#DFG: Canceling the Noise

Is there any level of suspension that you would advise Tom to accept?


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Ed Hillel

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So the Patriots are not only deflating footballs before the game, but they are also alerting officials about discrepancies in the footballs during that game on the field. Makes SO MUCH SENSE.
 
Edit - What Rodderick said. To me, that cements what happened objectively.
 

Al Zarilla

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drleather2001 said:
 
It was.  Schefter never said it was a Referree, only that it was a league official.
 
GeorgeCostanza said:
It's about 2 pages back. The use of the term "official" seemed to get the refs association upset but the reports clearly meant NFL employee or something to that effect. Not a zebra.
So, somebody is still fired, league official. 
 

Marciano490

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What's fascinating to me, here, is that there's apparently a thriving black market for unused kicking balls that's lucrative enough for people to risk plum jobs over.  Like, how are these balls marketed and sold, what's the going rate, etc?
 

Marciano490

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nattysez said:
FYI re: Colts GM interview at the Combine
 


 

Jeff Howe@jeffphowe
Grigson said the Colts notified the league earlier in the week of the AFCCG about some concerns with the Patriots.
 
Their concerns should've been limited to their inability to stop our running game or establish one of their own in addition to being unable to pass downfield.
 

mascho

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Marciano490 said:
What's fascinating to me, here, is that there's apparently a thriving black market for unused kicking balls that's lucrative enough for people to risk plum jobs over.  Like, how are these balls marketed and sold, what's the going rate, etc?
 
From that NFL Auctions site:
 
http://www.nflauction.nfl.com/iSynApp/auctionDisplay.action?auctionId=519515
 
That's a "Game Used" Cardinals ball currently at $165.00 with 7 hours to go.
 
And from eBay, a "Referee Marked Buffalo Bills football" http://www.ebay.com/itm/REFEREE-MARKED-BUFFALO-BILLS-Game-Used-Worn-Wilson-NFL-Football-vs-Chiefs-Jags-/321666134847?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae4cbb33f - Currently at $195 with two days to go.
 

Marciano490

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theapportioner

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Looks like a lot of the beans are starting to spill.

Wasn't Adam Vinatieri supposedly involved too? Florio's report seems to contradict that.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Harry Hooper said:
 
 
If that's correct, then Mort had bad info again.
 
Oh, that's actually news.  Where/when did Mort say the Colts didn't notify the league?  Because if Mort got that wrong, it starts to get easier to believe his tweet that got the ball rolling (so to speak) was also wrong.
 

Ed Hillel

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The only conceivable theory left that I can see, from an objective standpoint, is that Brady did this by himself/with the ballboy. Assuming Florio's report is true (a big if, I know), it essentially rules out Belichick. No other story would make much sense theoretically.
 

tims4wins

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rodderick said:
Apparently Grigson's reasoning for alerting the league was "leveling the playing field". Jesus, the Colts are the most detestable franchise in sports right now.
 
Every non-Colts fan should absolutely DETEST this franchise the way they do the Pats, but with good reason. And yet, probably 95% of America will be rooting for the Colts when they play the Pats next year. It is fucking disgusting.
 

ifmanis5

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Ed Hillel said:
The only conceivable theory left that I can see, from an objective standpoint, is that Brady did this by himself/with the ballboy. Assuming Florio's report is true (a big if, I know), it essentially rules out Belichick. No other story would make much sense theoretically.
True. However, the so-called correct balls that were used in the second half was when the Pats pulled away in the game, mostly running the ball. But yeah, it all comes down to the 98 second bathroom stop I guess if you're buying into conspiracy.
 

E5 Yaz

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ifmanis5 said:
PFT still trolling, though.
 
 
 
 
There are some who still believe the world is flat. Doesn't mean they're right. Come on, man.
 
He doesn't say they're right. he says some people will always be suspicious of the Patriots. He's right
 

PedroKsBambino

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Ed Hillel said:
 
Kelly Naqi ends up looking like a total amateur here, which is probably unfair.   But if you're going to run with that report and you do not appear to have checked with enough sources to discover what else was reported, that is the impression that is left.
 
rodderick said:
Apparently Grigson's reasoning for alerting the league was "leveling the playing field". Jesus, the Colts are the most detestable franchise in sports right now.
 
