Inflategate: Belichick now blames Brady

[AgingAmerican]

My oh my, this is getting interesting. The coach is now blaming Tom Brady for the under inflated balls.....and John Madden has his back.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/22/belichick-subtly-points-finger-at-brady/

On Wednesday, Hall of Fame coach John Madden directly pointed to quarterback Tom Brady as the prime suspect in the NFL’s investigation of deflated footballs. On Thursday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick did the same thing, in far more subtle fashion.

...

“I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs,” Belichick said. “They know a lot more than I do. They’re a lot more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there’s never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom’s personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.”

In other words, take it up with Brady. Brady’s the guy whose preferences may have resulted in tampering with the footballs. (Brady said in 2011 that he prefers the balls to be deflated.)

So now Belichick is throwing Tom Brady under the bus? My, oh my this is getting testy!

[global1]

1. Some Person On The Sideline Of Each Team Must Be Responsible For Holding The Balls During The Game..

Why don't they just go to that person on the Pats and ask him/her if there was any tampering with the balls and who either did it or gave them the go ahead to deflate the balls?

[MohRokTah]

2. The fine could be as much as $275K

11 deflated balls at $25K each.

And Belicheat doesn't need another cheating scandal he is the cause of.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I don't get it. Don't both teams handle the same ball,

and if so, why would the Patriots (hereinafter called the Deflatriots) have an advantage if they provided deflated ones?

[demmiblue]

6. No, each team uses their own balls offensively.

That sounds kind of weird.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. Oh, I didn't realize that. I don't watch football often enough

to notice such things, just assumed there was one ball and it got used for the whole game.

How do you use balls offensively?

[demmiblue]

15. I don't either...

but for some strange reason I listen to sports radio!

[Panich52]

7. Nope.

Each team gets their own 12 balls + special one f/ kickers. Only time other team handles opponent's ball is on INTs & fumbles.

I do wonder, tho, why refs, who handle all the balls, didn't speak up sooner. 11 of NE's 12 were underinflated at the half & at game end.

[Whiskeytide]

17. Well... learn something new every day. n/t

[Panich52]

45. BTW, Brady & Payton Manning are the reason...

...they got rule changed several years ago. Home team used to provide all game balls, now team brings own to the game

[Whiskeytide]

14. My thoughts as well...

... I am a football fan, but I really have no idea how the balls are used during the game. Maybe each team uses their own??? Or maybe the deal is that Brady likes them deflated, so deflating them just makes him feel more effective regardless of whether the other team gets the same benefit. Or maybe it's a "what you're use to" thing - kind of like tightening or loosening the tension on the goals of your home basketball court. What you practice with becomes your preference, and can impact the opponent adversely.

I guess it's anything for even the slightest edge when tens of million$ are at stake.

[former9thward]

20. Each team has ball runners when their team is on offense.

So each team's ball runner provides the balls when their team is on offense. So the teams don't handle the same ball. That said, referees handle the ball on every play. If a ball was significantly under-inflated the official should have known.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. Are they claiming the balls were so underinflated as to be squishy?

How squishy do balls have to be before they are noticeably squishy, and if the Deflatriots' balls were squishy, didn't they run the risk that a referee would notice, or an opposing team's player who happened to intercept one?

Heh, heh, she said squishy balls.
Shut up, Beavis.

[former9thward]

27. I'm a fan, not a player.

I had no idea there were inflation limits until this week. I don't know how the underinflated balls feel but I do think that after this week the League should control the balls from start to finish.

[jakeXT]

30. You can see the difference in this video, but it's probably felt easier

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12210318/chris-canty-baltimore-ravens-says-new-england-patriots-habitual-line-steppers

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

42. Interesting video, and now I see how this could be a big deal

in the irrelevant world of professional football.

[jakeXT]

44. Imagine the healthy dose of skepticism applied to the reporting on say foreign policy

After the Brady press conference 3 ex players on ESPN had tears in their eyes, because they all couldn't believe him.

[grasswire]

38. that's exactly what did happen

an opposing team member caught an intercept. He reported the squishy feel of it.

[KMOD]

4. Have you ever seen Belichick be that open

and sincere? I haven't.

I think the NFL is going to take this very seriously, and Belichick is trying to preserve his legacy.

[Panich52]

9. His legacy as a cheater?

[KMOD]

16. ...

I'm trying to be nice for the sake of the DU Pats fans. I can pick on them elsewhere.

[Dreamer Tatum]

5. I think this is a Brady thing, not a team thing.

The QBs have preferences for footballs. This is well-known and established. Brady likes a softer ball, so I'm betting that
he told the equipment guy to deflate them.

I don't see how this can be a team thing - there is no established wisdom that a deflated football is always better. For example, Aaron Rodgers prefers an overinflated ball. I don't see how Belichick could have ordered it, and I can definitely see how he wouldn't know.

Belichick, protecting the TEAM from punishment, HAS to throw Brady under the bus. And you can bet your ass that he TALKED to Brady before he said a word. Brady probably copped to it, and Belichick probably said, well, damned if this is going to cost us draft picks. Fix it.

So Brady will probably deny it, and the league will probably fine him something meaningful ($100K +), and this will be the end of a stupid diversion that will only be protracted by asshurt fans of loser franchises.

[pnwmom]

11. If Brady cheated, the league should suspend him for the rest of the season.

Sorry, Patriots!

