NFL Schedule - 2014 Season Super Bowl XLIX [Live Conference Championships Playoff Thread Week 22]

ESPN NFL ^ | ESPN

[Bender2]

Playoffs - Super Bowl

SUN, FEB 1
New England at Seattle 6:30 PM NBC U of Phoenix Stadium

[Ciexyz]

I’m not cheering for cheaters. Who knows what other crap they’ve done over the years. There’s been stories....

[doorgunner69]

My pick is to record and ignore. Play back if I find out later something of interest happened.

I cannot stand either coach, nor do I care about the teams. So, I will sit this one out for the first time in many years.

Hard to say which I would prefer: Carroll humiliated or Belicheat getting his due.

[rickomatic]

But all the K balls are not provided by the home team. Each team provides some. Do you have proof that the Romofumblinski ball was provided by the Hawks?

[Sicvee]

As a fair weather Seahawks fan (loved’em early with Zorn, Patera, Knox and Krieg), hated Behring and Flores, not excited until 05), I share your sentiments. I was watching the game only half-heartedly toward the end and I missed the last 2 TD’s in real time because they were so unexpected, and so far from the pace of the last several games. But I really think that the Seahawks can rebound from their offensive funk and while they are throttling the Pat’s on defense they will have enough to emerge victorious.

[big'ol_freeper]

[nascarnation]

According to this:

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/ball

The K balls come in the original packaging from the mfgr and are opened by and in the custody of the officials. They aren’t massaged by the teams like the playing balls.

[Finatic]

My sentiments exactly. As an AFC East/Dolphins fan I have an immense dislike for Pete Carroll ever since he was the Jets coach and he taunted Pete Stoyanovich with a choking gesture after missing a crucial kick. (only to come back and nail the game winner later, take that you rat) The Patriots, I don’t even want to go there, who is worse, the Pats or their fans? I see some Pats apologists downplaying the deflated balls, there are rules to the game, don’t you follow them?

At this point with the Pats being repeat offenders of the rules, I would accept no less than at least the forfeit of their top 3 draft picks, suspension of Bellicheat would be the cherry on top, 3 game minimum with no interaction with the team at all. Lets see what his boy McDaniel has with this team as opposed to what he wasn’t able to do with a pretty good Denver team.

[rickomatic]

Then Both a Bender and I were wrong.

[nascarnation]

Based on reading that rule, the league has obviously seen shenanigans with the kicking balls and imposed a higher level of oversight. It wouldn’t surprise me if they do the same thing for playing balls in the future.

[dfwgator]

Seattle has a history with doctoring balls as well, as any Cowboy fan will remember.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4697590/the-curious-case-of-the-k-ball-vs-seattle

[Girlene]

The K balls come in the original packaging from the mfgr and are opened by and in the custody of the officials. They aren’t massaged by the teams like the playing balls.

I've also read they are in custody until shortly before the game starts, then given to an attendant. League confirms ball-deflation investigation



..........."Several years ago, in an effort to prevent any doctoring of balls used in the kicking game, the NFL adopted a rule that six new, specially-marked kicking balls would be used for each game, with the boxes opened by the officials two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff.

All balls remain under the supervision of the referee until they are delivered to the ball attendant shortly before kickoiff."....................

[21twelve]

“based on such a freakish series of events”

I was telling my wife that game seemed like an episode of Bewitched. Early on, Endora (?) was putting the hex on all of Wilson’s throws. A sure catch and at the last minute she points her finger and it bounces off the receiver’s hands and into a GB player. Points her finger and it swerves into a GB player’s hands, fumbled kick, etc.

Then Samantha makes it to the stadium and puts a stop to it, and twitches her nose a few times to even up the game a bit.

BTW - just saw an article that the GB coach, Mike McCarthy, his younger brother (47?) died due to an accident at the gym. He can’t get a break - how tragic.

[Bender2]

Those 'K' Ball rules in force today came into effect... because of what happened in Seattle to Tony.

[lwd]

The vegas line opened at SEA-2.5 and quickly moved to NE-2 (at some books). I have to respect the opening line. Seahawks win by less than a TD.

[Starstruck]

In years like this, when all the teams I like are eliminated, it comes down to which owner/head coach do I dislike the most. But come on, Belichick vs Carroll! What kind of choice is that? This year’s Super Bowl is probably going to be on mute in the background while I watch something on Netflix.

[SevenofNine]

I still say Belchiek and Pats are cheaters

CHEATERSSSS

BTW my pick Seahags over Cheaters

[Impy]

Before the season I picked the Seahawks to repeat, so I’ll stick with that.

[big'ol_freeper]

Security camera evidence ...

that someone has been deflating Bender's balls

[GOPsterinMA]

I want NEW to win, preferably in a blowout.

“Inflategate”: What a complete, total crock of s**t. And the ones bitching the most about it are the ones that most likely do/did things much worse.

I’ve added IND to my list of sh**bag sports franchises. Can Irsay spare a few Oxy’s?

[dfwgator]

Actually my opinion is that EVERY team does things like this to get an advantage, but the Patriots are singled out because of their success.