Chris Mortensen & #8207;3 minutes ago
NFL has found that 11 of the Patriots footballs used in Sundays AFC title game were under-inflated by 2 lbs each, per league sources.
Steelers president Art Rooney II is one of those wondering why a league that micromanages the color of shoes and the height of socks doesnt make sure that such a key piece of equipment is standardized for all involved. Rooney said that he doesnt think the deflated ball controversy is on the scale of serious, though he thinks the league will do something if they find rules have been broken, and he doesnt think its necessary for the league to put itself at risk of future issues on this front.
The one thing I would say is this rule where we use two different sets of balls is relatively new, and frankly Im not sure why we came to this conclusion. I assume this will be something that the Competition Committee looks at, Rooney said, via the leagues website. But as far as Im concerned, I think we all ought to use the same balls and not have each side have their own footballs available to them. Thats just my view of it, but it seems to be simpler to just have one set of balls, which was the case for many years where the officials brought the balls out and everybody used the same balls. It seems like that would be an easy answer to this.
* Highlight added. Curious. I think the fans are entitled to know when and why it came about. Rooney can just ask the team's rep on the Competition Committee, assuming there was one at the time, the fans have to rely on the NFL.
Link below. They seem to disregard that it's a rule and do not consider how many other games the Pats played with deflated balls. They just focus on the score of the one game. Chalk it up to fan loyalty. 19-0 18-1.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 43s44 seconds ago
It really does sound like Bill Belichick is leaving this for a certain Tom Brady to deal with...
Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoNYDN 1m1 minute ago
Only one remaining question about DeflateGate: Who is Bill Belichick throwing under the bus? Because it sure sounded like it's Tom Brady.
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 2m2 minutes ago
Amazes me how Bill Belichick has done nothing to deflect the speculation that will now beswirling around his QB. Fascinating strategy.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 49s49 seconds ago
Obviously now the focus shifts to Tom Brady and what he has to say about Deflategate. Brady speaks tomorrow. Stay tuned
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 1m1 minute ago
It does kinda make sense to blame Brady doesn't it? No way league takes action against the guy who makes Pats worth watching before SB.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 11s12 seconds ago
Summary of Belichick Q&A: "I've told you everything I know. I have no explanation."
keithlaw @keithlaw 18s19 seconds ago
New dish post - recapping this week's episode of @BravoTopChef: http://klaw.me/1yJc4IA
Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFL 38s39 seconds ago
Today was Belichick. Tomorrow is Brady. Saturday the Ball Boy?
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 42s43 seconds ago
My guess: set up perfectly for Tom Brady to now say he never told anyone to deflate balls to certain PSI, someone took in their own hands
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 2m2 minutes ago
Here's the full transcript of Bill Belichick's lengthy statement about #DeflateGate http://wp.me/p14QSB-9GYy
When I came in Monday morning I was shocked to learn of the news reports about the footballs. I had no knowledge whatsoever about this situation until Monday morning. Ive learned a lot more about this process in the last three days than I knew or had talked about in the last 40 years that Ive coached in this league. I had no knowledge of the various steps involved in the game balls, the process that happened between when they were prepared and went to the officials and went to the game, so Ive learned a lot about that. Obviously, I understand that each team has the opportunity to prepare the balls the way they want, give them to the officials, and the game officials either approve or disapprove the balls, and that really was the end of it for me, until I learned a little bit more about it the last couple days.
Let me just say that my personal coaching philosophy, my mentality, has always been to make things as difficult as possible for players in practice, and so with regard to footballs, Im sure that any current or past player of mine would tell you that the balls we practice with are as bad as they can be. Wet, sticky, cold, slippery, whatever. However bad we can make them, I make them. Any time that players complain about the quality of the footballs, I make them worse, and that stops the complaining. So we never use the condition of the footballs as an excuse. We play with whatever, or kick with whatever we have to use, and thats the way it is. That has never been a priority for me, and I want the players to deal with the harder situation in practice than theyll ever have to deal with in a game. Maybe thats part of our whole ball security philosophy.
