#DeflateGate (Court of Appeals Reinstates Suspension)

[JSD]

Bill said, in his saturday press conference, that the balls were given to the refs with a 12.5 psi  request. So I assume that's the ref's job based on BB saying that multiple times.

[Cman]

Interesting new info per Mike Reiss (seriously, one of the best)
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4777441/learning-more-on-how-referees-test-and-document-football-air-pressure

Of note:
1. The referees "gauged" the footballs before the game, whatever that means.
2. The referees checked two balls (if I understand correctly), and one was fine, one was underinflated.

As I understood the article, the refs filled every ball to a 13, and then tested a couple at some point?  Very unclear to me.

3. They couldn't tell the difference between the two balls; the balls felt more or less the same.

To be fair, the quote was that you couldn't tell the difference unless "you actually sat there and tried to squeeze the thing".  So, it seems like he's acknowledging that there's a difference, just that you're not going to notice it through casual handling.  Does a QB throwing a ball or a WR catching one work at a higher level than casual handling, though?

I'm more confused now than I've ever been.  I originally thought teams inflated their own balls, and then they were checked.  Then, I thought I read that the refs did it, but that teams could select their preferences.  Now, this is suggesting that every ball was pumped to 13 PSI.

Also, if this is so unimportant as to not be documented, then it's stupid to make this big of a deal out of it, period.  If the NFL wants precision, it should do things the right way.

Roy, agreed on all counts. I meant to insert a "really", as in the refs couldn't really tell the difference between the balls. I think the broader point is thta it is not that easy to thell the difference between 12.5 PSI and, say 11 PSI.

In any case, I think it is the NFL (and media that rushed to judgement) that is going to come out of this looking bad. There was also the bizarre HGH testing of Earl Thomas today. I guess to "even things up" and show that the NFL doesn't have any favorites, or something like that...

[Roy H.]

In any case, I think it is the NFL (and media that rushed to judgement) that is going to come out of this looking bad. There was also the bizarre HGH testing of Earl Thomas today. I guess to "even things up" and show that the NFL doesn't have any favorites, or something like that...

The worst thing about this is that these are two legitimately excellent, exciting teams.  Both started slow, and have been lights out for most of the season.  There are dozens of awesome story lines, and yet we've heard basically none of them (and that's with a lot of us in the New England market!)

[knuckleballer]

The NY Times and Politifact now both have articles explaining that the weather could be solely responsible for the drop in pressure of the footballs. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/30/sports/football/deflation-experiments-show-patriots-may-have-science-on-their-side-after-all.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=2

http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/jan/29/bill-belichick/factchecking-bill-belichick-deflategate/

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

Good rebuttal to the "Pats must be cheating because the don't fumble enough" allegation (fumblegate??)

http://regressing.deadspin.com/why-those-statistics-about-the-patriots-fumbles-are-mos-1681805710

   That made my head hurt. From reading that. I'm not sure which party (the original post or the rebuttal) was more foolish. I'd hope that a college professor (let alone two of them) would be thoroughly embarrassed to have anyone read that. Two of the main rebuttals seem to be the use of ALL CAPS or the fact that one of his graphs didn't start from 0 (like you don't see that in about half of the graphs you see). I feel for the kids that have those guys for teachers.

Oh, jeez. They are writing that article for Deadspin, not an academic journal. They even state they are going Fire Joe Morgan on it, hence the levity. I like you but your complaint there is absurd and off base by a wild degree. They clearly lay out how the data chosen is wrong and how the analysis falters as well. The "think of the children" complaint here is a fine icing on the cake.

[DavorCroatiaFan]

GO PATRIOTS
As a Croat i'm very proud that the greatest coach in history got croatian roots, Bill Belichick (or Beli?i? in Croatian). Bill's grandpa and grandma are from Croatia, same goes to Rob Ninkovich (Ninkovi?).
Did you know that grandparents of Pete Carroll are also Croats (from mother side)? Same as chief referee of Superbowl Bill Vinovich (Vinovi?).