[Dreamer Tatum]

12. Not really feasible.

You'd have to show that outcome of the game depended on the underinflated footballs.

Can you? Can anyone?

If the NFL tried that, the Pats would slap an injunction in a heartbeat and the game would go on.

Sorry, fan of some other team. Maybe next year.

[pnwmom]

21. Why would you have to show that? They were threatening to suspend

a Seahawks player for shoes of the wrong color. Would shoe color affect the outcome of a game?

[Dreamer Tatum]

24. That's your argument?

Brady might get slapped pretty hard, but I seriously doubt they'd suspend him from the game.

[pnwmom]

26. That's Richard Sherman's point, but he's used to the hypocrisy of the NFL

so he doesn't expect more than a slap on the wrist.

[mythology]

46. You don't have to show that a player using performance enhancing drugs gained a benefit

That said, I absolutely don't believe Belichick when he claims he had no idea. He's a control freak. There's no chance he didn't know.

[DrDan]

23. receivers and running backs also prefer underinflated balls - easier to hang on to

it could be bigger than Brady.

Belichick knew, I believe. Probably not involved, but he knew.

[Dreamer Tatum]

25. Maybe true, but Brady has to be the instigator. He will have to fall on his sword.

Even if he publicly denies it.

He COULD always say, "gee, I asked that the balls be on the LOW side of acceptable. I didn't know they were
DRASTICALLY underinflated. I'm just a quarterback. Pressure gauges aren't part of my uniform."

Bada boom, bada bing, reasonable doubt.

[DrDan]

50. he sure looked nervous during that press conference

you are right - the receivers and rushers would never interfere with pressure without him.

But, their stats are definitely improved with lower pressure balls.

[AgingAmerican]

53. If he knew

...then he was involved. He knows what's legal and what's not.

[DrDan]

55. and I find it hard to believe he does not know the difference between an underinflated ball and one

just at the low end.

It is his job to handle the football many, many times throughout the season.

[GeorgeGist]

48. Keener eyes have seen how Belichick could have ordered it.

[JimDandy]

52. As the video in jakeXT's post above shows

anyone on his team receiving or holding the ball would know immediately that it was underinflated enough to significantly improve their grip on it, throwing it and maintaining possession of it.

So...NOT a "stupid diversion".

[pnwmom]

10. Press conference at 4:15 eastern. I'll be watching with more interest than usual.

Which isn't saying much, however.

[VScott]

13. Waiting for the late night talk show jokes...

about Bradys balls criteria and preferences.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

18. I can see where this is going,

the ball boy is going to take the blame, one for the team, so to speak!

[Dreamer Tatum]

19. I will bet anyone that Brady gets dinged hard and the ballboy is fine.

Easiest outcome, plausible, defensible, and efficient.

[pnwmom]

28. Brady's denying any involvement. Yeah, right. n/t

[Dreamer Tatum]

29. Well, I'm with you on THAT. He had to have not only known, but ordered it. nt

[pnwmom]

32. He also just refused to say he was sorry about what happened.

He's just "disappointed" that they can't be enjoying these two weeks like they should be able to.

[Dreamer Tatum]

33. What a dick. I'm a Pats fan but he just blew it. I hope they do suspend his dumb ass. nt

[pnwmom]

34. Are you watching this now?

He just said it was a very wet, cold night. Yeah, 50 degrees outside. Even in Seattle we don't call that cold!

I wonder if they're going to have a press conference for the ball boy next . . .

[Dreamer Tatum]

36. No, I'm taking your word for it. nt

[pnwmom]

37. He hasn't mentioned the ball boy, but who else could they be blaming?

I agree with Madden that the ball boy wouldn't have done this on his own.

[Dreamer Tatum]

39. I sure would like to be that suddenly-rich ballboy.

What do you think they're paying him?

Cash, cars, or both?

[pnwmom]

41. I don't know if it will be worth it in the long run -- but that was the question

I was thinking.

[pnwmom]

40. Then, to be perfectly clear,

when they asked him about whether he was sorry, he avoided answering (as opposed to "refusing to answer). He just paused, and shook his head and said he was "disappointed" they were having to go through this because this was supposed to be the best two weeks of the year.

[Dreamer Tatum]

43. Cowardly, wussy answer. nt

[bullwinkle428]

31. Translation : I can beat the Seahawks with Garrofalo running the show on the field!

[Johonny]

35. Given that Belichick has secret video tape on all his emploees

I'm sure he knows who did it

[AgingAmerican]

47. They are not denying the balls were doctored...

And now they are all pointing fingers at each other?

Hmmmm...

[davidpdx]

49. I've only seen some of the coverage on this

and didn't see the game at all given I'm overseas. I hate both NE and Seattle, but would rather see Seattle lose. If this deflationgate turns out to be anything and NE wins, there is going to be a huge asterisk next to their win.

[DonCoquixote]

51. UNDER THE BUS YOU GO TOM

The factb that this man has a job in Pro football is a deep sign of what is wrong in our Culture. Whether it is Belicheck cheating, or the Clintons shoving leftists under the bus, all is ok as long as you WIN! Never mind if the way you win makes a complete farce of the whole contest.

Seriously, Belicheck attempting this after being caught is like a burglar goign back to the same house after beign caught.

[former9thward]

54. Nonsense.

You must be hoping nobody watched the press conference. In no way did he blame Brady or anyone else for that matter.