"Deflategate"

Oh, Super Bowl XLIX is this weekend? I kind of forget. No, not really but the way "Deflategate" has stole the show, I wouldn't be surprised if most people did forget about the big game. The big game on Sunday down in Glendale, Arizona at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The big game that will kickoff at approximately 6:30pm on NBC. The big game between the defending Super Bowl Champions, Seattle Seahawks and the three-time Super Bowl Champions, New England Patriots-the team at the center of the "Deflategate" scandal.

So, what is "Deflategate" anyway? Well, if you've been living under a rock for the last two weeks or just don't care about football at all, let me catch you up. "Deflategate" is a term being used to describe a "scandal" in the 2014 AFC Championship game between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. A game in which the Pats routed the Colts 45-7.

The controversy came with 11 of the 12 game balls that were being used by the Pats. Let me rephrase that. The controversy actually came a week earlier in the divisional playoffs when the Baltimore Ravens, who lost to the Pats, 35-31 had suspicions of them playing with under inflated balls during the game. Afterwards, the Ravens brought it to the attention of the Colts and told them to watch for it.

Now, to get back to the actual "scandal". At halftime of the AFC Championship game, after the Colts defense had picked off Tom Brady and as the balls were being weighed by an official as done with all game balls before each NFL game and during halftime of each game, the referee found that 11 of the Patriots game balls were under inflated. League rules note that game balls must be within the specifications of 12.5-13.5 PSI. The balls in question were only inflated to 10.5 PSI. This would give an advantage to Tom Brady and his receivers in terms of gripping the ball. Especially in the cold, rainy conditions that were present during the entire championship game.

That's what this whole "Deflategate" is all about. How it happened, when it happened and why it happened are still yet to be determined. And may never be determined. I have heard rumors though about the NFL having a person of interest in the Patriots locker room attendant. But that's all I've heard thus far.

So, who really cares about the Super Bowl this year when something like "Deflategate" is going on? Who cares about the biggest, most popular sporting event in America when there's controversy to talk about? Why get excited for a game when there's "scandals", accusations, possible cover ups and endless amounts of drama and rumors swirling around? Americans care way more about that kind of stuff anyway. Its sad, but these past two weeks have proven it to be true.

Why though? Why have we let "Deflategate" take over everything good about this time of year? Maybe it's because of who it involves. I mean, it's the New England Patriots for Gods sake. It's Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, two of the greatest. Everybody knows their history and their success together and their Super Bowls. They've appeared in six Super Bowls together with three wins under their belts.

Yes, maybe "Deflategate" is a much bigger deal because the Patriots are considered the best. It's always so much more dramatically intriguing when the most successful people get caught doing things wrong. It's almost like it's welcomed in today's society. Everybody loves to hate the best. Like, we're just waiting for them to go down so we can feel better about our-not so famous or lucrative lives.

Those have to be the reasons why people care more about "Deflategate" this year than they do the actual Super Bowl, right? I mean, what else could there be? Well, as impressive as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are together, they're also equally controversial together.

We all remember "Spygate" back in 2007 when the Pats were caught video taping the New York Jets sideline hand signals. An act that cost Bill Belichick $500,000, the Patriots $250,000 and a first round draft pick in 2008.

To stay objective here, I should probably point out that New England also went on to the Super Bowl that season where they lost to the New York Giants, 17-14. That game was played in Glendale as well. And this is where the conspiracy theorist could chime in and intensify the drama that has plagued the entire league this year.

All that aside though, there are still numerous other allegations of "cheating" via illegal videotaping on the part of Bill Belichick and the Patriots organization. This goes all the way back to 2000 when Belichick was hired as the head coach in New England.

There is also, along with the ball deflation controversy when the Pats took on the Ravens in the divisional playoff game three weeks ago, the Ravens making an issue out of certain offensive formations executed by the Patriots.

The play in question by the Ravens had Patriots running back, Shane Vereen flanked out on the line of scrimmage to the right. He reported as an ineligible receiver so that tight end, Michael Hoomanawanui who was lined up as a tackle, would be an eligible receiver. When the the ball was snapped, Vereen ran backwards and threw his arms in the air confusing the Ravens defense. This play worked for completions on three different occasions. It was a totally legal play but out of confusion and frustration, upset the Ravens only adding to all of the "Deflategate" controversy.

