It looks like Deflate-Gate will remain a popular topic of discussion leading up to the Super Bowl as according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the league has determined that 11 of the footballs that the New England Patriots provided and used in Sunday’s AFC title game against the Indianapolis Colts were under-inflated by two pounds each.
Mortensen, goes on to say that the league has no further comment on the investigation at this time as they are still trying to figure out how the deflation of the footballs happened.
According to NFL rules, each team is responsible for providing 12 footballs to be used in a game that the officiating crew inspects a few hours before kickoff. Each team’s offense then uses the balls that they provided during the game. Those footballs are to be inflated to between 12.5-13.5 pounds per square inch (PSI) at all times.
The narrative right now seems to be that under-inflated footballs are easier for a quarterback to grip and throw, and especially in wet conditions, as was the case in the AFC Championship game this past Sunday.
Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe reported Tuesday that several Patriots players pleaded ignorance on the issue of deflated balls earlier in the day. One of those players was wide receiver Julian Edelman, who caught nine passes for 98 yards against the Colts.
“I don’t know anything. It’s just a story. It’s whatever. I don’t know anything about it,” Edelman reportedly said.
That certainly sounds like something Sergeant Schultz would say.
If the league ultimately determines that anyone from Patriots tampered with the air pressure of the footballs during the game there is likely to be some fines handed out. In addition to that, the Patriots could ultimately lose draft picks.
Regardless of the outcome of the league’s investigation, the Patriots will still play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. However, should the Patriots ultimately win the Lombardi Trophy, you bet several will want to deflate that sterling silver football by attempting to attach another asterisk beside their accomplishment. That won’t be the first time when it comes to the Patriots.
At least media day is looking like it could be very interesting this year and I hope Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is asked about Deflate-Gate in as many different ways and languages as possibly.
In sports they say the ball doesn’t lie. Will Belichick?
