News Article: Tom Brady likely knew of 'inappropriate activities,' Deflategate report says

Let me clear a couple of misconceptions up.

1) My mind is hardly made up conclusively.

As a person who works in laboratory science, I kind of have this prejudice in the general direction of the EVIDENCE. There's a reason you're permitted to cross exam but here's my only thing - cross exam on the basis of the EVIDENCE, not on crap like "they'd already prejudged and then did X." That's a proper CONCLUSION if you can substantiate it as more likely than the alternative but this whole "they hate us because they ain't us" suggestion by Pats fans and others is as ridiculous as the assumption by haters that they cheated.

2) There are legitimate things that CAN be pointed out. That's not really my point.

If you had an opinion on this issue and you haven't bothered to read the actual investigation, your OPINION is NOT based upon the investigation, it is based on either ignorance, religious-based faith, hearsay, or sound bites.

I realize we live in the digital age where every opinion is somehow equal but everyone ought to know that isn't true. I take more than a tiny bit of offense when people comment upon religious topics of which they are appallingly ignorant....but since it's religion, it's somehow okay!!! People committing basic Greek word fallacies (illegitimate totality transfer and root word fallacies are my fave) because they're looking for a way of saying "the Bible doesn't actually say X, well it does, but it 'really means' Y." Theories with no basis in reality by non-scholars treated as "great finds," which is why I get a little ticked every Christmas and Easter when the mags all come out with their 'new shocking revelation' about Christianity that is never even new nor shocking at all.

I don't comment upon legal things here because we have lawyers here and I'm so far out of my league it isn't funny. But I can LISTEN and try to LEARN. If you have a problem with the conclusions, argue the methods and the science, NOT ridiculous stuff like "the league hates the Patriots" or vice versa.

Goodell could NEVER have wanted this in a million years. Why would you want to suggest the current champion is TAINTED? Why? Nobody would want that.

I would again remind everyone of the Trayvon Martin thread and all the back-tracking that had to go on as we learned more.

selmaborntidefan said:

1) My mind is hardly made up conclusively.
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selmaborntidefan said:

If you read the report there is NO DOUBT he did it. NONE.

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2003TIDE said:

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And I have also clearly stated in THE REST OF THE POST

selmaborntidefan said:

Let me clear a couple of misconceptions up.

As a person who works in laboratory science, I kind of have this prejudice in the general direction of the EVIDENCE.

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Conclusions are subject to reversal if EVIDENCE overturns the situation. This is the way it ought to be with everybody.

You have to ADDRESS SPECIFIC THINGS rather than provide an "alternative narrative less probable" to vindicate the situation.

Note that my caveat is contained in the opening words:

If you read the report

People here are making up there minds based NOT on the reading of the report but on their hunches. Things like "well balls deflate in the cold" and "there wasn't time to do it" are addressed. The NFL hired an outside scientist to conduct the experiment with a PhD in Physics.

Now, if you want to go find where he's blundered through things before - GO RIGHT AHEAD!!!! That's a valid way to address the issue. But at this point we have a guy who said he peed in a urinal in a bathroom that didn't have one.....one where he took the footballs in and for the first time in a referee's 19-year career someone vanished with the footballs, the air deflation (apparently) violates the "ideal gas law," it's proven Brady knows someone he said he didn't and has contact with the guy suddenly after six months, all of a sudden the Patriots get cold feet and don't produce McNally for the follow-up after being so open with it, etc, etc.

Remember - it's not the piece by piece "divide and conquer" that's the problem - it's the ENTIRE THING viewed as whole that is the problem. But I see no need to view exonerating evidence through the eyes of "it will fit this paradigm," either.

At this point, evidence shows it was done and who had to do it. (I don't consider the term "the Deflator" in and of itself to be a major issue, which of course is why TV is making a big deal about it).

It is sort of comical, though. I only watch NFL playoff games if I'm even interested in the teams or then the Super Bowl; I gave up otherwise years ago (probably due to the Falcons being perpetually terrible or blowing it when they were good).

Let me make one more point here, this one from my skeptical side........if this was the only time McNally did this (disappeared with the footballs) then.....doesn't that sort of argue AGAINST the idea that there's some sort of plot here? This may indeed be a one-time thing but the Indy argument doesn't contemplate that. It also seems to me that the NFL is now going to have to offset this the same way they did screwed up coin tosses - by changing how it is done and logging onto sheets actual information. With calibrated gauges no less, which is another problem with it.

