Mods feel free to merge this with the eternal thread if you would like, but I'm creating the new one because I think that this, while obviously related, deserves its own discussion and I fear it will just get lost in the abyss. Your call.
Ok.
The reports are that Baltimore alerted Indy before the game about the Patriots using deflated footballs. And the reports further said that the Colts alerted the refs that this might happen. And reports further labeled this a bit of a sting operation against the Patriots, trying to catch them cheating.
Now, let's suppose all this is true, and let's even suppose that the Patriots did try to cheat (I think BB's presser crushed this idea but still).
The refs knowingly allowed the Patriots to play with deflated footballs for the purpose of catching them cheating. If the story is true, then this is what the refs were involved in.
Think about that for a moment. The refs therefore allowed the Patriots to play with deflated footballs for a half, in the hopes of catching them cheating.
Supposedly, deflated footballs are an advantage. That's the claim anyway, from any mediot that will tell you. Which is why the Pats wanted to use them. Hence, "cheating".
So if all this is true, then the referees deliberately allowed the Patriots to play with illegal footballs for a half. To play at a distinct advantage for a half. Just so they could "catch" them.
Think about that. If true, the refs deliberately and knowingly allowed the first half of the AFC Championship Game to be played illegally, giving one team an advantage.
Now, if you care about things like fair play and integrity, this should shake you to the core. If the Colts lost by one point, and it could legitimately be argued that the deflated footballs were the reason why (or a big reason why), then the NFL Commissioner's office would have tampered with a football game, keeping a deserving team out of the Super Bowl, *just so he could catch Belichick "cheating"*.
This would be a scandal on a scale infinitely more explosive than the Patriots trying to use deflated footballs. This would be the commissioner's office, in conjunction with game officials, tampering with the game itself.
Why hasn't THIS been brought up by any media member? Why hasn't Goodell been forced to answer any questions along these lines?
BTW, good article about that here: http://larrybrownsports.com/football/nfl-sting-operation-patriots/253272
Ok.
The reports are that Baltimore alerted Indy before the game about the Patriots using deflated footballs. And the reports further said that the Colts alerted the refs that this might happen. And reports further labeled this a bit of a sting operation against the Patriots, trying to catch them cheating.
Now, let's suppose all this is true, and let's even suppose that the Patriots did try to cheat (I think BB's presser crushed this idea but still).
The refs knowingly allowed the Patriots to play with deflated footballs for the purpose of catching them cheating. If the story is true, then this is what the refs were involved in.
Think about that for a moment. The refs therefore allowed the Patriots to play with deflated footballs for a half, in the hopes of catching them cheating.
Supposedly, deflated footballs are an advantage. That's the claim anyway, from any mediot that will tell you. Which is why the Pats wanted to use them. Hence, "cheating".
So if all this is true, then the referees deliberately allowed the Patriots to play with illegal footballs for a half. To play at a distinct advantage for a half. Just so they could "catch" them.
Think about that. If true, the refs deliberately and knowingly allowed the first half of the AFC Championship Game to be played illegally, giving one team an advantage.
Now, if you care about things like fair play and integrity, this should shake you to the core. If the Colts lost by one point, and it could legitimately be argued that the deflated footballs were the reason why (or a big reason why), then the NFL Commissioner's office would have tampered with a football game, keeping a deserving team out of the Super Bowl, *just so he could catch Belichick "cheating"*.
This would be a scandal on a scale infinitely more explosive than the Patriots trying to use deflated footballs. This would be the commissioner's office, in conjunction with game officials, tampering with the game itself.
Why hasn't THIS been brought up by any media member? Why hasn't Goodell been forced to answer any questions along these lines?
BTW, good article about that here: http://larrybrownsports.com/football/nfl-sting-operation-patriots/253272