lol - yeah it's DEFINITELY affected the NFL, higher ratings, more visibility, increased ticket & merchandise sales. The only people boycotting are people that would never even watch sports in the first place. The NFL can do no wrong, if it was revealed today that Roger Goodell was actually the get-away driver for Aaron Hernandez in a double homicide and they both went to Jerry Jones' mansion to gang rape Tim Tebow while Bill Belichik recorded everything as he was deflating footballs, Nielson ratings would permanently go up 50%
You're insane if you think it didn't affect them. When sponsors threatened to pull if ap played, youre telling me that didn't affect them? Seriously? You think we are the sole funds of the nfl?
I posted this last week. Ian Rapaport from NFL.com reported it. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-footballs-a-few-ticks-under-proper-pressure/ Report: Many of Patriots footballs “a few ticks” under proper pressure Posted by Josh Alper on February 1, 2015, 2:14 PM EST Getty Images Back when the story of under-inflated footballs in the AFC Championship game was fresh and new, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that 11 of the 12 footballs the Patriots used in the first half of the game were two pounds per square inch under the NFL’s prescribed pressure for balls used in games. That report became a centerpiece of much discussion about the situation and the Patriots’ possible role in deflating the balls, even after PFT reported last week that only the ball intercepted by Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson came in two pounds under the 12.5 PSI threshold. The rest of the balls were closer to the line by about one pound. Now Ian Rapoport of NFL Media is reporting something similar. Rapoport reports that many of the other 11 footballs were “just a few ticks” under the minimum, although those ticks aren’t quantified, perhaps because, as NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino confirmed, the league doesn’t log the PSI of each ball before the game. While the word on the level of deflation was already out there, the fact that a league-owned concern is reporting it is a notable development as we wait for the league to say something definitive on the issue.
I'm about done with this story. Not sure what the punishment will be, if any at all, but this has become tiresome.
i think Goddell will wait until the story has lost its legs before doing anything at all. maybe even wait until after the draft, so he's not under any scrutiny to fine a draft pick. operation 'sweep under carpet' began the second Wilson's pass was picked. the NFL backed itself into a corner by doing nothing prior to the Super Bowl, and now that the Pats won, they will do everything to ensure their playoff run wasn't in fact 'tainted'. will try to avoid another scandal to the league's 'credibility', which unfortunately equates to supporting the Pats 'credibility'.
Goodell should be relieved of his duties after the terrible year he had as commish in 2014. The new commissioner should be in charge of deciding the punishment for deflate-gate
The NFL can't escape from the injuries esp concussions and long term affect on player health. Plus incidents like Jovan Belcher which possibly is related to playing football. Some players are even saying they wouldn't let their kids play football. The NFL is another lawsuit waiting to happen. Ex players who voluntarily played the game are suing the league. And then when the Commish came down hard on Bountygate which theoretically was meant to protect players some of them sued him. If I had money to invest long term I wouldn't invest it in the NFL. Their long term prospects are questionable.
I actually agree with this 100% even as a former player and high school coach. The risk/reward isn't there. The brain is encased in fluid and the hits cause damage no question. I think knowing that 100% (as the players there do) doesn't change much - they are putting all in at a time when they probably feel invincible. That all being said lawsuits do become a problem eventually... I think in 15 years there's a good chance we start seeing football become flag football. Or maybe we'll see giant arm wrestling tournaments like in 'Over The Top'.
Or they just never did it in the first place and the reports are all in question at this point. The reason it's lost legs is because the press refuses to eat it's own crow.
I love all this cover-up nonsense. First the league goes out of it's way to make the Pats look bad for two weeks with all kinds of leaks of it's investigation.... ...But then they want to cover up any wrong doing to protect the Patriots.
Of course, the NFL is in survival mode. They claim concussions have gone down in the past two years. They're rolling out their positive stats so they can hold onto their cash cow. They settled with ex-players agreeing to a 700 mil plus deal which some critics think was a good deal for the NFL. But trends change and people are already tired of all of the off the field problems, etc. Right now the NFL is at top. They have nowhere to go but down.
Or they just didn't do anything wrong. Which seems more likely than them "not wanting to cover it up". That's a conspiracy theory. The reports were bogus from day 1, it's Chris Mortensen for christ sakes. His sloppiness gave every talking head in the country a narrative against a team the overwhelming majority of most people hate.
Definitely have nowhere to go but down. Hope it doesn't - it's such a great game. There's nothing that comes close to it for me.
So you want the whole enchilada. The Super Bowl plus exoneration. Hopefully it doesn't work that way.
