2015 NFL Offseason Thread

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

Wells report has concluded that although there is no definitive proof, some of the Patriots staff were more than likely involved in a scheme to deflate some of the game balls during AFC championship game.

Probably a fine. Move on.

No proof, so how can they levy anything?

From Robert Kraft:

“Throughout the process of this nearly four-month investigation, we have cooperated and patiently awaited its outcome. To say we are disappointed in its findings, which do not include any incontrovertible or hard evidence of deliberate deflation of footballs at the AFC Championship game, would be a gross understatement. In addition, given our level of cooperation throughout the process, I was offended by the comments made in the Wells Report in reference to not making an individual available for a follow-up interview. What the report fails to mention is that he had already been interviewed four times and we felt the fifth request for access was excessive for a part-time game day employee who has a full-time job with another employer.
“While I respect the independent process of the investigation, the time, effort and resources expended to reach this conclusion are incomprehensible to me. Knowing that there is no real recourse available, fighting the league and extending this debate would prove to be futile. We understand and greatly respect the responsibility of being one of 32 in this league and, on that basis, we will accept the findings of the report and take the appropriate actions based on those findings as well as any discipline levied by the league.”

http://www.patriots.com/news/2015/05...t-wells-report

[rubecube]

[Senator Clay Davis]

Full report.

http://a.espncdn.com/pdf/2015/0506/P...ellsReport.pdf

Tom Brady is clearly a liar and has a lot of questions to answer now. The guy he claims he never heard his name from, well, texts clearly show he did. I bet New England wishes they had won 24-23 so it was worth it. But to cheat like this in a 45-7 game? Yeesh, what a debacle. Suspensions coming? Maybe, but New England fans (rightly) don't care about being labelled cheaters (they aren't taking the trophies back), but pretty much everyone else will view this era as having an asterisk.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Full report.

http://a.espncdn.com/pdf/2015/0506/P...ellsReport.pdf

Tom Brady is clearly a liar and has a lot of questions to answer now. The guy he claims he never heard his name from, well, texts clearly show he did. I bet New England wishes they had won 24-23 so it was worth it. But to cheat like this in a 45-7 game? Yeesh, what a debacle. Suspensions coming? Maybe, but New England fans (rightly) don't care about being labelled cheaters (they aren't taking the trophies back), but pretty much everyone else will view this era as having an asterisk.

overreact much......

[GirlySports]

I think my favorite thing on that report is that the equipment dude actually calls himself "The Deflator." You can't make this up.

[Cheese]

I dont see anything that implicates anyone to suggest that the balls be deflated to any level below the minimum requirements. If the balls were inflated too high and Brady asked for them to be deflated Im assuming it meant to lowest level required? Perhaps I missed something?
If anything it does appear as though Jastremski who was pissed off at Brady for his demands during the Jets game, took it upon himself to deflate to the levels they were found in.

/pure speculation

[Flabbibulin]

Even if they had the smoking gun on Brady, there is no way they could punish him the same, or more, than any of the high profile suspensions in the last year. I expect a fine and an appeal.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

overreact much......

Absolutely. But it's just as annoying as it was when Bonds and Clemons cheated: Because they didn't have to. Patriots are already great, they don't need to do these kinds of things and they do anyways. If the Jags or Bucs or Raiders cheat, well yeah, they sort of need to and probably should. But New England didn't and that's what annoys people. And in this instance it's totally absurd because they won by 5 touchdowns, it was wholly unneeded yet they did it anyways.

I think there's a very good chance Brady is suspended at least one game. He knew of the issue, lied about it, and refused to co-operate in the investigation. As has been pointed out online, Favre got a $50,000 fine for lying about the dick pics, which have nothing to do with the game. This does. If it is a fine, it will be a massive fine.

[Da_Chief]

^I'm sorry but if you're good you can't cheat but if you suck it's ok for you to cheat to get to the good level? Why?

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Absolutely. But it's just as annoying as it was when Bonds and Clemons cheated: Because they didn't have to. Patriots are already great, they don't need to do these kinds of things and they do anyways. If the Jags or Bucs or Raiders cheat, well yeah, they sort of need to and probably should. But New England didn't and that's what annoys people. And in this instance it's totally absurd because they won by 5 touchdowns, it was wholly unneeded yet they did it anyways.

I think there's a very good chance Brady is suspended at least one game. He knew of the issue, lied about it, and refused to co-operate in the investigation. As has been pointed out online, Favre got a $50,000 fine for lying about the dick pics, which have nothing to do with the game. This does. If it is a fine, it will be a massive fine.

I just find it funny that everyone is so quick to throw the * beside the Super Bowl wins. Jerry Rice admits to using stickum, all the 49ers SB wins should have an * then, right? . Ray Lewis got away with a felony, there should be an *. Seattle had players who tested positive for Adderall, there should be an *.... Each team won the big game because they were the best team...

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

^I'm sorry but if you're good you can't cheat but if you suck it's ok for you to cheat to get to the good level? Why?

