Reading Comprehension

Today's world of slang and social media speak isn't helping increase reading comprehension. The current trial-by-peer Tom Brady is experiencing wouldn't be gaining traction if it weren't for the media's misleading declining skills in reading comprehension.

Tom Brady Cheated His Way to a Superbowl

Investigation Implicates Pats, Brady

I guess it depends on your definition of implicates.

im·pli·cate

ˈimpləˌkāt/

verb

3rd person present: implicates

1. 1.

   show (someone) to be involved in a crime.

   "police claims implicated him in many more killings"

   • 
     
   • 
     
2. 2.

   convey (a meaning or intention) indirectly through what one says, rather than stating it explicitly; imply.

   "by saying that coffee would keep her awake, Mary implicated that she didn't want any"

The report certainly isn't strong enough to be interpreted as show (someone) to be involved in a crime. The Well Report did everything but show. It certainly did imply.  This is where reading comprehension is failing us as a society.  

"For the reasons described in this Report, and after a comprehensive investigation, we have concluded that, in connection with the AFC Championship Game, it is more probable than not that New England Patriots personnel participated in violations of the Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate effort to circumvent the rules."

prob·a·ble

ˈpräbəb(ə)l/

adjective

1. 1.

   likely to be the case or to happen.

   "it is probable that the economic situation will deteriorate further"

I will concede given the Patriots history why a firm could conclude it is likely to happen the  Patriots would bend the rules. However, a few things must be noted about Spygate.

• Patriots were accused by Eric Mangini who had intimate knowledge of their practices as a former member of the Patriots staff. 
• Coach Bill Belichick cooperated and admitted to his actions. He apologized. 
• Patriots accepted their punishments and  corrected their actions.

I don't know why the best coach in football needed to videotape the Jets. They stopped and went on to a 16-0 regular season. They also are the only 18-0 team in NFL history. The Miami Dolphins who won the Super Bowl the year they had an undefeated regular season did so with a record of 17-0.

While everyone is concentrating on Brady's probably part in an unproven accusation. There are elements to the report which aren't irrefutable. The NFL might want to consider punishments for others present the night of the AFC Championship game.

"As far as the gameballs are concerned it is well known around the league that after the Patriots gameballs are checked by the officials and brought out for game usage the ballboys for the patriots will let out some air with a ball needle because their quarterback likes a smaller football so he can grip it better, it would be great if someone would be able to check the air in the game balls as the game goes on so that they don‟t get an illegal advantage."

Yet the fans never hear of this. There are sources everywhere to leak this information so the Evil Dynasty known as Patriots nation can take it on the chin. Where are those sources now? Where were they then?

"During the second quarter of the AFC Championship Game, a ball thrown by Tom Brady was intercepted by a player for the Colts and the ball was taken to the Colts sideline. On the sideline, Colts equipment personnel used a pressure gauge to measure the inflation level of the ball, determined that it was below the minimum 12.5 psi level and informed a game official and other NFL personnel. Prior to the game, Colts personnel had notified the NFL that they suspected that the Patriots might be deflating game balls below the minimum level permissible under the Playing Rules, although they did not support their suspicions with any specific factual information."

If Brady hadn't thrown the pick would the Colts have had opportunity to make a complaint? Let's consider the report's statement of facts. I'm supposed to believe a member of the Indianapolis Colts crew only let out enough air to see if the ball was below the league mandated 12.5 psi. I'm blonde. I'm not dumb. One word: Irsay.

"During interviews, when asked to explain the source of their concerns about the Patriots game balls, Grigson, Sullivan, and other members of the Colts equipment staff referenced the Colts Week 11 game against the Patriots in Indianapolis. During that game, Colts strong safety Mike Adams intercepted two passes thrown by Tom Brady. On both occasions, Adams handed the footballs to Brian Seabrooks, an Assistant Equipment Manager for the Colts, on the sideline. Sullivan also examined the footballs because, as he described it, he always checks to see how other teams prepare their balls to “make sure no one is doing a better job.” Sullivan and Seabrooks said that the intercepted footballs appeared to be coated in a tacky substance and seemed spongy or soft when squeezed. They explained that even though they did not test the air pressure of the intercepted footballs at the time, based on their years of experience, the softness of the balls raised suspicions. They also cited unspecified chatter throughout the League that the Patriots prefer their footballs softer than other teams and that visiting teams should be on guard when playing at Gillette Stadium. They could not identify a specific source for this information or reference particular conversations." 

Did nothing substantial come of the sticky substance? Perhaps the deflated ball story has no air.

"In response to the pre-game concerns raised by the Colts, NFL Football Operations staff had notified the head of the NFL Officiating Department, Dean Blandino, and a senior officiating supervisor who would be attending the game, Alberto Riveron. During a pre-game conversation concerning various game-day topics, Riveron told referee Walt Anderson that a concern had been raised about the air pressure of the game balls. Anderson told Riveron that he would be sure to follow his usual ball inspection procedure to ensure that the balls were properly inflated." 

