11 of 12 footballs deflated.... Topic

Posted by stinenavy on 1/22/2015 6:26:00 PM (view original):
That's not nothing. Difference being the Seahawks players got caught and suspended, Patriots got caught in this instance and we dunno if we'll see any instant punishment.

I don't understand needing definitive proof of Belichick knowing of the altered footballs. He's the guy in charge, he's culpable. Like in the Sean Payton thing, "If he didn't know, he should have."

Does anyone believe Brady didn't notice the flatter football? A Colts defender noticed it, but not Brady?

Because, as I said earlier, is the head coach supposed to carry around the balls that the NFL approved for 2 hours?  Then monitor them on the sideline during the game?     Maybe he's got other things to do than tend to equipment.

1/22/2015 6:31 PM
Belichick may not have known about the footballs, nor is it his responsibility to check on the status of the footballs.  But as stinenavy says, as the head coach, he has to be held accountable for the actions of those under him.  That would include players, assistant coaches, equipment managers, etc.  Basically, everybody on the field or on the New England sidelines on game day.

Brady is the one who came out looking worse after his Q&A with the media.  It's highly unbelievable that he wouldn't notice that his game balls were 2 lbs. PSI lighter at game time than they were when he "approved" them.  We hear stories of baseball pitchers who can tell whether a baseball is too big, too small, too heavy, too light, seams are too flat, etc. when the average baseball fan can't tell the difference between a good ball and a bad ball.  And of basketball players who can tell that a goal is 2 inches too high or too low.  And they're typically proven right.  A guy like Brady, who's been in the league for 15 years or so and has thrown over 8000+ passes in his career, claiming that he couldn't tell that the balls were 15% below regulation just doesn't pass the smell test.

If he were smart (and I'm thinking that he's not very), he COULD have said "Well, I thought that maybe they seemed a little bit lighter, but I just attributed that to the weather conditions.  I certainly didn't think they were significantly lighter, or were below regulation weight or PSI.  If I thought they were, I would have said something to somebody".  He might be lying through his teeth in saying that, but at least it has the appearance of maybe being a more believable story.

1/22/2015 6:59 PM
Do you and stinenavy think BB had a hand in hiring the equipment manager/ballboys?   If so, I can at least understand your point(I don't agree but I get it).    If you want to hold BB's feet to the fire for players and asst coaches, I'm on board.    If he hired his secretary, he can be held accountable for her actions.    But, if he doesn't "control" the people handling footballs, I'm not sure I want to hear how he's responsible for them.

FWIW, I can see Brady mentioning something like "It's cold out today.  If the footballs were a little less hard, it would be a lot easier to throw" to some half-wit, which you can swing a dead cat and hit one at Gillette Stadium, who handles the footballs.    And said half-wit let some air out when no one was looking.    Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if he was bragging about it on Facebook. 

Remember this?

1/22/2015 7:30 PM
There would have had to have been a wink and a nudge with that whole scenario. Far fetched as hell. Brady definitely knew about it and I have no doubt BB knew about it happening at least sometime in the past.
1/22/2015 7:36 PM
I'm almost positive it was Brady's idea.   There is no low level equipment guy who'd **** with the balls without "knowing" that's what the QB wanted.    I don't know that BB had to be involved.   Although it wouldn't surprise me if BB mumbled "It's really, uh, cold out today, Tommy.  Make sure the, uh, footballs are perfect for you."
1/22/2015 7:42 PM
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/22/brady-pushed-for-rule-to-let-visiting-team-provide-own-footballs/

This is why I don't understand why this has become such a big deal.  The NFL has been letting QBs do this since 2006.  It's yet another thing they put in to swing the rules in favor of the passing game.  They put in a rule that said "the QB can have the ball the way he likes it."  They might as well have called it a Golden Boy Rule.

1/22/2015 8:12 PM
Gisele checked in on this:   "My husband can't throw, catch the ball and deflate the ball!!!!"
1/22/2015 8:29 PM
Posted by MikeT23 on 1/22/2015 7:30:00 PM (view original):
Do you and stinenavy think BB had a hand in hiring the equipment manager/ballboys?   If so, I can at least understand your point(I don't agree but I get it).    If you want to hold BB's feet to the fire for players and asst coaches, I'm on board.    If he hired his secretary, he can be held accountable for her actions.    But, if he doesn't "control" the people handling footballs, I'm not sure I want to hear how he's responsible for them.

FWIW, I can see Brady mentioning something like "It's cold out today.  If the footballs were a little less hard, it would be a lot easier to throw" to some half-wit, which you can swing a dead cat and hit one at Gillette Stadium, who handles the footballs.    And said half-wit let some air out when no one was looking.    Hell, it wouldn't surprise me if he was bragging about it on Facebook. 

Remember this?

Somebody has to be responsible for the equipment manager/ballboys on the sidelines at game time.

Who do you suggest that should be?
1/22/2015 9:57 PM
The man who hires them?   Robert Kraft?   Head of security?

Drunk guy in section 202, seat 114, punches a woman in the seat beside him when the Pats fail on 4th and 1.   BB's responsibility?
1/22/2015 10:01 PM
"That beer is warm.   Where's Belichick?   He's gotta be held responsible for these vendors!!!!!"
1/22/2015 11:01 PM
The drunk guy in section 202, seat 114 is probably not an employee of the Patriots actively working the game.

The NE ballboy starts screaming at the side judge, calling him a blind ************* ******* for missing a call.  Is BB just going to stand there and watch, or is he going to send somebody (player/coach/etc) over to get the ballboy under control?  Or is he going to call Kraft up in his box and tell him "Hey Bob, you better get your *** down here and get one of your employees under control"?
1/22/2015 11:01 PM
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Posted by tecwrg on 1/22/2015 11:01:00 PM (view original):
The drunk guy in section 202, seat 114 is probably not an employee of the Patriots actively working the game.

The NE ballboy starts screaming at the side judge, calling him a blind ************* ******* for missing a call.  Is BB just going to stand there and watch, or is he going to send somebody (player/coach/etc) over to get the ballboy under control?  Or is he going to call Kraft up in his box and tell him "Hey Bob, you better get your *** down here and get one of your employees under control"?
OK, we're getting some ground rules here.   

1.  Must be an employee of the Patriots.  


Ticket office girl goes off on a fan on a Tuesday afternoon.   BB's responsibility?
Security guard punches an opposing assistant coach as the teams head off the field during halftime.  BB's responsibility?
Clean up crew does a ****** job in the men's restroom after the game.   BB's responsibility?
Beer in the stadium is being sold at 54 degrees.   BB's responsibility?
1/23/2015 8:27 AM
Ticket office girl is not on the sidelines at game time performing a job that is directly involved with the actual playing of the game.
Security guard is not on the sidelines at game time performing a job that is directly involved with the actual playing of the game.
Clean up crew is not on the sidelines at game time performing a job that is directly involved with the actual playing of the game.
Beer vendors are not on the sidelines at game time performing a job that is directly involved with the actual playing of the game.

1/23/2015 9:01 AM
OK, more ground rules have been set.

1.  Must be an employee of the Patriots
2.  Must be on the sidelines at game time performing a job that is directly involved with the actual playing of the game.

Correct?

So, if the person who deflated the balls was not A) a Pats employee and B) not on the sidelines performing a job pertaining to game play, it's not BB's responsibility?
1/23/2015 9:05 AM
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11 of 12 footballs deflated.... Topic

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