NFL 2014
- Thread starter Nick M
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Yep.
Outside of New England, Tom Brady will be held in the same regard as Barry Bonds and A-Rod.
so why don't you talk about them?
so
outside of spygate and ballgate
what do we have on the patriots?
seriously
outside of spygate and ballgate
what do we have on the patriots?
seriously
I will. I think Brady plays the game as well as anybody in my brief 41 years of existence. You saw the numbers he put up with Randy Moss.
Back to Montana for a second and how had great players around him. Well, the team was not stacked man for man like Dallas in the 90's. And he had to get through Ditka and Bears, Taylor and Parcells in New York, Joe Gibbs's Redskins just to get to the Super Bowl. So I probably still have Montana number 1. But Brady is in that discussion.
The evidence is the balls that were checked, then put back into the custody of the Pats and then, inside the game, came up short. So there's no disputing a rule violation happened and it happened on their watch while they had possession and responsibility. We know everything but who. That alone gives the commissioner a green light, though more of one against the organization.
I suspect the inability of the league to find that out won't save the Pats from some action post Super Bowl. The Saints lost a head coach for a year and there wasn't a bit of evidence he had any hand in or knew about the defensive bounty bit. The gist was that he should have known what was going on, but that was a broader problem. This one could be hidden from the coach by as few as two people. How is he supposed to know?
Tom...Tom is a harder sell, though I'll try that in a moment.
You're just being a fan. Wear, don't eat the beanie. :chuckle:
Here's a bone of contention I have with the league office: dragging out the process and "interviews" when they likely know all they're going to, interrupting the process of preparing for a Super Bow for one team doesn't seem fair.
Now before anyone cries, "They brought it on themselves" remember that all we can know is that someone, maybe as few as two or even (if less likely) one person did this and what if, for the sake of argument, the head "whatever they call whoever is responsible for the balls" knew about Tom liking underinflated balls and did something to help his qb on his own. Misguided, cheating, but then not really anyone else's fault because who else would know, absent accidental discovery, except Tom...and possibly not even Tom (I'll get to it).
Is it plausible? Well, it's possible. As for Aikman and other qbs who've been pretty clear that a qb handling a ball with up to two lbs per of air missing would know it and in light of Tom's earlier stated preference that seems to raise the likelihood of that...how could Brady have said the balls seemed fine to him?
Well, a couple of possible explanations. For one, he pulled a Clinton. Because it's unlikely he physically did the deed or knew precisely when it was done and "fine" isn't a comment on their inflation. He could be just fine with an underinflated ball. Another possibility is that it may be something that's been done routinely and in the "lone, well meaning wolf" scenario he wouldn't notice because the guy has been at it for a while. Or maybe Tom only thinks he knows the difference but isn't as sensitive to it as he thinks (thus his earlier comment).
At any rate it's a case I wouldn't mind defending before the commissioner. I think an aggressive defense could make the case for nominal team sanction.
Won't disagree there at all.
Anyway, the Gronk comment was about the stupidest thing I'd read in a while. Not even Sherman would run his mouth on that count and some small cog is screaming for grease?
He'd better be careful what he asks for.
Assuming they were properly checked, of course. But I'll cede this much: Something weird happened probably while in Pats custody.
The whole ignorance is no excuse bit will probably come back into play, I figure. Goodell's friendship with Kraft will, oddly, probably factor into the sanctions being tougher than you'd expect. No pretense of favoritism and all that.
Extremely...
Look, if they have the Pats dead to rights, at least let us know. This is bollocks.
Here's what I think is a very plausible scenario: A ball guy knows how #12 likes em, puts them at the very edge of what's acceptable...and then says to hell with it. Leak it a bit. The poor schmuck probably thought he was doing Brady a favor.
Heat of the moment, championship game, lots on his mind, and yes, it could happen. He's not back there cradling the thing. His typical release is what, less than two seconds?
Yes. I think a lone wolf thing is the more likely situation, even though it will bring down the wrath of the league.
Takes nothing away from the team in all three phases. Stupid, no doubt. Well meaning? I guess. But completely daft. A conspiracy? No way. As I said yesterday, I think the Pats are as interested in what happened as anyone else.
That trash talk is going to be worth two touchdowns. Watch.
The NFL finally released a statement the other day. It didn't say much, but one of the things it did note was that the balls had been checked prior to the half time checking. So the foundation for control/responsibility is being put out. Where they go, how hard they come down is another matter, but they're putting the plate on the table.
Maybe. I don't agree with Aikman that sanctions should be harsher than those meted out against the Saints. I think infractions have to be weighed on their own merits and prior bad acts, outside of the demonstrably habitual, shouldn't enter into it, unless you have a player or organization on some sort of probationary period. Else, where do you break the line at tolling?
And the most you can say about this is there was an apparently unsuccessful attempt to gain a relatively slight advantage. It's no where near a conspiracy to routinely violate the letter and spirit of the law in a way that endangers physical safety and even careers. So he's nuts on that count, to my mind.
I'd sit Brady down for a few games early on and hit them with a draft pick loss. That would hurt, but wouldn't kill a season over nada. I don't see how Bill could be expected to know something that could isolate, again, to one or two people. Hitting him with anything would seem unfair.
This really bothers me with its impact and the near dead certainty that they know everything they're going to. Just say here's what will happen next year and let everyone get on with it. Because you can't penalize the Pats within the context of the Super Bowl without damaging the championship game.