Anderson's previous hysterics over losing the game balls before kick off must have elevated his blood pressure and sent 747s flying through his stomach. Maybe he should have checked the balls before the Colts and cold weather affected the psi.

"After being informed during the second quarter of the AFC Championship Game that the Colts had measured a Patriots game ball and found it to be under-inflated, and having previously been advised of the Colts‟ suspicions, Riveron decided that the game balls for both teams should be inspected at halftime by the game officials. Two other senior NFL personnel present at the game, Troy Vincent and Mike Kensil, independently reached the same conclusion.

At halftime, under Riveron‟s supervision, two alternate game officials (Clete Blakeman and Dyrol Prioleau) tested eleven Patriots game balls and four Colts game balls. The Patriots ball intercepted by the Colts was not among the eleven Patriots balls tested. Each official used a separate air pressure gauge provided by referee Anderson that Anderson had brought with him to the game, one of which also had been used by Anderson for his pre-game inspection. Each of the eleven Patriots balls tested at halftime measured below the minimum 12.5 psi level established by the Playing Rules on both gauges. Each of the four Colts balls tested measured within the permissible 12.5 to 13.5 psi range on at least one of the gauges. The measurements were recorded in writing by Richard Farley, an NFL security official who has been assigned to the Patriots and Gillette Stadium for approximately twelve years. Only four Colts balls were tested because the officials were running out of time before the start of the second half."

Yet they only time to check 4 of the Colts' balls with 3 showing they were under inflated and had dropped considerably from the 13.1 Anderson can best recollect they were inflated to. Things which make you go hmmm.

Kudos to the officials for ignoring the ball sitting on the Colts' sideline. They are infinitesimally smarter than I gave them credit for. Although the Colts seem to have them by the balls.

Farley recorded the halftime pressure measurements taken by the game officials as follows: 

Patriots Ball Blakeman Prioleau 

1                        11.50          11.80 

2                        10.85         11.20 

3                        11.15          11.50 

4                        10.70        11.00 

5                        11.10         11.45 

6                        11.60        11.95 

7                        11.85        12.30 

8                        11.10        11.55 

9                        10.95       11.35 

10                      10.50      10.90 

11                      10.90       11.35

I'd say at best we have inconsistent conclusions. The different in psi by gauge is significant or does .5 psi really not matter? Let's contrast with the Colts' small sampling.

Colts Ball Blakeman Prioleau 

1                    12.70      12.35 

2                    12.75     12.30 

3                    12.50    12.95 

4                    12.55    12.15 

Let's consider from the level of psi the balls started from. 

"Anderson recalls that most of the Patriots footballs measured 12.5 psi, though there may have been one or two that measured 12.6 psi. No air was added to or released from these balls because they were within the permissible range. According to Anderson, two of the game balls provided by the Patriots measured below the 12.5 psi threshold. Yette used the air pump provided by the Patriots to inflate those footballs, explaining that he “purposefully overshot” the range (because it is hard to be precise when adding air), and then gave the footballs back to Anderson, who used the air release valve on his gauge to reduce the pressure down to 12.5 psi. 

According to Anderson, when tested, most of the Colts footballs measured 13.0 or 13.1 psi. Anderson believes that there may have been one or two footballs that registered 12.8 or 12.9 psi, but recalls that it was “pretty evident that their target was 13.” Because the Colts balls all measured within the permissible range, no air was added to or released from the footballs."

So the Colts' balls dropped from 13.0/13.1 to 12.15-12.95. The Patriots' balls dropped from 12.5 to 10.5-12.3.  An interesting note. One official clearly recorded the lower numbers for one team while the other recorded lower numbers for the other. I'd say we didn't have a good control of our sampling. Right there I have reasonable suspicion as to the official's findings. The officials never get it wrong though so I'll blindly believe them.

"As part of the investigation, scientific consultants were engaged to assist the investigative team. These consultants included Exponent, one of the leading scientific and engineering consulting firms in the country, and Dr. Daniel R. Marlow, the Evans Crawford 1911 Professor of Physics at Princeton University and former Chairman of the Princeton University Physics Department, who served as a special scientific consultant, coordinated with Exponent on its testing and analytical work, and advised the investigative team."

I'm not going to do all the work for you. Google Exponent and see for yourself why they shouldn't be testing anything nor their finding to be considered conclusive. If you are apt to believe their findings, please feel free to eat paint off the walls and sit in a room with a chain smoker for the next ten years. 

