Deflategate Gets Worse

Deflategate got worse for the Patriots and the NFL yesterday. 

In the morning, Coach Bill Belichick gave a press conference in which he was very credible.  But in the afternoon, QB Tom Brady’s presser did not go so well.  His assertion that he, a veteran NFL quarterback, did not notice the footballs were deflated particularly strained credulity.  I was watching NFL Live on ESPN, and former NFL QB Mark Brunell got a bit choked up afterwards and said he just did not believe Brady.  The rest of the panel, as well as others at ESPN, were almost as brutal.  And Troy Aikman afterwards opined on a Dallas radio station the following: "It's obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this." 

Ouch.

Now, in case any readers are - God forbid – not American football fans, know that deflated footballs that only one team are using are a big advantage.  The quarterback can grip the football better.  Receivers can catch the ball easier.  Ball carriers can hold on to the ball and avoid fumbles better.

And, lo and behold, the Patriots record of not fumbling at home is off the charts and hard to explain.  The 2014 Patriots are only the third team in 25 years to have never lost a fumble at home.  Read Warren Sharp’s close to damning statistical analysis for yourself, but the Patriots’ astounding fumble stats beg the question whether they were using deflated footballs at home all season and even before.

Yes, the legitimacy of the entire Patriots season is now under question.

Wednesday, I said that if the Patriots win the Super Bowl accompanied by perceived help from the refs, it would be a disaster for the NFL.  I now have to amend that.  If the Patriots win this Super Bowl at all, it will be at least perceived as tainted by millions, more so than any Super Bowl ever (Yes, even more so than the 2006 disgrace.), and therefore a disaster for the NFL.

The NFL is in a bad situation.  And I suspect nothing short of suspending Tom Brady from the Super Bowl will suffice to get them out of it.

That and rooting really hard for the Seahawks.

Thanks to the Patriots, the NFL is in a Dangerous Position UPDATED

After the infamous SuperBowl XL in 2006 in which the refs, particularly one from Pittsburgh, helped the Steelers steal another Super Bowl, I was one year away from swearing off the NFL.  I decided that if there was another Super Bowl presented to the Steelers on a silver platter by the league in the near future, I would stop watching the NFL.

And that was something coming from this lifelong NFL fan.  Heck, I remember my Dallas mom being unhappy about the Ice Bowl.  I’ve had NFL Sunday Ticket for years.  But my attitude has long been that if I liked rigged sport, I would watch pro wrestling . . . and I don’t.

The reason I bring up this dark memory is I suspect millions of NFL fans are now at the same spot I was back in 2006.  2006 was the NFL’s fault – a ref from Pittsburgh for that Super Bowl?  Really?  But this time it is the Patriots’ fault for deflating footballs.  The NFL has good reason to be upset, and they are.

One source described the league as "disappointed ... angry ... distraught," after spending considerable time on the findings earlier Tuesday.

I expect they will crack down hard on the Patriots.  But more than footballs are in danger.  The NFL itself is.

For now if the NFL is to avoid lasting damage and massive fan defections, there is one thing that must not happen.  If the Patriots win the Super Bowl accompanied with a widespread perception that the refs helped them so to do, that would tip this Patriots scandal over into an NFL disaster.  I would not swear off the NFL, but I bet millions would at least become much less enthusiastic about the NFL should that happen.

And the refereeing would not have to be as outrageous as that in 2006.  There is already widespread hatred of the Patriots.  There is the earned perception that they cheat already with a current episode of such in the news.  A Patriots win in the Super Bowl would not be good for the NFL.  If there is the perception that the NFL helped it out with questionable calls, it could be disastrous, destroying already damaged NFL credibility and alienating fans.

No I am not a Patriots-hater.  But it is hard to miss that Patriots hate is that strong out there – and that the NFL has already had a bad season with scandals, bad calls (especially the Dez Bryant catch reversal), and more.  More than footballs are in danger of being deflated by the Patriots.  Fan loyalty is as well.

All the more reason to root for the Seahawks as I will.

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UPDATE:

Deflategate is getting worse.  Now there are reports the Ravens believe the Patriots used underinflated balls against them.  Remember that playoff game was not a blow out; the Ravens were up 14, twice.

And how many other times have the Patriots literally taken the air out of the ball?

Again, I am no Patriots hater . . . but I may be becoming one.  More importantly, the NFL must take strong steps to defend both the reality and the perception of “the integrity of the game.” 

So do not be surprised if they crack down on the Patriots, hard.