Levity is used to describe something easily relatable as common sense; common sense that was totally lacking during the so-called NFL “deflategate” investigation where the New England quarterback was ultimately suspended for four games; not for deflating footballs as alleged but because he refused to hand over a cell phone in question to investigators.

Brady was questioned extensively at his appeal and he asserted that it had always been his practice to have his cell phones destroyed every so often. He explained that there is private information like players contracts, endorsement deals, and photos of his family on his phone that he wanted wiped. That seems like a perfectly reasonable desire.
— Deadspin, 8/5/15

Seriously, we all know Tom Brady’s text messages, pictures, contacts, etc. would be a goldmine leaked to an overzealous media and if we were in his situation, would probably do the same.

So you can imagine the smile on our faces when we heard a local Washington, D.C. radio station this morning repeating cold weather tips issued by AAA….

In fact, these cold weather tips are being widely shared for the simple.

AAA offers timely tips for winter driving
Have tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires can be dangerous, and may suffer damage. Tire air pressure decreases 1-2 psi for every 10 degree temperature drop.
— Chicago Now, 11/11/19

Well, duh!

Even a seventh-grader proved the obvious and easily.

Thus began the science project with which 7th grader Ben Goodell won first prize at St. Pius V School in Lynn, Massachusetts. The Massachusetts part may give you a hint regarding why Goodell’s science project was about how weather alone could influence the air pressure in a football.

“I just came up with this project because I wanted to prove Tom Brady was innocent,” Goodell says. “I didn’t think it was fair for them to just call Brady a cheater.”

And as it turned out… “Every time I recorded the football’s PSI after being outside for two hours, the PSI read two PSI under proper inflation,” Ben Goodell says.
— WBUR, 3/12/16

Sad how so many can relate to a simple concept of physics via experience yet suspend the concept when it can feed into the justified jealousy of football fans who support inferior teams.

It was simply about bringing footballs from a warm interior onto a cooler field. Tom Brady and the Patriots didn’t cheat and millions of stubborn people (who probably can’t even spell physics) still won’t admit it.

Just ask your tires in the morning.

“Integrity of the game”… THIS from the league that’s changed the way defenses play in order to favor the offense. Why? To enhance the experience of fans involved in what amounts to online betting (fantasy football). The NFL changed their on-the-field rules to promote BETTING!

Gimme a break: “integrity of the game”. But back to “cheating”, which just happens to be a tradition carried out since the early days of the NFL….

The National Football League has kept many instances of “cheating” low key, because to be honest, they concerned teams (and/or players) few really care about in the grand scheme of things. But while the League and the media’s decided to make an example of the New England Patriots, the NFL’s integrity is shit and there are many examples that have occurred south and west of Connecticut and Rhode Island….

New York Giants, Ben McAdoo fined $200K total for walkie-talkies
Okay, it’s 2016. Who uses “walkie talkies” anymore? Your average young person is probably Googling as we speak to find out just what we’re talking about here. Sorry, but a “walkie talkie” isn’t something we bring with us wherever we go, let alone just happen to have a set ready during an NFL playoff game.

Or maybe some teams do…?

Atlanta Falcons lose 2016 pick for pumping fake noise
For those out there who actually know something about the game, increasing crowd noise can adversely affect the play-calling ability of the visiting team’s offense and special teams, most often resulting in frequent “false start” and/or “delay of game” calls (resulting in negative penalty yards) and a disruption of the team’s rhythm and making scoring more difficult.

Packers’ Aaron Rodgers prefers overinflated footballs, likes to push the limit
Probably not as easy to notice if referees and the League aren’t tipped off.

Chargers fined $20,000 after ‘Stickum’ towel inquiry
In wake of Chargers Stickum accusations, some NFL alums say cheating is part of the game
Talk about a mixed message: the NFL said the use of “stickum towels” wasn’t a violation, fined them anyway, meanwhile former players say cheating is business as usual. A sentiment that doesn’t match the anguish of the sanctimonious.

Speaking of stickum, as mentioned in a previous post….

Jerry Rice on stickum use: ‘All players did it’
Cris Carter: If Jerry Rice used stickum, he cheated
San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice wasn’t just another player. His resume was a no-brainer when it came to voting him into the NFL Hall of Fame. Whether or not he deserves an asterisk next to his name is a discussion that may be coming sooner, rather than later.

And as for holier-than-thou, Mr. Integrity Cris Carter…?

Cris Carter admits to bounties
Whoops.

But while the clueless in the media (who I often point out couldn’t tell you what division the Tennessee Titans are in but yet are experts on the Patriots’ “history” of cheating) point their fingers of guilt at New England, there are teams whose notorious reputations for cheating are quite extensive and documented.

According to the website Your Team Cheats*,

“So you think there’s only one NFL team that cheats? You’re wrong. All 32 NFL teams cheat. Yup, even your favorite team is a dirty cheater, but since they are not that good, nobody really cares.”

