past.

 
IIRC, it wasn't Silver but one of his staff who supported the b.s. fumble study on 538. However, that didn't stop Ted Wells from claiming the endorsement of Silver himself for the statistical work in the report.

 

[Devizier]

He was on Real Time last year at some point as a panelist and good god was he bad.

Anyone have a nagging feeling that he just got lucky in 2012? What's he done since? I'm honestly asking because I don't really live in the stats world like some of you fine gentleman.

 
Silver didn't really get lucky, but he wasn't unique either (Sam Wang, e.g)
 
I digress. Anyways the Slate clown was "Warren Sharp". Wonder what that dumbshit is doing now. Probably juicing numbers for this generation's Arthur Andersen.
 
Anyways, if you want to see something that encapsulates how the NFL can turn the faucet on and off whenever it likes, check out this trend for Sharp:
 
100% peak interest in January
43% peak interest in August
0% peak interest in September (partial data).

 

[amarshal2]

538 joined the chorus of people discrediting the fumbling report.  They even cited Inside the Pylon (formerly SoSH Central).
 
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/your-guide-to-deflate-gateballghazi-related-statistical-analyses/
 
It's not like googling is hard.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

538 joined the chorus of people discrediting the fumbling report.  They even cited Inside the Pylon (formerly SoSH Central).
 
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/your-guide-to-deflate-gateballghazi-related-statistical-analyses/
 
It's not like googling is hard.

This is true. But I believe some of their analysts other than Silver participated in a deflategate chat where they uncritically endorsed the flawed fumble study.

 

[johnmd20]

This is true. But I believe some of their analysts other than Silver participated in a deflategate chat where they uncritically endorsed the flawed fumble study

 
They definitely did this in the winter.

 

[Silverdude2167]

This is true. But I believe some of their analysts other than Silver participated in a deflategate chat where they uncritically endorsed the flawed fumble study

538 was terrible with deflategate. They came out right after the wells report and thought it was a great report with bullet proof science. For a site that is supposed to be based on numbers and facts, they have not covered themselves in glory during this whole situation.
 
They should have been leading the charge when it came to questioning everything that was going on, instead they were one of the sheep.
 
Edit: Wording.

 

[amarshal2]

538 was terrible with deflategate. They came out right after the wells report and thought it was a great with bullet proof science. For a site that is supposed to be based on numbers and facts, they have not covered themselves in glory during this whole situation.
 
They should have been leading the charge when it came to questioning everything that was going on, instead they were one of the sheep.

 
I agree with this.  I was just pointing out that people were conflating topics which comes across as whiny and uninformed.  (edit: i've now seen the chat thing -- my bad)  That said I forgot about/am unaware of the chat thing -- though it seems like their official response was on point.  That article I posted was by Neil Paine.  
 
Nate Silver and Niel Paine are very good sports writers who to use facts and data to support their positions.  The rest of the staff is by and large junk and well below the standards I would have expected from Nate.  Forget Deflategate, they've botched all sorts of stuff since he expanded the staff.  There was some article about the best QBs of all time that was just obviously awful late last year or right after the SuperBowl.  I think Mark Sanchez was in the top 15.
 
Edit: And now i'm guilty.  Here's the article: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/tom-bradys-statistical-place-in-the-pantheon-of-nfl-qbs/
 
Mark Sanchez was #30 -- which is just as laughable as 15 and doesn't change my point.  The thing is that the article is written by....Neil Paine.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

Here is the chat I referred to. This was actually shortly after the Wells Report came out. There was one mention of the issue with the special teams stats, but no follow up. They loved the exponent data.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/fivethirtyeight-dissects-the-deflategate-report/

 

[Ed Hillel]

I want to whine about Brady not getting AFC offensive player of the week. Is this where I do it?

 

[phenweigh]

Here is the chat I referred to. This was actually shortly after the Wells Report came out. There was one mention of the issue with the special teams stats, but no follow up. They loved the exponent data.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/fivethirtyeight-dissects-the-deflategate-report/

This is when I stopped checking 538 daily to occasionally.  I'd have stopped altogether, but I was hoping to find an article where they admitted their first read of the Wells Report and Exponent analysis was wrong with an explanation of why.  Haven't seen it yet.

 

[dcdrew10]

I want to whine about Brady not getting AFC offensive player of the week. Is this where I do it?

On Twitter with Mike Reiss. Or his ESPN page. He's not wrong but he seems a bit frazzled by it, going as far to tinfoil hat it, implying Ballghazi is why Brady didn't get it.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Not that passer rating is a great stat, but Roethlisberger was about 50 points higher than Brady. I can see it either way. Roethlisberger had 100 less yards in 30 less attempts than Brady.

 

[I12XU]

Not that passer rating is a great stat, but Roethlisberger was about 50 points higher than Brady. I can see it either way. Roethlisberger had 100 less yards in 30 less attempts than Brady.

 

[Leather]

edit: damn, beaten.

 

[jodyreeddudley78]

I want to whine about Brady not getting AFC offensive player of the week. Is this where I do it?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/22/eagles-wr-cowboys-were-calling-out-what-plays-were-coming/

Isn't this also the, "If this was US!!11!!" thread?

 

[nattysez]

On Twitter with Mike Reiss. Or his ESPN page. He's not wrong but he seems a bit frazzled by it, going as far to tinfoil hat it, implying Ballghazi is why Brady didn't get it.

