Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New England Patriots face fresh allegations over Deflategate game
theguardian.com ^ | 18 February 2015 | Tom Lutz

Posted on 02/18/2015 12:19:13 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper

Weeks after the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory the DeflateGate scandal continues to rumble on in the background. According to ESPN’s Outside the Lines, a Patriots locker room attendant attempted to introduce an unapproved special teams ball into the AFC Championship game.

The attendant, identified by ESPN as Jim McNally, is said to have been in charge of the officials’ locker room at Gilette Stadium since 2008. He is alleged to have handed a ball, which wasn’t officially approved for kick-offs, field goals and punts to an official during the first-half of the Patriots’ 45-7 victory over the Colts.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Connecticut; US: Massachusetts; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: afcchampionship; belongsinchat; connecticut; deflategate; espn; foxborough; gillettestadium; jimmcnally; massachusetts; newengland; newenglandpatriots; nfl; notanewstopic; outsidethelines; patriots; rhodeisland; superbowl; weneedasportsforum
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last
To: timestax
 photo 278acb7b-cf06-4f72-bfbc-0a230461105f_zpsf2robvri.jpg

21 posted on 02/18/2015 1:09:52 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: timestax
 photo b7950b83-8cc6-4c82-a5d7-f636ce8ba76d_zpsoqw4um2n.jpg
22 posted on 02/18/2015 1:11:00 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: timestax
 photo 0aec8f0b-c569-47ef-8740-fde0f56d4be5_zpsffcwntok.jpg

23 posted on 02/18/2015 1:13:08 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

BTTT

Read later.


24 posted on 02/18/2015 1:14:07 PM PST by krunkygirl (force multiplier in effect...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: krunkygirl
 photo ecdf835f-2bd1-48ff-b2eb-1ed9df4300ba_zpsmio7nbyl.jpg
25 posted on 02/18/2015 1:15:06 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper
Because the football was unapproved, it led the officials to check the other footballs in the game.

The report also noted that NFL VP of game operations Mike Kensil went from the press box to the officials’ locker room to personally oversee the measurement of the footballs.

“One source said Kensil personally checked the PSI (pounds per square inch) levels of all 12 footballs the Patriots had for use on offense and found that 11 of those 12 were underinflated by ‘one to two pounds,'” the report said.


26 posted on 02/18/2015 1:16:19 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fortheDeclaration; All
This goes beyond one game. An underinflated ball in cold weather gives that team a big advantage.

Well, and it's both cold weather -- and especially wet weather...at least as it applies to receivers hanging on to the ball.

This goes beyond one game

Yes, and the preliminary review of the stats seems to bear this out:

1: Fumbles Before & After League Allows Teams to Supply Own Footballs

2006: Brady & Peyton Manning lobby NFL to use their own footballs -- instead of NFL supplying them.

2007 NFL allows it.

2000-2006 Pats are around even with rest of the league, averaging a fumble every 42 touches.
2007-2014 when rule is changed: Pats suddenly set fumble-free records, averaging a fumble every 74 touches.

2. Brady's Completion % Before & After League Allows Patriots to Use Own Footballs

2000-2006: 60.9% -- including 61.8% in 2006
2007-2014: 64.7% -- including 68.9% in 2007...

Brady's completion skyrocketed 11.5% (career-high 68.9%) in a single season! The main difference, it seems, 'tween '06 and '07 was that Brady got to use his own footballs!
See Tom Brady: Career Stats

In fact thru 2006, Brady was consistently at 60%...61%..62%...63%

Then he gets his own footballs...
07: 68.9%
08: Injured
09: 65.7% (even coming off of injury season was better than he ever was in using NFL-supplied footballs)
10: 65.9%
11: 65.6%
(he was back down in 12 & 13...But in '14 was higher than any single season 2001-2006

I maintain, actually, that just as a slightly deflated football results in less fumbles, that the same can be said for receivers pulling in passes...less dropped passes.