Great point.

Its creators rank each team’s documented “cheats” for severity — the Patriots actually fall in the middle of the pack among the NFL’s biggest cheaters at No. 15. Also — and we’re sure this is purely coincidental — here are the top four cheaters in the NFL, again per the site’s arbitrary rankings:

1. Denver Broncos
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. New York Jets
4. Indianapolis Colts

Coincidentally, those four teams probably would be considered the Patriots’ four biggest rivals. Not only that, the New York Giants — who have defeated the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl — come in at No. 6, and New England’s other biggest rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, come in at No. 7.
— NESN, 5/15/15

And one can’t fault the Patriots in not trusting the ability of the League to fairly conduct an investigation when internal, anonymous NFL “sources” arbitrarily release juicy little tidbits to the media for the expressed purpose of leading public opinion in a desired direction.

The investigation found the footballs were inflated 2 pounds per square inch below what’s required by NFL regulations during the Pats’ 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, according to sources.
— ESPN, 1/21/15

The other 10 balls that reportedly were two pounds under may have been, as the source explained it, closer to one pound below 12.5 PSI.
— NBC Sports, 1/25/15

Meanwhile, Fox Sports and NBC Sports have cited unnamed sources who claim that an unidentified attendant who took 24 game balls into a bathroom before the game is being eyed as a person of interest in the scandal.
— MSNBC, 1/28/15

In conversations I’ve had with several key sources who always have a good sense of what goes on at 345 Park Ave., there is little doubt that Goodell considers Brady’s role in DeflateGate a serious violation.
— New York Daily News, 5/8/15

If the NFL is really interested in the public’s perception when it comes to the “integrity of the game”, then they shouldn’t go about making cheating appear to be something isolated to ONE team and then whisper selective, incriminating, albeit circumstantial evidence to manipulate public opinion.

A fish rots from the head and that starts with Roger Goodell on down and when it comes to the “integrity of the game”, also take a look at the half-assed officiating. The Dallas Cowboys would probably agree.

On Wednesday, the N.F.L. released its report on its investigation into New England’s surreptitious practice of deflating game-day footballs. Using detailed accounts and circumstantial evidence, it implicated quarterback Tom Brady as part of the operation, saying he surely knew that the two employees, Jim McNally, 48, and John Jastremski, then 35, were purposely deflating footballs to a level beyond the permissible threshold for Brady’s benefit.

Already there are screams, demanding Brady be suspended for two, four, or six weeks of the upcoming season. But I have a question….

IF (and there are still speculations within the NFL’s report) Brady knew the balls were being deflated, and IF it really gave him a competitive edge, why is Brady being singled out? Is he the ONLY player who’s ever tried to gain an edge, and if not, why are some of the league’s loudmouths all sanctimonious about Brady while ignoring significant others?

Jerry Rice admitted that he used stickum on his gloves to help him catch footballs. “I know this might be a little illegal, guys, I just put a little spray, a little stickum on them, to make sure that texture is a little sticky,” Rice said.

And after a little heat, he issued the following statement.

I mentioned “league’s loudmouths”….

I’m going to be point blank, I feel like it’s cheating, because you have an edge up on your opponent and its unfortunate that it happened. I think you have to really put an asterisk on it, because this is going to follow them, you know, for the rest of their lives, because when you look at it, when people go back and they think about the New England Patriots, they’re going to think about these controversies.
— Jerry Rice, on DeflateGate

Brady and the Patriots have been implicated in ONE playoff game.

Since he hasn’t revealed any specifics, Jerry Rice may have cheated his way to being rated #1 Greatest Player of All-Time on The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players; 3× Super Bowl Champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX); Super Bowl MVP (XXIII); 3× NFC Champion (1988-1989, 1994); AFC Champion (2002); 10× AP First Team All-Pro (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996); 2× AP Second Team All-Pro (1991, 2002); 13× Pro Bowl (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002), Pro Bowl MVP (1995); 2× AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1987, 1993); 3× NFC Offensive Player of the Year (1986, 1987); Pro Football Writers of America MVP (1988); UPI NFC Player of the Year (1988); UPI NFC Rookie of the Year (1985); Bert Bell Award (1987); NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team’ NFL 1980s All-Decade Team; NFL 1990s All-Decade Team; San Francisco 49ers #80 retired; College Football Hall of Fame (2006); Pro Football Hall of Fame (2010); NFL’s All-Time Leader in Receptions; NFL’s All-Time Leader in Receiving Yards; NFL’s All-Time Leader in Receiving Touchdowns, all SINCE 1981 (24 years), and Rice has the nerve to say Tom Brady deserves to have an asterisk next to his achievements?

Also, look at the number (or lack of) current quarterbacks who speak out on DeflateGate. If you remember, there were only two or so NFL coaches that spoke out on the SpyGate scandal.

Not because they had nothing to say, but maybe… everybody does it!