Im trying to coach the team and thats what I want to do. I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs. They know a lot more than I do. Theyre more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that theres never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Toms personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.
I can tell you that in my entire coaching career I have never talked to any player, staff member about football air pressure. That is not a subject that I have ever brought up. To me, the footballs are approved by the league and game officials pre-game, and we play with whats out there. And thats the only way that I have ever thought about that.
Ive learned about the inflation range situation, obviously, with our footballs being inflated to the twelve and a half pound range, any deflation would then take us under that specification limit. Knowing that now, in the future we will certainly inflate the footballs above that low level to account for any possible change during the game. As an example, if a ball deflated from 13.2 to 12.9, it wouldnt matter, but if it deflated from 12.5 to 12.3, it would as an example. So we will take steps in the future to make sure we dont put ourselves in that type of potential situation again.
The National Football League is investigating the situation. We have cooperated fully, quickly and completely with every request that they have made, continue to be cooperative in any way that we can. I have no explanation for what happened, and thats what theyre looking into, so I cant comment on what theyre doing. Thats something that you should talk to them about. Again, my overall knowledge of football specifications, the overall process that happens on game day with the footballs, is very limited. I would say that during the course of the game, I honestly never it probably has happened on an incomplete pass or something Ive never touched a game ball. Thats not something that I have any familiarity with on that. And again, I was completely and totally unaware of any of this that were talking about in the last couple days, until Monday morning. Based on what I knew Sunday night, thinking back on this, which Ive done several times, I cant think of anything that I would have done differently, based on what I knew then, based on what I know now. Ive told you the one thing based on the initial start level of the football pressure, but thats really about it.
Its really unfortunate that this is a story coming off two great playoff victories by our football team and our players, but again weve been cooperative with the NFL investigation. Well continue to do so, and well turn all our attention, focus on the Seattle Seahawks. They are a very talented, tough football team. Weve spent the last four days, three days, with our preparations and so forth with the trip. Those are coming to a conclusion, were wrapping that up, and were starting our preparations today for the Seahawks and practicing through the weekend so well have a good, solid opportunity to get ourselves ready to go before we head down there.
Again, I have no further comment on the NFL investigation, and Ive told you all I know about the subject from my perspective. So thats where we are.
Art Stapleton retweeted
Jeff Howe @jeffphowe 4m4 minutes ago
New schedule: Tom Brady will now hit the podium today at 4 p.m. He was originally scheduled to talk tomorrow.
Chris Mortensen retweeted
tim hasselbeck @tthasselbeck 9m9 minutes ago
@RichCimini @JosinaAnderson no HC is part of football selection process. All QB & equipment staff. Across the board...every team.
Kimberly Jones @KimJonesSports 4m4 minutes ago
This would be completely impossible to believe: That some equipment guy or ball boy went rogue.
***********************************
Who, if anybody, has spoken to the ball attendants?
Chris Mortensen @mortreport 58s59 seconds ago
As silly as it sounds (spoke about it yesterday), the guys who handle footballs most - quarterbacks - have made this an issue for years.
Kevin Kernan retweeted
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN 9m9 minutes ago
No doubt the best outcome for Pats is for Brady to take the hit. If coach implicated, major discipline at risk. If Brady owns it, a fine.
************************************
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 28s28 seconds ago
On lighter note, Belichick was determined not to create a sound bite with "balls." Twice he made quick switch from "balls" to "footballs.
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 1m1 minute ago
While narrative for few hours will be that BB pushed Brady under the bus, I don't think that's way it ends up.
Seems like the plan to me.
Paul Schwartz @NYPost_Schwartz 1m1 minute ago Manhattan, NY
If I was that football handling Patriots ball boy, I'd be looking into retaining a lawyer right about now. It's all coming down on him.
