#DeflateGate (Court of Appeals Reinstates Suspension)

[knuckleballer]

"Belichick's starting quarterback has been Tom Brady for 14 seasons. In the seven seasons before the rule change on defensive signals, the Patriots were 86-26. In the seven seasons since, they are 84-28. If Brady has been less effective in his play or Belichick less able to scout the opposition, it hasn't been very apparent."
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20150909_Pats__unfair_edge_on_Eagles_in_Supe__They_were_better.html

[Moranis]

Funny that every source in these reports is anonymous. When I was getting my journalism degree, one of the things I learned was that using anonymous sources was a very weak journalistic practice, and to be avoided if at all possible.

I don't think they were anonymous they just asked not to be named.  Very different.

Come on that isn't splitting hairs.  An anonymous source is one that the journalist doesn't know, an unnamed source is one the journalist does know.  There is an incredibly large difference between those two things.

[knuckleballer]

Funny that every source in these reports is anonymous. When I was getting my journalism degree, one of the things I learned was that using anonymous sources was a very weak journalistic practice, and to be avoided if at all possible.

I don't think they were anonymous they just asked not to be named.  Very different.

Come on that isn't splitting hairs.  An anonymous source is one that the journalist doesn't know, an unnamed source is one the journalist does know.  There is an incredibly large difference between those two things.

They refused to put their names next to their accusations.  That's weak.  You are splitting hairs and you know what he meant when he said anonymous.

[Moranis]

Funny that every source in these reports is anonymous. When I was getting my journalism degree, one of the things I learned was that using anonymous sources was a very weak journalistic practice, and to be avoided if at all possible.

I don't think they were anonymous they just asked not to be named.  Very different.

Come on that isn't splitting hairs.  An anonymous source is one that the journalist doesn't know, an unnamed source is one the journalist does know.  There is an incredibly large difference between those two things.

They refused to put their names next to their accusations.  That's weak.  You are splitting hairs and you know what he meant when he said anonymous.

Most of them still have jobs in the league or would like to in the future.  You don't burn your bridges.  It is in fact pretty common in investigative journalism to have sources who refuse to be named.  Happens all the time.  An unnamed source is not an anonymous source though.  Two vastly different things.

[D.o.s.]

Yeah Moranis is absolutely right here.

[knuckleballer]

Funny that every source in these reports is anonymous. When I was getting my journalism degree, one of the things I learned was that using anonymous sources was a very weak journalistic practice, and to be avoided if at all possible.

I don't think they were anonymous they just asked not to be named.  Very different.

Come on that isn't splitting hairs.  An anonymous source is one that the journalist doesn't know, an unnamed source is one the journalist does know.  There is an incredibly large difference between those two things.

They refused to put their names next to their accusations.  That's weak.  You are splitting hairs and you know what he meant when he said anonymous.

Most of them still have jobs in the league or would like to in the future.  You don't burn your bridges.  It is in fact pretty common in investigative journalism to have sources who refuse to be named.  Happens all the time.  An unnamed source is not an anonymous source though.  Two vastly different things.

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.  It's weak because by making unsubstantiated accusations anonymously, I mean with out allowing their names to be used, the accused cannot adequately defend themselves.  It's an underhanded move. 

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.  Now that these accusations are made against the Patriots by unnamed sources without any specific details, people are getting their panties in a twist.  It's silly.

[knuckleballer]

Yeah Moranis is absolutely right here.

As far as the accused is concerned, it is anonymous.  And like I said, Moranis knew exactly what rocknroll meant. 

[D.o.s.]

Yeah Moranis is absolutely right here.

As far as the accused is concerned, it is anonymous.  And like I said, Moranis knew exactly what rocknroll meant.

I'm not sure that's what mr. RnR meant, actually, and touting a degree doesn't mean you're automatically correct (Bobby Jindal has a degree in biology, for example). Furthermore you are making a number of assertions designed to support your favorite team -- which is fine, that's what fans do -- but these assertions are not necessarily tethered to reality.

[Moranis]

Yeah Moranis is absolutely right here.

