05-07-2015, 08:43 AM
Of course I'm going to get piled on for this, but I don't think this report actually shows that much.
First, about Brady's role in the whole ordeal, there's really no evidence that he wanted anyone to do anything against the rules. He clearly wanted the balls softer, but when they were apparently as high as 16 PSI for some games (which, btw, is illegally high), why do we automatically assume that means he wanted them below 12.5? Everything in there is perfectly consistent with Brady wanting the balls at the legal minimum.
Second, a lot of the science in the report is really bad. Which isn't surprising, because the firm that produced the report has a very consistent bias of finding the results its clients want, including things like second-hand smoke not causing cancer. That's the kind of firm you want to pin your science on? Ooookay. But the procedure for testing the wet balls was inane, especially in light of other firms that don't have a history of convenient findings saw that everything was fine.
Thirdly, the whole idea that something like half a PSI matters is inane. If that were true then why don't teams who like their balls higher (like the Packers and apparently the Colts) have higher fumble/drop rates? If you think balls that are filled to around 12 (where the report says the Patriots balls were) are a big enough advantage over balls filled to 12.5 to be noticeable, and the Colts are filling their balls to 13.0, then why don't they have brobdingnagian fumble problems? Or with Rodgers saying he wants his balls above the legal maximum, shouldn't the Packers be fumbling like mad? It just doesn't make sense.
As for Kraft, the report entirely exculpates him and everyone else in the team management. What do you want him to say?
Finally, every time someone says "____ fans are the worst" or similar they show their colors as an ignorant buffoon. If this sort of charge were being leveled against Stanford half the people in here would be going insane, so don't act self-righteous.
First, about Brady's role in the whole ordeal, there's really no evidence that he wanted anyone to do anything against the rules. He clearly wanted the balls softer, but when they were apparently as high as 16 PSI for some games (which, btw, is illegally high), why do we automatically assume that means he wanted them below 12.5? Everything in there is perfectly consistent with Brady wanting the balls at the legal minimum.
Second, a lot of the science in the report is really bad. Which isn't surprising, because the firm that produced the report has a very consistent bias of finding the results its clients want, including things like second-hand smoke not causing cancer. That's the kind of firm you want to pin your science on? Ooookay. But the procedure for testing the wet balls was inane, especially in light of other firms that don't have a history of convenient findings saw that everything was fine.
Thirdly, the whole idea that something like half a PSI matters is inane. If that were true then why don't teams who like their balls higher (like the Packers and apparently the Colts) have higher fumble/drop rates? If you think balls that are filled to around 12 (where the report says the Patriots balls were) are a big enough advantage over balls filled to 12.5 to be noticeable, and the Colts are filling their balls to 13.0, then why don't they have brobdingnagian fumble problems? Or with Rodgers saying he wants his balls above the legal maximum, shouldn't the Packers be fumbling like mad? It just doesn't make sense.
As for Kraft, the report entirely exculpates him and everyone else in the team management. What do you want him to say?
Finally, every time someone says "____ fans are the worst" or similar they show their colors as an ignorant buffoon. If this sort of charge were being leveled against Stanford half the people in here would be going insane, so don't act self-righteous.