Patriots face DeflateGate scandal

More stories from By Tyler Ferris

POLICE BLOTTER
January 27, 2015

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are involved in another scandal two weeks before the team is scheduled to play in the NFL’s 49th Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Tuesday the NFL compiled evidence that 11 of the 12 game balls used in Sunday’s AFC Championship game were deflated two pounds below the league’s regulated air pressure per square inch (PSI), citing sources involved in the investigation.

Jason Corriher, assistant athletic director for media relations at Marshall University, chose not to comment on the New England situation but did provide some information on NCAA protocol.

Marshall’s equipment staff inflates the balls to 13 PSI and delivers the balls to the officials’ locker room where the officials inspect, approve or adjust the balls before they are taken to the field for the game.

Marshall provides the officials with a pump and a gauge in case they fail to bring their own. After that, the ball boys for each institution possess their respective balls until the conclusion of the game.

The NFL conducts a similar procedure. This brings to question how the officials who check the balls before the game and handle them between every play did not notice a distinct variance in the PSI.

This “DeflateGate” comes eight years after New England’s “SpyGate” scandal when the Patriots were involved in videotaping opponents’ sidelines in order to steal signals from the players and coaches.

As a result, the NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots organization $250,000 along with stripping them of their first round draft pick in the upcoming draft making it interesting to see if this “DeflateGate” is treated as a second offense.

Greg Aiello, the NFL’s senior vice president of communications, says the league is not commenting on the matter at this time.

The infraction had seemingly little to do with the outcome of Sunday’s 45-7 blowout victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

It only brings to question why the risk taken by the parties involved seemed appropriate or necessary.

Tyler Ferris can be contacted at ferris26@ marshall.edu.