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 15s15 seconds ago
Instant reaction to Belichick statement: there were lawyers...#deflated
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 1m1 minute ago
Brady steps to mic later today, says he never told anyone to do anything illegal and by 5 p.m. the Pats are on to Glendale.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 2m2 minutes ago Foxborough, MA
Belichick seemed to create multiple outs, hinted at need to inflate extra for weather as well. Interesting strategy overall.
something like I told the ballboy i liked the ball like this and he deflated the ball to much on his own....I had nothing to do with deflating the ball, i told him how i wanted the ball and he did it on his own...
'Deflating footballs may not be as easy as it sounds'
A person with intimate knowledge of the process told USA TODAY Sports the ball attendant is a uniformed official generally the same person each week at a given stadium who comes to the locker room to pick up the balls and takes them to the officials' locker room for testing.
The ball attendant delivers the balls to the ball boys usually four provided by the home team and two traveling with the visiting team who make sure their quarterback's preferred balls get into the game, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
At halftime, the balls return to the officials' locker room, the person said. So, if proper protocol is followed, the only opportunity to manipulate the balls is minutes before kickoff or during the game on the sideline, where there's a risk of anyone in the stadium and dozens of TV cameras seeing it.
In 2006, Brady and Peyton Manning successfully lobbied the league to let every team provide its own footballs to use on offense. Prior to that, it was always the home team that supplied the footballs, which meant that road team quarterbacks didnt get to try the footballs out until pregame warmups.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 10 minutes ago Foxborough, MA
General feel of Pats locker room... Most guys took a few questions on deflation but really wanted to move on from those to football
As we process the I dont know, ask Tom explanation from Patriots coach Bill Belichick and await for Tom Brady to say something like I dont know, ask Bill, heres a question. Has anyone asked offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel anything?
[...]
Given McDaniels history and his role, he should be getting a lot more attention and scrutiny in #DeflateGate than he has. Even if its true that Belichick took the Sgt. Schulz approach to the condition of the footballs, its hard to think that McDaniels never bothered to consider the potential benefits to be derived from getting the balls into a specific shape that would make them easier for the quarterback to throw.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 5m5 minutes ago
Devin McCourty, do ppl judge Pats hard? "Theyve won a lot of games...Its easy to kind of create a reason why were winning games."
Ebenezer Samuel retweeted
Bill Simmons 5 hours ago
Q: If Brady liked footballs inflated to lowest legal level, knowing 2-3 hrs of ensuing cold weather deflated them more... is that cheating?
Ebenezer Samuel 16 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Patriots sent out select quotes from locker room. Those quotes just happen to not include any ball deflation comments...
Ebenezer Samuel 5 minutes ago Foxborough, MA
Aaaaand, Tom Brady's biiiiiig presser pushed back to 4:15. If Patriot PR was hoping to deflate media crowd some, highly unlikely.
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 16s16 seconds ago
Brady seems shaken.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s20 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady says he has a "process." Says when he picks the balls out they are "perfect".
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 14s14 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady are you a cheater? "I don't believe so. I have always played within the rules."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 26s26 seconds ago
Brady says he didn't do anything different Sunday night than he usually does.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 36s36 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady: "That happened obviously on Sunday night"...he says of his process.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 48s48 seconds ago
Brady sounds very contrite in his opening remarks. Somber. Reserved
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 12s12 seconds ago
Brady says "to me those balls are perfect" and he does not want any air put in or taken out. This jibes w/description an ex-Patriot gave me
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s19 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "Eveyone is obviously trying to figure out what happened. I was surprised as anybody when I heard about it monday."
Paul Schwartz @NYPost_Schwartz 19s19 seconds ago
Yup, the Patriots ball boys had better seek legal representation.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet 11s12 seconds ago
#Patriots QB Tom Brady: I didnt alter the ball in any way. Says he wouldnt do anything to break the rules.
0
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 20s21 seconds ago
Brady: Breaking in footballs is like breaking in a baseball mitt.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 24s25 seconds ago
Is Tom Brady a cheater: "I don't believe so... I believe in fair play and I respect the league."
