There have been other cheating allegations and incidents involving the Patriots over the years.

There hasn't been a lot of uproar or outrage expressed across the league. Does that mean everyone does it, or that it's not a big deal and no one cares?

I'm from NE so although they're not my home team anymore,
I still root for them. Also, Brady grew up near here. A friend of mine knows his family very well.
That being said, yes, I think the balls were deflated on purpose.
If they were, then Brady has to be held culpable because no
equipment manager or ball boy would ever do it without orders.
I also believe there's no particular uproar because many qb's
adjust their balls out of the parameters required by rule.
At least there's something interesting to talk about in the 2 week break before the SB.
I still have to root for NE over Seattle.
Go Pats!!

Do I believe it? Yes, Do I think the players are in on it? Some of them, yes. Past that, unless the league takes a firm hand in it, it is going to continue. Do I think it would have made a difference in the outcome of that game? No.

That being said, I am not a Brady fan, never have been, so.........Go SEAHAWKS

I believe it, and the more Brady speaks, i believe it more.

Oh yeah, I believe it. Hate the Pats, Go Seahawks. I love me some Russell Wilson.

Who cares? This needs to go over to Hot Topics.

Oh, I disagree that this needs to go to Hot Topics. Why can't we have a conversation here? The fact that people may disagree isn't a reason to send this to Hot Topics. Hopefully people here can "discuss" - rather than fight.

Lots of people care. As a New Englander, I feel that, if the Patriots cheated, they should be held accountable and "outed". If they didn't, or if it's an accepted practice, let's get on with things and focus on the Superbowl.

For those (not here, specifically, but in the world) who hate the Pats and are assuming them guilty because of that, c'mon. Same to those who love the Pats and are assuming them innocent because of that.

This post was edited by suzieque on Mon, Jan 26, 15 at 11:10

I agree with Suzieque. This isn't some volatile political brouhaha. People are passionate about their sports teams, but the world isn't going to change because of that.

I think it is pretty hard to believe that someone didn't do this when 11 out of 12 were deflated. It's unfortunate that they thought they needed to do this to win.

I give a lot of credit to the Colts player that called attention to it. The Patriots won by a big margin. Why did they need to cheat?

I do wonder if anything will come of it.

The other victims here are the Baltimore Ravens who had a pretty close game against the Patriots in the divisional playoff the previous week and who, it is rumored, tipped off the Colts to the under-inflated footballs.

I don't not watch football so there is no bias towards the a team. If they did do it, they should be eliminated from the Super Bowl IMO. Anything less and I lose all respect for the NFL. Anything less rewards cheaters. Yes, they could have easily won anyway, but that isn't the point. They have probably been doing it all season, thats why they need to be held accountable.

The owner of the Patriots and the NFL commissioner are close friends. Nothing is going to happen. But then, the NFL has shown it horrid "leadership" all season long. That's where there needs to be a change.

For once I am happy to see a winter snowstorm take over the news.

I am sickened by the idea that this topic has been the top or second story on news day after day. Are we so small-minded that THIS is *important*? Everything there is to say about this was said in the first five minutes after the story broke. Do we have to call in Elsa to Let It Go?

I'm with Chisue, on all the news programs and weekend shows, they talked about 2 psi under-inflation. Apparently this isn't the first time, AND they said that it really is neglible.

Has no one thought of the fact that *both* teams benefit......everyone who catches the ball? I don't get it.

The news only reports what people want to hear. Not everyone of course but enough people to keep their ratings high. Everyone has different interests and sports are a huge interest in this country.

This post was edited by chi83 on Mon, Jan 26, 15 at 14:06

Seriously, hot topics? Why? Ridiculous.

Suzieque, it's unfortunate for the Patriots but their past actions regarding cheating have tainted how the world sees them. Piping noise in, stealing signals? They are seen as a dirty team to the rest of the world (the rest of the world that cares, that is)

I have learned a few things about football that I didn't know before this happened.

I didn't know that each quarterback picks out 12 balls to use during the game. Those balls are used by each respective team only. The only time an opposing player would touch their footballs would be by means of an interception. That is how the situation came about during the game with the Colts.

It seems crazy to me that the players should pick the footballs. Wouldn't all the balls be the same?

I also didn't know it had been suspected in the game against the Ravens.

While it isn't the most important thing going on in the world, I do think it is newsworthy. This is big business and a lot of people follow these teams. Nothing wrong with that.

Believe it or not at the time I start this thread the subject hadn't come up on Hot Topics.

Actually I just learned that each team even at the high school level brings their own balls. I guess this has happened for years. I think both the coach and the QB (and probably most of the players) knew about this. They said on the news tonight that the locker room attendant is a "person of interest." Seriously, how dumb do they think we are? The locker room attendant wouldn't act alone. It seems they always blame those in the lowest position. Go Seahawks - normally I don't root for the Seahawks but I do now!

Locker room attendant???? LOL LOL LOL. They really DO think the rest of us are IDIOTS. I'm annoyed more at that than I am by the deflation. It had to be Brady who passed the word. And, no.....nothing will be done about it. And this, too, will pass......

I have NFL mobile on my phone and get updates when anything significant happens. When I got that notification about the locker room attendant as a person of interest, my reaction was the same as yours Redcurls. They need a fall guy, and it's not going to be Brady. GO HAWKS!!!

Now's the time for someone to man up.
And I don't mean the locker room attendant who
has been seen going into a small bathroom with
the balls. The whole world knows that he wouldn't
deflate balls without instructions from above.
Throwing him under the bus is just classless.
Although Seattle is our nemesis, I think I'm
actually going to root for them.

Go Hawks!