"Anderson‟s first formal responsibility with respect to the AFC Championship Game was a routine status call with Dean Blandino on Saturday afternoon. Both Anderson and Blandino recall that their primary topic of discussion was the unusual substitution issue that had arisen during the Patriots playoff game against the Ravens the prior weekend. Blandino also reported that during the call he mentioned that the Colts had raised certain concerns about playing at Gillette Stadium. Although Grigson‟s email was not the focus of the conversation, and may not have been specifically referenced, Blandino reminded Anderson to ensure that proper protocols concerning the footballs were followed."

If you didn't want the AFC Championship game to go through Foxboro, you should have won a few more games and been sitting atop the AFC. The ridiculous burns.

Harbaugh is still on my crap list. If you aren't smart enough to break down an opposing teams offensive scheme, perhaps being a head coach in the NFL isn't for you. You were out-coached you whining baby. Deal with it. Happens to you regularly. 

As for Anderson. Way to drop the ball, buddy. Pun intended.

"At some point on Sunday morning, Anderson also had a brief conversation with Alberto Riveron. Without explaining the concerns raised by the Colts in detail, Riveron mentioned that concerns had been raised about the game balls, and that Anderson should be sure to follow proper pre-game procedures. Riveron recalls that Anderson responded that he had things covered and may have mentioned that he had already discussed the issue with Blandino." 

Did it take too long to sink in Anderson?  Oh wait. It gets better. He was warned not once, but twice.

"After completion of his League-mandated drug test—the first thing he did upon arrival in the Officials Locker Room—Walt Anderson recalls noticing that the game and back-up balls for both the Patriots and the Colts had been delivered.  

Shortly thereafter, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Anderson, with the assistance of Greg Yette, began preparing the footballs for inspection. Anderson and Yette took the balls out of the bags and laid them out in four separate areas within the locker room shower area, making sure to separate them by team and designation (i.e., game balls and back-up balls). 

 Anderson typically gauges all of the game balls for one team, and then all of the game balls for the other team, before testing the back-up balls. He does not remember whether he began with the Patriots or the Colts game balls on the day of the AFC Championship Game. He does recall that he gauged all of the footballs in the shower area of the locker room prior to the game. 

Anderson travels with two pressure gauges. He acquired both from the League within the past few seasons, and both are battery-powered digital gauges.29 The gauges appear similar, but one has the word “ON” on its face to indicate the on/off button and has a red Wilson logo on the back, while the other gauge has a red on/off button with no lettering and does not have the Wilson logo on the back. These gauges will be referred to herein as the “Logo Gauge” and the “Non-Logo Gauge,” respectively. Anderson is certain that he checked the footballs prior to the AFC Championship Game with one of the two gauges that he brought with him to Gillette Stadium. Although Anderson‟s best recollection is that he used the Logo Gauge, he said that it is certainly possible that he used the Non-Logo Gauge.30 

When tested, all of the Patriots footballs—both game balls and back-up balls— registered on the lower-end of the permissible inflation range. Anderson recalls that most of the Patriots footballs measured 12.5 psi, though there may have been one or two that measured 12.6 psi. No air was added to or released from these balls because they were within the permissible range. 

According to Anderson, two of the game balls provided by the Patriots measured below the 12.5 psi threshold. Yette used the air pump provided by the Patriots to inflate those footballs, explaining that he “purposefully overshot” the range (because it is hard to be precise when adding air), and then gave the footballs back to Anderson, who used the air release valve on his gauge to reduce the pressure down to 12.5 psi. 

According to Anderson, when tested, most of the Colts footballs measured 13.0 or 13.1 psi. Anderson believes that there may have been one or two footballs that registered 12.8 or 12.9 psi, but recalls that it was “pretty evident that their target was 13.” Because the Colts balls all measured within the permissible range, no air was added to or released from the footballs."

FYI Commish and Head of Officials, you might want to make sure the teams specify the psi they are targeting and make sure it is recorded. I've seen the age of some of these officials and I've seen some of the calls they make. I am not going to accept Anderson's recollection because he just might be covering his ball failure. Also the man had been clued in twice he needed to be on top of his game, yet he still misplaced the balls.

"By 6:35 p.m., all of the members of the officiating crew other than Anderson, Veteri, Blakeman and Yette had left the Officials Locker Room. When the remaining officials walked into the sitting room area on their way to the field, all four were surprised to find that the ball bags were not there. Both Anderson and Veteri immediately asked Farley where the footballs were. Farley checked for the ball bags in the back part of the locker room (where he saw the bags of back-up balls) and in the adjacent Chain Gang Locker Room, but could not find them. When it was suggested that McNally had or may have taken them to the field, Anderson responded that “he‟s not supposed to do that.” Anderson also stated that “we have to find the footballs.” Blakeman recalls that although Anderson is usually calm and composed leading up to a game, Anderson was visibly concerned and uncharacteristically used an expletive when the game balls could not be located. The other officials were similarly surprised and concerned. None of the officials in the locker room at the time realized that the game balls had been removed from the locker room until they were ready to go to the field for the start of the game, and all expected that the balls would not leave the locker room until it was time for them to take the field."

