For many NFL fans, the Patriots are like the “Cobra Kai” team from Karate Kid and coach Bill Belichick could well be sensei, John Kreese, screaming “sweep the leg” at NFL games to Tom Brady. That image was reaffirmed this week with the reported finding that the Patriots, again, cheated in the game against the Indianapolis Colts to secure a position in the Superbowl. The NFL has reportedly claimed that the Patriots under inflated 11 out of 12 balls in clear violation of NFL rules to give Brady and his receivers an edge. If there was intentional deflation, it warrants punishment since the team is responsible under the rules. However, there is an even more serious question of intentional deception, particularly after the deflation was noticed in the course of the game. The question is whether Belichick and Brady were aware of the violations, particularly after Brady called the accusations “ridiculous.” If the Colts and the refs immediately could tell the difference, it is hard to believe that Brady could not. After all, it was Brady who once said that he preferred under-inflated balls.
The Patriots have reportedly received a letter with the initial findings that 11 of 12 games used by the Patriots were under-inflated. Since the balls are checked at the beginning of the game and virtually all of the balls showed under inflation (it is intriguing to think whether the last ball was kept fully inflated in case of an inspection), it is hard to argue that this is a weird coincidence. All balls must be inflated to a range of 12½ to 13½ pounds. Each team provides game officials with 12 footballs before the game and the inspecting ref places a special marking on each ball that passes inspection. The respective team is then given back the balls.
What appears clear is that such deflation is not accidental. The New York Times includes a quote from Kevin Murphy, who runs the American football division at Wilson that such deflation could not be the result of colder weather or spiking the ball. Of course, when 11 out of 12 balls show the deflation you are even less likely to believe such defenses. Belichick is viewed by many as something of a recidivist on rule violations with what has been described (charitably) as a “checkered” history. Likewise, if Brady was aware of the deflation, I believe that he should also be suspended as much for his later denials of knowledge (and calling the allegations ridiculous). There has been be some sanction for dishonesty not only in such acts but their aftermath if we are to deter such conduct and assure fans that these games are played fairly. As often discussed in criminal law and torts, deterrence is accomplished through the relative adjustments between detection rates and sanctions. The lower the detection rate, the higher sanctions must be to achieve deterrence.
The question is what to do about “deflategate.” No one is seriously thinking of negating the win since the Patriots crushed the Colts and it was not due to under-inflation unless that is a reference to the Colts offensive line. Indeed, even a Colts Cornerback appears to agree with that assessment. However, the Patriots have been regularly accused of wrongdoing and there is a serious question about a culture of dishonesty under Belichick. In 2007, Belichick was fined $500,000 and his team lost a first-round draft pick after determining the team had spied on an opponent’s signals. It was amazing that he was not suspended for the violation, but many will now argue that the team did not get the message (or that it got the message that it could treat violations of a cost of doing business). One possible sanction is to suspend Belichick or other coaches from the Superbowl if they knew or should have known about the deflation.
Under the rules, the organization could be fined $25,000. Even if you multiply that by the balls, it would still only be $275,000 — a small fine for giving Brady his preferred under-inflated balls. The most serious penalty could be the loss again of a draft pick, which would seem more than justified in this circumstance. However, since the team denied any knowledge of under-inflation with players like Brady mocking the notion, there is a serious question of dishonesty and unsportsmanship conduct in the aftermath as well as the game. In the real world, lying to investigators is treated as itself a separate crime as under 18 U.S.C. 10001. This is obviously not a criminal investigation but the NFL at least claims to hold players and coaches to higher standards than just avoiding criminal acts.
The under-inflation of the balls would have been tempting in the rainy game and the obvious difference was immediately noted by Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson when he intercepted Tom Brady late in the second quarter.
The Patriots were already under fire by the Ravens coach and others for what John Harbaugh called “deceptive practices” in its game with his team (notably, the Ravens also raised concerns in the game over what they thought were under-inflated balls). I was less convinced of the merits of that allegation. This however is different.
To me, this is a serious violation of the code that governs all sporting events. As many on this blog know, I am an avid football fan. I enjoy the game even when the Bears are not playing, which for the playoffs has meant most of the time in the last ten years. However, this type of conduct degrades the entire game and creates a suspicion that teams like the Patriots are using shady means to gain an advantage, even when they have no real need to do so against an inferior team. It undermines the integrity of the game and, for a team that was made infamous by past violations, it suggests a culture of indifference at best and dishonesty at worst. The question in my view is not the under inflation but the knowledge of the coaches and players. If there was knowledge, there should be serious consideration given to suspension and certainly a draft pick loss.
What do you think?
Redesign footballs with TPS (tire pressure sensor) technology embedded into it.
Catches, throws, hustles and individual achievement are all part of a team.
Joel – so a little red dobber would pop up if it was under inflated?
According to a retired NFL Ref interviewed on ESPN, when the balls are inspected before the game (approximately 2 hrs before the game), if any are found outside of the parameters, the Refs bring them into conformance (inflate/deflate). Then both teams’ inspected balls remain in the Refs’ custody (in the Officials’ locker rooms) until about 10 minutes before game time when they are released into custody of the team-provided ball boys (who remain on the sidelines in plain view). The same apparently happens at halftime too. Just seems weird that Refs couldn’t tell a difference handling the ball on each play, but a linebacker who makes an interception (and who doesn’t handle a football ever) immediately notices a 2lb pressure difference enough to bring it to his equipment manager’s attention. Even with all the adrenaline and excitement of managing an interception, he still can make that determination? I would expect that a QB could definitely tell the difference. A receiver even. A ref, I would expect would be able to, especially handling both teams’ balls regularly. But a Linebacker can tell the difference between 2lbs? I’m not saying the Pats did or didn’t have something to with the deflation, just that the circumstances seem awfully weird.