 
Curran and the Projo also have blog pieces about it, and Curran doesn't mince words about Ballghazi being the reason.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Not that passer rating is a great stat, but Roethlisberger was about 50 points higher than Brady. I can see it either way. Roethlisberger had 100 less yards in 30 less attempts than Brady.

Ben's numbers are better in a vaccuum, but given venue, opponent, and general physical appearance, I vote Tom.

#TeamTom

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

Ben's numbers are better in a vaccuum, but given venue, opponent, and general physical appearance, I vote Tom.

#TeamTom

Tom is also [DUH] less rapey.

#TeamTom

 

[Omar's Wacky Neighbor]

Tom is also [DUH] less rapey.
 

Sorry, but that doesnt affect the on-the-field Integrity of The Game

 

[MuppetAsteriskTalk]

Sorry, but that doesnt affect the on-the-field Integrity of The Game

 

 

[dcmissle]

He was on Real Time last year at some point as a panelist and good god was he bad.

Anyone have a nagging feeling that he just got lucky in 2012? What's he done since? I'm honestly asking because I don't really live in the stats world like some of you fine gentleman.

He was awesome in 2008 when he analyzed anonymously throughout the primary. Correctly predicted Hillary's demise. People thought the anonymous guy was Chuck Todd.

In any case, he has massively failed other things -- World Cup, March Madness -- so caveat emptor. He needs well defined data sets.

His sites' treatment of DFG was embarrassing.

 

[ifmanis5]

Hey, how's that big Buffalo Bills Illegal Train Horn Noise investigation coming along? I've seen it on the front page of ESPN all week. Surely, the nation is outraged.

 

[P'tucket rhymes with...]

 
Curran and the Projo also have blog pieces about it, and Curran doesn't mince words about Ballghazi being the reason.

I would imagine this has upset 12 so much that he's been barely able this week to have intimate relationships with his supermodel wife, increase his net worth by another $10 million dollars, and cure cancer, all while watching game film.

 

[TheoShmeo]

Hey, how's that big Buffalo Bills Illegal Train Horn Noise investigation coming along? I've seen it on the front page of ESPN all week. Surely, the nation is outraged.

Part of me would prefer that the NFL did nothing and kept up the total, ridiculous hypocrisy.
 
But then I worry that the NFL might find a way to truly stick it to the Pats in some manner that I haven't contemplated.
 
So yeah, a little fairness and even handedness would be nice.
 
Edit: Typos....

 

[ifmanis5]

So yeah, a little fairness and even handedness would be nice.

I'm just being a dick, I expect no such fairness from RG or the gen sports pop when it comes to the NEP. They've made their feelings known, and it's more about their feelings than anything else.

 

[CantKeepmedown]

I think I read somewhere that Wednesday was the day that the league reviewed all the audio stuff.  So maybe we'll get some tomorrow?
 
Doubtful, I know. 

 

[67YAZ]

Came across this while reading about the Rams/Raiders/Chargers-to-LA soap opera - Kraft named to the New Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities
 

 
 
The new committee -- which includes Steelers owner Art Rooney II, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, Texans owner Bob McNair, and Giants co-owner John Mara -- will be taking a more "prominent role" in the LA proceedings over the next few weeks, according to the Los Angeles Times.

 
Maybe Bob and Rog have patched things up?

 

[BrazilianSoxFan]

Came across this while reading about the Rams/Raiders/Chargers-to-LA soap opera - Kraft named to the New Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities
 
 
Maybe Bob and Rog have patched things up?

Not necessarily a good thing. Seems like a good way to make two new enemies, or even three if they decide against any relocation.

 

[WayBackVazquez]

Came across this while reading about the Rams/Raiders/Chargers-to-LA soap opera - Kraft named to the New Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities
 
 
Maybe Bob and Rog have patched things up?

Why would you say that? Goodell doesn't own the league. I doubt he's actually appointing owners to their committees.

 

[NickEsasky]

Kraft will get his revenge by having the Colts move to LA in the middle of the night. 

 

[Leather]

Kraft will get his revenge by having the Colts move to LA in the middle of the night. 

 
Better yet would be having the Rams move to Bloomington, IN.

 

[ipol]

 
Better yet would be having the Rams move to Bloomington, IN.

Moving to Los Angeles does seem low on the revenge scale.

 

[nighthob]

Moving to Los Angeles does seem low on the revenge scale.

 
That depends, does it include Little Irsay getting Sterlinged? Because that would be fucking awesome entertainment.

 

[Shelterdog]

Came across this while reading about the Rams/Raiders/Chargers-to-LA soap opera - Kraft named to the New Committee on Los Angeles Opportunities
 
 
Maybe Bob and Rog have patched things up?

 
Or perhaps the other owners and Kraft patching things up a bit.  
 
I  wonder how hard it is to get on those committees. It seems like they become close to a full time job for the owners but 97% of your work benefits the other 31 owners. Increasing like tv revenues by 6% a year rather than 5% a year on a base of about $200 million isn't a terrific use of time for somebody worth $3 billion (it might be cool in other ways-some guys are deal junkies and hobnobbing with owners and ceos and all isn't a terrible way to spend you time).   If I'm an owner and I more or less trust Jones/Richardson/Kraft/Mara and the league staff to handle things reasonably well--and when it comes to contract negotiations and the like it appears they do--then I'd just keep a low profile on league matters and spend my time elsewhere.