#DeflateGate (Court of Appeals Reinstates Suspension)

[kozlodoev]

It's hilarious how paranoid the league is about the Patriots stealing their something. That's tinfoil-hat, Illuminati, reptile conspiracy material right there.

No wonder they all keep losing -- if you spend more time worrying about off the field than on the field stuff, you're likely to get your rear end handed to you on the field.

I'm loving it.

[Forza Juventus]

In yesterday's OTL article, the author writes "Goodell tried to assuage his bosses: He ordered the destruction of the tapes and notes, he insisted, so they couldn't be exploited again. Many in the room didn't believe it. And some would conclude it was as if Goodell, Kraft and Belichick had acted like partners, complicit in trying to sweep the scandal's details under the rug while the rest of the league was left wondering how much glory the Patriots' cheating had cost their teams. "Goodell didn't want anybody to know that his gold franchise had won Super Bowls by cheating," a senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in a Super Bowl now says. "If that gets out, that hurts your business."

Yet, back in December that same author said on a Bill Simmons' podcast:



Funny how that nugget didn't make it in the report.

Those aren't necessarily incongruous statements.

Not "necessarily", but there certainly is some contradiction.  The owners agreed with destroying the tapes and later complained about it.  It certainly is relevant to the article, but did not fit with the narrative.  Or maybe, there wasn't enough room in the 10,000 word article for it.  The long since debunked story about spying on the Rams was more important.  Or the comments about Ernie Adams being weird, socially awkward, having a bad wardrobe, and having a "photographic" memory was more important too.

Or, the owners met after the tapes were already destroyed and were pressured into agreeing that it was a good idea after the fact.  If we have learned anything from these ordeals is that Goodell is capable of doing just about anything if he thinks it is in the league's best interest.

Moranis, I think your making some good points and it's good to have more than one opinion, but I just can't picture the nfl owners getting pressured into anything. They are very powerful people, have questionable morals, and in my opinion run goodell. I could picture them pressuring goodell, but not the other way around. He works for them. And for the record I'm not a patriots fan or nfl fan. I don't watch at all and try not to pay attention to this sport as much as possible.

[Cman]

It's hilarious how paranoid the league is about the Patriots stealing their something. That's tinfoil-hat, Illuminati, reptile conspiracy material right there.

No wonder they all keep losing -- if you spend more time worrying about off the field than on the field stuff, you're likely to get your rear end handed to you on the field.

I'm loving it.

I think there are two main takeaways from the ESPNnarticle. You hit on one of them above.
The other is that the reading public has a voracious appetite for Patriots Gate stuff even if it is rehashed eight year old stuff that has been shown to be false.

[kozlodoev]

It's hilarious how paranoid the league is about the Patriots stealing their something. That's tinfoil-hat, Illuminati, reptile conspiracy material right there.

No wonder they all keep losing -- if you spend more time worrying about off the field than on the field stuff, you're likely to get your rear end handed to you on the field.

I'm loving it.

I think there are two main takeaways from the ESPNnarticle. You hit on one of them above.
The other is that the reading public has a voracious appetite for Patriots Gate stuff even if it is rehashed eight year old stuff that has been shown to be false.

Where the Patriots are concerned, "Do Your Job" is great TV, by the way.

[colincb]

It's hilarious how paranoid the league is about the Patriots stealing their something. That's tinfoil-hat, Illuminati, reptile conspiracy material right there.

No wonder they all keep losing -- if you spend more time worrying about off the field than on the field stuff, you're likely to get your rear end handed to you on the field.

I'm loving it.

I think there are two main takeaways from the ESPNnarticle. You hit on one of them above.
The other is that the reading public has a voracious appetite for Patriots Gate stuff even if it is rehashed eight year old stuff that has been shown to be false.

Where the Patriots are concerned, "Do Your Job" is great TV, by the way.

It's an excellent program regardless of one's fan affiliation. I thought the scenes on how they came up with the trick plays against the Ravens in the playoffs and the time they spent on the end-of-game decisions and plays in the SB were fascinating. A lot of insights available as to why they're as good as they are besides having Brady.