0
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 32s33 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady: "from when I saw the ball five hours before halftime"...seems to indicate he has nothing to do with them after that.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 59s60 seconds ago
Brady: "I was as surprised as anyone when I heard about it Monday morning." says he last saw the balls "five hours before halftime."
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 1m1 minute ago
The inevitable "ball boy went rogue" defense won't fly in light of John Madden's simple yet compelling take from Wednesday.
Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoNYDN 5s5 seconds ago
A Patriots ball boy is about to mysteriously disappear ... RT @kevingarmstrong Brady says he saw the balls "five hours before halftime."
V
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 8s8 seconds ago
Brady said had "no thought or inkling" that the balls would be different from how they were pre-game
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 15s15 seconds ago
Tom Brady: "I didn't alter the ball in any way" http://wp.me/p14QSB-9H03
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 16s16 seconds ago
Brady: "I have no knowledge of any wrong-doing ... I don't know what happened over the course of the process w the footballs."
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 24s24 seconds ago
Brady: "I like 'em at 12.5. That's a perfect grip for a football ... I would never do anything outside of the rules of play."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 32s32 seconds ago
"No knowledge of any wrongdoing." Lawyer like. #Brady
0 replies 6 retweets 2 favorites
Reply Retweet6 Favorite2
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 16s16 seconds ago
If Brady selects balls he deems to be perfect and ball boy then unilaterally deflates them, Brady would be upset, right?
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 17s17 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "Yeah, I have questions too...once I'm out on the field, I have no thougt of the football at that point."
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 19s19 seconds ago
Brady asked about saying he likes deflated balls. Says "I like 'em at 12.5 - I would never do anything outside the rules of play."
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 9s10 seconds ago
Has Brady tried to figure out why balls deflated? "I think there's a lot of people who have more information than me.. I have questions too"
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 16s17 seconds ago
Brady reiterates "the first I heard of this was Monday morning."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 29s30 seconds ago
Some nervous equipment staffers and ballboys right now...
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 32s33 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "I think a big part of playing here is trying to ignore the outside forces and influences. Everybody is entitled to an opinion."
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 14s15 seconds ago
Brady on discussions among team: "Those are personal things with my teammates."
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s20 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady admits he did address team. Says they were "very personal things with my teammates."
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 22s22 seconds ago
Brady: "This is a very serious topic. The integrity of the sport is very important."
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 23s23 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady doesn't think this is a media thing fyi: "This is very serious. This is a very serious topic."
The one thing I would say is this rule where we use two different sets of balls is relatively new, and frankly Im not sure why we came to this conclusion. I assume this will be something that the Competition Committee looks at, Rooney said, via the leagues website. But as far as Im concerned, I think we all ought to use the same balls and not have each side have their own footballs available to them. Thats just my view of it, but it seems to be simpler to just have one set of balls, which was the case for many years where the officials brought the balls out and everybody used the same balls. It seems like that would be an easy answer to this.
* Highlight added. Curious. I think the fans are entitled to know when and why it came about. Rooney can just ask the team's rep on the Competition Committee, assuming there was one at the time, the fans have to rely on the NFL.
Link - ( New Window )
Link - ( New Window )
Tom Brady should be suspended for a min. of 8 games and the
Patriots should be fined $1M and lose all their draft picks in the upcoming draft.
After the terrible year the NFL has had publicly, they need to come down hard and make sure to quell the threat of this happening in the future.
Bill Belichick: "I was completely and totally unaware of any of this until Monday morning."
And Bill walks out!
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 46s46 seconds ago
Bill Belichick tells media he "has no explanation" for Deflategate allegations
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 48s48 seconds ago
"I've told you everything I know"... the new "we are onto Cincinnati"...
It really does sound like Bill Belichick is leaving this for a certain Tom Brady to deal with...
Ralph Vacchiano @RVacchianoNYDN 1m1 minute ago
Only one remaining question about DeflateGate: Who is Bill Belichick throwing under the bus? Because it sure sounded like it's Tom Brady.
