Deflategate: Brady suspended, Pats lose draft picks & fined

[dead_poet]

So it begins.

Tom Brady - QB - Patriots

Ted Wells released his "DeflateGate" report Wednesday and found it's "more probable than not" that the Patriots manipulated the footballs in the AFC Championship game.

"It is more probable than not that Patriots personnel participated in violations of the Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules," Wells concluded. "In particular, we have concluded that it is more probable than not that Jim McNally [the Officials Locker Room attendant for the Patriots] and John Jastremski [an equipment assistant for the Patriots] participated in a deliberate effort to release air from Patriots game balls after the balls were examined by the referee. Based on the evidence, it also is our view that it is more probable than not that Tom Brady was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities." Brady doesn't come out well in the 243-page report, but Patriots higher-ups like coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft may have been unaware of the wrongdoings. It's now up to the NFL to hand out discipline.
Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... aguegm.com
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/def ... ds-n354791

Full report: https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/20 ... pionsh.pdf

[The Breeze]

Ok this is really interesting.

It fits what was portrayed in the press conferences to my eyes and ears. Brady stumbled and bumbled his way through his own, while Belichek and Kraft were absolutely believable in their vehemence and denial.

I'm actually a bit disheartened by this news....but now there is just more fuel to asterisk the Pats success.

At the end of the day, I think they all should be using the same footballs inflated by the officials rather than having their own....just seems weird.

[dead_poet]

I'm actually a bit disheartened by this news....but now there is just more fuel to asterisk the Pats success.

Yep. So why risk it? Probably because they thought it was such a minute detail they wouldn't be caught and it'd be hard to prove.

At the end of the day, I think they should be using the footballs inflated by the officials rather than having their own....just seems weird.

Funny you should bring that up. From the report:

Brady personally was involved in the 2006 rule change that allowed each visiting team to supply its own game balls in accordance with the preferences of its quarterback, and it is reasonable to infer that during the process of advocating that rule change, Brady was likely to be (or become) familiar with the NFL rules regarding game balls, including the 12.5 psi minimum inflation level, although Brady denies having been aware of Rule 2 or the minimum inflation level until 2014 (despite approximately fourteen years as an NFL quarterback).

[dead_poet]

Part of Colts GM Ryan Grigson's email to the league before the title game ...

As far as the gameballs are concerned it is well known around the league that after the Patriots gameballs are checked by the officials and brought out for game usage the ballboys for the patriots will let out some air with a ball needle because their quarterback likes a smaller football so he can grip it better, it would be great if someone would be able to check the air in the game balls as the game goes on so that they don‟t get an illegal advantage.24

[dead_poet]

Wells: "Brady's refusal to provide us with his own emails, text messages and phone records ... limited the evidence available."

[The Breeze]

Funny you should bring that up. From the report:

I remember reading something about this.

It's irritating for a couple of obvious reasons now that this has come out. But what really gets me is how much personal influence certain QBs seem to have had in the evolution of the rules ...and Brady is a big component in that.

It's hard not to view this as very premeditated.

[dead_poet]

It's irritating for a couple of obvious reasons now that this has come out. But what really gets me is how much personal influence certain QBs seem to have had in the evolution of the rules ...and Brady is a big component in that.

Wasn't he also the subject of another rule change about hitting quarterbacks?

It's hard not to view this as very premeditated.

Absolutely.

[dead_poet]

Wells: “A contrary conclusion requires the acceptance of an implausible number of communications and events as benign coincidences."

[dead_poet]

@AdamSchefter NFL considering discipline for Tom Brady, locker attendant Jim McNally, equipment asst John Jastremski, per source close to investigation.

[dead_poet]

@AlbertBreer Another pretty damning fact: McNally told NFL officials the night of the game that he didn't go to the bathroom on the way to the field.

[dead_poet]

‏@JasonLaCanfora Report notes the Pats refused to make a key person in the investigation who deals directly with the football available for a 2nd interview

@JasonLaCanfora A good portion of the report goes to lengths about over inflated balls from a Jets game that were not to Brady's liking

[The Breeze]

Wasn't he also the subject of another rule change about hitting quarterbacks?

yeah, I think so...which is why I said that. Even the weird tuck rule involves him...though that seems more coincidental perhaps.

[The Breeze]

from Kraft's statement:

“Throughout the process of this nearly four-month investigation, we have cooperated and patiently awaited its outcome. To say we are disappointed in its findings, which do not include any incontrovertible or hard evidence of deliberate deflation of footballs at the AFC Championship game, would be a gross understatement. In addition, given our level of cooperation throughout the process, I was offended by the comments made in the Wells Report in reference to not making an individual available for a follow-up interview. What the report fails to mention is that he had already been interviewed four times and we felt the fifth request for access was excessive for a part-time game day employee who has a full-time job with another employer.

“While I respect the independent process of the investigation, the time, effort and resources expended to reach this conclusion are incomprehensible to me. Knowing that there is no real recourse available, fighting the league and extending this debate would prove to be futile. We understand and greatly respect the responsibility of being one of 32 in this league and, on that basis, we will accept the findings of the report and take the appropriate actions based on those findings as well as any discipline levied by the league.”





“What is not highlighted in the text of the report is that three of the Colts’ four footballs measured by at least one official were under the required psi level. As far as we are aware, there is no comparable data available from any other game because, in the history of the NFL, psi levels of footballs have never been measured at halftime, in any climate. If they had been, based on what we now know, it is safe to assume that every cold-weather game was played with under inflated footballs. As compelling a case as the Wells Report may try to make, I am going to rely on the factual evidence of numerous scientists and engineers rather than inferences from circumstantial evidence."

http://www.patriots.com/news/2015/05/06 ... lls-report

[dead_poet]

Locker room attendant said he'd taken balls into that bathroom many times. Just stopped to use urinal. (Turns out, no urinal in there.)

@SeifertESPN “This is a serious competitive violation that has to be treated as such by the league.” — Bill Polian on Wells Report, via NFL Insiders.

[Pseudo Everything]

That Wells Report is a goldmine of damning nuggets.

Patriots equipment man Jim McNally was known as "the deflator". Geeze ... what a awful nickname. No creativity at all.

Ryan Grigson, GM of the Colts, comes across like the ultimate whining weasel.

Brady's refusal to cooperate should be construed as a confession of guilt.

I think this is all kind of mickey mouse stuff but nevertheless here's the punishment I think Goodell should impose:

Six game suspension for Tom Brady. One game for instructing the equipment staff to manipulate the Pats balls and five games for being Tom Brady. C'mon. Squeaky clean image, supermodel wife, one of the greatest QBs of all time. How can anyone actually like that guy?

Leave The Deflator alone. His nickname is punishment enough. Plus what is he going to do ... tell Brady that he won't manipulate the balls? He's just a pawn in the Pats 'win at all costs' culture.

Give Robert Kraft option of forfeiting a 7th round draft pick or agreeing to never wear a suit and tie at a football game ever again (I've never seen the guy in anything but a suit and tie ... ever).