Dick Rosenthal {l Wrote}: and no matter how trivial, certainly cheated in a manner that impacted the competition on the field and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the cheating. Goodell is a dunce, but acted within the scope of his authority.
Except that it had no impact whatsoever, and Brady actually performed better when the balls were reflated.
From the Wells report, the official stated that he used the higher reading gauge to measure the footballs prior to the game. If we accept the results of this gauge, then all of the footballs tested at halftime were within the expected PSI levels according to the ideal gas law, that is approximately 1.2 PSI lower, or 11.3 PSI. (There may have been one ball under, I can't remember)
From the Wells report, if we accept the results of the gauge that the official said he did not use (that the Wells report based their conclusion on), then the results average out to being .3 PDSI under expected readings, or 11.0 PSI. There is no way that anyone can say that this would effect the game.
So even if you accept the lower readings from the 2nd gauge, and you believe that Brady actually told McNally to go into the bathroom and let the air out, it results in an inconsequential ball violation. The penalty imposed is in no way even remotely proportional to other similar penalties levied on other teams.
Minnesota was caught heating balls during a game. It was on camera, there was no doubt about it, and they were issued a warning. No fine, no loss of first round draft picks, no suspensions, no asking for personal cell phones.
During a 2012 San Diego game, officials questioned a towel which a member of their equipment staff carried onto the field during a timeout. While the Chargers were not penalized for their use of a stickum, they were assessed a $20,000 fine which they appealed and won. There was no "independent investigation." No one was suspended. No players were fined. No cell phones were demanded and no club staff were interviewed.
This is but a couple of examples of how the NFL has handled ball violations in the past. The penalties that former Jets employee Roger Goodell has levied are so over the top that it is ridonkulous. One can only conclude that the rest of the NFL has taken this path because they have determined that they can't beat the Patriots on the field.