Why deflated balls are a big deal

At the end of the day, the balls were not up to league specifications when they were prior to the game. Connect the dots how you may, but there was no man on the grassy knoll and the Pats have guy who was self-styled The Deflator.

• Excuse #2: You hate us because you can’t be us. Everyone is just jealous of the Patriots success and/or everyone just hates the Patriots to hate the Patriots. Insert persecuted complex here, and the league is out to get us.

Not sure if that is a good enough argument to get out of jail. Yet there may be something to this, but it is self-inflicted. When you’ve previously been caught cheating, whether it is school, sports, work, or just life, everyone else is going to pay attention to your future actions a tad bit closer.

Spygate isn’t all that far in the distant past. The Patriots, while consistently one of the best in the league, want to have that competitive advantage, no matter how small. They got burned in 2007 and paid the price. And yes, they were labeled as cheaters.

As in life, there are the laws of natural consequences. Get labeled a cheater in the classroom, and chances are everyone in the room–students and teacher alike–are going to be watching you to make sure you don’t do it again. Cheat on your girlfriend once, and there’s a high chance she’s going to be suspicious every time you check your phone at to read a covert text.  A writer gets caught plagiarizing another’s work? Of course others will be checking any future writings to make sure it isn’t poached.

Yes, the Packers QB has admitted that he prefers balls over-inflated–which is counter to the preference of under-inflated footballs which are easier to grip and catch.

Is that cheating? No, it’s stating a preference. I like to drive 75 mph at times, but I don’t. It’s not exactly safe, and I don’t like speeding tickets. There’s a big difference between wanting and acting on something.

There’s also a big difference in preferring over-inflated and knowing that if they are above that 12.5 PSI when the refs inspect them pregame, knowing that any of them that are above it will have air decanted off and presenting appropriate-weight balls then slipping off to the bathroom mid-game to bleed some air out.

Then there’s the fact that on a really cold day, there’s a good chance that receivers won’t want to catch a rock-hard, over-inflated ball. Flat balls benefit receivers as much as they do passers. Easier to grip, and easier to catch. A 15 PSI rocketball is going to feel like a cinder block when rocketed at a receiver.

Oh, and then there’s the simple fact that the Packers haven’t been accused, caught or punished for cheating. So all of this “But Rodgers is a cheaterpants” is merely smoke and mirrors at  this point.

• Excuse #4: All teams cheat. The Packers have a history of cheating. You are all hypocrites.

Yes, all teams have a history of cheating. There’s an entire webpage YourTeamCheats.com that outlines the infractions. But when someone wants to throw out there that in 1921 the Green Bay Packers were guilty of recruitment violations involving 3 Notre Dame that they were–clutch the pearls–thrown out of the league and had to buy their way back in as proof that Green Bay is a dirty team, then I am going to take this time to laugh my butt off.

They do realize that this occurred during Warren G. Harding administration, right?

But pay no attention to the Deflator and calluding quarterback behind the curtain with the ball needle.

Did the Packers cheat? Yes, but my grandpa was 12 years old at the time and Prohibition was still a thing. What on earth does this have to do with the New England Patriots getting busted for violating league rules twice in the past decade?

• Excuse #5: Ray Rice originally only got 2 games for knocking his girlfriend out. Why is Brady getting double that?

Yes, the NFL has screwed up in epic fashion when it came to meting out punishments for violent offenses. But this is comparing apples to hippopotamuses. Good god, don’t make me go find my flying monkeys. There is no comparison. Oh, and while we’re at it, has Ray Rice played a down of football since his two game suspension?

At the end of the day, the NFL decided to play hardball with its rules. The New England Patriots were penalized not only for cheating but also for–and this is what seems to be conveniently swept under the rug–not cooperating, especially Tom Brady who refused to turn over cell phone records (ie, a transcript of his texts because, well, the actually messages are easily deleted off cell phones and Wells respected Brady’s privacy.)

It’s showing that Robert Kraft, while highly influential in the NFL, does not have any more sway or preferential treatment than any other team or owner across the league. It means that fool me once, shame on you and that there will not be a fool me twice within a decade with the Patriots and their cheating.

The Patriots aren’t being persecuted. But they aren’t going to be treated preferentially. Break the rules and there will be consequences. Don’t cooperate with the investigation and there will be even more consequences.

Pundits have no problems laying down the law with dirty players like Ndamukong Suh breaks the rules. And it shouldn’t matter if you are a known dirty player like Suh or the supposed choir boy like Brady. Both broke different rules, and both should accept the lumps that come with willingly breaking rules.

Jealous because the Patriots beat us? That’s what they say. They hate us because they can’t be us.