Superbowl 55... (59)

Lunabeam: i can't stand cheaters and liars and those who do it think everyone is like them and it's okay as long as you win, like little t and his supporters...B&B are trump supporters....wonder if it was because of stupidity or greed? Probably both. They only know football and getting rich, like some business men only know business and getting rich...no character.

secretagent09: -----------------------------------------

The NFL has suspended New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for four games for his role in the team's "Deflategate" scandal. The team has also been stripped of two draft picks and fined $1 million.
The league did this because of its investigation found that team locker room attendant Jim McNally likely released air from a set of game balls used during the AFC Championship this past December.

The investigation concluded that quarterback Tom Brady was likely "at least generally aware" of McNally's activities. There's no evidence coach Bill Belichick knew what was going on.

Under-inflated balls are easier to catch and throw, and each team uses its own set of balls — so the Patriots' opponent wouldn't have enjoyed the same advantage.

Tom Brady is appealing his suspension. Though the Patriots published an incredibly thorough rebuttal of the NFL's investigation, they've declined to appeal the team penalties.

After an NFL investigation found that members of the Patriots' locker room staff likely deflated their footballs on purpose — and that Tom Brady probably knew about it — the league has handed down a surprisingly harsh penalty. Brady will miss the first four games of the season, the Patriots will be fined $1 million, and the team will also lose two draft picks in upcoming years.

The investigation found that 11 of the 12 footballs used by the New England Patriots during the first half of the AFC Championship had less than the minimum air pressure mandated by the league. A referee had confirmed before the game that the balls were fully inflated — but sometime afterward, but before kickoff, Patriots locker room attendant Jim McNally took the balls into the bathroom and likely released air from them, perhaps acting on Brady's orders.

Why might the Patriots want under-inflated footballs? In theory, they'd be easier for Brady to grip and for the team's running backs and receivers to catch and hold on to during the game's rainy conditions. Because teams always use their own sets of footballs when they're on offense, this wouldn't have helped their opponents, the Indianapolis Colts.

The penalty for is far steeper than many expected, and the Patriots have responded in kind, publishing a thorough, point-by-point rebuttal to the NFL's investigation, even calling upon a Nobel-winning scientist to argue that the balls could have been deflated naturally by temperature changed. However, they've decided not to appeal their penalties, though Tom Brady is appealing his suspension, and it could well be reduced by a few games.

Regardless, the biggest impact of "Deflategate" might actually be long-term. Given previous instances of cheating by the Patriots, it could tarnish their legacy in the future.

galrads: Yes, I read this. Still “ Deflategate is the biggest Patriots scandal he’s been involved in. While he served a suspension, he appealed it and never admitted guilt. The NFL, likewise, never publicly presented hard evidence that Brady cheated or that he knew the balls were deflated.”