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 2m2 minutes ago
Amazes me how Bill Belichick has done nothing to deflect the speculation that will now beswirling around his QB. Fascinating strategy.
Obviously now the focus shifts to Tom Brady and what he has to say about Deflategate. Brady speaks tomorrow. Stay tuned
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 1m1 minute ago
It does kinda make sense to blame Brady doesn't it? No way league takes action against the guy who makes Pats worth watching before SB.
Summary of Belichick Q&A: "I've told you everything I know. I have no explanation."
keithlaw @keithlaw 18s19 seconds ago
New dish post - recapping this week's episode of @BravoTopChef: http://klaw.me/1yJc4IA
Ross Tucker @RossTuckerNFL 38s39 seconds ago
Today was Belichick. Tomorrow is Brady. Saturday the Ball Boy?
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 42s43 seconds ago
My guess: set up perfectly for Tom Brady to now say he never told anyone to deflate balls to certain PSI, someone took in their own hands
Here's the full transcript of Bill Belichick's lengthy statement about #DeflateGate http://wp.me/p14QSB-9GYy
When I came in Monday morning I was shocked to learn of the news reports about the footballs. I had no knowledge whatsoever about this situation until Monday morning. Ive learned a lot more about this process in the last three days than I knew or had talked about in the last 40 years that Ive coached in this league. I had no knowledge of the various steps involved in the game balls, the process that happened between when they were prepared and went to the officials and went to the game, so Ive learned a lot about that. Obviously, I understand that each team has the opportunity to prepare the balls the way they want, give them to the officials, and the game officials either approve or disapprove the balls, and that really was the end of it for me, until I learned a little bit more about it the last couple days.
Let me just say that my personal coaching philosophy, my mentality, has always been to make things as difficult as possible for players in practice, and so with regard to footballs, Im sure that any current or past player of mine would tell you that the balls we practice with are as bad as they can be. Wet, sticky, cold, slippery, whatever. However bad we can make them, I make them. Any time that players complain about the quality of the footballs, I make them worse, and that stops the complaining. So we never use the condition of the footballs as an excuse. We play with whatever, or kick with whatever we have to use, and thats the way it is. That has never been a priority for me, and I want the players to deal with the harder situation in practice than theyll ever have to deal with in a game. Maybe thats part of our whole ball security philosophy.
Im trying to coach the team and thats what I want to do. I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs. They know a lot more than I do. Theyre more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that theres never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Toms personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.
I can tell you that in my entire coaching career I have never talked to any player, staff member about football air pressure. That is not a subject that I have ever brought up. To me, the footballs are approved by the league and game officials pre-game, and we play with whats out there. And thats the only way that I have ever thought about that.
Ive learned about the inflation range situation, obviously, with our footballs being inflated to the twelve and a half pound range, any deflation would then take us under that specification limit. Knowing that now, in the future we will certainly inflate the footballs above that low level to account for any possible change during the game. As an example, if a ball deflated from 13.2 to 12.9, it wouldnt matter, but if it deflated from 12.5 to 12.3, it would as an example. So we will take steps in the future to make sure we dont put ourselves in that type of potential situation again.
The National Football League is investigating the situation. We have cooperated fully, quickly and completely with every request that they have made, continue to be cooperative in any way that we can. I have no explanation for what happened, and thats what theyre looking into, so I cant comment on what theyre doing. Thats something that you should talk to them about. Again, my overall knowledge of football specifications, the overall process that happens on game day with the footballs, is very limited. I would say that during the course of the game, I honestly never it probably has happened on an incomplete pass or something Ive never touched a game ball. Thats not something that I have any familiarity with on that. And again, I was completely and totally unaware of any of this that were talking about in the last couple days, until Monday morning. Based on what I knew Sunday night, thinking back on this, which Ive done several times, I cant think of anything that I would have done differently, based on what I knew then, based on what I know now. Ive told you the one thing based on the initial start level of the football pressure, but thats really about it.
