Underinflation was not the only issue with the balls

[Phishfan]

It appears a Patriots locker room attendant tried to introduce an unapproved special teams ball into the game as well. There had been a push on Brady taking the blame on this one but given that we now know a special teams ball was part of the plot it goes deeper. I don't see how the Patriots can realistically maintain a defense environmental causes when they tried to introduce a completely different ball that had never been inspected by officials. I hope they drop the hammer.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/patriots-locker-room-attendant-put-unapproved-ball-afc/story?id=29040309

[MikeO]

They tried to cheat and anyone who keeps trying to defend them just has their head in the sand. Whether it had any effect on the outcome of the game vs the Colts is meaningless. They were cheating. There is no way to spin out of this. Robert Kraft can yell as loud as he wants how this is all nonsense but he just comes off losing all credibility he once had and looks like dumb old man.

This last Super Bowl is tarnished. Because of Spygate and other things their legacy is forever tarnished. When talking about the great dynasty's of NFL history they will be left out of that conversation.

I mean the mountain of evidence against them just keeps growing and if the NFL doesn't come down on them they look awful and it hurts the credibility of the league.

[Fau Teixeira]

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[Brian Fein]

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[Rich]

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[Tenshot13]

[Pappy13]

Let's see. Tuck Rule. Spygate. Deflate Gate. That's the trifecta and it's not a winner.

[Dave Gray]

Spygate is actually two separate things, as well. 

[Rich]

Let's see. Tuck Rule. Spygate. Deflate Gate. That's the trifecta and it's not a winner.

And yet the NFL allowed them to win Superbowls in spite of these things.

The lesson the NFL is putting out is cheating pays off.

[MikeO]

And yet the NFL allowed them to win Superbowls in spite of these things.

The lesson the NFL is putting out is cheating pays off.

The lesson is if you have a very powerful owner who has the commisioner on a string you can get away with anything you want in this league

[VidKid]

This is an issue with the NFL as an organization, not just the Pats.

Multiple stories have been coming out about cheating and while I don't condone it, it's hard to put an asterisk next to every 'accomplishment' in the NFL record books. It's just easier to leave the asterisk off since everyone was cheating.

If everyone is cheating, then all is fair, right?

[MaineDolFan]

This wasn't a "Patriots" thing.  It was an **NFL** employee, who was subsequently fired. 

An NFL employee was taking game day footballs, meant for charity, and selling them for profit.  The **NFL** employee took the football meant for game, did whatever it is he did with it, and handed the incorrect ball to the Patriots equipment manager to toss into play.

So, again, I understand everyone loves to have their torches and axes sharp...but things aren't always as they seem.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/12344667/nfl-employee-handed-new-england-patriots-locker-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

[MikeO]

This wasn't a "Patriots" thing.  It was an **NFL** employee, who was subsequently fired. 

An NFL employee was taking game day footballs, meant for charity, and selling them for profit.  The **NFL** employee took the football meant for game, did whatever it is he did with it, and handed the incorrect ball to the Patriots equipment manager to toss into play.

So, again, I understand everyone loves to have their torches and axes sharp...but things aren't always as they seem.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/12344667/nfl-employee-handed-new-england-patriots-locker-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

Patriots are just the most unlucky team ever. Nothing like this ever happens to anyone else. Just them. Always and excuse and a fall guy in arms length as well,...funny how that works

[CF DolFan]

This wasn't a "Patriots" thing.  It was an **NFL** employee, who was subsequently fired. 

An NFL employee was taking game day footballs, meant for charity, and selling them for profit.  The **NFL** employee took the football meant for game, did whatever it is he did with it, and handed the incorrect ball to the Patriots equipment manager to toss into play.

So, again, I understand everyone loves to have their torches and axes sharp...but things aren't always as they seem.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/12344667/nfl-employee-handed-new-england-patriots-locker-room-attendant-kicking-game-ball-source-says

I don't mean this negatively but it seems odd to me that you go out of your way to continue to defend them. It really doesn't seem like something that would normally interest you.

[Cathal]

I don't mean this negatively but it seems odd to me that you go out of your way to continue to defend them. It really doesn't seem like something that would normally interest you.

Wasn't he a Boston sports writer or still is? It wouldn't surprise me that much that he has some interest in defending them if that is the case. But I dunno.