Somehow in this thread I'm both a Pats apologist and attaching myself to a Pats scandal.

Reffing is in a different category though. Everything that happens to the Pats is somehow the biggest deal ever.

People take such an odd line here. I can understand Noze/Saints' fans being a little skiddish of embracing what NO did because the bounty stuff is dangerous, but when it comes to BB cheating stuff, NE fans not embracing it is sort of strange.

You've got a HC and organization that have already been caught cheating, in hilarious fashion, once. Now you've got another fairly clear cut case of cheating and people are acting shocked and trying to defend it.

Embrace that ****. I'd suck a dick for the coach of my team to be smart enough to realize that he could underinflate footballs and 9/10 times nothing would happen (unless you think this is the first time NE ever did this...) or that they could film opponents signals and get away with it. Hell, I'd settle for Pete-level stuff like exploiting the officials lack of desire to call a ton of penalties.

In a while no one is going to care how the Pats got their 4th SB, just that they did. People will joke about asterisks and all that but the trophy gets to hang out in Foxboro just the same.

So you are outraged at Rogers, correct? He admitted he likes to over-inflate his balls, and he hates it when the ref catches it and lets air out.

the Pats are most likely guilty, just like The Packers, and every other team that messes with the footballs to their QBs liking. The NFL should really just cancel the SB to punish the entire league and teach them a lesson.

I hate the Patriots and couldn't give a **** about this. But if it means less media focus on Marshawn Lynch grabbing his penis then I'm all for it.

so you think every other team is screwing with their footballs after inspection to make them well outside the legal range and no one has ever noticed?

of course - im sure teams have noticed. If the Colts don't play NE in the championship game to we ever hear about this? Nope...but I'm sure it keeps happening just like its happened on other teams.

The notion that the NE Patriots are just some weird outlier when multiple pro players have said that QBs and teams are constantly ****ing with their footballs seems pretty nuts to me. The kickers did this like crazy till they took away the ability, even after this QBs and teams will continue to do it unless the NFL takes it away like they did with the kickers

NE may have pushed it more...I'm sure if Brady let it be known he loved a super over inflated ball...the ball boys/equipment dudes would have tried to doctor it that way for him.

Its a multi-billion dollar industry with a ton of rules that are constantly broken or pushed...everyone in the league is ****ing with the integrity of the game to gain an edge. Whether its using a heater on the kicking footballs, scuffing balls, deflating or over inflating throwing footballs, etc.

Don Lemon currently leading a hot take panel debate on ballgate. Awesome stuff

Don Lemon is an idiot who deserves everything bad that has ever or will ever happen to him.

Since the Colts supplied their own balls for use by their offense I don't see this as a big deal. I hate the Pats as much as anyone but this is really minor. It's nothing compared to Spygate or even having the guy drive the snow blower onto the field to clear a spot for a game winning kick for example.

The Belicheat Patriots are the modern version of the 70's Raiders. Low life cheating scum but still really good.

It's a big deal in the sense that it impacts game integrity, which as you probably know, is of the utmost.

It's not a big deal in the sense that it didn't impact the AFCCG in any meaningful way because the Pats were just that much better than the Colts.

Saying the Colts supplied their own balls so it's cool is an odd take. The Colts supplied balls that were properly inflated and were more difficult to throw and catch in those bad conditions. The Pats supplied balls that were easier to throw and catch. It's certainly something that could have an effect in a closer game.

I'm still hoping the #Ballghazi nomenclature takes off.

counterpoint: i'm still laughing hard at

Brady looks like he wants to cry. Live talking now.

Gilette #FLEXBALL logo in background when he 1st walks in is epic.

SO BAD FOR NE

they have a SB to play in 9 days, so brutal!

lol he wants to cry, wat?

Brady is handling this like a professional. I don't think they took any procedures differently.

Reporter: "Did you notice the balls were different in the second half"

Brady: "Didn't notice a difference at all"

Haters going to have fun with that.

He's such the ****ing GOAT. Obviously ****ed with the balls and now he's standing up there denying it all saying he has no clue what's going on.

How can you not love this guy? <3

#FLEXBALL

Shuffle, although I could make a post about how the absurdity of this brouhaha reminds me of US media coverage during the run up to the Iraq War, I'll instead just say thank you. The -1500 "Will Belichick not be suspended for the Super Bowl" prop is free money that I would not have been able to realize if people like you didn't exist.

Brady clearly lying. His mouth/teeth never look like that when he talks. Hope Giselle is taking tell notes.

But he's smartly going with what I said earlier where he says yes he likes it deflated but it can be deflated and still at 12.5 PSI (.5 pounds deflated from normal yet still in the range).

Brady lying

Tom Brady is a ****ing boss.