*Expletive!* Anderson lost his balls. Right about now is when the suspicions would be creeping in and if I was working that night, I would have confirmed nothing out-of-the-ordinary had happened besides them being taken to the field early in the melee. Oh but Anderson didn't. Heck no. 

"Although the officials were concerned about the situation, with kickoff approaching, they decided to take the field. Farley and the officials left the Officials Locker Room and walked to the field at approximately 6:36 p.m. As seen on the security footage, Farley walked approximately 10 seconds ahead of the officials because, as he explained, he was in a hurry to reach the field to look for the footballs. 

As soon as he reached the field, Farley looked for McNally by the instant replay booth, where McNally regularly arrives with the game balls, but did not see him. He did, however, see John Raucci, Director of Investigative Services at the NFL, shortly after stepping onto the field and asked if Raucci had seen either McNally or the game balls. Raucci said that he had seen neither. In an effort to ensure that the teams had footballs on the field for the start of the game, Farley headed back toward the Officials Locker Room to get the back-up balls. He is seen on the security footage at approximately 6:42 p.m. walking back down the tunnel leading to the field with the bags of back-up balls. Farley reported that prior to the AFC Championship Game, he has never been in a situation where the game balls could not be located or where he had to retrieve the back-up balls from the Officials Locker Room prior to kickoff. 

Shortly after taking the field, after Farley had returned to the Officials Locker Room for the back-up balls, Anderson and the other officials noticed that McNally and the game balls were on the field. When Farley returned to the field with the back-up balls, he learned the same thing. He returned the back-up balls to the Officials Locker Room shortly before kickoff, and the game began at approximately 6:50 p.m. with the proper set of game balls."

Are we to assume these are the proper set of balls? Because if this statement is true we destroyed a lot of trees making paper for this long-winded report. I think Wells reads it to himself at night crowing like Peter Pan "oh the cleverness of me!" There is an appointment with reality set for you next week, Ted, a follow up will be scheduled with humility.

"On February 12, 2015, we interviewed McNally on these topics as well. He explained to us that he told the game officials that he was moving the game balls to the sitting room, where he watched the end of the NFC Championship Game for up to ten minutes. He estimated that there were twenty people in the sitting room at the time. According to McNally, when the NFC Championship Game ended shortly after the start of the overtime period, an unidentified NFL official said something like “we‟re back on again,” so he picked up the balls and began to walk out of the Officials Locker Room."

A simple mistake as a time crunch ensued when OT ended quickly? A guy's bladder has cast a cloud of doubt. I'm skipping a lot of the he-said-she-said. Why? Because Wells clearly takes Anderson at his word and disregards anyone who disagrees with him. Unbiased my butt.

"Kensil lost sight of the Patriots game balls at the beginning of halftime, so he walked to the Patriots locker room to make sure they were not there. He asked Berj Najarian, a Patriots employee who functions as Coach Belichick‟s chief of staff, to check inside the Patriots locker room for the balls."

Nearly midnight funny.  These officials lose track of their balls often. Ineptness by the officials or scheming by the Patriots. Must be the Patriots. After all the officials never do something questionable. Sorry I just choked on that ball of crap.

This report relies heavily on our faith in the officials to be doing their jobs properly. Yet this report clearly shows they fell down on the job. Repeatedly. If I was worried something shady was happening at work, I'd be plastered to the proof.

As for Brady's awareness and participation:

"Our conclusions with respect to Tom Brady also are based on an analysis of the substantial and credible evidence. The evidence does not allow us to reach conclusions as to when McNally and Jastremski began their efforts to release air from Patriots game balls on game day (although McNally referred to himself as “the deflator” prior to the start of the 2014-15 season), exactly how long those efforts have been ongoing, how frequently they occurred, how 17 the idea originated or the full scope of communications related to those efforts. We also note that there is less direct evidence linking Brady to tampering activities than either McNally or Jastremski. We nevertheless believe, based on the totality of the evidence, that it is more probable than not that Brady was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of McNally and Jastremski involving the release of air from Patriots game balls. Evidence of Brady‟s awareness appears in text communications between McNally and Jastremski." 

Sure. Give us a sampling which supports your narrative - don't insult me and call it substantial. Don't provide us with the hours of interviews you conducted with Tom Brady. Just point out he wouldn't allow you access to his email or texts. I wouldn't either you morons. They'd end up on TMZ in a heartbeat carefully edited to show he cheated on Gisele with an alien and had fathered mutant children who were a nice shade of purple. 

"Jastremski: Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done... 

Jastremski: I told him it was. He was right though... 