Easy to imagine that if the league finds no merit to this that they fine Grigson for making this public statement.  Were I Kraft, I'd have added that to my apology demand privately.  The suggestion there's anything to 'level' is an integrity challenge and if he can't back up that challenge...
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Grigson admitting it may well mean he was interviewed by Wells and knows that he better have his story straight.  I think these guys are starting to realize the better give correct answers -- or at least answers consistent with what they told Wells -- in order to not be branded as liars.
 

theapportioner

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Still doesn't explain what prompted the Colts to suspect something. Considering their people handled the balls prior to the earlier game in Indy. Or the fact that they waited until the AFC Championship game week to tell the NFL. Suddenly there's more credence to the Harbaugh as rat theory.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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ifmanis5 said:
So the NFL was aware of the ball iffyness and yet still made no official or proper measurements? I can't.
 
Because they didn't give a shit about the state of the balls until the media shitstorm blew up.
 

Harry Hooper

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DennyDoyle'sBoil said:
 
Oh, that's actually news.  Where/when did Mort say the Colts didn't notify the league?  Because if Mort got that wrong, it starts to get easier to believe his tweet that got the ball rolling (so to speak) was also wrong.
 
 
IIRC, when he was interviewed on WEEI at the end of January, he dismissed all the "sting operation" talk. He said the Colts only included concerns about ball under-inflation on the day-of-game alert sheet handed in by each team to the AFC Championship Game zebras..
 

joe dokes

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rodderick said:
Apparently Grigson's reasoning for alerting the league was "leveling the playing field". Jesus, the Colts are the most detestable franchise in sports right now.
 
And after he called NFL HQ, he stuffed Bob Kraft's car with pills and cash.  To further "level the playing field."
 

theapportioner

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PedroKsBambino said:
 
Easy to imagine that if the league finds no merit to this that they fine Grigson for making this public statement.  Were I Kraft, I'd have added that to my apology demand privately.  The suggestion there's anything to 'level' is an integrity challenge and if he can't back up that challenge...
I'm willing to call a truce for Indy's first round draft pick.
 

E5 Yaz

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DennyDoyle'sBoil said:
Grigson admitting it may well mean he was interviewed by Wells and knows that he better have his story straight.  I think these guys are starting to realize the better give correct answers -- or at least answers consistent with what they told Wells -- in order to not be branded as liars.
 
The suspects in this case are such obvious villains. Grigson, with his Rams/Eagles past, and Kensil with his Jets past. 
 

RedOctober3829

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theapportioner said:
Still doesn't explain what prompted the Colts to suspect something. Considering their people handled the balls prior to the earlier game in Indy. Or the fact that they waited until the AFC Championship game week to tell the NFL. Suddenly there's more credence to the Harbaugh as rat theory.
Or they just hate the Patriots so badly that they'd "alert" the league on something that everybody in the NFL does.  This is getting to be a bigger joke by the day. 
 
Belichick might hang 70 on the Colts next season.
 

triniSox

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So... Grigson wanted a level playing field but was cool with Pats playing 1st half of an AFC championship game vs the Colts with "advantageous" balls?...
 

DJnVa

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E5 Yaz said:
As much as we appreciate Schefter's level-headedness when he goes on EEI, remember that the last time he went on and we thought that it would move the needle on the story, nothing happened. No one should expect that his comments about Kensil, or teams hating the Patriots, will make much of an impact outside of New England
 
Well I don't much care about the general public's reaction. But these reports make me feel better about what the Wells investigation might show--general NFL idiocy.
 
 

E5 Yaz

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theapportioner said:
Still doesn't explain what prompted the Colts to suspect something. Considering their people handled the balls prior to the earlier game in Indy. Or the fact that they waited until the AFC Championship game week to tell the NFL. Suddenly there's more credence to the Harbaugh as rat theory.
 
Depends. There are stories floating around that they noticed something in the game in November, then used the referee notification process prior to the playoff game to bring it up
 

Harry Hooper

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GeorgeCostanza said:
From currans piece:

Eleven of 12 balls were two PSI under? No, it was around six and they’re under by a “few ticks.”