So actually -- deflated footballs helped the Pat receivers more than it did Brady himself...but still...if done game after game...result?...a much higher completion %

More statistical research needed:

Like:
Did Patriot dropped passes suddenly decline 2007-2014 to complement sudden fumble-free football?
Secondly, did Patriots' fumble-free football ONLY apply to RB & WR since 2007 (using possible deflated footballs?) Or, if it was better quality ball-handlers, did the fumble-free football carry over to the special teams since 2007?

27 posted on 02/18/2015 1:17:36 PM PST by Colofornian (When the Truth can hurt you, you do everything you can to keep the Truth from light of day...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

28 posted on 02/18/2015 1:18:55 PM PST by SWAMPSNIPER (The Second Amendment, a Matter of Fact, Not A Matter of Opinion)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Colofornian
The New England Patriots’ prevention of fumbles is nearly impossible.
29 posted on 02/18/2015 1:21:30 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
But our top story -- the NFL hates gays and native americans, and treats black players as if they're plantation slaves.

30 posted on 02/18/2015 1:23:38 PM PST by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: timestax
 photo 1a366f8b-54b9-4488-a605-ecf9507e9b05_zpsbdduy8ej.jpg
31 posted on 02/18/2015 1:25:57 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

So he’s the one being thrown under the bus? Better check the air in those tires.


32 posted on 02/18/2015 1:28:32 PM PST by Not A Snowbird (Win or Lose, Still a "12"!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: piytar
Belichick wore a Gadsen Tshirt. Of course the leftscum are going after him.

Also the Patriots were "exposed" as one of the teams with the highest percentage of white players, or interpreted the MSM way, the lowest percentage of negro players.

33 posted on 02/18/2015 1:31:48 PM PST by doorgunner69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: doorgunner69
 photo 74908231-e48c-4699-8550-5e267ea30f3f_zpsalj5vjv5.jpg
34 posted on 02/18/2015 1:32:49 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper; All
Great link...

The writer there also asks:

...or perhaps they’ve intentionally stocked their skill positions with players who don’t have a propensity to fumble.

Well, there IS a way to statistically analyze this:

The 8 footballs per game used in special teams are used by both teams...much less likely to be "cooked"...and at least won't be "cooked" favorably to either team...

If the Pats suddenly came up with players with significantly less likelihood of fumbling, it would have carried over into the punt returners & kickoff returners.

So, statistically: Did that happen ... especially to the same % we see by the Patriot backfield?

Those stats are out there? Who can mine them? (The NFL could...if it wanted to)

35 posted on 02/18/2015 1:36:09 PM PST by Colofornian (When the Truth can hurt you, you do everything you can to keep the Truth from light of day...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: timestax
 photo 276d360c-8417-47a0-8515-bca5d4e57a8f_zpsoej02vwr.png
36 posted on 02/18/2015 1:37:09 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper
NFL investigators have already interviewed McNally in connection with the incident. McNally has yet to comment on the situation. It’s unclear if McNally is the same Patriots locker room attendant who purportedly removed the Patriots’ approved game balls from the locker room and brought them to a nearby bathroom for 90 seconds at some point before kickoff, as Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported and Pro Football Talk later confirmed.

37 posted on 02/18/2015 1:38:13 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: timestax
 photo 59cc027f-9735-4220-a1e1-72c791de26ff_zpsas0lkaud.jpg

38 posted on 02/18/2015 1:39:20 PM PST by timestax (American Media = Domestic Enemy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

The Patriots are the perfect super bowl champion for modern day America. Cheat, lie, and steal your way to the top. Deny, deny, deny that you knew anything, did anything, or got caught and wait for the media and public to lose interest and wander off. We can thank Bill Clinton for opening the door on acceptance of this type of behavior. In the end, the Patriots light up a celebration cigar, laugh at getting by with it and know that at the most they will get a slap on the wrist from the NFL.


39 posted on 02/18/2015 1:43:56 PM PST by Gen-X-Dad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Colofornian

I’m very curious if anybody knows - which balls are used on 4th down? Are they standard game balls, or are they K balls?


40 posted on 02/18/2015 1:44:37 PM PST by lacrew (5th)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson