Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
Forum Thread

So What Does Everyone Think About Deflate-Gate?

25,141 707 January 22, 2015 at 12:50 PM in Sporting Goods
The title says it. What does everyone think about this bizarre "Deflate-Gate" deal that is far more interesting that this year's Super Bowl? Belichick reaffirmed that he knew nothing at all about the football preparation and denied having anything to do with it.

Tom Brady is supposed to be talking publicly very soon and may be admitting to arranging to have the footballs prepped to the way he likes them.

So, is this a big deal? Is this something that happens with pretty much every team and it has just become public?

469 Comments

Your comment cannot be blank.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 03:12 PM.
01-25-2015 at 03:12 PM.
LMAO
Reply
Joined Jun 2004
This Space Available
> bubble2 31,118 Posts
3,595 Reputation
vec
01-25-2015 at 03:49 PM.
01-25-2015 at 03:49 PM.
Quote from Iaaaiws :
Crylol
Reply
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,053 Posts
2,447 Reputation
fireballs
01-25-2015 at 07:26 PM.
01-25-2015 at 07:26 PM.
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
Patriots don't control physics. The deflation had a minimal impact on the game. The rain had more of an effect on anything than the 2 PSI pressure differential.

Cry more, I bet it'll help bring the Colts to Super Bowl XLIX.
Again, no other team has had a documented case of having issues with PSI.

It would be the same thing if a pitcher "accidentally" gets pine tar on his hand and then "unknowingly" goes out and pitches. That's a suspension accident or not.
Reply
Joined Nov 2005
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 39,439 Posts
5,562 Reputation
Dr. J
01-25-2015 at 07:51 PM.
01-25-2015 at 07:51 PM.
Yeah running the numbers, from 80F to 50F (which are fair assumptions for locker room and on-the-field temps), a 12.5 PSI ball would "deflate" to 11 PSI and a 13.5 PSI ball to 11.9 PSI (assuming the volume of the ball is constant). - or roughly 1.5 PSI or so (the loss is actually a percentage).

Shame on the NFL for not having defined measurement criteria (e.g. at a certain temperature for X hours, certain % humidity, etc) if this doesn't pan out. Heck, under the above calculations since the allowable spread is 1PSI but the temperature swing is at least 1.5PSI, it's impossible for a ball to be within proper inflation "in the locker room" and on the field (50 F) without alteration after the initial inspection - even a 13.5 PSI ball would have dropped to ~ 12, under the requirements.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 07:55 PM.
01-25-2015 at 07:55 PM.
Quote from fireballs :
Again, no other team has had a documented case of having issues with PSI.
Are you sure about that? Balls have been removed from games before. It's not uncommon.

Quote from fireballs :
It would be the same thing if a pitcher "accidentally" gets pine tar on his hand and then "unknowingly" goes out and pitches. That's a suspension accident or not.
False equivalence. It would be like if a pitcher threw a ball into the dirt, the ump said it was okay to keep using it, and then controversy broke out because they used a ball that touched the dirt.

Quote from Dr. J :
Yeah running the numbers, from 80F to 50F (which are fair assumptions for locker room and on-the-field temps), a 12.5 PSI ball would "deflate" to 11 PSI and a 13.5 PSI ball to 11.9 PSI (assuming the volume of the ball is constant). - or roughly 1.5 PSI or so (the loss is actually a percentage).

Shame on the NFL for not having defined measurement criteria (e.g. at a certain temperature for X hours, certain % humidity, etc) if this doesn't pan out. Heck, under the above calculations since the allowable spread is 1PSI but the temperature swing is at least 1.5PSI, it's impossible for a ball to be within proper inflation "in the locker room" and on the field (50 F) without alteration after the initial inspection - even a 13.5 PSI ball would have dropped to ~ 12, under the requirements.
Yep, that's pretty much it. No one gives a shit normally. This can't be uncommon. It's physics.
Reply
Last edited by PaintTheSkyGrey January 25, 2015 at 07:56 PM.
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,053 Posts
2,447 Reputation
fireballs
01-25-2015 at 09:53 PM.
01-25-2015 at 09:53 PM.
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
Are you sure about that? Balls have been removed from games before. It's not uncommon.


False equivalence. It would be like if a pitcher threw a ball into the dirt, the ump said it was okay to keep using it, and then controversy broke out because they used a ball that touched the dirt.