Its really unfortunate that this is a story coming off two great playoff victories by our football team and our players, but again weve been cooperative with the NFL investigation. Well continue to do so, and well turn all our attention, focus on the Seattle Seahawks. They are a very talented, tough football team. Weve spent the last four days, three days, with our preparations and so forth with the trip. Those are coming to a conclusion, were wrapping that up, and were starting our preparations today for the Seahawks and practicing through the weekend so well have a good, solid opportunity to get ourselves ready to go before we head down there.
Again, I have no further comment on the NFL investigation, and Ive told you all I know about the subject from my perspective. So thats where we are.
Link - ( New Window )
Jeff Howe @jeffphowe 4m4 minutes ago
New schedule: Tom Brady will now hit the podium today at 4 p.m. He was originally scheduled to talk tomorrow.
This may not be popular but did I believe Bill Belichick? Yes.
tim hasselbeck @tthasselbeck 9m9 minutes ago
@RichCimini @JosinaAnderson no HC is part of football selection process. All QB & equipment staff. Across the board...every team.
This would be completely impossible to believe: That some equipment guy or ball boy went rogue.
***********************************
Who, if anybody, has spoken to the ball attendants?
As silly as it sounds (spoke about it yesterday), the guys who handle footballs most - quarterbacks - have made this an issue for years.
Buster Olney @Buster_ESPN 9m9 minutes ago
No doubt the best outcome for Pats is for Brady to take the hit. If coach implicated, major discipline at risk. If Brady owns it, a fine.
************************************
You're very welcome, Montana
On lighter note, Belichick was determined not to create a sound bite with "balls." Twice he made quick switch from "balls" to "footballs.
"
While narrative for few hours will be that BB pushed Brady under the bus, I don't think that's way it ends up.
Seems like the plan to me.
Paul Schwartz @NYPost_Schwartz 1m1 minute ago Manhattan, NY
If I was that football handling Patriots ball boy, I'd be looking into retaining a lawyer right about now. It's all coming down on him.
Video: How Officials Check Ball Pressure, from @theMMQB Game 150 series
Link - ( New Window )
Instant reaction to Belichick statement: there were lawyers...#deflated
Art Stapleton @art_stapleton 1m1 minute ago
Brady steps to mic later today, says he never told anyone to do anything illegal and by 5 p.m. the Pats are on to Glendale.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 2m2 minutes ago Foxborough, MA
Belichick seemed to create multiple outs, hinted at need to inflate extra for weather as well. Interesting strategy overall.
The ball attendant delivers the balls to the ball boys usually four provided by the home team and two traveling with the visiting team who make sure their quarterback's preferred balls get into the game, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
At halftime, the balls return to the officials' locker room, the person said. So, if proper protocol is followed, the only opportunity to manipulate the balls is minutes before kickoff or during the game on the sideline, where there's a risk of anyone in the stadium and dozens of TV cameras seeing it.
complete article - ( New Window )
League source with knowledge of Belichick/Brady relationship calls Belichick shifting focus to Brady "shocking."
The complete article ... - ( New Window )
General feel of Pats locker room... Most guys took a few questions on deflation but really wanted to move on from those to football
[...]
Given McDaniels history and his role, he should be getting a lot more attention and scrutiny in #DeflateGate than he has. Even if its true that Belichick took the Sgt. Schulz approach to the condition of the footballs, its hard to think that McDaniels never bothered to consider the potential benefits to be derived from getting the balls into a specific shape that would make them easier for the quarterback to throw.
complete article on PFT - ( New Window )
Was this intentional?
Devin McCourty, do ppl judge Pats hard? "Theyve won a lot of games...Its easy to kind of create a reason why were winning games."
but I guess that was expected
Troy Aikman: Patriots punishment should exceed Saints bounty punishment
Bill Simmons 5 hours ago
Q: If Brady liked footballs inflated to lowest legal level, knowing 2-3 hrs of ensuing cold weather deflated them more... is that cheating?