Jastremski: I checked some of the balls this morn... The refs fucked us...a few of then were at almost 16 

We believe that the most plausible reading of this exchange, based on the context and the evidence, is that Brady “brought up” McNally, told Jastremski that McNally “must have a lot of stress trying” to get the footballs “done” and that Jastremski told Brady that it was stressful for McNally. Jastremski‟s text message thus attributes to Brady knowledge of McNally‟s efforts to get the footballs “done” and the stress involved."

I believe a plausible translation of this exchange is the refs inflated the balls to a higher psi than Brady liked. As a competitor he got worked up and may have been passionate in his communication of his displeasure. Translated: Brady got intense and probably let them know the balls weren't to his liking with a few of NBC's favorite "f bombs." 

"Moreover, taking the text messages as a whole, Brady is a constant reference point in the discussions between McNally and Jastremski about inflation, deflation, needles and 18 items to be received by McNally."

This is because they were conspiring to perform nefarious deeds. It has nothing to do with the fact they work together. I can't with the stupid.

"During this process, the inflation level is set at least two times, once prior to footballs being used in practice and once at the very end, on game day, just prior to Brady‟s selection of footballs for use in a game. When interviewed, Brady claimed to have known nothing about the permissible inflation range set by the NFL Playing Rules or the inflation range targeted by the Patriots until after the Patriots game against the New York Jets on October 16, 2014. Similarly, Jastremski claimed to have never read Rule 2 prior to that game, although he acknowledged being generally aware of the permissible inflation range and of Brady‟s preference for footballs set “closer to 12.5 than 13.” According to Jastremski, before the October 2014 game against the Jets, it had been his practice to inflate Patriots game balls to a level between 12.75 and 12.85 psi without thinking much about it, simply because, according to Jastremski, that had been the range targeted by his predecessor.20 According to Brady, Jastremski and other Patriots personnel, during the October 2014 Jets game, Brady complained angrily about the feel and inflation level of the game balls. He told Jastremski between drives that the balls felt “like bricks” and were heavier and harder to grip than they had been when he approved them prior to the game. Although Jastremski believed during the game that Brady was simply being competitive, he tested the air pressure of the game balls the next morning, discovered that many of them were over-inflated, and told Brady that he was right. Following the Jets game, Brady and Jastremski had a number of conversations concerning the inflation level of game balls. According to Brady, at some point after the Jets game and before the game against the Chicago Bears the following weekend, he asked to see a copy of the applicable Playing Rule, learned for the first time that the permissible inflation range was 12.5 to 13.5 psi, and was told that the Patriots typically inflated game balls slightly above 12.5 psi. Brady also stated that, at some point, he felt a football that was inflated to 12.5 psi, and decided that should be the target for all future games because he did “not ever want to get near the upper range again.” In addition, Brady stated that he suggested that the Patriots give the game officials a copy of Rule 2 when they delivered game balls prior to each game, so that the officials would know that it was not necessary to inflate them further. He claimed that doing so would help ensure that the officials did not alter the footballs he had approved. Jastremski stated that, starting with the October 26, 2014 game against the Bears, he set all game balls to 12.6 psi (leaving 0.1 psi as a cushion in case air escaped when the officials checked the balls prior to the game)."

That Shady Brady. Always trying to circumvent the rules. Giving the officials the rule so they could acknowledge the Patriots respected them is the most dishonest thing a NFL player could do. Let's ban him from football for life.

We could just embrace one line of the report and take it out of context and blow the whole thing out of the water.

" regardless of the assumptions made"

Ass-u-me

To borrow from the Wells report - 

I do not believe that the evidence establishes that any other Patriots personnel participated in or had knowledge of the violation of the Playing Rules or the deliberate effort to circumvent the rules described in this Report. 

I could also suggest it is probable given the bias of the findings Wells had a vested interest in the outcome of the Super Bowl. Perhaps it didn't conclude to his liking. I wouldn't want to be suggesting the plausibility of his perhaps having a gambling problem which results in a money problem which results in him making under the table deals with the NFL to complete a report. Making assumptions such as those would be harmful to a person and their credibility especially if I lacked the conclusive evidence to back it up.

Deflategate

Did he or didn't he? It is the question on everyone's mind who isn't considering running for President or dealing with riots in the streets. The rest of the world My Twitter and Facebook is clogged with opinions on Tom Brady's role in deflated balls. 

You get ten seconds for jokes born in the minds of ten year old boys.

Got it out of your system? As a Patriots fan I want to believe no one in the Patriots organization had anything to do with the balls being below League regulated pressure. However, let's be honest something might have been going on. The same something might have happened to a sampling of the Colt's balls (Fact #1 most people are failing to mention). Maybe the SNL skit from a few years ago is more true than fans of the 31 other teams want to believe - Tom Brady is a miracle worker. TB12 may be manipulating the weather. After all it is really convenient when Gillette is cold, snowy, or wet in January in New England. 

