Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls

stickman · 01-21-2015, 10:27 AM

Aren't the officials supposed to check the pressure on the footballs before the game? If so, then this isn't on the Patriots.

lee909 · 01-21-2015, 10:32 AM

Mortensen's report indicates referee Walt Anderson inspected the Patriots' footballs two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff and granted them approval. It's unclear how the balls could have been deflated between Anderson's inspection and their use on the field.

neugey · 01-21-2015, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by stickman

Aren't the officials supposed to check the pressure on the footballs before the game? If so, then this isn't on the Patriots.

Exactly. I may be in the minority on this, but it's all on the refs. They have the ball and get it tossed and thrown to them to handle and redistribute to the center/snapper on every single play. I would think that part of their responsibility would be to verify that the ball is suitable for play and doesn't have too much/too little air pressure. They can stop the game and stop the clock at any point if they observe that there is something wrong with the game ball(s) and correct the situation. I really don't care what the Pats personnel did or did not do with the balls, as long as the refs validated the usage of the balls throughout the entire game there should be no cheating or no punishment.

And if you don't think there is 'enough time' for refs to inspect the ball during the game, also remember there are possession changes, injuries, timeouts, penalties, reviews, measurements and a million other things that stop the game. And during all of these a referee almost always has possession of the ball in play.

CharityMike · 01-21-2015, 11:09 AM

Do both teams use the same balls?

lee909 · 01-21-2015, 11:37 AM

According to Graham Gano he ask a ref to check the air pressure in a Panthers game but the ref said they cant.

If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal

neugey · 01-21-2015, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by lee909

According to Graham Gano he ask a ref to check the air pressure in a Panthers game but the ref said they cant.

If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal

Those are K-balls Gano was talking about though. I would hope that the ref is allowed to check game balls. It would be improbable, but what if a ball became punctured during a game and was completely flat? Wouldn't the ref be allowed to replace the ball?

CharityMike · 01-21-2015, 01:05 PM

Source: Footballs were properly checked before Colts-Patriots game | ProFootballTalk

Hmm
Report: Colts told NFL of inflation concerns after November game vs. Pats | ProFootballTalk

Beastmode · 01-21-2015, 01:17 PM

Bill Belichick and Brady should be suspended. Sick of these cheats. It has no place in a sport where fans are paying a premium for quality. The smugness of both of them should be dealt with immediately. I know that won't happen for the SB but suspensions are in order.

saintfan · 01-21-2015, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by lee909

Pretty sure you wouldn't be saying that if that was us. Its not why they lost but yey more cheating from the league darling team.

I was under the impression that a coach is ultimately responsible for everything. The media quick to start saying they will be fined.
Fined for what lookd like intentional ball tampering in the AFC title game.

If Jackson doesn't make a issue and gives the ball to a Colts equipment manager complaing its under weight this gets hushed up.

For sure I wouldn't you're right. Honestly I didn't think there was anything to it. Now that we know I was wrong then I have to think Roger has to do to them what he did to us.

So that's what I think but I'd dance naked if he actually did it. He will fine them 50k and destroy the balls is more likely.

stickman · 01-21-2015, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by lee909

If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal

See that's the thing, the refs let them do it. Just like the Seahawks DB's like to hit the wide receivers early knowing that it won't get called the majority of the time. If the refs are letting you get away with it, it's on the refs.

Edit: After further thought the Patriots should get some discipline, but, the ref in charge of this should be in trouble.

01-21-2015, 10:27 AM	#11
stickman 1000 Posts + Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Gonzales, LA Posts: 1,692	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Aren't the officials supposed to check the pressure on the footballs before the game? If so, then this isn't on the Patriots.

01-21-2015, 10:32 AM	#12
lee909 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Watford England Posts: 8,829 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Mortensen's report indicates referee Walt Anderson inspected the Patriots' footballs two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff and granted them approval. It's unclear how the balls could have been deflated between Anderson's inspection and their use on the field.

