The New England Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl yesterday by completely housing the Indianapolis Colts, 45-7. But it wouldn’t be a successful season for Bill Belichick & Co. without someone levying cheating allegations.
Thankfully, a source tells Indianapolis WHTR’s Bob Kravitz the NFL is investigating the possibility the Patriots deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game.
Yeeeeehaw.
The source told Kravitz that officials took a ball out of play at one point and weighed it.
New York Newsday’s Bob Glauber tweeted around 7 a.m. Monday that NFL Spokesman Michael Signora confirmed the WTHR exclusive that the NFL is looking into whether footballs were properly inflated during the Colts-Patriots game.
A deflated football could potentially be easier to throw and catch or more difficult, depending on how deflated it is.
Kravitz was told that if a league investigation confirms deflated footballs, it would result in lost draft picks for the Patriots.
That sound you hear is conspiracy theorists from all across this great land rising up and posting something completely over-the-top on Facebook without any facts. This is a great morning for America and our uncanny ability to bitch and moan when things don’t go our way.
Now, it is true that deflated footballs have been an issue in the past. The University of Southern California got in hot water for pulling some inflation shenanigans against Oregon back in 2012.
But, dudes, the Patriots won by 38 points — and could have widened the margin had they not called off the dogs midway through the fourth quarter. Tom Brady’s offense would have scored 14 points with a damn pumpkin.
[H/T: WTHR]