#DFG: Canceling the Noise

[Stitch01]

 
Still on the ESPN.com/NFL page

Not the main page though, where it went from top story to bye bye.
 
Kravitz on to other things. 
 

Bob KravitzVerified account ‏@bkravitz 2h2 hours ago

Too many arrests. Too many suspensions. Too many problems. The Colts have a culture problem. Column on the way on http://wthr.com

 

[Hoya81]

Schefter had largely stayed out of this mess, and now we know why.

 

[Corsi]

 
I missed ElCab's post, any chance of a link to it?

 

Based on the limited amount of info I've heard about deflategate from my buddy, this theory may have some legs. Let's just say, in theory, that the Pats have some video of their own from the AFCC game. Let's say, that video shows someone on the Colts sideline (maybe a member of the Colts, maybe it's a league official...cough...Kensil...cough) that looks to be doing something shady with the football once they get their hands on it. That ball gets tested and is deflated more than the others (which were all apparently "just a tick under" 12.5 and as we all know by now, there are actual scientific reasons why this would happen without any funny business being involved). And then let's say all of this came about because of a couple of franchises got their feelings hurt because they couldn't beat the Pats.
 
It's no wonder Kraft and Co. would want an apology from the league! What a joke. It amazes me the NFL let this play out the way they did. 
All of this is just a "theory", of course
 

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/88102-the-patriots-balls-this-is-the-thread-that-does-not-end-it-goes-on-and-on-my-friend/page-250#entry5892311

 

[bankshot1]

is there any story on this on the www?
 
link?

 

[Harry Hooper]

Is this the first time that it has been reported that a league official was fired after the Colts/Pats game?  How has this not come up beforehand?

 
Roger & Co, can keep quiet when they choose to.

 

[Rico Guapo]

Just when I thought the NFL couldn't embarrass themselves any more in regards to this issue...

 

[soxhop411]

RG will not survive the offseason.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

 
 

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/topic/88102-the-patriots-balls-this-is-the-thread-that-does-not-end-it-goes-on-and-on-my-friend/page-250#entry5892311

 

 
That is tremendous. Kensil, the ex-Jet executive with a hard-on for the Pats, fucking about with the intercepted football after the Colts got a hold of it. And then either Kensil or Grigson tips off Kravitz because they're upset they got destroyed in the AFCCG....
 
I hope Goodell fines the Colts $1.5 million, has them forfeit a first rounder, suspends Grigson and Irsay for 1/2 a year, and fires Kensil. This is fucking disgraceful.

 

[E5 Yaz]

At some point, ESPN will realize that taking down a commissioner is bigger than taking down a team that already splits the NFL fanbase

 

[Marciano490]

RG will not survive the offseason.

 
How dumb can a man and an organization be?  You go after a billion dollar-plus organization you damn well better make sure your closet is clean as hell and skeleton-free.  I hope Kraft napalms the NFL.

 

[Ed Hillel]

This has been a joke from Day 1 and it's getting worse and worse by the minute for the NFL.  The fact that Schefter would blatantly and overtly shoot down reports being made by representatives of his own employer shows me how truly terribly this story has been reported on.  He's cleaning up this witch hunt. 

 
How the ef did ESPN let the story run in the first place? They basically just allowed one of its reporters destroy herself.

 

[DJnVa]

Who got fired??????? I want names.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

 
@MarkDanielsPJ After one official noticed a ball was missing, he gave another ball to Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally. When the official, who stole the ball, noticed people knew, he also gave the ball back to Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally. So basically, Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally was handed two balls from officials during the AFC championship game

 

[Marciano490]

 
How the ef did ESPN let the story run in the first place? They basically just allowed one of its reporters destroy herself.

 
Ten more will rise in her place.

 

[Leather]

So...
 
None of this ties into the original "deflategate" issue, though, correct?
 
This particular story (kicking ball from attendant) might be proven bullshit, but the other one is still on the table.
 
 
I dunno.  Let's not start sucking each others' dicks quite yet.   
 
EDIT:  I also don't see how this reflects poorly on Goodell (assuming it's in the Wells report and he chooses not to act on it).  Whoever leaked it is an idiot, though.

 

[E5 Yaz]

 
How the ef did ESPN let the story run in the first place? They basically just allowed one of its reporters destroy herself.

