Deflategate is real - Patriots probably deflated balls

[IIOY]

From the NYT:

The results of an investigation released Wednesday stated that “it is more probable than not” that New England Patriots personnel intentionally deflated footballs to gain an advantage in the A.F.C. championship game last season, and that Tom Brady, the Super Bowl’s most valuable player, was probably aware of it.



No penalties have been announced by the N.F.L.



The investigation into so-called deflategate, which was conducted by Theodore V. Wells Jr. and the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison, concluded that it was probable that Patriots personnel were “involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules.”


The report said that Jim McNally, a locker-room attendant, and John Jastremski, an equipment assistant, were involved in releasing air from the footballs. It said that besides those two and Brady, no other Patriots personnel, including Coach Bill Belichick, were aware of any wrongdoing. The report separately determined that the Patriots had not deliberately tried to introduce an improper football for kicking and cleared kicker Stephen Gostkowski of any wrongdoing.

In the A.F.C. championship game in January, the visiting Indianapolis Colts suggested that game balls were underinflated. This was found to be true, leading to the investigation into whether anyone affiliated with the Patriots had been involved.



The Patriots won, 45-7, but in the first half, a member of the Colts gave the officials a ball that appeared to be underinflated. The officials checked all 12 of the Patriots game balls and determined that all but one were below the mandated amount of air pressure.



The investigation was conducted by Theodore V. Wells Jr. and the law firm Paul, Weiss.



In a statement, Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the N.F.L., said: “Troy Vincent and his team will consider what steps to take in light of the report, both with respect to possible disciplinary action and to any changes in protocols that are necessary to avoid future incidents of this type.”


It is not the first time that the N.F.L. has concluded that the Patriots broke rules to gain an advantage. In 2007, the league fined the Patriots and Belichick and ordered the team to forfeit a first-round draft pick after a Patriots staff member was discovered videotaping signals by Jets coaches during a game at the Meadowlands.



Belichick was fined $500,000 and the team was ordered to pay $250,000. Belichick accepted full responsibility for the incident, which Goodell called “a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field.”


The N.F.L. has other team controversies to consider. After the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank admitted that his team had piped in artificial noise during home games to distract visiting teams.



“It’s not really a fine line,” Blank told The Associated Press. “I think what we’ve done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong.”



The league may have to levy penalties on the Cleveland Browns, where General Manager Ray Farmer has been accused of texting coaches during games.

[charminglife]

As a Pats fan this news sucks, but the fact that Belichick was not involved makes me feel slightly better. In terms of penalties, I'm sure McNally and Jastremski will lose their jobs and Brady will get a fine.

[downtoearth]

Wait, I thought it was already confirmed that the balls disappeared into a restroom for like 5 mins unaccounted. So this wasn't confirmed before?

I am not a football fan, but it seems like it's time to fine the team owner and those involved, no?

[charminglife]

Via Deadspin, a transcript from the two attendants about footballs in October.  

[FloFTW]

I KNEW it. This was the only thing standing between the Browns and the Super Bowl.

[simpsongal]

They should forfeit the win and the Super Bowl in addition to significant monetary fines.

[btdt]

And despite the piped-in crowd noise, the Falcons were 6-10 for the season and 0-October. Really effective, guys.

[eclaires]

What a loser... they were probably going to win anyway.

[curbsideprophet]

May 6, 2015 13:21:33 GMT -5 mryrcn said:

I am in no way a Pats fan but let's face it that game it wouldn't have mattered if Tom was throwing a frisbee. They were going to win.

So why even bother?

[laurenpetro]

this is my not surprised face.

 fucking patriots.

[laurenpetro]

I'll believe Chris Christie didn't know about Bridgegate before I'll believe Belichick didn't know about this.

[curbsideprophet]

I also do not believe a head coach as particular as him did not know.

[josieposy]

May 6, 2015 14:33:15 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

I'll believe Chris Christie didn't know about Bridgegate before I'll believe Belichick didn't know about this.

I don't think you can even fart in the locker room without him knowing about it.

[Velar Fricative]

Jets fans are reeling. Apparently the Jets would have won the Super Bowl if not for this.

