1/22/15 4:23 PM

When they inflate and measure the footballs, surely they do so inside in warm environs. How much pressure is lost in much colder temps? Significant? For high pressure bike tires it is and much larger volume car tires, in my experience. Btw, I have little doubt there was human, not weather/temperature in the change of pressure in the Pats AFC championship game.

1/22/15 4:26 PM

Lance consulted on the football pressures I bet. ;)

1/22/15 6:48 PM

From my nephew a professional comedian.

"The Patriots must have consulted with Lance Armstrong to find out how to win using a deflated ball"

His delivery is much better than the typed word and has worked in NYC more than 2 dozen times in the last year and a half. Opened for Chris Rock about 6 months ago.

1/22/15 7:27 PM

Hmm, in that same vein (or maybe it was the other), Lance consulted the team ball boy on how to win using a needle....

1/22/15 8:42 PM

quote:

---

How much pressure is lost in much colder temps?

---

1/22/15 8:50 PM

Temperature was 51* F.

1/22/15 9:46 PM

The big issue is Indy's balls lost no pressure. I think Pat's defenders are out of excuses.

1/23/15 6:28 AM

Talk about your classic "tempest in a teapot"...

Is anyone actually going to claim that it made a difference in a game that they won by 38 points? Moreover, the pressure issue was detected in the first half and the balls were exchanged (or properly inflated, I'm not sure which) before the start of the second half. The Pats blew the game apart in the 3rd quarter, using the properly inflated balls.

Yes, this is a very weird situation and it does raise questions:
- How did this happen?
- Who did it?
- Why would someone do something like this, knowing that any advantage gained would likely be minuscule, especially in a game they expected to win big.

However, it had no effect on the game or its outcome, something that several Colts players and staff have pointed out.

It does point out the need for a rule change, as seems pretty ridiculous for the officials to check the balls, then leave them with the teams. Considering that they're the ones substituting the balls during the game, it makes more sense for them to be responsible for them and their security.

1/23/15 8:35 AM

I ask wondering if a significant amount of deflation occurs with a happens all the time due to natural causes, i.e. cold weather. If so, then exactly ---> who cares.

On the other hand, Bill Belichick has become the Richard Nixon of the NFL. With all of his success, why would one resort to such trivial, unnecessary tactics, with emphasis on the plural, that have such huge negative consequences? (rhetorically asked). Another example of even brilliant minds can be subject to stupid decision making...

1/23/15 11:24 AM

Inflation had no impact on result. Then again, if you hold up a liquor store but don't get any money, isn't it still a robbery? Are ethics not result independent?

1/23/15 11:24 AM

Where is Dave Stoler when you need him?

1/23/15 1:45 PM

Of course ethics matter, Milhous, but letting air out of a football is not nearly the ethical equivalent of armed robbery. I'm just questioning if there is any competitive advantage to do so when the weather would take care of the task.

The NFL rulebook has no rule about adjusting the ball pressure due to differences in outdoor & indoor temperatures or where such pressure should be measured. It is very specific about ball pressure and other details like how they are handled before and during the game. Assuming the pressure difference is significant, then are each cold weathered NFL teams ethically challenged for gaming the (incomplete) tire pressure rule?

The one thing I dislike about the NFL is that there are too many darn rules. (Dez Bryant's catch a couple of weeks ago sure looked like a catch to me) I remember as a kid being able to master them with my football rule encyclopedia book in hand. It was a lot then, many years ago. Now, with such growth, forget about it. Even at times, the refs get confused, too.

1/23/15 8:45 PM

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/01/22/deflategate-overkill-video-shows-what-pats-fans-think/

1/24/15 6:05 AM

Not everyone in Maine is a Pats fan (scroll down):

http://m.wmtw.com/news/lepage-slams-patriots-over-deflated-footballs/30862354

1/25/15 10:40 AM

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-live/watch/bill-belichick--patriots-followed--every-rule--388724803827

It seems to me that they went the extra mile to try to get to the bottom of this and it all seems completely plausible. The only real issue is that the NFL is dragging their feet on making a statement and until that happens, this won't be over. Actually, it will never be completely over, because Patriots haters will never let go of anything. Speaking of which, I thought Belichick handled the one question about "spygate" very well.

Hopefully, they'll dominate the game next Sunday in a neutral environment, Pats fans will be rejoicing and the haters will be left with egg on their faces.

Yes, I am admittedly partisan on this issue. "Move along, there's nothing to see here."

LePage is just another moronic dickhead who's convicting the organization before the facts are even in. Really, how stupid is it for any politician to get involved in something at trivial as this? Screw him, Troy Aikman and the rest of these idiots.

1/25/15 11:15 AM

Perhaps the Pats did not go out of their way to let air out of the footballs. While I have not followed every detail closely, there is one lingering detail that makes me skeptical: there was no problem with the Colts' stock of footballs that day. They were also inspected, too, after the discrepancy was noticed with the Pats' stock of balls.

http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/so-were-the-colts-footballs-deflated-as-well-because-that-would-explain-a-lot/
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1/25/15 12:11 PM

I have not read/seen but will assume the balls were legal prior/onset to the game. They were not @ the half from what I read.

I find it most likely 'unlikely' this was mechanically done live and during the game. Which leaves me with an assumption that possibly/probably there was a gas involved when inflated initially. A mix perhaps which like the mini whippet tanks to inflate bike tires leaches out at a faster rate?

So, does the NFL at some point have the balls brought un-inflated and get inflated at game time?

Or is my theory under inflated?

As far as impacting the score: If the balls got inflated to regulation @ the 1/2, maybe the PATs would have scored better in the 1st 1/2 with the proper inflation??

<img src="http://coupekiss.host-ed.me/images/ttf/COLTS_PATS.jpg">

1/26/15 5:57 AM

...what we don't know is what pressure they were inflated to initially. Some QBs like the ball inflated to the max or above. For example, Aaron Rodgers has admitted that he prefers the ball overinflated.

As for Brady, he should probably find out what pressure the officials set the balls at for the second half, since it obviously worked for him!

What should happen after all of this is that the league should make the officials responsible for setting the pressure to a fixed standard after the teams do whatever breaking-in process they do. The teams should not be allowed to touch the game balls after that point, period. That way, there can be no confusion and no advantage or disadvantage to either team.

I made sure that my 29er's tires were well above the league's maximum (double, in-fact) before we hit the woods yesterday, though Linda's fat bike tires were less than 1/3 of the minimum. Fortunately, there weren't any officials around... ;-)

1/26/15 1:27 PM

The Colt's footballs were within spec - that is below the maximum pressure allowed by rule.

50 degree weather is not cold enough to reduce the pressure significantly.

Put the ball under a towel and stick a pin in the valve to bleed off some air is not too difficult to do and no one will be suspiciousof the towel wrap on a wet day.

Do the Pats and Goodel really think the public is that gulible?

1/26/15 2:13 PM

"Do the Pats and Goodel really think the public is that gulible?"

Just picture tricky Dick's face saying he is not a criminal.

Answer is; 'they are counting on it'.

Last edited by Sparky on 1/26/15 4:29 PM; edited 1 time in total

1/26/15 2:57 PM

Tom Brady Tells Us How He Picks His Balls