Also, John Havlicek mother was Croat, dad Chech. Mother of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Grandparents of Celtics great Kevin McHale are also Croats. Same for Lakers great George Mikan and his brother Ed who played for Celtics, Rockets great Rudy Tomjanovich and Bullets great Jack Marin. Andrew Bogut parents are Croats who moved to Australia. NFL coach Nick Saban and player David Diehl.
MLB greats Roger Maris and Johnny Damon. Actors John Malkovich and Jenna Elfman. R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe. Nirvana basist Krist Novoselich...

Sorry to bother you...
GO PATS. Go Beli?i?, go Brady

[kozlodoev]

Come on man, the only relevant Croat around is Dino. 

[DavorCroatiaFan]

What? You forget all-time Celtics greats Stojko Vrankovic, Zan Tabak and Bruno Sundov     

[kraidstar]

GO PATRIOTS
As a Croat i'm very proud that the greatest coach in history got croatian roots, Bill Belichick (or Beli?i? in Croatian). Bill's grandpa and grandma are from Croatia, same goes to Rob Ninkovich (Ninkovi?).
Did you know that grandparents of Pete Carroll are also Croats (from mother side)? Same as chief referee of Superbowl Bill Vinovich (Vinovi?).

Also, John Havlicek mother was Croat, dad Chech. Mother of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Grandparents of Celtics great Kevin McHale are also Croats. Same for Lakers great George Mikan and his brother Ed who played for Celtics, Rockets great Rudy Tomjanovich and Bullets great Jack Marin. Andrew Bogut parents are Croats who moved to Australia. NFL coach Nick Saban and player David Diehl.
MLB greats Roger Maris and Johnny Damon. Actors John Malkovich and Jenna Elfman. R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe. Nirvana basist Krist Novoselich...

Sorry to bother you...
GO PATS. Go Beli?i?, go Brady

strange that you would list all those people and not mention the greatest croatian of them all,
Serious Sam Stone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAWgQowUqU4

[clover]

GO PATRIOTS
As a Croat i'm very proud that the greatest coach in history got croatian roots, Bill Belichick (or Beli?i? in Croatian). Bill's grandpa and grandma are from Croatia, same goes to Rob Ninkovich (Ninkovi?).
Did you know that grandparents of Pete Carroll are also Croats (from mother side)? Same as chief referee of Superbowl Bill Vinovich (Vinovi?).

Also, John Havlicek mother was Croat, dad Chech. Mother of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Grandparents of Celtics great Kevin McHale are also Croats. Same for Lakers great George Mikan and his brother Ed who played for Celtics, Rockets great Rudy Tomjanovich and Bullets great Jack Marin. Andrew Bogut parents are Croats who moved to Australia. NFL coach Nick Saban and player David Diehl.
MLB greats Roger Maris and Johnny Damon. Actors John Malkovich and Jenna Elfman. R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe. Nirvana basist Krist Novoselich...

Sorry to bother you...
GO PATS. Go Beli?i?, go Brady

http://www.naturalheightgrowth.com/2013/03/18/the-tallest-people-in-the-world-appear-to-be-from-croatia-and-serbia-specifically-dalmatia-and-the-dinaric-alps/

[footey]

Shake it off, bro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bce3of0UmGM

PS Wish someone would use this song to create a better video than this one. It looks like it was pieced together in 90 seconds, in the Pats' bathroom. Don't like the cut aways to James Franco, cringe-worthy. And video of Ridley? Really??

[Donoghus]

Anybody else secretly (or not so secretly) hoping for an absolute train wreck at Goodell's state of the league address today?

[littleteapot]

Anybody else secretly (or not so secretly) hoping for an absolute train wreck at Goodell's state of the league address today?

If you're doing it secretly, you're not doing a good job.

[Donoghus]

Anybody else secretly (or not so secretly) hoping for an absolute train wreck at Goodell's state of the league address today?

If you're doing it secretly, you're not doing a good job.

Hence, the parentheses.

[Cman]

Interesting story ---

Did you know that the Patriots hired a Team Chaplain in 2013?
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12250363/patriots-love-deflategate