 
It showed up late last night and, as was pointed out several times, was very poorly editing. It smelled of a complete rush job.
 
fwiw, Naqi had a good rep, was involved with several serious issue stories through the years

 

[DJnVa]

 

 
@MarkDanielsPJ After one official noticed a ball was missing, he gave another ball to Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally. When the official, who stole the ball, noticed people knew, he also gave the ball back to Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally. So basically, Patriots locker-room attendant Jim McNally was handed two balls from officials during the AFC championship game

 

 
 
Okay:
 
Official #1 steals ball.
Official #2 notices ball missing, inserts another one.
Official #1 sees people nosing around, and gives back ball he swiped?
 
Where is the unmarked ball? Did Official #1 switch marked for unmarked and Official #2 just saw they were one marked ball short?
 
I love this.
 

 

[tims4wins]

 
It showed up late last night and, as was pointed out several times, was very poorly editing. It smelled of a complete rush job.
 
fwiw, Naqi had a good rep, was involved with several serious issue stories through the years

 
In fairness she only had 4 weeks to work on it

 

[E5 Yaz]

So...
 
None of this ties into the original "deflategate" issue, though, correct?
 
This particular story (kicking ball from attendant) might be proven bullshit, but the other one is still on the table.

 
I agree, although if ESPN and/or the NFL thought this secondary would strengthen a weaker Deflategate case, that premise is out the window

 

[DJnVa]

So...
 
None of this ties into the original "deflategate" issue, though, correct?
 
This particular story (kicking ball from attendant) might be proven bullshit, but the other one is still on the table.
 
 
I dunno.  Let's not start sucking each others' dicks quite yet.   
 
EDIT:  I also don't see how this reflects poorly on Goodell (assuming it's in the Wells report and he chooses not to act on it).  Whoever leaked it is an idiot, though.

 
 
Because the NFL clearly had little control over what was going on with the balls on the sideline. So, in absence of some confession or video, there's no way to smack the Patriots. There's a chain of custody issue.
 
Kraft: "Wait--you had league officials stealing balls on our sideline, and now with no evidence that the team did anything you want to fine us?"

 

[Leather]

 
I agree, although if ESPN and/or the NFL thought this secondary would strengthen a weaker Deflategate case, that premise is out the window

 
Right.  My point is just that people thinking this vindicates the Patriots entirely are incorrect.

 

[Stitch01]

League certainly runs a tight ship with those sacred to the integrity of the game balls.
 

I hope Goodell fines the Colts $1.5 million, has them forfeit a first rounder, suspends Grigson and Irsay for 1/2 a year, and fires Kensil. This is fucking disgraceful.
 

League should punish the Colts by giving Irsay and Grigson lifetime contracts with sole control over personnel decisions.  Mayflower trucks will be be carting off the franchise carcass to parts unknown within two years.

 

[Leather]

 
 
Because the NFL clearly had little control over what was going on with the balls on the sideline. So, in absence of some confession or video, there's no way to smack the Patriots. There's a chain of custody issue.
 

 
And the NFL is not subject to the rules of evidence.  Goodell doesn't have to establish chain of custody to penalize the Patriots, if he so desires.

 

[E5 Yaz]

 
Right.  My point is just that people thinking this vindicates the Patriots entirely are incorrect.

 
Agreed

 

[JimBoSox9]

Question for clarifiacation: I'm not watching, so when it's said that Schefter "broke in" to the show, is it meant that he wasn't supposed to be there originally?

 
I HATE WORK right now I'm imagining a movie-style 'hacked broadcast signal' with Schfter wearing a Guy Fawkes mask to debunk the story

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

 
And the NFL is not subject to the rules of evidence.

 
They are, however, subject to "common sense." One of their own officials is stealing balls for sale on the side? What credibility to they have left?

 

[RedOctober3829]

 
Agreed

It shows that this league is a complete and utter joke.  98% of the story has been debunked already.

 

[Shelterdog]

So...
 
None of this ties into the original "deflategate" issue, though, correct?
 
This particular story (kicking ball from attendant) might be proven bullshit, but the other one is still on the table.
 
 
I dunno.  Let's not start sucking each others' dicks quite yet.   
 
EDIT:  I also don't see how this reflects poorly on Goodell (assuming it's in the Wells report and he chooses not to act on it).  Whoever leaked it is an idiot, though.