Wouldn't surprise me, but Tom knew, had to really given he's stated he can tell, which is the only way you can announce a preference. I think he should have had better counsel on his press conference...now if he talks to the commissioner and says it a little differently behind closed doors...as in, "Sure, I noticed the balls seemed easier to handle, but I knew they'd been tested because they always are and I didn't know anyone had monkeyed with them so as far as I knew they were just on the low side of legal".
That might get him a stern rebuke for not at least looking into it, but it would be hard to counter. I mean, who can tell the difference between the marginal push from low acceptable to low actionable?
And that's why the Pats should have hired me before anyone said anything.
I don't think it's something that would have occurred to more than a couple of people. No, a conspiracy would be reaching. And it's really not in the league's best interest to in any way tarnish arguably the best qb of a generation (hey, I said arguably) especially over this sort of thing.
I think one of two things happens. They committee Gronk and Brady tears them up throwing away from him or they single and get cut up that way.
Either way the secondary doesn't decide this one. They have to get serious pressure on Brady. So it's pass rush or bust.
"Pass rush or bust." Ugh. I've seen that before...twice.
Here's the thing.
Someone cheated.
Was it Belichick? No. Was it Brady? No.
But someone did.
I've grappled with this for a few days (as sports fans are wont to do) and I suspect one of two things.
Either the refs totally fouled this one, somehow...or...somebody went rogue.
The rogue theory holds the most water, all things considered. Hard as it is for me to believe that someone under the hoodie's watch went off the reservation, it does appear more and more likely.
For whatever reason I'm reminded of a line from The Screwtape Letters, speaking as it did on a client freshly received into the House of Our Father Below:
I see now I spent my life doing neither what I wanted nor what I ought.
Giving him, as Screwtape helpfully added, the especial clarity hell provides.
Here's the thing.
Someone cheated.
Was it Belichick? No. Was it Brady? No.
But someone did.
I've grappled with this for a few days (as sports fans are wont to do) and I suspect one of two things.
Either the refs totally fouled this one, somehow...or...somebody went rogue.
The rogue theory holds the most water, all things considered. Hard as it is for me to believe that someone under the hoodie's watch went off the reservation, it does appear more and more likely.
For whatever reason I'm reminded of a line from The Screwtape Letters, speaking as it did on a client freshly received into the House of Our Father Below:
I see now I spent my life doing neither what I wanted nor what I ought.
Giving him, as Screwtape helpfully added, the especial clarity hell provides.
I'm sure some, but I doubt that many. Deflated balls on the same level as steroids? :idunno: Unless it comes out there was strong evidence of widespread use of deflated balls.
Tet's one to talk about steroids, Steel Curtain fan he is.:cow:
Arsenios
Well-known member
This is a totally shocking and unacceptable development...
The very idea that the New England PATRIOTS...
The noble SYMBOL of the United States of America...
Would stoop so LOW as to deflate their balls...
Look - I am from Washington State...
We want New England to come to Arizona...
With their balls fully inflated...
How DARE they STEAL our JOY?
We PROMISE to send them home...
With the deflation they so desire...
ComPUCTURation will be our GIFT to them...
No need to sneak around...
Jes' sayin'...
GO HAWKS!
Arsenios
The very idea that the New England PATRIOTS...
The noble SYMBOL of the United States of America...
Would stoop so LOW as to deflate their balls...
Look - I am from Washington State...
We want New England to come to Arizona...
With their balls fully inflated...
How DARE they STEAL our JOY?
We PROMISE to send them home...
With the deflation they so desire...
ComPUCTURation will be our GIFT to them...
No need to sneak around...
Jes' sayin'...
GO HAWKS!
Arsenios
INFLATE THIS.
Arsenios
Well-known member
ComPUNCTion is a good thing...
Needed desperately by all CHEATERS...
Have you noticed the JOY with which the Hawks play?
When an opposing player makes a great play...
They are the first to congratulate them!
Not always well received...
Mind you...
Arsenios
Ain't nothing gonna break my stride
Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh no, I've got to keep on moving
Ain't nothing gonna break my stride,
I'm running and I won't touch ground, oh no, I've got to keep on moving
GRONK: Two TD's.
BLOUNT: Two more on the ground.
Sleep well, Pete.
Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh no, I've got to keep on moving
Ain't nothing gonna break my stride,
I'm running and I won't touch ground, oh no, I've got to keep on moving
GRONK: Two TD's.
BLOUNT: Two more on the ground.
Sleep well, Pete.
Arsenios
Well-known member
No matter what you get...
You will need more...
He's sleepin' like a baby...
Dreams of defenses and offences...
Special teams down and distance...
Sleepin' well, I say!
A.
cheaters never win ? pete carrol has some kind of goofy silly luck. i hope this jinxes him. Go Brady ! ! Patriots ! ! no wait. whoever i root for loses. Go Seahawks ! !
shouldn't it be NFL 2015 now ?
shouldn't it be NFL 2015 now ?
...And winners never cheat (Ps. 73:3, Ps. 94:3, 4, Prov. 24:19).
See:
Only a Fool Envies Fools (right click, open) by Adrian Rogers
i don't really open stuff. i try not to envy anyone. we don't know they cheated, but now it's in their heads. pete probably instigated the investigation. lol -
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