Yep, that's pretty much it. No one gives a shit normally. This can't be uncommon. It's physics.
Yes I am sure that there is no documented case of the NFL finding a team trying to use a deflated ball.

That's not even close to a accurate example. When the officials checked the balls they were okay. To fix your example it would be the umpire OKed the pitcher then he got his hand dirty and never had the dirty hand OKed and then gained a competitive advantage with what ever substance was on his hand. That's a suspension.

Again rules state that the balls played with have to be within 12.5 to 13.5 psi. If it was only up until the refs checked them then the NFL wouldn't have need to confiscated the balls during the game.

Rules are rules and the patriots broke them. Ignorance is not an excuse for gaining a competitive advantage.

Patriot fans are acting like thermodynamics is obvious and clearly the culprit. If its so obvious and the rules state that the ball has to be 12.5 to 13.5 psi then the Patriots should have took that into consideration. They could fill there balls in a cooler room.

Since no other team has ever been found using deflated balls seems like thermodynamics either isn't in play or other teams take it into consideration.

Everyone is doing it isn't a justifiable excuse.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 10:21 PM.
01-25-2015 at 10:21 PM.
Quote from fireballs :
Yes I am sure that there is no documented case of the NFL finding a team trying to use a deflated ball.

That's not even close to a accurate example. When the officials checked the balls they were okay. To fix your example it would be the umpire OKed the pitcher then he got his hand dirty and never had the dirty hand OKed and then gained a competitive advantage with what ever substance was on his hand. That's a suspension.

Again rules state that the balls played with have to be within 12.5 to 13.5 psi. If it was only up until the refs checked them then the NFL wouldn't have need to confiscated the balls during the game.

Rules are rules and the patriots broke them. Ignorance is not an excuse for gaining a competitive advantage.

Patriot fans are acting like thermodynamics is obvious and clearly the culprit. If its so obvious and the rules state that the ball has to be 12.5 to 13.5 psi then the Patriots should have took that into consideration. They could fill there balls in a cooler room.

Since no other team has ever been found using deflated balls seems like thermodynamics either isn't in play or other teams take it into consideration.
[citation needed]

Quote from fireballs :
Everyone is doing it isn't a justifiable excuse.
Funny how you give them a pass for steroids because everyone else was doing it, but not for a slightly deflated ball that has zero impact on the game outcome.
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 10:27 PM.
01-25-2015 at 10:27 PM.
Quote from fireballs :
Since no other team has ever been found using deflated balls seems like thermodynamics either isn't in play or other teams take it into consideration.
This is also another one of those false dichotomies you're so fond of.

Another reason, if your statement is true, could simply be that no one gave a shit about the exact pressure of the footballs, so they never actually got checked thoroughly.

Not observing something is not the same as it never having occurred.
Reply
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,053 Posts
2,447 Reputation
fireballs
01-25-2015 at 10:36 PM.
01-25-2015 at 10:36 PM.
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
This is also another one of those false dichotomies you're so fond of.

Another reason, if your statement is true, could simply be that no one gave a shit about the exact pressure of the footballs, so they never actually got checked thoroughly.

Not observing something is not the same as it never having occurred.
Okay and with your statement how is that effecting the facts that there is a rule and the patriots violated that rule?

None of these excuses are anything more than just excuses. The only facts we have right now is that there is a rule and the Patriots are the only team found to have broken it.

It doesn't matter if everyone is doing it or not. The Patriots are the only team caught.

Keep trying to muddyvit up, at the end of the day facts are Patriots broke the rules and at minimum the way in which the rule was broke just happens to be exactly what Shady Brady likes.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 11:04 PM.
01-25-2015 at 11:04 PM.
Quote from fireballs :
Okay and with your statement how is that effecting the facts that there is a rule and the patriots violated that rule?

None of these excuses are anything more than just excuses. The only facts we have right now is that there is a rule and the Patriots are the only team found to have broken it.

It doesn't matter if everyone is doing it or not. The Patriots are the only team caught.

Keep trying to muddyvit up, at the end of the day facts are Patriots broke the rules and at minimum the way in which the rule was broke just happens to be exactly what Shady Brady likes.
The Patriots did not violate any rule if they did not mess with the balls after they were inspected. It's really that simple.

