#DeflateGate (Court of Appeals Reinstates Suspension)

[KG Living Legend]

Thanks for clearing that up Pho.

[BballTim]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

[Roy H.]

McCann said his sources are telling him Berman will absolutely vacate the suspension

Well, in context, it's:

Alan Milstein, who's litigated against NFL and tried cases before Judge Berman, told me: “Berman will absolutely vacate Brady's suspension.”

I don't see that as anything more than guesswork.

It's educated guesswork based on practicing before the same judge and litigating against the NFL.

... which is about as useful as the random guy off the streets educated guesswork.

I practice in front of the same group of judges daily, against the same attorneys. I don't think any of us can guess definitively what a judge will do in a complicated case.

[kozlodoev]

... which is about as useful as the random guy off the streets educated guesswork.

I practice in front of the same group of judges daily, against the same attorneys. I don't think any of us can guess definitively what a judge will do in a complicated case.

Well, not guessing definitively is not the same as being as useful as the random guy off the street. Some guesses are better than others.

[Donoghus]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

There should definitely be a PSI minimum.  I don't really see a need for a maximum outside of K balls.   If someone wants to throw/run/catch with an overly inflated ball, all the more power to them.

[Jon]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

That would work too.  But unlike in any other sport, the condition of the ball doesn't really affect the other team all that much.  So what's the harm in allowing teams to do whatever they want with it?  If under-inflating the balls really is a huge competitive advantage, everyone will start doing it.  But given what guys like Aaron Rodgers have said about liking over-inflated balls, it just seems like a matter of personal preference. 

[jambr380]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

There should definitely be a PSI minimum.  I don't really see a need for a maximum outside of K balls.   If someone wants to throw/run/catch with an overly inflated ball, all the more power to them.

I don't know. If a team wants balls that don't travel as far in the air, then more power to them. They may fumble less, but the velocity won't be there on the throws and there may be more interceptions.

Overall, it just doesn't really matter.

[kozlodoev]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

There should definitely be a PSI minimum.  I don't really see a need for a maximum outside of K balls.   If someone wants to throw/run/catch with an overly inflated ball, all the more power to them.

I don't know. If a team wants balls that don't travel as far in the air, then more power to them. They may fumble less, but the velocity won't be there on the throws and there may be more interceptions.

Overall, it just doesn't really matter.

Overall, it's amazing that something so hilariously stupid ended up in Federal court. The NFL clearly never thought balls were a big deal. It's not a particular point of emphasis in the rulebook, and  they clearly have no issue with teams doing whatever prep work they deem fit to footballs before we hit game day.

It's too bad that Goodell chose to listen to two sore losers.

[Jon]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

There should definitely be a PSI minimum.  I don't really see a need for a maximum outside of K balls.   If someone wants to throw/run/catch with an overly inflated ball, all the more power to them.

I don't know. If a team wants balls that don't travel as far in the air, then more power to them. They may fumble less, but the velocity won't be there on the throws and there may be more interceptions.

Overall, it just doesn't really matter.

Overall, it's amazing that something so hilariously stupid ended up in Federal court. The NFL clearly never thought balls were a big deal. It's not a particular point of emphasis in the rulebook, and  they clearly have no issue with teams doing whatever prep work they deem fit to footballs before we hit game day.

It's too bad that Goodell chose to listen to two sore losers.

Agreed.

And to add on to what I said before, I don't see how letting teams determine ball pressure is really any different than letting teams choose turf vs. grass.  Or any different in baseball when teams can control the actual size of a field. 

If anything, ball pressure is a lot less extreme, since the it only affects the team using the balls, not both teams as the other scenarios do.

[kraidstar]

it says a lot about how farcical american culture has become when the biggest story on TV is reality star donald trump leading the polls, and the second-biggest story is that the pats might have deflated their footballs by ~.6 PSI.

let's go 'murica!

[Donoghus]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

There should definitely be a PSI minimum.  I don't really see a need for a maximum outside of K balls.   If someone wants to throw/run/catch with an overly inflated ball, all the more power to them.

I don't know. If a team wants balls that don't travel as far in the air, then more power to them. They may fumble less, but the velocity won't be there on the throws and there may be more interceptions.

Overall, it just doesn't really matter.

Overall, it's amazing that something so hilariously stupid ended up in Federal court. The NFL clearly never thought balls were a big deal. It's not a particular point of emphasis in the rulebook, and  they clearly have no issue with teams doing whatever prep work they deem fit to footballs before we hit game day.

It's too bad that Goodell chose to listen to two sore losers.

I have no problem with the league listening to two sore losers.  They should investigate stuff like that.

My problem is pretty much everything that transpired AFTER that;  misinformation, media leaks, incorrect information not being corrected, arbitrary enforcement of rules, having no clue about the climate's effect on footballs, bias, making up stuff on the fly, turning a molehill into a mountain,  etc.......

[Moranis]

The real solution to this insanity would be just to make a rule that says each team can do whatever it wants with its own balls. Rodgers likes them overinflated, Brady likes them the opposite. Just remove that rule, and the problem goes away.

  The real solution should be the referees have one set of properly inflated footballs that they're in possession of and both teams use.

That would work too.  But unlike in any other sport, the condition of the ball doesn't really affect the other team all that much.  So what's the harm in allowing teams to do whatever they want with it?  If under-inflating the balls really is a huge competitive advantage, everyone will start doing it.  But given what guys like Aaron Rodgers have said about liking over-inflated balls, it just seems like a matter of personal preference.

The thing is that just opens the door for some problems.  I mean you could have teams that intentionally use a barely inflated ball on one play so it is under thrown or wobbles in the wind.  Next play, put in a very hard ball and throw a rocket.  Next play use a mid sized ball.  It could give a pretty large advantage to the offense since the defense never knows what type of ball is being used. 

In no other ball team sport do the teams control the ball.  It is always done by the officials so they can check for compliance (i.e. baseball umps remove scuffed balls, balls with foreign substance, etc.)  Heck the NFL officials could even have 3 different ball pressures if it is really an issue - high, middle, low and the team could just pick one for the situation (so a kicker may want the high pressure while the QB may want a middle or low pressure).  Personally I think the league should just standardize it and control it.  Have a guy that ensures all balls are at 13 psi (or whatever).  That way everyone is always using the same ball.

[Roy H.]

... which is about as useful as the random guy off the streets educated guesswork.

I practice in front of the same group of judges daily, against the same attorneys. I don't think any of us can guess definitively what a judge will do in a complicated case.

Well, not guessing definitively is not the same as being as useful as the random guy off the street. Some guesses are better than others.

Yes, and if the source had provided some context, maybe his opinion would have some value.  The "he absolutely will vacate the suspension" is sheer nonsense, though.  I doubt even his law clerks can make a statement like that with any degree of confidence at this stage. 

If it was an easy case, sure.  If it was an ideological case, sure.  In an arbitration dispute where the central question is whether the arbitrator should be deferred to?  The guy on the street probably has as much insight, at least in terms of what the judge "absolutely" will do.

[PhoSita]

I have a feeling the judge is pushing so hard for the sides to settle because on the one hand he doesn't want to completely override an arbitrator, but on the other hand, he thinks this whole thing is at best blown out of proportion, at worst completely bogus.

[D.o.s.]

I have a feeling the judge is pushing so hard for the sides to settle because on the one hand he doesn't want to completely override an arbitrator, but on the other hand, he thinks this whole thing is at best blown out of proportion, at worst completely bogus.

Doesn't want to lose the free season tickets in the frozen envelope someone slipped him on behalf of TGH, more like.