2025-2026 NFL Season Thread

[sycro]

Originally Posted by Tony208

So it's only cheating if you get caught? Like a teacher caught one person cheating on the exam and didn't pay attention to another so it was ok.

If that's how you want to read what I wrote, go ahead. But that's not even close to what it says.

[Tony208]

The Panthers and Vikings were caught on camera heating balls and didn't even receive a fine.

Originally Posted by sycro

If that's how you want to read what I wrote, go ahead. But that's not even close to what it says.

Like one student leaves his textbook on his desk for a test and hopes the teacher doesn't notice and another student brings his textbook out right after the test begins and gets caught. So the former wasn't cheating?

[sycro]

Originally Posted by Tony208

The Panthers and Vikings were caught on camera heating balls and didn't even receive a fine.



Like one student leaves his textbook on his desk for a test and hopes the teacher doesn't notice and another student brings his textbook out right after the test begins and gets caught. So the former wasn't cheating?

One gives a test to the teacher, and the other gives the test to the teacher, then breaks into the office and changes the test.

[Tony208]

Originally Posted by sycro

One gives a test to the teacher, and the other gives the test to the teacher, then breaks into the office and changes the test.

That doesn't even compute. You mean like changing the answers on the test after it's over?

That would be like the Patriots tampered with the balls after a game.

[sycro]

Originally Posted by Tony208

That doesn't even compute. You mean like changing the answers on the test after it's over?

That would be like the Patriots tampered with the balls after a game.

No. It's as perfect of an analogy as you will get. The refs check and ensure the balls are appropriate (like grading a test). Then the Patriots change the air pressure in the balls (the test scores).

Aaron Rodgers (according to CBS announcers) puts some bad answers on the tests and hopes the ref says they're okay. If not, oh well. If they "cheat" it's because the refs didn't do their job. Tom Brady and co decided to entirely circumvent the process.

[Tony208]

Originally Posted by sycro

No. It's as perfect of an analogy as you will get. The refs check and ensure the balls are appropriate (like grading a test). Then the Patriots change the air pressure in the balls (the test scores).

Aaron Rodgers (according to CBS announcers) puts some bad answers on the tests and hopes the ref says they're okay. If not, oh well. If they "cheat" it's because the refs didn't do their job. Tom Brady and co decided to entirely circumvent the process.

Going by your analogy the student is changing the score on the test paper after the teacher already recorded his grade. Completely useless endeavor.

Aaron Rodgers is cheating to lose?

[Navster]

Don't you guys have anything better to do then argue on a forum on a Saturday night?

Or at least someone to do

[sycro]

Originally Posted by Tony208

Going by your analogy the student is changing the score on the test paper after the teacher already recorded his grade. Completely useless endeavor.

Aaron Rodgers is cheating to lose?

Rodgers is filling it to the limit or a little over, knowing that the refs will either deflate it back to the limit or give it back to him where he put it.

Brady is giving the refs a ball at the minimum, knowing they'll approve it. Then he has the 100% approved balls deflated below the legal limits.

If you honestly don't see a difference in the cases, there's nothing I can do to help you.

[Tony208]

Originally Posted by sycro

Rodgers is filling it to the limit or a little over, knowing that the refs will either deflate it back to the limit or give it back to him where he put it.

Brady is giving the refs a ball at the minimum, knowing they'll approve it. Then he has the 100% approved balls deflated below the legal limits.

If you honestly don't see a difference in the cases, there's nothing I can do to help you.

The only difference is how they're trying to cheat. And that's if Brady is in fact cheating here.

[Moviefan1203]

Originally Posted by Hatter

As I said, the union and an independent arbiter will crush the NFL. Two games max is the best they can hope for.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. People were saying the same things about the Saints with Bounty Gate. How'd that work out for them?

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Moviefan1203

I wouldn't be so sure of that. People were saying the same things about the Saints with Bounty Gate. How'd that work out for them?

It took a while but Tagliabue did overturn the player suspensions.

[Moviefan1203]

Originally Posted by Hatter

It took a while but Tagliabue did overturn the player suspensions.

Vilma ultimately served a several game suspension if I remember correctly. I believe Fujita served a game or two as well. They were just punishments. It will be interesting to see what does happen to Brady. He has no one to blame but himself. If he would have come clean, and issued a sincere apology as soon as the investigation findings were released, he probably would have done himself a lot of help. But it doesn't appear as if his pride will let him do that. The integrity of the game is very important. Ethics and values must be qualities we hold our athletes to.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Moviefan1203

Vilma ultimately served a several game suspension if I remember correctly. I believe Fujita served a game or two as well. They were just punishments. It will be interesting to see what does happen to Brady. He has no one to blame but himself. If he would have come clean, and issued a sincere apology as soon as the investigation findings were released, he probably would have done himself a lot of help. But it doesn't appear as if his pride will let him do that. The integrity of the game is very important. Ethics and values must be qualities we hold our athletes to.

Five games in the end for Vilma in 2012 and he never admitted anything. Not bad considering it started at 16 games and only became five games because of investigation time. If Tagliabue was hired earlier Vilma would have served even less games.

[rickah88]

Let's see there are 50 billion rules in place to aid QB play and boost offensive production....and we are getting this deflategate nonsense?? Give me a break!

It's just a glorified witch hunt.
Brady will be a first ballot
Belichick will be a first ballot

Fans can stick to their own opinions, good or bad. By all means knock yourself out, but New England has been and always will be, one the best NFL dynasties in the history of the league. 4/6 Championships is not a fluke caused by cheating. Sorry, it just isn't.

I'll just be happy when this nonsense of a witch hunt is over.

[sycro]

But they are tarnished. It's not like this is the first scandal around the Patriots and the playoffs....

[rickah88]

Tarnished according to whom? The fans that don't like New England? Okay.

Jerry Rice cheated. So are all San Fran's championships "tarnished"?

[burner xxx]

Originally Posted by rickah88

Tarnished according to whom? The fans that don't like New England? Okay.

Pretty much

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by rickah88

Let's see there are 50 billion rules in place to aid QB play and boost offensive production....and we are getting this deflategate nonsense?? Give me a break!

It's just a glorified witch hunt.
Brady will be a first ballot
Belichick will be a first ballot

Fans can stick to their own opinions, good or bad. By all means knock yourself out, but New England has been and always will be, one the best NFL dynasties in the history of the league. 4/6 Championships is not a fluke caused by cheating. Sorry, it just isn't.

I'll just be happy when this nonsense of a witch hunt is over.

Your own team was affected by NE's cheating

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

Your own team was affected by NE's cheating

NE's cheating caused Donovan McNabb to not score in the final minutes of the '04 Championship? Really? I thought we just got outplayed toward the end.

Woohoo, send the trophy and rings to Philly.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by rickah88

NE's cheating caused Donovan McNabb to not score in the final minutes of the '04 Championship? Really? I thought we just got outplayed toward the end.

Woohoo, send the trophy and rings to Philly.

Watch the replays, every time McNabb lined them up, the Patriots MIKE called out the exact play