 
Because people at the league were leaking like Mark Felt about a topic where the league has negative PR exposure because they had to fire this ball stealing asshole. The smart play is to say nothing of substance until you're absolutely sure what you want to say.  Goodell's not running a professional organization, at least not on this investigative front. 

 

[DJnVa]

 
And the NFL is not subject to the rules of evidence.  Goodell doesn't have to establish chain of custody to penalize the Patriots, if he so desires.

 
I know that.
 
But at this point, the fired NFL official news is out there, and apparently the Pats (based on the post from ElCab a little while ago) had some info the NFL likely didn't want out there--might it not be easier for the NFL to simply make the fired guy a patsy and end this?
 
Who knows what else could come out if they continue to press without hard evidence.

 

[LuckyBen]

Deflategate latest on the scroll to be discussed on nfl insiders.

Edit: they didn't make it to the story. I pray they cover it on nfl live with that meathead Marc Brunell

 

[Leather]

 
They are, however, subject to "common sense." One of their own officials is stealing balls for sale on the side? What credibility to they have left?

 
I'm not trying to be contrary.  However, the Commissioner's office has been so far up its own ass, I'm not sure if it A) cares about it's own integrity; or B) knows what "integrity" is, anymore.
 
I could just as well argue that the league's "credibility" suffers more in the eye of the public if it fails to find the Patriots are guilty of SOMETHING than if it offers a deserved apology to Kraft.

 

[DJnVa]

Schefter saying the fired official had exhibited a "pattern of behavior" prior to AFC title.
 
So, why would the NFL put him on sidelines on one of 3 biggest games of season?

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

 
And the NFL is not subject to the rules of evidence.  Goodell doesn't have to establish chain of custody to penalize the Patriots, if he so desires.

The OTL story says that Kensil was motivated, at least in part, to check the Patriots balls at halftime because other officials found McNally's actions suspicious. So there is some relation between the two issues. I agree that this, in and of itself, does not exonerate the Pats. And yes, the rules of evidence don't apply here. But I imagine the fact that evidence may have been compromised or destroyed by league officials will figure into Wells's analysis.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Schefter saying the fired official had exhibited a "pattern of behavior" prior to AFC title.
 
So, why would the NFL put him on sidelines on one of 3 biggest games of season?

 
It's all a part of the conspiracy!!!

 

[smokin joe wood]

Is Curran the only one reporting that Kensil has ulterior motives? Perhaps I've missed it but why is there an assumption that Kensil stands to gain by the Patriots going down? Because he and his father worked for the Jets? That seems flimsy no?

 

[DJnVa]

Michael Hurley on twitter: "All of those investigative reporters and nobody at Outside the Lines could track down Adam Schefter last night?"

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

 
Because people at the league were leaking like Mark Felt about a topic where the league has negative PR exposure because they had to fire this ball stealing asshole. The smart play is to say nothing of substance until you're absolutely sure what you want to say.  Goodell's not running a professional organization, at least not on this investigative front. 

I've been saying this for weeks now: Goodell has no control over his minions. It's pretty clear that there are disparate factions in the league office that are using the media to further their own agendas.

 

[Stitch01]

Yeah, but its looking pretty unlikely barring a smoking gun that no one has heard about yet there's going to be any meaningful penalty.  Gonna be hard to start stripping high draft picks and suspending people for slightly low football PSI due to unknown causes when the Wells report has a video of league officials straight up stealing game balls.   ROG wants to take away some lol 6th round pick and alienate Kraft, great, hopefully it will help accelerate that idiot's move out of the head chair before he does any more damage to the league.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Is Curran the only one reporting that Kensil has ulterior motives? Perhaps I've missed it but why is there an assumption that Kensil stands to gain by the Patriots going down? Because he and his father worked for the Jets? That seems flimsy no?

 
It's been previously reported that the Pats believe that Kensil has long had a hate-on for the Pats stemming from his days in the Jets organization.

 

[Kull]

Interesting that a league official is FIRED for stealing game footballs (meant for charity, bless his cold little heart) in the very same game that is the heart of "Deflate-gate"....and not a single WHISPER of that comes out in all the leaks leading up to the Super Bowl? Oh yeah, the leakers don't have an anti-Pats agenda.

 

[Stevie1der]

Schefter saying the fired official had exhibited a "pattern of behavior" prior to AFC title.
 