Before we assume anything let's reference the Wells report. 

McNally: Tom sucks...im going make that next ball a fuckin balloon 
Jastremski: Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done... 
Jastremski: I told him it was. He was right though... 
Jastremski: I checked some of the balls this morn... The refs fucked us...a few of then were at almost 16. 

McNally and Jastremski sound like two guys who can't take a little intensity. I don't know them so I am not going to presume anything other than McNally could suffer from - like almost every male I know - a smaller bladder. Seriously it has been years since I've been to the movies with a guy who hasn't had to leave the theater for a bathroom break. I'm not even making them sit through Nicholas Sparks' latest. Who leaves the Avengers? 

Of course this is based only on the sampling of text messages within the report. It is probable they were trying to keep their intense QB happy by keeping his balls on the low end of the acceptable regulation as Brady has publicly admitted he likes his balls closer to 12.5 than 13.5. How the refs pushed through balls at 16 is beyond me. But again we aren't here to make assumptions. After all we wouldn't want anyone to feel it is probable (likely to be the case or to happen) there is a plausible ((of a person) skilled at producing persuasive arguments, especially ones intended to deceive) narrative of a man covering for a League suffering more bruises than a Roller Derby participant. 

"He does not remember whether he began with the Patriots or the Colts game balls on the day of the AFC Championship Game."
"Although Anderson's best recollection is that he used the Logo Gauge, he said that it is certainly possible that he used the Non-Logo Gauge."
"When tested, all of the Patriots footballs—both game balls and back-up balls— registered on the lower-end of the permissible inflation range. Anderson recalls that most of the Patriots footballs measured 12.5 psi, though there may have been one or two that measured 12.6 psi."
"According to Anderson, when tested, most of the Colts footballs measured 13.0 or 13.1 psi. Anderson believes that there may have been one or two footballs that registered 12.8 or 12.9 psi, but recalls that it was 'pretty evident that their target was 13.'"

The NFL officials messed up.  Oops wrong argument? I'm sorry. Fact #2 no one wants to bring up. They didn't write down the beginning measurements so we take Anderson at his word. No reason to doubt his credibility. He's an NFL official.

Anderson also stated that “we have to find the footballs.” Blakeman recalls that although Anderson is usually calm and composed leading up to a game, Anderson was visibly concerned and uncharacteristically used an expletive when the game balls could not be located. The other officials were similarly surprised and concerned.

Although the officials were concerned about the situation, with kickoff approaching, they decided to take the field. 

We won't mention how the officials knew the game balls had gone missing (fact #3) but failed to maintain the integrity of the game (Fact #4). After all this would be a non-issue if they had inspected the balls before the game. An obvious situation arose and because the officials didn't have the balls to delay the game we are still talking deflated balls four months later.

I offer an alternative view for The Wells Report.

McNally: 
Tom sucks...im going make that next ball a fuckin balloon 
Jastremski: Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done... 
Jastremski: I told him it was. He was right though... 
Jastremski: I checked some of the balls this morn... The refs fucked us...a few of then were at almost 16 

"We believe that the most plausible reading of this exchange, based on the context and the evidence, is that Brady “brought up” McNally, told Jastremski that McNally “must have a lot of stress trying” to get the footballs “done” and that Jastremski told Brady that it was stressful for McNally. Jastremski‟s text message thus attributes to Brady knowledge of McNally‟s efforts to get the footballs “done” and the stress involved. We reject as implausible the reading offered by Jastremski, McNally and counsel for the Patriots that certain portions of this exchange refer to a person other than Brady." 

Could it be stressful because Brady is a perfectionist and a competitor and that is a volatile combination? I imagine Brady isn't the easiest guy to work with. It doesn't take much imagination. I don't think I'd want to prep his balls for him. The southern California boy's charms will only let him get away with so much. 

If I wasn't a Patriots fan I'm sure I'd be looking to tar and feather Brady much like I couldn't hide the smile when I read the news the Jets were fined for tampering. After all they've ruled the AFC East for over a decade and Brady has owned Manning. Oh did we mention his supermodel wife? Let's not forget the chin butt. My seven year old niece knows a good chin butt when she sees one.

As a Patriots fan I want to blame it all on they hate us cause they ain't us. Which isn't entirely true. Although for the rest of the AFC East it is probably 85% true. 

The reality is professional sports are businesses. Their purpose isn't the game. It is winning to achieve fortune, fame, and supermodel wives. The highest-paid pick your position in pick your sport isn't necessarily the best. Actually in most sports I'd guarantee he/she isn't. They are probably more marketing than natural ability. Every pro athlete can't be a freak of nature like Rob Gronkowski or JJ Watt. I'm not trying to discount the work pro athletes put in. After all Julian Edelman is always Coaching Up. However, athletes aren't always playing for the love the game, but for the ridiculous pay days. Aaron Rodgers isn't above inflating a ball above league regulation a competitive edge.