[zoegirltx]

Eh...I'm torn on what the penalty should be..

They did cheat. It probably likely didn't impact their win (so why do it in the first place?!??) but cheating is still cheating & the NCAA often revokes wins for more minor infractions.

I'm sure Brady is going to say he just like them at the lower end & wanted them inflated there, not below the line. But this isn't the first time the patriots have cross the line from questionable into flat out wrong.

538 has some good statistical analysis of their games fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/fivethirtyeight-dissects-the-deflategate-report/

[pescalita]

The argument that they obviously would have won anyways makes me want to light things on fire.

[meshaliuknits]

As Jon Stewart said just tonight: the Patriots are the Patriots of corruption.

[thejackpot]

It is so disgusting that they are in the middle of a another cheating scandal. I hope the NFL penalizes them and all of their wins before the revelation are vacated.

[howardandbear]

Little league parents cheat and the kid's World Series title is taken from them. Professional athletes and organization cheat and...well, we will have to wait and see about nothing really new or big happening.

For what it's worth, I agreed with the quick punishment handed to the little league team. I'm just once again disgusted by RG and the way the NFL is handling this.

[irishbride2]

I HATE the argument that "they would have won anyway so it doesn't matter." WTF?

If I find out a kid has all the answers to my test written on his arm, it doesn't matter if he's a rock star math student who I'm confident would have done well anyway. HE STILL CHEATED!

People get weird when it comes to sports. Come on now.

[erbear]

Brady is shady? You don't say...

I don't understand why this is their second cheating scandal that resulted in their winning the league, and yet things continue as usual. 

<----very anti-Patriots 

[anonymous]

May 6, 2015 18:55:33 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jets fans are reeling. Apparently the Jets would have won the Super Bowl if not for this.

Lolololol.

[Deleted]

The argument that they would have won anyway annoys me. Yes, they probably would have won that game even with properly inflated balls. But, does anyone actually believe that this is the first time Brady had the game balls deflated? If that's his preferred PSI and he has that kind of an ego, you know he's done this before because he's Brady and he's an asshole.

I'm sure Belichick also knew. And didn't care. Because he is also a cheating cheater who cheats and lies.

I won't think this is fair until they both have a * next to their names in the history books.

[Velar Fricative]

May 7, 2015 7:26:57 GMT -5 @mrsbecky said:

I also am rolling my eyes that this report came out after the draft has ended. OF COURSE.

I will be interested to see what penalties - if any - the NFL hands down for this.

For real. H said the first (and easiest) punishment would have been taking away all their draft picks. Oops, too late.

[Bernadine]

This fumble analysis is fascinating.

Side note- why can't I ever c&p articles here?

[eclaires]

So here's something interesting... Tom Brady was my fantasy QB at the beginning of the season and he sucked HARD. I ended up dropping him about 3-4 games in, I think. Anyway, from that point on, he had much better games and numbers. I think he probably started fucking with balls at that point because it was a dramatic and noticeable difference.

[Deleted]

What should happen?

Belichick should be fucking fired. 
Tom Brady should be suspended for a fucking year.
Turn back in your SuperBowl rings from last year, boys. Don't like that? So sorry, but your coach and QB are lying liars who like to lie to win - repeatedly. Better luck next year.

None of this will happen, and so cheating will continue always. I'll still have to see Belichick's smarmy surly scowl on TV as he continues to rake in his salary while finding new and different ways to cheat and not get caught. Because he cares about winning and dollars, not about the game.

#thanksGoodell

[phoebebuffay]

It's also disgusting how incredulous and indignant the entire Patriots organization has been throughout this. Kraft says we owe them all an apology, Brady was over there flat-out lying about his involvement. Brady apparently called one of those equipment guys 4 times when this all went down in January, and he previously hadn't called him (only sent texts) for months. Not only did they cheat, but they are trying to cover it all up. I have no tolerance for cheating and then lying about cheating.

And come on, of course it helped them. They wouldn't do it if it didn't. The lack of fumbles they experience, their ability to play in NE conditions all goes back to putting the balls where Brady preferred them, which was out of regulation. Even if it didn't help them, IT'S STILL AGAINST THE RULES.