The refs were presented with balls and didn't do their due diligence in measuring the air. It's that simple, I think.
One of the major reasons I went with this theory is because of what Aaron Rogers said about over-inflating his footballs. The way he said it, suggested that sometimes he can sneak it by the refs who might just do a feel test instead of going the whole 9 yards with a gauge. Again, I think that's exactly what happened here. Brady presented his slightly under-inflated footballs to the refs, they gave it a feel test, and then said, "Good to go". Much to do about nothing.
Among the many people who had contact with the Patriots pigskin used in Sunday's AFC championship ? which were reportedly underinflated ? were the ball boys. And one former ball boy (who did not take part in Sunday's match) told NBC News that his goal was always to prepare the ball to the quarterback's preference and hope they passed inspection, and that it would have been very difficult to tamper with them afterward.
Eric Kester, who was a ball boy for the Chicago Bears in 2003, says he can't speculate about the controversy dubbed "Deflate-Gate," but he remembers how the preparation worked ? starting with the delivery of factory-fresh balls a few days before a game.
"We would then work with the quarterbacks to customize the balls to their liking. This involved scrubbing them with stiff horsehair brushes to rub off the leather's slippery silicone sheen, and occasionally inflating or deflating the balls a very small amount, which I believe is legal to a degree. Quarterbacks are very particular about the way a ball feels in their hand, and we worked meticulously to match their particular preferences," Kester said.
Two hours before kickoff, he would bring the balls to the referees' locker room for inspection.
"I recall them having a pressure gauge in the locker room, but most often they just squeezed the balls, turned them over in their hands a few times each, and inspected the laces. I don't recall them ever rejecting one of our balls," he said.
"My thought process was, 'Let's get the balls exactly the way our quarterback wants them, and if the refs reject one or two before the game, no big deal. But there's no harm giving them our ideal balls and hoping they make it through inspection.'"
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/super-bowl-xlix/deflate-gate-nfl-ball-boys-perspective-preparing-footballs-n290801
I agree. This is the crux of the issue. I have not read a single published report in which the NFL confirmed that the refs tested the PSI of each ball before the game.
It is not the obligation of the team presenting the balls to the refs to guaranty that they are between 12.5 and 13.5 psi. It is the obligation of the refs to ensure that they are. The team (i.e., the QB), picks out the balls he wants to use and hands them over to the refs for pre-testing before the game.
If anyone can point me to a published report that the PSI levels were tested before this game, please send me a link. I could not find any.
For those who don't believe Tom (Roy, etc.), if the NFL comes forward and says that the refs did not actually test the PSI levels before the game, would that change your view on whether or not it was likely that Brady was lying? Is Brady culpable if he approved a ball for use that was under inflated, if the protocol was not followed before the game of testing its PSI level? Legitimate question, I feel. I feel Mort's report on the balls lacked much important information, particularly this factor, and the fact that the NFL has remained silent about this issue (and has not even contacted Brady) makes me feel that the entire process of ball protection may not have been properly followed before the game.
Topic: #DeflateGate (Court of Appeals Reinstates Suspension) (Read 800933 times)