It was called a joke that those perpetually crappy franchises should cheat to not be so perpetually crappy. Probably still wouldn't help though.

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

I just find it funny that everyone is so quick to throw the * beside the Super Bowl wins. Jerry Rice admits to using stickum, all the 49ers SB wins should have an * then, right? . Ray Lewis got away with a felony, there should be an *. Seattle had players who tested positive for Adderall, there should be an *.... Each team won the big game because they were the best team...

I doubt anyone has called Ray a murderer on here more than me. Rice using stickum makes him a cheater for sure. For the Seahwks, well, who hasn't call them Seadderall? The Pats still won the games, the trophies are still in the case and nothing is changing that. But the perception from non-Pats fans was cemented by this, if it weren't already.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

It was called a joke that those perpetually crappy franchises should cheat to not be so perpetually crappy. Probably still wouldn't help though.



I doubt anyone has called Ray a murderer on here more than me. Rice using stickum makes him a cheater for sure. For the Seahwks, well, who hasn't call them Seadderall? The Pats still won the games, the trophies are still in the case and nothing is changing that. But the perception from non-Pats fans was cemented by this, if it weren't already.

i know what you are saying, there is a lot of anti Patriot feeling on here and every time I hear the * argument, I just shake my head, probably jealous Jet fans. will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[ResAlien]

I dislike the Pats as much as anyone but I can't see anyone actually caring this much. An asterisk? Ooh deflated footballs, let's make sure we mark that down!

Dont forget to put an asterisk on the Broncos super bowl wins, they circumvented the cap remember. They also used silicon spray on their offensive and defensive linemen.

[Pagal4321]

In the cutthroat business of the NFL, if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying.

Every team, every player, every employee. If you don't think they aren't trying to bend the rules to their benefit, you are kidding yourself.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

In the cutthroat business of the NFL, if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying.

Every team, every player, every employee. If you don't think they aren't trying to bend the rules to their benefit, you are kidding yourself.

I 100% disagree with that belief, but I understand I am alone on that.

And while I believe the Pats cheated here, I think everyone needs a heaping portion of perspective. This would have been a relatively minor thing yet it has gone on for months and months with investigations rivalling criminal cases. This molehill has turned into a mountain range.

Fine them a couple thousand dollars or something, and move along.

The effort put into this as opposed to the other issues like concussions, post-career mental health, or sexual harassment really is embarrassing.

[dirk diggler]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I 100% disagree with that belief, but I understand I am alone on that.

And while I believe the Pats cheated here, I think everyone needs a heaping portion of perspective. This would have been a relatively minor thing yet it has gone on for months and months with investigations rivalling criminal cases. This molehill has turned into a mountain range.

Fine them a couple thousand dollars or something, and move along.

The effort put into this as opposed to the other issues like concussions, post-career mental health, or sexual harassment really is embarrassing.

you are right on, and yet the incompetent Goodell makes 44 million last year.... I doubt any of us could have screwed up as badly as he did last year.

[Pagal4321]

Maybe I'm using the word cheating too liberally but every team is looking for a leg up on their competition and this is no different.

The onus is on the referee to make sure the rules are being upheld on the field, it's completely inconceivable that paid officials handled illegally deflated balls for most of last season and DIDN'T REALIZE IT.

Spygate? I would call that flat out cheating. Levels of inflation in the balls? If it's within the specified levels, I would call it home field advantage. If it's below, still home field advantage but something that critical to the game of football should be caught by the official. The NFL is focusing more on players socks and shoes than god damn ####ing footballs!

[sureLoss]

Dallas Cowboys have signed undrafted OL La'el Collins

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/...e20407029.html

Interesting story, was projected to be a 1st round pick but all 32 teams passed on him because the police questioned him in his pregnant ex-gf's murder. Police said he never was a suspect and dna tests proved that the unborn baby was not his.

However, because he was undrafted and not drafted in the 1st round he missed out on millions of dollars on his first contract.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Dallas Cowboys have signed undrafted OL La'el Collins

http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/...e20407029.html

Interesting story, was projected to be a 1st round pick but all 32 teams passed on him because the police questioned him in his pregnant ex-gf's murder. Police said he never was a suspect and dna tests proved that the unborn baby was not his.

However, because he was undrafted and not drafted in the 1st round he missed out on millions of dollars on his first contract.

Must be a total coincidence that Jerry somehow got him.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

Maybe I'm using the word cheating too liberally but every team is looking for a leg up on their competition and this is no different.

The onus is on the referee to make sure the rules are being upheld on the field, it's completely inconceivable that paid officials handled illegally deflated balls for most of last season and DIDN'T REALIZE IT.

Spygate? I would call that flat out cheating. Levels of inflation in the balls? If it's within the specified levels, I would call it home field advantage. If it's below, still home field advantage but something that critical to the game of football should be caught by the official. The NFL is focusing more on players socks and shoes than god damn ####ing footballs!

I don't like huge volumes of obscure rules, and if you want to try and make rules for anything and everything you are going to get a rule book looking like the tax codes.

I just don't see attempting to get away with cheating as being a virtue.