Posted on 01/23/2015 9:26:48 PM PST by Colofornian
The NFL is upping the stakes in its probe of the New England Patriots and unleashing one of the country’s top lawyers and a high-powered investigative firm to uncover the truth behind a scandal that has cast a dark cloud over the team as they prepare for the Super Bowl.
League officials broke their silence on the Deflategate scandal yesterday, announcing that high-powered white-collar crime lawyer Ted Wells will join NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash on the investigation into whether the Pats knowingly used under-inflated footballs in the American Football Conference championship game.
“He is one of the premier lawyers in the United States, he has great credibility, he’s well-known in the field and his reputation is stellar,” said Larry Krantz of the New York law firm Krantz & Berman when asked about Wells. “He’s a very serious lawyer, his integrity is beyond reproach and this is certainly an indication that (the NFL) is taking the investigation very seriously.”
The high-powered investigative firm Renaissance Associates also will be reviewing “electronic and video information” that could reveal whether team personnel let the air out of the balls after they were inspected by the referees, the NFL said.
Wells, who the league tapped to lead an investigation into bullying in the Miami Dolphins locker room in 2013, was named one of “The Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers” in 2010 by the National Law Journal. He famously — and successfully — defended former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer against federal charges he hid payments to a prostitution ring.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
#1 The 3rd TD in the 2nd half by NE was a mere 1-play 13-yd drive set up by an interception...where Brady didn't pass at all...so for proper "comparison" sake, we're looking here then at yes, 17 Pat pts in first half and really, 21 pts in 2nd half where Pats had passing plays leading to scores. Drives falter for all kinds of variable reasons besides "psi pressure"...so really when we're talking about this the Pats had 3 scores in the first half & 3 scores in the second half (where passing plays were done on the drives).
#2 New England had the ball one more time in the 2nd half than the first half, upping the odds it would score more. (Indy rec'd the opening kickoff) So the Pats were 3-of-5 (60%) in the first-half drives where they scored; and, since they didn't pass on that 1 13-yd "drive", they were 3-of-5 in the other second-half drives where they scored using passing plays. (the same)
#3 When you review the play-by-play, Brady only completed two "downfield" passes the entire game: A 30-yarder to Vereen late in the first quarter & a 22-yarder to Edelman in 2nd half. Everything else was pretty much dinks & dunks, and 3 other significant 2nd-half pass gains weren't Brady "push-outs" that would have really mattered psi-wise...a wide-out screen to Edelman for 23 yds; a 16-yd gain by Gronk -- a short pass with significant YAC (Yards After Catch); and a 16-yd td romp by an eligible lineman nobody covered...again, most of yardage coming after the catch. The rest of Brady's 2nd half passes were short passes averaging about 7 yds per gain.
#4 Really, the way to look at how this broke advantageously for the Pats is that Brady's 30-yard deep pass to Vereen late in the first quarter was a ball made more catchable by the lower psi. No catch, that drive would have likely faltered.
Therefore, had the Colts been down only 7-0 at that point -- vs. 14-0 -- they would not have abandoned their running game, which is vital to have in a wet, sloppy weathered game.
Up until that drive, the Colts were running the ball 40% of the time...with success...5 yards per run...considered above average in the NFL.
Once the Colts went down 14-0, it ran the ball only twice more the rest of the first half (passed it 10x).
If the Colts had been down only 10-7 entering the 3rd qtr (vs. 17-7), I don't think they would have passed the ball 10 of 11 times in the 3rd qtr.
Bottom line: Would the Colts have won without the cheating? (I'm not saying they would have). But I think they would have still been in the game early in the 3rd quarter and wouldn't have tried to pass the ball 87% of the time as they did in the 2nd & 3rd qtrs -- which, frankly, with pelting rain conditions, was offensive "suicide."
So, even one major play -- like Vereen's 30-yard catch -- if aided by "DeflateGate" -- led to a "domino effect" -- a "slippery slope" if you will, where it became impossible for Indy to even be in the game early in the 2nd half.
Hard to imagine the refs will give the Pats an even break in XLIX.
Temperature will affect the pressure - gas laws.
See my post #60 this thread.
Right. Two pounds psi. Thought that was understood.
I’m glad we are finally getting away from the minutiae and down to the bottom line of this scandal. I hate the phrase “ If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” WRONG. You can try and stay within the rules. If you Re cheating you are trying to gain an unfair advantage over your opponent. I don’t know what Tom Brady did I didn’t do but he proved he does not feel he can compete on a level playing field with his football at 12.5 psi.
It is the difference between winning, and wining with honor. What ever happened to honor in this country?
Sure they will...the refs know the gangster hawks led the nfl in penalties in 2013 and 2014 and know their dbs push the envelope contact wise...seahawks are essentially no. 1 cheaters ON the field...the Pats OFF the field
There is little honor left, but there is no shortage of greed. If you don’t believe me look at better than half the post on this thread.
51 degrees at gametime...hardly significant...balls weighed less than 4 hrs after originally weighed...and weighed in locker room too...not outside...both times
He was talking about the Panthers, and they were made to quit what they were doing. We are cautioned to check our tire pressure when it turns cold. Also, the controversy over the deflated balls is of absolutely no concern to me. I played football in high school; they all cheat if they get a chance, just after they get up off their knees from praying.
Saying that they all do it (cheating) is not saying that that makes it right. It is all in trying to get the high ground over an opponent. As the Apostle Paul wrote, when you condemn someone for a particular behavior that you also engage in, you are condemning yourself.
So getting the high ground makes it right? You are merely rewording the problem. AND YES claiming that everyone does it is an attempt to justifying it. Maybe you like to discuss what the word is is now?
How about “seahawks, we’re #1, in drug suspensions”
Fill them with 120 degree air just before giving to officials for inspection.
Bingo!
Word is that the NFLPA insists upon being part of any questioning.
“So getting the high ground makes it right?”
No. It is not right, it is hypocrisy, which is what I wrote implies.
Who knew physics was so selective and arbitrary?
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