I'm not sure why you have such a hard-on for bashing them. I don't even give a damn about football most of the time; I just think this is a completely overblown manufactured controversy simply because people don't like Brady and the Patriots. Balls are messed with all the time, sometimes to a much greater extent (ie baking them) and it's not some huge scandal.

You haven't even provided a method by which they would have deflated the balls on purpose.
Reply
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,053 Posts
2,447 Reputation
fireballs
01-25-2015 at 11:17 PM.
01-25-2015 at 11:17 PM.
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
The Patriots did not violate any rule if they did not mess with the balls after they were inspected. It's really that simple.

I'm not sure why you have such a hard-on for bashing them. I don't even give a damn about football most of the time; I just think this is a completely overblown manufactured controversy simply because people don't like Brady and the Patriots. Balls are messed with all the time, sometimes to a much greater extent (ie baking them) and it's not some huge scandal.

You haven't even provided a method by which they would have deflated the balls on purpose.
The rule is that game balls have to be 12.5 to 13.5 during the game period. Its up to the Patriots to make sire they are playing within the limit.

Lets say you are going to ship sand and the truck gets on the scales before leaving and is within the limit like the patriots balls were and then unknowingly the sand absorbs some moisture from the air and the load now weighs more than the legal limit like you claim the air pressure changed without the patriots knowing.

If the truck driver gets pulled over and they weigh the truck and its no longer within the legal limit is the driver innocent of having a unsafe load?
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 11:32 PM.
01-25-2015 at 11:32 PM.
Quote from fireballs :
The rule is that game balls have to be 12.5 to 13.5 during the game period. Its up to the Patriots to make sire they are playing within the limit.

Lets say you are going to ship sand and the truck gets on the scales before leaving and is within the limit like the patriots balls were and then unknowingly the sand absorbs some moisture from the air and the load now weighs more than the legal limit like you claim the air pressure changed without the patriots knowing.

If the truck driver gets pulled over and they weigh the truck and its no longer within the legal limit is the driver innocent of having a unsafe load?
Except you're just making shit up. And you haven't answered how they would have deflated the balls when they were in the possession of the referees until right before the game (per Rule 2, Section 1), when they are passed off to the ball handlers.

So what you are saying is that either the refs are in on it (why would they then investigate the balls later, if that was the case?), or they altered the balls themselves out in the open somehow with some magic tool that would allow them to deflate the balls to exactly the perfect PSI for Tom Brady.

Or maybe, just maybe, the temperature had an effect and it's really just that simple. It's not cheating if the team didn't deliberately do anything.
Reply
Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-25-2015 at 11:37 PM.
01-25-2015 at 11:37 PM.
And the backtracking starts...
But what has the NFL really found? As one league source has explained it to PFT, the football intercepted by Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was roughly two pounds under the 12.5 PSI minimum. The other 10 balls that reportedly were two pounds under may have been, as the source explained it, closer to one pound below 12.5 PSI
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports....flategate/
Reply
Joined Dec 2008
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 9,053 Posts
2,447 Reputation
fireballs
01-25-2015 at 11:55 PM.
01-25-2015 at 11:55 PM.
Quote from PaintTheSkyGrey :
And the backtracking starts...
But what has the NFL really found? As one league source has explained it to PFT, the football intercepted by Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson was roughly two pounds under the 12.5 PSI minimum. The other 10 balls that reportedly were two pounds under may have been, as the source explained it, closer to one pound below 12.5 PSI
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports....flategate/
That doesnt sound like backtracking at all. Still sounds like 11 of the 12 balls were not within the legal limit.

Wow you are stretching now.
Reply

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Joined Jul 2009
Permanently Bland
> bubble2 15,176 Posts
2,874 Reputation
PaintTheSkyGrey
01-26-2015 at 12:20 AM.
01-26-2015 at 12:20 AM.
Quote from fireballs :
That doesnt sound like backtracking at all. Still sounds like 11 of the 12 balls were not within the legal limit.

Wow you are stretching now.
11/12 balls 2 PSI under the limit to 1/12 balls 2 PSI under the limit, and 10 balls maybe 1 PSI under the limit is backtracking.

The initial report was 11/12 were 2 PSI under. Now only 1 was 2 PSI under.

You're being intellectually dishonest. Still waiting on a reply to my questions, too.
Reply
Page 13 of 32
Start the Conversation
 
Link Copied

The link has been copied to the clipboard.