[Moranis]

In yesterday's OTL article, the author writes "Goodell tried to assuage his bosses: He ordered the destruction of the tapes and notes, he insisted, so they couldn't be exploited again. Many in the room didn't believe it. And some would conclude it was as if Goodell, Kraft and Belichick had acted like partners, complicit in trying to sweep the scandal's details under the rug while the rest of the league was left wondering how much glory the Patriots' cheating had cost their teams. "Goodell didn't want anybody to know that his gold franchise had won Super Bowls by cheating," a senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in a Super Bowl now says. "If that gets out, that hurts your business."

Yet, back in December that same author said on a Bill Simmons' podcast:



Funny how that nugget didn't make it in the report.

Those aren't necessarily incongruous statements.

Not "necessarily", but there certainly is some contradiction.  The owners agreed with destroying the tapes and later complained about it.  It certainly is relevant to the article, but did not fit with the narrative.  Or maybe, there wasn't enough room in the 10,000 word article for it.  The long since debunked story about spying on the Rams was more important.  Or the comments about Ernie Adams being weird, socially awkward, having a bad wardrobe, and having a "photographic" memory was more important too.

Or, the owners met after the tapes were already destroyed and were pressured into agreeing that it was a good idea after the fact.  If we have learned anything from these ordeals is that Goodell is capable of doing just about anything if he thinks it is in the league's best interest.

Moranis, I think your making some good points and it's good to have more than one opinion, but I just can't picture the nfl owners getting pressured into anything. They are very powerful people, have questionable morals, and in my opinion run goodell. I could picture them pressuring goodell, but not the other way around. He works for them. And for the record I'm not a patriots fan or nfl fan. I don't watch at all and try not to pay attention to this sport as much as possible.

But the tapes were already destroyed at that point in time.  What good comes from calling the NFL to task for destroying the tapes if they have already been destroyed.  Now sure, if the tapes hadn't already been destroyed I'd agree with you, but after the fact, there is absolutely no good that can come from the Owners openly questioning the league so it gets buried. 

[fairweatherfan]

Well, the Taiwanese animators who parody everything have weighed in.  Please set aside your grievances for 2 minutes and just enjoy the funny on this milestone 200th page about balls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=125&v=NfDJl8_QvmA

[Donoghus]

Belichick as Palpatine is a great touch.

[kozlodoev]

Apparently, we missed this (or we didn't, not sure it was talked about in the thread though):

http://nesn.com/2015/05/patriots-told-wells-that-jaguars-caught-colts-ballboys-with-ball-needles-on-sideline/

... and now, there's this:

http://thornography.weei.com/sports/boston/2015/09/16/video-colts-ball-boys-suspicious-activity/

The Colts are a joke.

[kraidstar]

Apparently, we missed this (or we didn't, not sure it was talked about in the thread though):

http://nesn.com/2015/05/patriots-told-wells-that-jaguars-caught-colts-ballboys-with-ball-needles-on-sideline/

... and now, there's this:

http://thornography.weei.com/sports/boston/2015/09/16/video-colts-ball-boys-suspicious-activity/

The Colts are a joke.

i actually haven't seen those before, TP

looks like they've had their hands in the cookie jar. and it lends credence to the idea the the colts might have had the means to tamper with that initial ball that was intercepted. maybe pats' fans paranoia about the colts messing with that first ball was justified.

[footey]

In yesterday's OTL article, the author writes "Goodell tried to assuage his bosses: He ordered the destruction of the tapes and notes, he insisted, so they couldn't be exploited again. Many in the room didn't believe it. And some would conclude it was as if Goodell, Kraft and Belichick had acted like partners, complicit in trying to sweep the scandal's details under the rug while the rest of the league was left wondering how much glory the Patriots' cheating had cost their teams. "Goodell didn't want anybody to know that his gold franchise had won Super Bowls by cheating," a senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in a Super Bowl now says. "If that gets out, that hurts your business."

Yet, back in December that same author said on a Bill Simmons' podcast:



Funny how that nugget didn't make it in the report.

Those aren't necessarily incongruous statements.

Not "necessarily", but there certainly is some contradiction.  The owners agreed with destroying the tapes and later complained about it.  It certainly is relevant to the article, but did not fit with the narrative.  Or maybe, there wasn't enough room in the 10,000 word article for it.  The long since debunked story about spying on the Rams was more important.  Or the comments about Ernie Adams being weird, socially awkward, having a bad wardrobe, and having a "photographic" memory was more important too.

