In the AFC Championship game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots it was discovered that some of the footballs were under-inflated, based on the NFL regulations. If you don't know or haven't been following the biggest story leading up to the Super Bowl, NFL footballs are required to be inflated between 12.5 pounds per square inch (psi) and 13.5 psi per the rules of the game. 11 of New England's 12 footballs were found to be below the required 12.5 psi by about 10-15%. Let me say that again 11 of the 12 footballs were under-inflated. That is not a mistake, two or three could be seen as a mistake, but not 11.
Each team is given 12 footballs per game to be used while they are on offense during the game. The balls are marked with the specific team's logo to ensure that the offense is using the balls that are to their liking. This preparation is all determined by the starting quarterback of the team, since he's the one that is in control of the football most every play from scrimmage. Some quarterbacks like the football to be a little stiffer, some a little softer. A softer, or under-inflated football is easier to grip and can be squeezed for even more control over the football. An over-inflated ball is more like a rock. It doesn't give as much when squeezed, is harder to catch, and a little harder to control. In cold, wet weather, when hands are cold, like it was in New England when the AFC Championship game was played, it's even more of an advantage to have better grip. Rock hard footballs hitting cold hands hurt to catch. If a running back can squeeze the football better, it'll be more secure in the tuck while running, giving him more confidence that he won't fumble the ball when hit. This allows him to run into contact, running over players, with less fear of turning the ball over.
New England under-inflating their footballs gave them an advantage. If there were no advantage to the psi of the footballs, there wouldn't be a regulation in the NFL rule book regarding such things. Under-inflated footballs are easier to throw; catch; and tuck and run. Some bring up the argument that this is all just stupid and useless since the Patriots won by a landslide, 45-7, and the under-inflated footballs didn't matter. Or that the inflation problem was corrected at halftime, and the Patriots went on a 28-0 run in the second half, playing better than in the first half, therefore the under-inflated footballs didn't play a part in aiding the Patriots in victory. I say they're missing the point.
I could argue that the Patriots could have and probably beat the Colts without the under-inflated footballs. Clearly, they didn't believe the same thing. The reason someone cheats, or skirts the rules, in the sports world is to gain an advantage and ultimately win a game. In this case, the game to be won was the AFC Championship game and with a victory, make it to the Super Bowl. Job done. The Patriots did win while using methods outside the rules. They cheated and won. I would say they should have to forfeit the game, but that will never happen. Probably, the most that will happen is a fine to the team and maybe take away some draft picks. Slap on the wrist. The Patriots cheated to get into the Super Bowl, and they're there, again. Any discipline to come their way doesn't matter and won't even be enough to deter them, or any other team, from trying the same thing or something else along the same lines. Forcing a forfeit would be a big enough deterrent, but again, that will never happen.
Depending on who's at fault, which is unknown at this time, that person may be suspended for the Super Bowl, or fired. I can speculate on who's at fault, but it would just be that, speculation. Let's start down that road with Tom Brady. The Patriots starting quarterback (who as stated before, is seriously involved in preparing the footballs for game day) laughed at questions regarding football pressure on his radio show on WEEI in Boston. When I heard it, the host was asking in a joking manner, and Brady seemed to laugh as to avoid seriously answering the question, which was really posed as rhetorical anyway. Brady is on record as saying that he likes his footballs at 12.5 psi, the minimum allowed by the league, and that the equipment manager knows how he likes the ball, and that's the way he gets them, "the way [he] likes them".
That brings us to the Patriots' equipment manager. He is the one that actually roughs up the footballs, inflates them, preparing them for the game. However, he would prepare them "the way [the quarterback] likes them", in this case, Tom Brady. In my mind, it's doubtful that the equipment manager under-inflated the balls on his own. He might be wrapped up in the win-at-all-costs environment that the head coach, Bill Belichick, has established during the "Spygate" scandal that happened in 2007. (Sorry, I wasn't blogging then so I didn't write anything about it.) The equipment manager knows that Brady likes the football at the limit, so why not push that limit a little lower and see what can pass without being noticed. I guess minus two psi got noticed.
Which brings us to Bill Belichick, the Patriots' head coach. According to Belichick, he knows nothing about the pressure of the footballs used in the games and has never talked to anyone about it. This is the line he kinda has to say, since, well if he came out and said, "Yeah, I knew. I asked them to deflate the balls after the refs checked them before the game, so that we could have an advantage." That would not go over well. Especially since they already had sanctions given to them in 2007 for "Spygate". Belichick is seen as a football genius who thinks outside the box, pushes the limits, and wins. This is why I think he knew, something at least, even though he passed the buck to Tom Brady in his press conference.
So it's down to those three: Tom Brady, the equipment manager, or Bill Belichick. My pick is some combination of all of them. I guess the owner, Robert Kraft, could be involved too, but that's more unlikely. Either way, they cheated, they won, they made it to the Super Bowl, and no one is going to take that away from them, just like they wanted.
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