Right now, I don't know who is more ridiculous - the Patriots nuts who sound like Oliver Stone with their "haters" accusations and the absurdly ridiculous (and seemingly adopted from Auburn University) mantra of "the whole world hates us"...........................or the Patriots bashers who think pointing to the low number of fumbles since 2007 somehow proves the ball is deflated. The KC Chiefs of 2002 set an NFL season record that still stands with only seven fumbles (four lost) in a 16-game season.

Were they playing with deflated footballs, too? Might I add that Belichick was an assistant coach on the 1990 NY Giants, who set the then record of only 14 fumbles in a season? Or was he deflating the ball back then?

Why not let each team furnish their own balls and who cares how much air is in it?

My brother, the news producer, just said about the smartest thing I've heard regarding this investigation:

"Look, the balls were out of regulation, and that's an equipment violation. That'll be $25,000. Now let's get ready for training camp."

selmaborntidefan said:

My brother, the news producer, just said about the smartest thing I've heard regarding this investigation:

"Look, the balls were out of regulation, and that's an equipment violation. That'll be $25,000. Now let's get ready for training camp."

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What about the Colts balls being out of regulation?

By the way, I agree with your brother's point of view.

selmaborntidefan said:

My brother, the news producer, just said about the smartest thing I've heard regarding this investigation:

"Look, the balls were out of regulation, and that's an equipment violation. That'll be $25,000. Now let's get ready for training camp."

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I agree completely. I'm a Packers fan and don't care about Tom Brady or the Patriots one way or the other. I was glad that Dont'a Hightower got a ring, though. This whole thing has been blown way out of proportion, IMO.

Tide1986 said:

What about the Colts balls being out of regulation?

By the way, I agree with your brother's point of view.

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A fair enough point. My immediate thought at the time except we do know that according to the ref, the Colts balls were ALL at 13.0 and (presumably) within range of the IGL. Then again - without the investigation you don't know that.

But it IS comical I must admit. It's a sort of Inspector Clouseau investigates Physics.

selmaborntidefan said:

My brother, the news producer, just said about the smartest thing I've heard regarding this investigation:

"Look, the balls were out of regulation, and that's an equipment violation. That'll be $25,000. Now let's get ready for training camp."

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Scott Van Pelt had the best answer to that. Brady couldn't admit any wrongdoing because the internet mob that likes to see someone crucified for any wrongdoing would demand Roger suspend him for the Super Bowl.

By Brady not simply saying "I like the balls at the bare minimum," the entire organization had to go on the defensive (ala Auburn and Cam). I'm sure part of the 4 game suspension is for not fully cooperating with Ted Wells, but the NFL didn't provide the details for the 4 games.


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The penalties are wacky.

The Pat's are fined 1 mil. and 2 draft choices. BUT, they are off the hook for 1/4th of TB's salary, which will be at least 5 mil. so they actually gain in the deal.

Seems to me Brady got a raw deal.

Bamaro said:

They are not off the hook as they also lose his abilities.

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and their first 4 games aren't easy either. they could very well start off 0-4

RTR91 said:

Scott Van Pelt had the best answer to that. Brady couldn't admit any wrongdoing because the internet mob that likes to see someone crucified for any wrongdoing would demand Roger suspend him for the Super Bowl.

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Van Pelt is a moron if he actually said that. Does anyone REALLY think Goodell would do that even in response to "the Internet mob?" Aside from which, I'm sure the NFLPA would sue him if he did. It's generally understood that post-season is separate from regular season in sports - which is why Bert Campaneris was NOT suspended for the 1972 World Series after throwing his bat at Lerrin LaGrow and why Roberto Alomar's suspension for spitting on umpire John Hirschbeck was put off until the next year. It's sort of understood that it's not really fair - much more so in football and esp the QB.

RTR91 said:

By Brady not simply saying "I like the balls at the bare minimum," the entire organization had to go on the defensive (ala Auburn and Cam). I'm sure part of the 4 game suspension is for not fully cooperating with Ted Wells, but the NFL didn't provide the details for the 4 games.


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I have a hunch this is going to get cut in at least half.

DzynKingRTR said:

and their first 4 games aren't easy either. they could very well start off 0-4

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They could beat Jacksonville with yours truly at QB.

You know the odd thing is that jay barker said this isn't a new thing. Qbs have been doing this since joe Namath. So .....

Bamaro said:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/28/us/tom-brady-deflategate-suspension-upheld/

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I think that was the second worst decision goddell has made in his career. Brady will most likely win in court like all the others. Should've reduced it to two games and not risked court.