Quote:
Originally Posted by dyna mo
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.
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From what I know the Colts complained about the balls the week before the game where the Pats got caught with the deflated balls, but if I understand correctly, they didn't complain to the league they told the coaches on the Ravens' team to complain about it and that is what they did. (I just read what you posted above. If the league knew weeks before, I don't know why they didn't act other than it is Brady and he is NFL Golden Boy).
Here is why I think they cheat. Part of it is that they know they can get away with it. They have been caught in the past doing worse and got barely a slap on the wrist so I feel they likely felt a little bulletproof. Now, it turned out they didn't need it in the game against the Ravens, but lets just say the game was a lot closer. Let's say the Pats are down by 2 with 45 seconds left and it is pouring rain. On third and long Brady throws a perfect pass over the middle that is caught for first down. They then run the ball twice and kick a field goal to win the game as the clock expires. If the slightly deflated ball helped him grip the wet ball better and throw it better in those shitty conditions then it may have been the reason the pass was a completion and that one completed pass wins them the game. If its the game against the Ravens it sends them to the Super Bowl which potentially helps Brady make millions more in endorsement deals.
If he gets caught he will deny everything and assume the punishment won't be that big of a deal. At the end of the day he gets to keep the millions that cheating played a role in him getting and he goes home at night and bangs Giselle. So why not do it?
Also, as far as I know Belichick wasn't involved in anything with the deflated balls, but if they want to punish the team, why not take away their "genius" leader. Pay him as normal, but make the team play a season without him.