Patriots go scorched earth and release emails

[WeR0206]

Here's the link.

Excerpt:

"On Friday the Patriots released a series of February emails from spokesman Stacey James and general counsel Robyn Glaser to the league office begging for the NFL to correct numerous erroneous and highly prejudicial stories that New England asserts the league made up and then leaked to ESPN.

It includes an early ESPN report that claimed 11 of 12 footballs in the AFC title game were 2 pounds per square inch or more under the minimum, which turned the story into a scandal because it suggest significant and purposeful manipulation. In fact, the NFL's own measurements showed that story completely wrong and the deflation levels were far less, some even within an acceptable range.

The Patriots were convinced the NFL leaked the fake story in the first place. The least the NFL could do, New England argued, was set the record straight.

"What is unconscionable to me is that the league holds data that could very well exonerate us from any wrongdoing and completely dismiss the rampant reports and allegations of nefarious actions, but the league refuses to provide the date," James wrote to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello in an email that also complained about another inaccurate ESPN story that, citing league sources, claimed Patriots ball boys tried to insert kicking balls into the AFC championship game.

"I cannot comprehend how withholding the range of PSIs measured in the game is beneficial to the NFL or the Patriots," James continued. "… if we had been provided this data within days of the original report, we could have changed the narrative of this story before it led all national news and the damage was done. It has been over 4 weeks and we still can't get a simple detail that I assume was available the night of the AFC Championship Game!" "

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Robert Kraft and tommy boy need to take a page from their coach and move on...talk about a couple of self-important cry-babies. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

 

[LionFan96]

So let me get this straight, the Patriots' defense is that some ESPN articles that cited anonymous and vague "league sources" are to blame for everything? ESPN (and every other "news" outlet in existence) reports wrong and/or made up information all the time, and their favorite tactic is to cite "anonymous sources". Why is the NFL responsible for what is written by ESPN?

 

[Lion78]

So let me get this straight, the Patriots' defense is that some ESPN articles that cited anonymous and vague "league sources" are to blame for everything? ESPN (and every other "news" outlet in existence) reports wrong and/or made up information all the time, and their favorite tactic is to cite "anonymous sources". Why is the NFL responsible for what is written by ESPN?

because they gave them the story. Sara analogy sounds accurate. Maybe ESPN will win an Pulitzer.

 

[rem524]

Interesting pattern of leaks to ESPN reporters. Not a major leap to think that ESPN has an interest in helping the NFL given their mutual financial interests. Anyone here think that the initial coverage of the grand jury presentment affected how the Sandusky scandal played out for JoePa? You bet it did.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...da3b02-3666-11e5-9d0f-7865a67390ee_story.html

 

[WeR0206]

The one question I'm left with is...if the Pats felt ESPN was reporting misinformation why didn't they hold their own press conference and correct the record instead of waiting on ESPN to do it? Or did the Pats mention these incorrect "stats" at the time the story broke? I don't remember to be honest.

 

[dwiz]

Boo hoo. ESPN reports it and you're guilty. Evidence matters not. Welcome to the club.

 

[LionFan96]

because they gave them the story. Sara analogy sounds accurate. Maybe ESPN will win an Pulitzer.

Who gave them the story? "league sources"? League sources told me that Tom Brady likes to wear women's underwear while singing show tunes. See how easy it is? If anyone believes ESPN is a trustworthy bastion of journalistic integrity who wouldn't use the stock "anonymous sources" line to make sh*t up to drive revenue, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell them.

 

[Big 0]

Looks like the Pats have been Paternoed.

 

[TheGLOV]

There is a football culture problem going on up there for sure!!!!!

 

[EPC FAN]

Robert Kraft and tommy boy need to take a page from their coach and move on...talk about a couple of self-important cry-babies. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Apparently, they didn't do the crime, but the NFL expects them to serve time.

 

[eidolon21]

they clearly did the crime, they have decided to fight this battle in the media. When they lose in Federal Court, they will rely on the pre-court media spin as their statement of innocence to maintain a element of doubt in the narrative.

 

[PSU Soupy]

So the Patriots were "Paternoed"........ A couple of coincidences what team wanted to hire Joe in the 70s.??.....In fact he acted their offer only to change his mind and stay with PSU, Where did O'brien come from, which team? And the Patriots and Paterno start with the same 3 letters.

Clearly the hack Syracuse, Northwestern and Michigan ESPN writers are further attacking the Paterno legacy through their attacks on the Patriots.......

