new news leaking very soon about all of the doctored balls...the haters are gonna be disappointed.

Kraft will get his apology.

Meanwhile, the Pats actually dominated this game.

I believe you are referencing my post in another thread about Polian/Manning getting rules changed that negatively affect pass coverage to this day...but you will be surprised to learn that they also led the charge that got the rules changed around 2006 regarding game balls.

Originally, the NFL supplied all game balls right out of the box. Then it became the responsibility of home teams, until Polian/Manning complained again (cried about the other QBs having them their way) and now we have each team supplying 12 (or 24 if bad weather) for themselves. Admittedly Brady and the Pats supported this change, as did every team, but it was really Polian and Peyton who made the noise. Again.

If this deflate gate goes much deeper, there will be much embarrassment when it is announced that many teams eff with the balls and officials just allow it. No sense allowing changes to game ball suppliers unless you are ok with teams prepping them to their liking...far more common than Pats haters will want to hear.

The only sensible move at this point to assure "integrity" is to have the NFL supply all the balls again, right out of the box. Unfortunately this would affect the wide open passing offense the league wants.

But the second half of the Colts domination and tonight's Super Bowl win should shut up even the most ardent hater who still pitifully clings to the fantasy that Bellichick and Brady needed to cheat to beat the best the league has to offer.

Tonight, despite the phenominal drama of one of the greatest games anyone could have asked for, the NE Patriots dominated the Seattle Seahawks everywhere but the scoreboard.

I don't think they need or needed to cheat. That's what makes it so pathetic when they do.

Tom Brady

AP

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has long wanted control over the footballs he throws, to the point where he was the driving force behind a rules change that allowed visiting teams to provide their own footballs, rather than having both teams use footballs provided by the home team.

In 2006, Brady and Peyton Manning successfully lobbied the league to let every team provide its own footballs to use on offense. Prior to that, it was always the home team that supplied the footballs, which meant that road team quarterbacks didn’t get to try the footballs out until pregame warmups.

Brady said at the time that he appreciated the opportunity to address the league’s Competition Committee and get a rule change that he felt would be advantageous to himself and other quarterbacks.

“The thing is, every quarterback likes it a little bit different,” Brady told the Sun-Sentinel at the time. “Some like them blown up a little bit more, some like them a little more thin, some like them a little more new, some like them really broken in.”

Brady’s comments come into new focus this week as the NFL investigates whether the Patriots deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game, in violation of NFL rules. After Patriots coach Bill Belichick said today that he knows nothing about how balls are prepared prior to games, increased attention has turned to whether Brady was behind deflating the footballs.

the incorrect charge of "serial cheaters" (I have never read what else happened between spygate and now) exists to intentionally discredit their historic accomplishments, even though it is a myth, and even though you are correct...they win without doing any of it. People want to believe the opposite of your point, that they would have lost. If tonight's game didn't prove it, then they must deny what they just watched.

I really wanted Seattle to lose tonight, but reality tells me they are a fantastic team and i love watching games in which they compete because I am a fan of sports and competition at the highest level. You'd never catch me degrading them or other teams of accomplishment (well, I do hate NY teams).

Shrug.

Glad we are both correct. Now what can we argue about?

Spy gate gets marginalized by pats fans and pats fans alone for the most part. It was cheating and was punished as such. Pats fans will never accept it as cheating. Other accusations have flown prior to that and after. With definitive proof (spy gate) the allegations are minimized. Without definitive proof it didn't happen.

To be honest though this is the wrong night for this discussion which is why I found nbc classless. The pats beat a very good team tonight fair and square and deserve to be congratulated.

Nah frank I think we are good. I'd guess we agree on most things.

the Patriots fans have begun burning, looting, and pillaging the city because they won

and

the Seahawks fans have begun burning, looting, and pillaging the city because they lost.

:-k

if the Pats fans were doing it, the snow storm would douse the flames. Man, is it snowing out there!

The mighty TW has spoken.

Facts be damned.

When he signed to the television camera two fingers, then four, I'm sure he had no idea that NE would have two and eight.

Would have been awesome if a NE player used an index finger to point to the score, then a middle finger for Sherman.

You mad, bro?

Harkens back the the Niner/Ravens Super Bowl. First and goal and Jimmy throws it three times when Frank Gore got him to the goal line running the ball. [frypan]

I forgot about that ...

Shocked. SHOCKED that a Miami Hurricane would show a lack of character.

Sometimes ya gotta go with your intel. In this case, the rookie remembered his film classes. For the Pat's offense, it meant take what they are giving=dink and dunk ball control passing with a run to keep 'em honest. Pats lost twice to the Giants playing perfect D on two miracle receptions. This time they played run D and made a pick. That's why they play the game, ya never know

All in all, possibly the best title of the four. Down 14 TWICE to the rugged Ravens, down 10 to Seattle in the fourth after totally dominating most of the game...many teams would have felt, um, deflated and the rout would ensue. The Pats proved something to all but the blindest hater.