01-21-2015, 10:44 AM	#13
neugey Hu Dat! Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 6,726 Blog Entries: 13	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Originally Posted by stickman Aren't the officials supposed to check the pressure on the footballs before the game? If so, then this isn't on the Patriots. Exactly. I may be in the minority on this, but it's all on the refs. They have the ball and get it tossed and thrown to them to handle and redistribute to the center/snapper on every single play. I would think that part of their responsibility would be to verify that the ball is suitable for play and doesn't have too much/too little air pressure. They can stop the game and stop the clock at any point if they observe that there is something wrong with the game ball(s) and correct the situation. I really don't care what the Pats personnel did or did not do with the balls, as long as the refs validated the usage of the balls throughout the entire game there should be no cheating or no punishment. And if you don't think there is 'enough time' for refs to inspect the ball during the game, also remember there are possession changes, injuries, timeouts, penalties, reviews, measurements and a million other things that stop the game. And during all of these a referee almost always has possession of the ball in play. SloMotion likes this.
	Last edited by neugey; 01-21-2015 at 10:47 AM..

01-21-2015, 11:09 AM	#14
CharityMike Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mid City, New Orleans Posts: 3,556	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Do both teams use the same balls?

01-21-2015, 11:37 AM	#15
lee909 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Watford England Posts: 8,829 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls According to Graham Gano he ask a ref to check the air pressure in a Panthers game but the ref said they cant. If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal

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01-21-2015, 12:39 PM	#16
neugey Hu Dat! Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 6,726 Blog Entries: 13	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Originally Posted by lee909 According to Graham Gano he ask a ref to check the air pressure in a Panthers game but the ref said they cant. If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal Those are K-balls Gano was talking about though. I would hope that the ref is allowed to check game balls. It would be improbable, but what if a ball became punctured during a game and was completely flat? Wouldn't the ref be allowed to replace the ball?

01-21-2015, 01:05 PM	#17
CharityMike Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mid City, New Orleans Posts: 3,556	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Source: Footballs were properly checked before Colts-Patriots game \| ProFootballTalk Hmm Report: Colts told NFL of inflation concerns after November game vs. Pats \| ProFootballTalk

01-21-2015, 01:17 PM	#18
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Bill Belichick and Brady should be suspended. Sick of these cheats. It has no place in a sport where fans are paying a premium for quality. The smugness of both of them should be dealt with immediately. I know that won't happen for the SB but suspensions are in order.
Beastmode 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,126

01-21-2015, 01:24 PM	#19
saintfan Donated Plasma Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 18,556 Blog Entries: 5	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Originally Posted by lee909 Pretty sure you wouldn't be saying that if that was us. Its not why they lost but yey more cheating from the league darling team. I was under the impression that a coach is ultimately responsible for everything. The media quick to start saying they will be fined. Fined for what lookd like intentional ball tampering in the AFC title game. If Jackson doesn't make a issue and gives the ball to a Colts equipment manager complaing its under weight this gets hushed up. For sure I wouldn't you're right. Honestly I didn't think there was anything to it. Now that we know I was wrong then I have to think Roger has to do to them what he did to us. So that's what I think but I'd dance naked if he actually did it. He will fine them 50k and destroy the balls is more likely.

01-21-2015, 02:01 PM	#20
stickman 1000 Posts + Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Gonzales, LA Posts: 1,692	Re: Report: NFL Probing NE for Deflating Balls Originally Posted by lee909 If it was another team involved I might not think much of it, but the refs checked the balls snd they were fine but during the game and all bar one was under weight. And the Pats love stretching whats legal See that's the thing, the refs let them do it. Just like the Seahawks DB's like to hit the wide receivers early knowing that it won't get called the majority of the time. If the refs are letting you get away with it, it's on the refs. Edit: After further thought the Patriots should get some discipline, but, the ref in charge of this should be in trouble.

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