Patriots sent out select quotes from locker room. Those quotes just happen to not include any ball deflation comments...
Aaaaand, Tom Brady's biiiiiig presser pushed back to 4:15. If Patriot PR was hoping to deflate media crowd some, highly unlikely.
Brady: "I didn't alter the ball in any way."
Brady seems shaken.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s20 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady says he has a "process." Says when he picks the balls out they are "perfect".
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 14s14 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady are you a cheater? "I don't believe so. I have always played within the rules."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 26s26 seconds ago
Brady says he didn't do anything different Sunday night than he usually does.
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 36s36 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady: "That happened obviously on Sunday night"...he says of his process.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 48s48 seconds ago
Brady sounds very contrite in his opening remarks. Somber. Reserved
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 12s12 seconds ago
Brady says "to me those balls are perfect" and he does not want any air put in or taken out. This jibes w/description an ex-Patriot gave me
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s19 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "Eveyone is obviously trying to figure out what happened. I was surprised as anybody when I heard about it monday."
Paul Schwartz @NYPost_Schwartz 19s19 seconds ago
Yup, the Patriots ball boys had better seek legal representation.
#Patriots QB Tom Brady: I didnt alter the ball in any way. Says he wouldnt do anything to break the rules.
0
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 20s21 seconds ago
Brady: Breaking in footballs is like breaking in a baseball mitt.
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 24s25 seconds ago
Is Tom Brady a cheater: "I don't believe so... I believe in fair play and I respect the league."
0
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 32s33 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Brady: "from when I saw the ball five hours before halftime"...seems to indicate he has nothing to do with them after that.
He's ready ta go
On da FAN
New Yawk Spawts Radio-ohhh
Tahm's on, Tahm's on.
Brady: "I was as surprised as anyone when I heard about it Monday morning." says he last saw the balls "five hours before halftime."
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 1m1 minute ago
The inevitable "ball boy went rogue" defense won't fly in light of John Madden's simple yet compelling take from Wednesday.
A Patriots ball boy is about to mysteriously disappear ... RT @kevingarmstrong Brady says he saw the balls "five hours before halftime."
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Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 8s8 seconds ago
Brady said had "no thought or inkling" that the balls would be different from how they were pre-game
ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk 15s15 seconds ago
Tom Brady: "I didn't alter the ball in any way" http://wp.me/p14QSB-9H03
Tom Rock @TomRock_Newsday 16s16 seconds ago
Brady: "I have no knowledge of any wrong-doing ... I don't know what happened over the course of the process w the footballs."
Brady: "I like 'em at 12.5. That's a perfect grip for a football ... I would never do anything outside of the rules of play."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 32s32 seconds ago
"No knowledge of any wrongdoing." Lawyer like. #Brady
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If Brady selects balls he deems to be perfect and ball boy then unilaterally deflates them, Brady would be upset, right?
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 17s17 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "Yeah, I have questions too...once I'm out on the field, I have no thougt of the football at that point."
Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 19s19 seconds ago
Brady asked about saying he likes deflated balls. Says "I like 'em at 12.5 - I would never do anything outside the rules of play."
Has Brady tried to figure out why balls deflated? "I think there's a lot of people who have more information than me.. I have questions too"
Brady reiterates "the first I heard of this was Monday morning."
Andrew Brandt @adbrandt 29s30 seconds ago
Some nervous equipment staffers and ballboys right now...
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 32s33 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady: "I think a big part of playing here is trying to ignore the outside forces and influences. Everybody is entitled to an opinion."
Brady on discussions among team: "Those are personal things with my teammates."
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 19s20 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady admits he did address team. Says they were "very personal things with my teammates."
Brady: "This is a very serious topic. The integrity of the sport is very important."
Ebenezer Samuel @ebenezersamuel 23s23 seconds ago Foxborough, MA
Tom Brady doesn't think this is a media thing fyi: "This is very serious. This is a very serious topic."