Or, the owners met after the tapes were already destroyed and were pressured into agreeing that it was a good idea after the fact.  If we have learned anything from these ordeals is that Goodell is capable of doing just about anything if he thinks it is in the league's best interest.

Moranis, I think your making some good points and it's good to have more than one opinion, but I just can't picture the nfl owners getting pressured into anything. They are very powerful people, have questionable morals, and in my opinion run goodell. I could picture them pressuring goodell, but not the other way around. He works for them. And for the record I'm not a patriots fan or nfl fan. I don't watch at all and try not to pay attention to this sport as much as possible.

But the tapes were already destroyed at that point in time.  What good comes from calling the NFL to task for destroying the tapes if they have already been destroyed.  Now sure, if the tapes hadn't already been destroyed I'd agree with you, but after the fact, there is absolutely no good that can come from the Owners openly questioning the league so it gets buried.

The NFL destroyed the tapes, not the Patriots.  The Patriots turned the tapes over to the NFL.

[footey]

60 Minutes weighs in, stating that the NFL, not the Patriots, are the cheaters. I agree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wls6WT0DrFM&feature=youtu.be

[Moranis]

In yesterday's OTL article, the author writes "Goodell tried to assuage his bosses: He ordered the destruction of the tapes and notes, he insisted, so they couldn't be exploited again. Many in the room didn't believe it. And some would conclude it was as if Goodell, Kraft and Belichick had acted like partners, complicit in trying to sweep the scandal's details under the rug while the rest of the league was left wondering how much glory the Patriots' cheating had cost their teams. "Goodell didn't want anybody to know that his gold franchise had won Super Bowls by cheating," a senior executive whose team lost to the Patriots in a Super Bowl now says. "If that gets out, that hurts your business."

Yet, back in December that same author said on a Bill Simmons' podcast:



Funny how that nugget didn't make it in the report.

Those aren't necessarily incongruous statements.

Not "necessarily", but there certainly is some contradiction.  The owners agreed with destroying the tapes and later complained about it.  It certainly is relevant to the article, but did not fit with the narrative.  Or maybe, there wasn't enough room in the 10,000 word article for it.  The long since debunked story about spying on the Rams was more important.  Or the comments about Ernie Adams being weird, socially awkward, having a bad wardrobe, and having a "photographic" memory was more important too.

Or, the owners met after the tapes were already destroyed and were pressured into agreeing that it was a good idea after the fact.  If we have learned anything from these ordeals is that Goodell is capable of doing just about anything if he thinks it is in the league's best interest.

Moranis, I think your making some good points and it's good to have more than one opinion, but I just can't picture the nfl owners getting pressured into anything. They are very powerful people, have questionable morals, and in my opinion run goodell. I could picture them pressuring goodell, but not the other way around. He works for them. And for the record I'm not a patriots fan or nfl fan. I don't watch at all and try not to pay attention to this sport as much as possible.

But the tapes were already destroyed at that point in time.  What good comes from calling the NFL to task for destroying the tapes if they have already been destroyed.  Now sure, if the tapes hadn't already been destroyed I'd agree with you, but after the fact, there is absolutely no good that can come from the Owners openly questioning the league so it gets buried.

The NFL destroyed the tapes, not the Patriots.  The Patriots turned the tapes over to the NFL.

Um, I said that in my post.  Not sure why you are posting this.

[D.o.s.]

Apparently, we missed this (or we didn't, not sure it was talked about in the thread though):

http://nesn.com/2015/05/patriots-told-wells-that-jaguars-caught-colts-ballboys-with-ball-needles-on-sideline/

... and now, there's this:

http://thornography.weei.com/sports/boston/2015/09/16/video-colts-ball-boys-suspicious-activity/

The Colts are a joke.

That second story actively made everyone who read it just a little bit dumber.

[Donoghus]

So wait, let me get this straight.  There is gamesmanship, bending the rules, and maybe even some...gulp...borderline cheating going on among several, if not, all the teams in the NFL?

And there aren't $5 million "independent" investigations & federal lawsuits going on with each & every one of them?  And that there "might" be some "selective" witch hunts going on depending on the team that is being accused of it?

This is too much to handle here.