If you want to look at all these controversial stories of the past and relate them to "Deflategate", I guess you could legitimately do so. There is after all the saying "Once a cheater, always a cheater." However, these issues are all in the past now and we cant forget that there is no evidence of any wrong doing yet on the part of New England. Isn't it innocent until proven guilty?

Lets just look at one of the many possibilities here. A scientific possibility. I'll admit that I'm no scientist or investigator but I do have the common sense to know that if it's 70 degrees out on the day I fill my vehicle tires up to 35 PSI and it drops down to 20 degrees the very next day, my tires will not have the same 35 PSI inside them anymore.

Things filled with air expand and contract when subjected to temperature change. Have you ever purchased helium balloons when it's extremely hot outside? Some of the balloons may burst as you walk out into the heat. If you purchase helium balloons when its extremely cold out, your balloons with deflate and not float at full strength.

Isn't it possible that the same reaction happened with those 11 game balls used by the Patriots? I'd say yes, but will also somewhat debunk that theory by questioning why none of the other balls used by any of the other teams this season after the weather got cold did the same exact thing.

That's a question nobody can answer either way. But it still doesn't rule out the fact that weather may have played a part in this. Look, I'm not saying someone couldn't have deflated 11 out of the 12 game balls used in the AFC Championship game. And I'm not saying Tom Brady and or Bill Belichick didn't know anything about it either. All I'm saying is until there is actual proof laid out by the NFL that someone from the Patriots sideline physically deflated their game balls we cant jump to conclusions or rule out other possibilities such as a natural phenomenon.

Besides, in sports, if you're not always trying to gain some sort of advantage, if you're not trying to bend whatever rules you can get away with bending...you probably aren't winning. Is that morally wrong? Yes. Is it competitively wrong? Well, only if you get caught.

I mean, how many pitchers get away with sticky, pine tar fingers each season? How many batters get away with cork in there bats? How many athletes are on performance enhancing drugs, but just haven't tested positive yet? How many race car drivers get away with illegal modifications to their cars each season to make them faster? Hell, even Olympic athletes push the limits of legality. The most admired, respected and prestigious athletes in the world bending the rules for competitive gain and advantage.

It's no different with quarterbacks. Tom Brady prefers a lower inflation to his balls. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers prefers his balls bigger and harder to fit in his hands better. And how many other quarterbacks get away with deflating or over inflating their balls each game? How many quarterbacks tamper with and buff their balls before game time? Most, if not all of them.

Which leads me to the whole point of this post. This is professional sports. This is the NFL. The is the Super Bowl. Where you do whatever it takes to win and to be the best. Will that tarnish the legacy of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, the Patriots and the entire NFL? Only time will tell.

Until then, lets not let "cheating" in sports, another "scandal" within the Patriots organization or any other problems that occurred in the NFL during this past season ruin the single greatest sports day in our country. The NFL will get to the bottom of this issue and the Patriots will be punished accordingly-if wrong doing is proven. So for now, lets stop all this "Deflategate" nonsense and get ready to watch what will hopefully be one of the greatest Super Bowls in the history of the NFL.

Ok, since we got to the bottom of all that and since I'm a guy who loves football and the Super Bowl, lets get down to my predictions:

"Deflategate" will either distract the Patriots into playing as terribly as the Denver Broncos played in last years Super Bowl or it will motivate them into playing like they did when all the experts counted them out after beginning the season 2-2. It seemed like all hell was going to break loose in Foxborough before the Pats went on to win seven in a row.

Either way, I'm a Michigan man and a Tom Brady fan so, GO PATS!!! Although, I honestly don't think they'll be able to get over the distractions of "Deflategate". And even if they do, I just can't forget about what the Seahawks did to the Broncos last year. I mean, they almost embarrassed Peyton Manning-one of, if not the greatest QB in NFL history into retirement. I cant go against that again. So, I'm taking Seattle, 28-17.

Happy Super Bowl everybody and enjoy the game...and the ads :)





Sources:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brady

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England_Patriots

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_National_Football_League_videotaping_controversy

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Belichick





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