Quote:
Originally Posted by kane
My understanding is that nobody had complained until the week before they were caught so the league wasn't aware this was happening.
As for why he did it, to me that is an easy question. At that level every little thing can make a difference. You can't watch an NFL game without the announcers saying at least a few times things like "It's a game of inches." Or "If he had another half step he would have taken it to the end zone." A quarter of a second can mean the different between a guy catching the ball and getting tackled after a 3 yard gain or a guy running it into the end zone for a touchdown. If those deflated balls allow him to complete just one more pass per game that he otherwise wouldn't have completed, it could have a big outcome.
Personally, I think they should have suspended Brady and Belichick for the entire season and I think they should lose all their draft picks from the next draft. The Patriots have a history of cheating with these two leading the team and they should be punished accordingly. If they want to punish people they should make an example of them that this kind of thing will not be tolerated. As it is, It may not have that much of an effect on the team as a whole.
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i thought i recollected that a player from another team had complained weeks before.
but no, yeah, you know me, you know i understand spectating NFL, so i get the game of inches and every little bit matters. but again, the trivial gain from deflating the balls that are open to inspection that requires a scheme amongst several people has to be perpetrated to deflate the balls, is simply a huge matza ball hanging out there to get busted for.
while i haven't spent the time reading the report, it's my understanding bellichick was not aware and based on that, i don't see the need to punish him. but since the league did make such a big deal of it, i do agree with you that Brady should be suspended an entire season and even banned from Canton. again, they made a big deal out of it and as you say are looking to show no player is immune.