Deflategate- Part 2

First, please re/read our post from January 24, 2015: “Why Deflategate Matters.”

I just read the 21 page Summary findings of the Wells Report released today.  Everything in that post from January was borne out to be true.  The Patriots broke the rules and cheated.  Tom Brady lied.  And the spin about “more probably than not” is just cover so that the Super Bowl XLIX Championship result is not overturned.

You are welcome and highly encouraged to read as much of the report as you can.  For us, the 21 pages of summary is chock full of information and conclusions that confirm everything believed by us beforehand.  Tarkenton and Brunell can go ahead and call Brady what he is, a liar.  He lied about his knowledge of the balls. He lied about his knowledge of Patriots employee Jim McNally.  The text messages of McNally (“the deflator”) and another employee John Jastremski are extremely damaging.  As for the physical evidence, the investigators had a “control” in Colts balls:

Exponent (consultant, hired by the NFL) concluded that, within the range of likely game conditions and circumstances studied, they could identify no set of credible environmental or physical factors that completely accounts for the Patriots halftime measurements or for the additional loss in air pressure exhibited by the Patriots game balls, as compared to the loss in air pressure exhibited by the Colts game balls.

And for any Patriot fan or other apologist who wants to hide behind the possible doubt of “more probably than not,” a rejection of the report’s summary findings is remote:

“Indeed, in our view, a contrary conclusion requires the acceptance of an implausible number of communications and events as benign coincidences.”

Basically you have to be deaf and dumb to read the report and think that anything went on BESIDES deflated footballs.  There are so many details that are frankly remarkable, among them how McNally was not even asked by Patriots Counsel to show up for another interview with investigators:

“We believe the failure by the Patriots and its counsel to produce McNally for the requested follow-up interview violated the club‟s obligations to cooperate with the investigation under the Policy on Integrity of the Game & Enforcement of League Rules and was inconsistent with public statements made by the Patriots pledging full cooperation with the investigation.”

After reading the 21 page summary, I am convinced that this incident (which likely went on a lot more than just for the 2014 season implied by the findings) needs much more punishment than Spygate.  I would take away two #1 picks.  I would hand Brady a 6 game suspension.  I would fine the Patriots organization 3X what they got fined in SpyGate, and I would censure their owner Bob Kraft for not supporting the NFL and its findings.  His public statement shows NO contrition whatsoever.  This is THE SAME OWNERSHIP AND STAFF that was behind Spygate.  Back in January, Kraft said he wanted an apology.  Well, after reading the report, I’d like an apology from Kraft.  His franchise has sullied the league now twice, undermining the integrity of the game in a most direct way.  And his team’s failure to fully cooperate in the investigation is unpardonable.

Yes Deflategate does matter.  Without significant punishment handed out by the NFL to the Patriots, the integrity of the game will be questioned.  I personally would strip them of their title, but the NFL does not have the cajones to do that.  Take away two #1’s.  That’ll give them a hickey that lasts a while.