Raell wrote:
I just want to know why they are trying to blame this on Brady. Yes, he picks the balls. But after he picks them, they get inspected. How is this his fault?
Also, quit crying Colts, you got your *** kicked.
I seriously doubt there is any proof, or if there is, the NFL will destroy it, like they did with the spygate videos, but Brady is almost certainly guilty here.
Once the referees inspect the 12 team game balls (each teams offense gets 12), they are turned back over to the teams equipment manager on the sidelines. There is every opportunity to remove some air pressure after the referees have inspected them. And there is ZERO chance an equipment manager would take it upon him or her self to do this on their own. Those are Brady's footballs. If they are being manipulated, it's not being done without his knowledge.
It's going to be really interesting to see how this plays out. Brady has said he didn't modify the balls, and it's quite clear that someone did. Team employees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement when they are hired. Just like with the assistant scout who took the spygate videos, even after he was fired from the team, he refused to testify or turn over the evidence he possessed until he was given immunity from the Patriots and the NFL from being sued into oblivion. This process took 8 years. And once that evidence was handed over to the league, they 'reviewed' it and then promptly destroyed it.
It took years for all of the details of the spygate controversy to become known. I suspect that will be the case with deflategate as well.
The league does not want this to be an issue. They will do anything they can, to include ignoring or destroying evidence, to avoid implicating Brady or Belichick.
Re: the Colts, I haven't seen anything indicating they are blaming the loss on those footballs. That would be ridiculous. There are some claims that the Ravens gave the Colts a heads up to check the balls after their game the previous week (which was *much* closer), because they suspected the Patriots game balls were being manipulated.