A good contract might guarantee you can always buy the Cristal for your friends, but it guarantees you end up with drunk friends which doesn't necessarily mean real friends. Take a 30 second time out and think on it.

I'm sure football in Dillon, Texas might be as competitive as the NFL. Friday Night Lights was the best thing to happen to TV. I get Texas takes their football seriously. I'm not going to sidebar with my thoughts on Texas right now, but let's just say football might be one of the few things Texas has going for it. 

The NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, PGA, and professional backgammon league (I made it up, I think) don't exist for a love of the game. There is an immense amount of pressure to win. Up to 13.5 psi in the NFL.  Too soon? Brady and Co don't play football because they love the game and don't possess a back yard large enough for their friends to gather for a friendly competition. They play because they possess a larger competitive streak than those of us who sit on our couch and trash talk. They are willing to work out and suffer concussions to gain three yards at a time. Some of them will make barely more than a CEO of a small business. Others will make more than a dozen CEOs combined. Owners will invest millions to hopefully earn billions. A Sunday in the fall for 32 teams isn't about scoring a TD with the guys, but earning a bonus and locking in a new contract. 

I don't know if Brady had anything to do with the footballs. I don't know if something nefarious actually happened. I do believe it is possible no one committed a breach of NFL rules. The Colts' balls which were inflated to a greater PSI than the Patriots' balls also fell before league regulation. (Fact #5) If there were no atmospheric effects on the footballs then who let the air out of the Colt's balls? Let's get a new investigation going. Anderson and Co. didn't check enough of the Colts' balls during halftime though. (Fact #6) The 75% they found under-inflated weren't enough to warrant a second glance?My theory is the Colts' balls didn't lose as much psi as the Patriots' because they weren't getting as much use. 

At the end of a professional career, an athlete's name might be penciled into the record books. There is always a rookie yapping at their heels though. Ask Peyton Manning how his records are standing in Indianapolis. Your legacy/reputation/character is written in pen. 

The Wells Report took Sharpie and wrote "liar" all over Brady's face without proof. They surmised there was a probability he had a general knowledge. I have a general knowledge of what I'd do with a million dollars. I've never been within a mile of a million dollars to my knowledge. I hate to harp but let's not ass-u-me. After all the NFL has chosen a horrible time to create a drought to wipe the mud off their face. 

One of the arguments is Brady's sudden increased communication with two guys who handle his balls. Knowing what I know of males, a guy is protective of his balls and those who handle them. His increased texts asking if JJ was ok isn't surprising. It could just be a good person asking a friend if he's surviving the ride as his world is rocked upside down.

Professional sports are never going to be pure. Greed and ego will motivate players to push the limits of the rules. Coaches will get creative and walk the edge. After all if you can't beat them, whine and get the rules changed.  If I want to see pure football games, I'm probably going to have to find a Pop Warner team to cheer for. I'm a Patriots fan and I will be until they begin hosting dog fights and senior executions at Gillette Stadium. It isn't as though the Patriots are the black sheep of the NFL. They just happen to inspire an intensity either for support or hate unlike any other team in the NFL currently. 

Interesting development.
We might need to discount every word in The Wells Report. You can buy any results you are hoping for. Reputation matters.

Social Media behavior IRL

"I'd like my friends a lot better if we weren't friends on Facebook."

If we behaved in person as we do in Facebook:

A) Let me share something with you and then like it. It's like stating the same thing twice. I like this dress. I like this dress. 

Irritating isn't it? If I ignored the fact you shared it, you probably shouldn't like it to attempt to bring it to my attention where I'll ignore it for a second time.

B) "I'm so tired and my body hurts but I washed every piece of fabric in the house today, bought groceries for the next year, cleaned my house to hospital standards, and the kids now speak twelve languages." Translated it means "praise me for my awesomeness while I pretend like I'm not begging for a standing ovation." 

See me not like your post which is oozing false modesty. If you actually said it to me, I'd ask if you think you earned a gold star or a cookie. Posting it on social media isn't going to lessen the transparent attempts at back patting.

C) Spouse posting on spouse's wall. "Have I told you today I love you?"

If you have to ask then I am going to recommend you find a good marriage counselor. Stop posting it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagam, etc. Look your spouse in the eye and tell them you love them. I promise you they would rather hear it than read it. Why? Because the eyes don't lie but the internet does. Don't waste the energy writing a post when someone is waiting to hear the words.

D) Message everyone and their brother's cousin's nephew's sister's babysitter.

If you text me in a group message, it'll get deleted quickly. If you have a message for me, please send it to me and not the entire world. 500 people on Facebook don't appreciate being part of a message thread. The first message might have been important but all the subsequent are probably irritating. I'm going to miss important facts when I leave the conversation which I'll do faster than a speeding bullet.