As far as the accused is concerned, it is anonymous.  And like I said, Moranis knew exactly what rocknroll meant.

that isn't what rocknroll said at all.

[knuckleballer]

Yeah Moranis is absolutely right here.

As far as the accused is concerned, it is anonymous.  And like I said, Moranis knew exactly what rocknroll meant.

I'm not sure that's what mr. RnR meant, actually. Furthermore you are making a number of assertions designed to support your favorite team -- which is fine, that's what fans do -- but these assertions are not necessarily tethered to reality.

What exactly did I not tether to reality?

[D.o.s.]

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.

[knuckleballer]

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.

You have said that you are not a football fan, so you probably have not read about these many stories that have been around for a long time.

I'll give you an example.  In the late 80s, Bill Parcells accused the great Bill Walsh repeatedly for tampering with the commuciations equipment.  No one ever said the 49ers championships are tainted and Parcells never had problems getting another job.

I've read about playbooks disappearing from locker rooms and visiting hotels since before Belichick was coaching the Patriots.  People used to laugh it off.

[Moranis]

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.

You have said that you are not a football fan, so you probably have not read about these many stories that have been around for a long time.

I'll give you an example.  In the late 80s, Bill Parcells accused the great Bill Walsh repeatedly for tampering with the commuciations equipment.  No one ever said the 49ers championships are tainted and Parcells never had problems getting another job.

I've read about playbooks disappearing from locker rooms and visiting hotels since before Belichick was coaching the Patriots.  People used to laugh it off.

Did you read the SI article I posted on the last page?  I think it will give you an idea as to why it is a bigger deal now and why the Patriots are of particular note. 

[Donoghus]

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.

You have said that you are not a football fan, so you probably have not read about these many stories that have been around for a long time.

I'll give you an example.  In the late 80s, Bill Parcells accused the great Bill Walsh repeatedly for tampering with the commuciations equipment.  No one ever said the 49ers championships are tainted and Parcells never had problems getting another job.

I've read about playbooks disappearing from locker rooms and visiting hotels since before Belichick was coaching the Patriots.  People used to laugh it off.

Did you read the SI article I posted on the last page?  I think it will give you an idea as to why it is a bigger deal now and why the Patriots are of particular note.

It's a bigger deal because we're in a time of a 24/7 news cycle with a very heavy social media presence so plenty of hot takes can cause a ripple effect throughout the fandom.

Gamesmanship & pushing the envelope with rules is nothing new to the NFL.  There is a vast history of it.  The problem is that the spotlight on stuff like that is a lot greater now because of the climate we live in.

That SI article speaks as much to paranoia among teams about anything else. Also speaks to how Belichick often pushes the envelope and has sometimes crossed it (see Spygate).   There's also a ton of complaining & moaning in there. 

[D.o.s.]

If they are right about their accusations, there would be no reason to fear being blackballed by any team other than the Patriots.

Rumors of playbooks missing from visiting locker rooms and hotels, communication equipment not working, and locker rooms being bugged have floated around the league for decades.  No one has ever cared about it before.

You have said that you are not a football fan, so you probably have not read about these many stories that have been around for a long time.

I'll give you an example.  In the late 80s, Bill Parcells accused the great Bill Walsh repeatedly for tampering with the commuciations equipment.  No one ever said the 49ers championships are tainted and Parcells never had problems getting another job.

I've read about playbooks disappearing from locker rooms and visiting hotels since before Belichick was coaching the Patriots.  People used to laugh it off.

I am not a football fan -- but that does not mean that I do not follow the NFL. There are differences between your examples and the present situation that would be made clear to you if, for example, you were to read that sports illustrated story (or that outside the lines report) without an instinctive inclination that dismisses anything that even thinks about besmirching your beloved Patriots.

As it stands, complaining about 'anonymous sources' is just flailing at a very reasonable situation in light of how the NFL and their teams view talking to the media out of turn (Pro tip: the NFL hates that stuff. Hates it. League-wide).

edit: this is coming across a bit rude. Apologies -- need coffee. Not trying to offend.