 

[BBG65]

I'd still like to hear the Pats explain away the equipment manager referring to himself in the texts as "the deflater". Kraft tried by claiming the guy was talking about his weight loss. The equipment manager also mentioned getting perks from Brady. And I imagine the stop in the restroom [on videotape] while taking the balls from the officials to the Pat's sideline was caused by an overactive bladder.

 

[Aoshiro]

I'd still like to hear the Pats explain away the equipment manager referring to himself in the texts as "the deflater". Kraft tried by claiming the guy was talking about his weight loss. The equipment manager also mentioned getting perks from Brady. And I imagine the stop in the restroom [on videotape] while taking the balls from the officials to the Pat's sideline was caused by an overactive bladder.

I'm not a fan of the Patriots but it's clear that someone at the NFL was feeding ESPN information that was completely incorrect, and it's clear that the NFL flatly refused to correct the record when they were asked to do so by the Patriots.

I can't see how any Penn State fan can condone that after what we've been through in the last four years.

 

[WeR0206]

I'm not a fan of the Patriots but it's clear that someone at the NFL was feeding ESPN information that was completely incorrect, and it's clear that the NFL flatly refused to correct the record when they were asked to do so by the Patriots.

I can't see how any Penn State fan can condone that after what we've been through in the last four years.

Im coming to the same conclusion as well. Being a Steelers fan I HATE the Patriots but its seems pretty messed up to me that the NFL had data that showed the narrative to be false and sat on it/didn't correct the record. At the same time there seems to be some shady stuff going on behind the scenes with the phone getting destroyed, etc. but it all comes down to what can be proven. Also why didn't the NFL correct the record even after being called out on it by the Pats? You'd think the other owners would take note of this and also demand answers from the nfl because how do they know the nfl wont do the same to them at some point?

For the pats fans that are pissed I ask them to imagine if the pats knew the current narrative was false and still plead guilty and allowed the nfl to trample all over them thus throwing Belichik/brady under the bus in the process. It's inconceivable to them but thats pretty much what we've had to deal with as PSU fans. Smh

 

[spud358]

Anyone want to hazard a guess how much "deflate-gate" has made for the world wide leader in sports? Major celebrity with a "clean" image? check. "scandal" that provides no direct evidence of his involvement, but "reasonably concludes" it's "more probable than not" that he had knowledge of it despite no evidence that he did let alone evidence that he directed it? check. Massive public following boosting ratings for ESPN for weeks during the off season? check.

 

[nits74]

Apparently, they didn't do the crime, but the NFL expects them to serve time.

This all sounds so very familiar. The old "believe half of what you see and none of what you hear" raises its head once again.

 

[eidolon21]

so you guys are buying the Pats lies.\ESPN could have gotten that stuff anywhere. What about the NFL investigation. Why is it the NFL's job to control ESPN. why didn't the Pats refute it when it was on the scroll bar. Its what PSU and the evil BOT should have done but didn't. Either you guys are way naive or live in New England. Ask the Ravens they know the Pats cheated.

 

[EPC FAN]

so you guys are buying the Pats lies.\ESPN could have gotten that stuff anywhere. What about the NFL investigation. Why is it the NFL's job to control ESPN. why didn't the Pats refute it when it was on the scroll bar. Its what PSU and the evil BOT should have done but didn't. Either you guys are way naive or live in New England. Ask the Ravens they know the Pats cheated.

You gave yourself away with your last sentence. My team lost a Super Bowl to New England. Did they cheat to win it? I have no idea. I do know that our quarterback blew lunch on the field, hyperventilating because of the pressure. Their quarterback did not.

 

[Blueblood4eva]

NFL needs to hire Emmert and Delany as consultants and they will vacate all the wins dating back to video cheat gate!

 

[spud358]

so you guys are buying the Pats lies.\ESPN could have gotten that stuff anywhere. What about the NFL investigation. Why is it the NFL's job to control ESPN. why didn't the Pats refute it when it was on the scroll bar. Its what PSU and the evil BOT should have done but didn't. Either you guys are way naive or live in New England. Ask the Ravens they know the Pats cheated.

I do live in new england, but HATE the Pats with a passion. I'm surprised to see some many PSU fans buying the ESPN narrative on this hook line and sinker and not at all willing to even question it. I mean... really?

 

[eidolon21]

I live north of Detroit and grew up in Pittsburgh. I hate the Ravens but I was pointing out that they reported the Pats in the AFC title game. Or does ESPN control the Ravens too.