The Patriots are dirty and their coach has a history of cheating. They should forfeit the win and the Colts should be in the Super Bowl.
Outdoors. I believe the starting game temperature was in the 50’s. I seem to remember one of the commentators saying that. I don’t know the temperature at end of game. But given that the game started at 6:40 and ended around 10:15, I assume there was a temperature drop. This game was played in Massachusetts.
Shadow – and was there enough wind to have a wind chill factor? We need a scientific commission to handle this.
“Shadow – and was there enough wind to have a wind chill factor? We need a scientific commission to handle this.”
LOL!!!
This is after the game, and those footballs take a beating. When a ball is spiked and when a running back squeezes the ball or a defensive player hits the ball the running back is carrying head on or with his shoulder pads, the ball loses air. Of course, 11 of 12 is a lot, but it would be interesting to know if any tests have been done on post-game balls. That way we would have a baseline.
I did not follow the game so were they indoors or outdoors? And if outdoors what were the starting and ending game temperatures?
Deflategate: Patriots Used Deflated Footballs In AFC Championship Win Over Colts, Reports Say
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/21/patriots-deflategate_n_6513020.html
Excerpt:
Under current NFL rules, each team provides a dozen footballs to use when it’s on offense. The balls are supposed to be inspected, marked and checked during the game. In addition to the balls provided by each team, eight balls used for kicking are shipped directly to the referees by the manufacturer.
If the balls were originally inflated inside a warm room, and then taken outside into the cold, they could well lose some pressure. Not a lot, but some. (my tires do that all the time in the winter) So the question is, just how under-inflated were they?
Were the balls inflated to 12.4 lbs? There are more facts needed here.
Feyd Rautha – I barely got through physics,, but couldn’t the air pressure lower or rise because of the exterior temperature? So, for example, if the ball was at 13 lbs psi at game time, but the temperature dropped during game time, they would be at 12.2 at the end of the game? And doesn’t air leak out of footballs, requiring them to be re-inflated? Could it have been at the minimum pressure at game time but leaked enough during the game to have been under inflated by the time it was tested?
Darren … I agree. Given the money involved with the NFL, there is no reason the NFL doesn’t control the footballs all of the time already…why have they not done so yet? It’s not like they couldn’t afford it.
I’m not clear on a few details; what is the point of checking the inflation before the game if they put them into play anyway? 11 of 12 balls failed inspection, had a mark placed on them and then handed back to the team; why? To go back and inflate the 11 properly and have them re-inspected? Do the refs look for marked footballs during the course of the game; what is the point of the mark? I find it ludicrous that in this multi-billion dollar industry that the NFL cannot afford to provide 24 properly inflated balls to each game.
If this was college, they would take the win away. That is what should happen.
I now better understand why I no longer find most NCAA Div I and NFL games boring. II no more trust the NFL ‘s post facto revelations either…as someone else said, what about the 2nd half? I’ve watched a 5 year record this year, only 3 games total. Last year it was one. NBA basketball the same…too many 2 point games. It is no longer really a sport, but approaching the phenomena of pro wrestling. In short, it is an entertainment business first and foremost. Like baseball, where I devolved to watching slow pitch soft ball games at our once upon a time state fair grounds, the game spirit seems lost. All have become pure entertainment and the Hollywood type salaries should be the first clue of what matters in pro-sports…and now they want to pay NCAA Div 1 football players as well. Might as well, very few STEM graduates there. How do you still go broke now and then with that first $10 million or so?
I realize this opinion makes me a bitter cynic, but what the heck, its not the first time. The state & federal SOTS and SOTU speeches yesterday left me with the same cynical feeling….all blather, no details…just an extension of perpetual campaigning. I once competed in various sports in high school and college and loved it. We had rules and had to abide them. One of my best sports was competitive alpine ski racing, which in the Brundage days meant you had no sponsorship directly for US competitors. Howard Head would provide experimental skiis, but you could only use them for practice, not USSA races. No one off custom made skis and boots, etc. I stunk at football (slower than a slug), but it was fun none the less. Today sport seem less like fun and more like a movie set. What I am really sorry about is the impact this all has on the real fans, probably the most who still “believe,” who still wish the sports were clean and about sport, not business first and foremost.
Sounds like the league needs to supply the balls and keep tabs on their chain of custody.
I would say make the punishment proportionate to the violation and weighted by previous violations.
Once is a Point, twice is a Line, and three is a Trend.
You got it all wrong. It was Brady’s wife who said that she preferred under inflated balls and that folks were being too hard on him.
Dirty, rotten cheaters. Atrocious example to set for youth athletes. Penalty: at least the loss of a draft pick and ineligibility for all post-season play for five years.
Make them give up a home game or two. Who’s their arch rival? Make them play both games at the other team’s field. Imagine if the Bears did this and were forced to play both games next season at Lambeau Field?
” The question in my view is not the under inflation but the knowledge of the coaches and players. ”
Disagree. The head coach or is delegate has an obligation to maintain the inflation and other rules.
His personal knowledge is irrelevant. If he knew of the abuse it is bad. If he did not know it is even worse.
Penalize the coach and the team – and make it severe enough they will make a point to stay withing the rules in the future.
I would recommend fining the coach a few hundred thousand and the team several draft picks. That ought to get their attention.
I’m including the pine tar conspiracy theory for extra spin.
I can certainly see them trying to pull something like that. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? The weird part is that the Pats really throttled the Colts in the second half, when presumably the deflated balls were no longer in play.