Yeah, because where else can one find nekkid pictures of Giselle? :-)
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Some excuse is better than no excuse! :-)
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I don't think it "tarnishes the status of a Super Bowl" one bit. AFTER the balls were noticed and inflated to within regulations the Pat's scored 28 unanswered points while shutting out the Colts. So it appears that the only time the Colts had a chance was when improper balls were in play. They should have kept their mouths shut and maybe they wouldn't have gotten utterly dominated in the second half. :-)

I really don't know why people take this stuff so seriously.
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This is a very interesting read, while I doesn't say the Pats are the only cheaters, it points that they could very well be the best at cheating, the interesting bit to me was the lack of Patriots fumbles from 2007 on. In 2006 the league changed the rules with the team on offense supplying the balls home and away, Manning and Brady both pushed for this as well as other players, so this isn't "oh the Patriots only wanted it for this reason", that aside, the number of fumbles SINCE that rule change for the Pats are almost impossibly low, this was also their run as a dynasty, the team that wins the turnover battle usually come out on top, as proven.

Excellent quick read and the links off to stats, etc.,


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-them-a-target

Link to the Patriots stats on turnovers..

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports...er_a_2006.html



Spoiler- Remember 2007 is when the offense started to supply their own footballs.

Image
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You gotta keep in mind, though, that Belichek is utterly unforgiving of fumblers. Everyone on that team knows that if they put the ball on the ground they may not touch it again for weeks.
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Again with the math? Jiminy crickets.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ab8BOu4LE
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That is not the point!!!
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That MUST be it.

I suspect in that case, that the numbers won't change in the next couple of seasons. :-)
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SO let me start this with I am a Colts fan. I agree it doesnt tarnish the outcome of the game, or the Superbowl.

The issue in question is the integrity of the administration and more importantly the players who represent the NFL and are role models to future players and children. Are we letting these people tell them as long as they can figure out a way to get away with it then its ok to cheat? Do we allow them to teach our future that it isnt illegal unless you get caught? That there are no consequences for your actions?

Maybe Shannon Sharpe's analysis that if it was a mediocre player on a non-championship team in a smaller market the league would throw the book at him, but since it isnt they will likely slap his wrists and send him on his way.

I think overturning the win is out of line but I also think ignoring it is out of line.
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Yes! Yes! What about the children?!
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"Integrity of the administration"? You mean the NFL administration that would have swept the Ray Rice incident under the table if it hadn't been for TMZ getting the footage? Yeah, they're a beacon of integrity. And I could type dozens of more examples, but won't waste my time. People either realize that the "Integrity of the administration" is a joke or willfully turn a blind eye to it so they can continue to enjoy football.

I know that I'm a cynical bastage, but I find it hard to believe that people actually think professional sports leagues act out of anything except for self-interest. I hate to burst people's bubbles, but when BILLIONS of dollars are at stake, people look for any advantage they can get. Hell, people will do that when hundreds of dollars are at stake.

And maybe it's my cynicism at work again, but when incidents occur - like Brady's Balls (phrasing) and there's an outcry of naive, self-righteous indignation over it, I can only shake my head at the cognitive dissonance that people engage in in order to avoid the truth about their favorite sport. Ray Lewis knows who savagely murdered two men, yet won't divulge that information to police in order to give the families of the slain closure and peace. Yet Ravens fans just kept cheering him on as he did his stupid, spastic dance before games. I found that disgusting. Ravens fans didn't...or did, yet wouldn't admit it to themselves as long as Lewis kept playing well.

Aaron Rodgers flat-out bragged about sneaking over-inflated balls into games. Unlike the NFL report on Brady with its constant use of "probably", and "perhaps", and "may have", and "possibly", Rodgers is unequivocally guilty of the infraction you all seem so upset about (lawsuits? REALLY?!?). No one cares. Packers fans on this board, do you care? Packers fans' response.

As for "role models", I'll defer to George Carlin: "If your kid needs a role model and you ain't it, you're both ----ed."

If truly guilty, should Brady be punished? Sure. But to be blunt, some of the punishments people in this thread are advocating are utterly ridiculous (lifetime ban? REALLY?!?).

And, with that, I think I'm done with this topic. No offense meant to anyone, and peace...
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The penalties should reflect the Pats as a whole, not Tom Brady. Draft pick and a fine is appropriate.
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Yes I mean the NFL administration. They are the ones that will suspend a player for 4 games then 10 then lifetime for smoking a joint "because it presents the wrong image to our youth." Ricky Williams suspensions. I also understand that when there is $$ involved whether it be $ or $$$$$$ corruption is inevitable. I just want the NFL to act within reasonable bounds across the board. If drug use is against the law and warrants a 4 game suspension then ignoring a different rule printed in the same rule book should warrant a like penalty. I also agree those crying for a lifetime ban or suspension or hanging or firing squad need to take a vallium and reflect a little bit on reality. Finally no matter what anyone does children have hero's and role models besides their parents especially in this day of sensationalizing everything. My kids think their parents are their role models and then still have sports heroes they follow and whether I like to admit it or not they do impact their lives to some degree.

Maybe I am just the oddity that sees both sides of this and thinks the extremes to both sides are wrong.
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Right or wrong, problem is outside of a New England fan, the world seems to hate Brady. As much as I am on that majority side, repeated winners are hated. Repeated winners that are cheaters are hated yet more. Few outside a New England fan is sad by this development/findings.
As much as I am a Yankees fan, A-Rod is a cheater. Can't defend or respect him, regardless of level of punishment dished to him.
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We can't have anyone that much better than anyone else, can we? :-)

Small people HATE to see others achieve because it diminishes them by comparison. It's Communist; you know, a hive mentality. No one must stand out. No one should be allowed any more honors than his brother. Everything belongs to the collective, body and soul, like insects. So what happens? Brady will be destroyed by the collective for his greatness and nothing more. They're like the football equivalent of Antonio Salieri. History has demonstrated many times before that collective mediocrity will always try to destroy individual greatness; not unlike the James Caan character in "Rollerball". And again I ask: what about the under-inflated game balls of Indianapolis that day?
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The Borg. Ugh. I hate those hive bastages.
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The nail the sticks out must be banged back down...
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The Steelers won plenty of Superbowls and most people LOVE Bradshaw, he's a lovable country bumpkin with smoking hot daughters, I think the point is people see Brady as coddled and treated with white kid gloves. Tom got hurt change the rules, speaking of which is the tuck rule even a rule anymore, I think they used it for that one game and got rid of it, but it was more than enough to save the Patriots asses in that game.
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Yeeah, we're not very "bumpkin-ish" up here but it sounds to me like it's just personal animosity. Take a look at "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand and you'll see what I mean by my earlier statement.

One of the problems I have with football, in general; too many rule changes. Baseball changes rules about once every 45 years. Honestly, I don't think Football will survive with the lawsuits viz. head trauma and the like; it's too damned dangerous to avoid liability. Parents will eventually refuse to let their kids play and the schools will likely shut down programs as well; also to avoid liability. Little kids are getting their bells rung pretty badly and pediatricians are speaking out about it, loudly. Think about how that plays in court. Without new players to step up, the sport dies. We are a litigious society.
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