First I heard of this. Did I miss something?
 
Apparently that is what Rappaport said as clarification in the days after his published Super Bowl Sunday report.
 

E5 Yaz

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DrewDawg said:
 
Well I don't much care about the general public's reaction. But these reports make me feel better about what the Wells investigation might show--general NFL idiocy.
 
 
I'm not talking about the general public; I'm talking about the national media.
 
What Schefter says to a Boston radio station mean little toward the actual investigation, if he's only saying it to a local audience
 

DJnVa

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ifmanis5 said:
PFT still trolling, though.
 
Then again, some will always believe that the Patriots tampered with footballs no matter what the evidence indicates.
 
 
There are some who still believe the world is flat. Doesn't mean they're right. Come on, man.
 

In fairness to Florio, that same sentiment is repeated in this thread by posters as well.
 
 
 
So, Pats illegal deflated balls yet called attention to an issue with the balls during the same game? Yeah. Sure.
 

ifmanis5

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tims4wins said:
Every non-Colts fan should absolutely DETEST this franchise the way they do the Pats, but with good reason. And yet, probably 95% of America will be rooting for the Colts when they play the Pats next year. It is fucking disgusting.
Well, people like Florio keep putting out crap that's been shot down a million times without refutation. And at this point people are a lot more comfortable with the lies than with the truth no matter what happens.
 

pappymojo

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PedroKsBambino said:
 
Kelly Naqi ends up looking like a total amateur here, which is probably unfair.   But if you're going to run with that report and you do not appear to have checked with enough sources to discover what else was reported, that is the impression that is left.
 
 
Easy to imagine that if the league finds no merit to this that they fine Grigson for making this public statement.  Were I Kraft, I'd have added that to my apology demand privately.  The suggestion there's anything to 'level' is an integrity challenge and if he can't back up that challenge...
 
Not sure how it is unfair.
 

theapportioner

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E5 Yaz said:
 
Depends. There are stories floating around that they noticed something in the game in November, then used the referee notification process prior to the playoff game to bring it up
If that's the case and they care about "integrity", then they should have notified the league during or right after the regular season game. Because obviously the Cheatriots won all those subsequent games with the deflated balls.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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The best part of this whole "level the playing field/catch them in the act" business is how right Grigson and co. clearly thought they were in comparison to how dramatically wrong they actually were. Basically, they were told there would be no science. I just hope the Indiana BOE isn't removing the ideal gas law from textbooks over this. At least the children of New England will have an awesome and engaging practical example for as long as people remember Tom Brady and BIll Belichick.
 

koufax32

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I love Grigson's overt obtuseness. If you're saying something about the case say what your "concerns" were you douchey little troll. His way of leaving things so smugly vague says two things to me: 1) he is actively throwing wood on this fire to make it last as long as possible. 2) It harmonizes with the same style as some of the debunked or overtly trolling "sources." It would be so embarrassing to cheer for such a whiny, excuse hunting franchise.

It's good for the tree of Colts hatred to be refreshed with the blood and tears of self described martyrs from time to time.
 

ifmanis5

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DrewDawg said:
In fairness to Florio, that same sentiment is repeated in this thread by posters as well.
Right, but he's in a pretty visible position to set everyone straight on this story and he's either not done that or put out straight up junk info. This entire affair has been driven by garbage reporting.
 

loshjott

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pappymojo said:
 
Not sure how it is unfair.
 
It's like blaming Aaron Barrett of the Nats for imploding against the Giants in the playoffs last year when Clippard and Storen were warm in the bullpen.  You need the manager (editor/ombudsman/etc) to step in and pull the drowning man (woman) out of the pool.
 

E5 Yaz

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ifmanis5 said:
Right, but he's in a pretty visible position to set everyone straight on this story and he's either not done that or put out straight up junk info. This entire affair has been driven by garbage reporting.
 
You're assuming the "truth" about this story is known. It's not, and may never be.
 
The fact that Clouseau & Co. are running amok still doesn't mean the Patriots did nothing wrong.