So, why would the NFL put him on sidelines on one of 3 biggest games of season?

 
Oooh, maybe they were running TWO stings in the same game!

 

[pappymojo]

This whole thing remains the dumbest thing in the history of stupid.

Do I have this correct?
 
NFL Official 1 steals game ball.
NFL Official 1 gives unapproved ball to Jim McNally.
Jim McNally gives unapproved ball to NFL Official 2.
NFL Official 2 notices that Jim McNally is attempting to turn in 'unapproved' ball. 
NFL Official 2 notifies Mike Kensil, Vice President of NFL Game Operations. 
During the game, Kensil then takes it upon himself to investigate.
Kensil measures the Patriots' balls.
Kensil doesn't notice/investigate that an NFL Official 1 had stolen a game ball mid-game? 
This is discovered later? 
NFL Official 1 is fired.
Story breaks that Jim McNally did something shady.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

 
I agree, although if ESPN and/or the NFL thought this secondary would strengthen a weaker Deflategate case, that premise is out the window

 
It's also another blow against any supposed inside source who isn't connected to Adam Schefter. It's pretty clear that there are multiple parties within the league who have been using the media to tell a very particular story with extremely limited pieces of information, but Schefter either isn't talking to those people, is smart enough to know what not to put out there, or simply works a lot harder than his colleagues to find out what's actually happening.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Who got fired??????? I want names.

. Amazing that ESPN has the attendant's name but not this person's.

 

[ifmanis5]

Does a league official being caught selling balls on the side for profit bring the Johnny Law into this in any way?
I remember when the NBA refs were caught trading in their plane tickets the IRS became involved. Or is selling a few balls on the side small potatoes?

 

[DJnVa]

The NFL had a league official that they were suspicious of BEFORE the AFC title game, then allowed him to work the AFC title game, then when ball irregularities came up, didn't stop the tsunami of leaks bashing the Patriots and *quietly* fired the league official.
 
Awesome.
 
Doesn't look shady at all.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

This whole thing remains the dumbest thing in the history of stupid.
Do I have this correct?
 
NFL Official 1 steals game ball.
NFL Official 1 gives unapproved ball to Jim McNally.
Jim McNally gives unapproved ball to NFL Official 2.
NFL Official 2 notices that Jim McNally is attempting to turn in 'unapproved' ball. 
NFL Official 2 notifies Mike Kensil, Vice President of NFL Game Operations. 
During the game, Kensil then takes it upon himself to investigate.
Kensil measures the Patriots' balls.
Kensil doesn't notice/investigate that an NFL Official 1 had stolen a game ball mid-game? 
This is discovered later? 
NFL Official 1 is fired.
Story breaks that Jim McNally did something shady.

Oh, and Kensil doesn't bother to make any record of the measurements from halftime. D'oh!

 

[DennyDoyle'sBoil]

So, this OTL reporter shows up at a guy's home and chases him up the driveway, and the worldwide leader takes a still shot from the game and blows it up to show the guy, and calls him out by name, and all he's guilty of is handing a ball to an official that was given to him by a felon who happened also to be a league official?  
 
Fucking shameful.
 
Also, does anyone else think it's a coincidence that the picture ESPN ran with of McNally had Brady in it?  They probably spent the entire fucking night trying to find a picture of him that also had Brady in it.  

 

[E5 Yaz]

The NFL had a league official that they were suspicious of BEFORE the AFC title game, then allowed him to work the AFC title game, then when ball irregularities came up, didn't stop the tsunami of leaks bashing the Patriots and *quietly* fired the league official.
 
Awesome.
 
Doesn't look shady at all.

 
Leaving the issue to be ... who will report on that?
 
Remember, when Schefter went on the radio locally to cast doubt on Mort's report, ESPN never dealt with it in a large way. Seeing how the network deals with this across its platforms over the next 24 hours will dictate whether Schefter's info has any weight.
 
For most of the sports fans out there, the story still is about McNally. Most folks aren't watching OTL

 

[ivanvamp]

The NFL had a league official that they were suspicious of BEFORE the AFC title game, then allowed him to work the AFC title game, then when ball irregularities came up, didn't stop the tsunami of leaks bashing the Patriots and *quietly* fired the league official.
 
Awesome.
 
Doesn't look shady at all.

 
Haha.  Wow.  That really is incredible.  What a clown show.