E) "I've had a really bad day and I can't talk about it, but I'd like it if I could get off this ride now."

You are screaming for attention. If you don't want to talk about it, don't post about it. If you called me and said "something horrible happened but I can't talk about it." I would ask you why you bothered to bring it up. If you don't have the guts to say something then don't even make like you want to. 

I don't beg. If you want to discuss something, I'll let you bring up the subject. If you don't want to talk about it then I'm going to tell you Stella's latest trick. 

F) "I woke up this morning after having great dreams last night." "My coffee was amazing." "My drive into work took ten minutes longer than usual." "I got to work and am drinking my second cup of coffee." "The boss just got here. Let me pretend like I'm working." "Lunch time already? Should I have a salad or rice cakes?" "This afternoon is dragging." "I just had my fourth cup of coffee." "Should I cut my hair?" "I'm thinking about getting a new car." "Wow! Today flew by. Time to go home." "Stuck in traffic and I almost got caught picking my nose." 

Translation: I'm a narcissist with too much time on my hands. 

If you called or texted me as often as social media got updated, I'd be banning your number. I don't have time for a play-by-play. Stick to the highlights. It keeps people interested. By the third or fourth update, people have lost their interest. By the seventh or eighth, people don't care. A couple of days later and you'll be unfriended.

G) "I'm selling this amazing new product. See me post about it fifteen times a day."

G&F are closely related. However, if you are trying to run a home business, your friends and family might become your best customers. They aren't likely to support you if they've hidden you for repetitiveness. Mix it up. 

H) In a past life I was a donkey's saddle with a Spanish flare from the 70's.

Personality quizzes should be posted in moderation. They are the same as chain mail. I'm so glad most people have stopped forwarding "Open within ten minutes and you'll be financially secure for the rest of your life." Those got deleted without being opened. 

I) Phone buzzes with a text/ "Did you see my Facebook post?"  

If it is important enough for me to need to know, then make the effort to let me know. Social Media is like a billboard. If you have a message, only those travelling the road see the billboard. This doesn't mean you should post to every platform. It means important information shouldn't be shared utilizing inconsequential media platforms.

J) Share everyone else's photos and status updates, but never share anything about you.

This seems to oppose the argument in I, but why should I be friends with you on social media if you aren't represented. Post about yourself. Don't post every ten minutes. Don't only post about one topic. Don't be vague. If you are proud your child won the spelling bee, then let the world know. However I don't want to know if your neighbor's cat's mother's lizard is missing. 

K) Treating your profile like you are an unofficial member of the news media.

Life is happening all around us. The world today seems intent on imploding. While we all should be aware of current events, don't just share a thousand links from news outlets. Have an opinion besides "OMG!" Otherwise I'm going to believe you are an educated adult aware of the world around you. I have no need for a Facebook Tom Brokaw. I also have no desire of proof you aren't an educated adult. 

L) "I have the best family, house, car, pets, wardrobe, friends, plants, leaves on the trees outside, kitchen sink." Thus Facebook tells us. However, a phone call paints a different picture. 

If you are going to be on social media, be real! Because your friends might begin to wonder if you are a liar or determined to keep up with the Joneses. I'm far less likely to be happy for my friends when they don't appear to be telling the truth. There is a fine line of honesty in social media. Don't oversell or undersell. Stop selling! Try being yourself. 

M) "When is my life  not going to suck? It has been 124612154622134589621335 days since I've smiled."

Straight talk. I only have so much patience for negative people in my life. I feel obligated to listen to my friends who are on the phone or sitting across from me. Social media makes it very easy to press mute. If life is handing you a tough time, find a way to make something positive out of it. 

N) Let social media become the only way you stay in touch with your friends. 

N saddens me the most. I don't feel the need to call my friends because I know everything about them from Facebook. Most of my friends are represented in this list. The saddest part is close friends aren't close anymore because social media is killing the art of friendship. What used to be beautiful and organic is plotted and manipulated. The song of long conversations has been silenced for 140 characters.

O) "Some people need to learn how to treat others. You know WHO you ARE after all I'm commenting TWO seconds after you posted a STATUS update."

Don't pretend to have the balls to call someone on the carpet for something if you are only going to do it on social media. Social media is not a clothes line so stop airing the dirty laundry.  Be an adult and a human and deal with it one-on-one. I won't respect what you are saying if you say it on social media. It'll get ignored.

P) Retweet "You are so awesome and the prettiest, loveliest, kindest, most talented person to ever person."

If someone has something kind to say to you, respond by and show your appreciation. Favorite it. Don't retweet it. Your ego grew two sizes and I'm searching for a pin to pop the bubble.

The art of being a human is slowing becoming a lost art. We are now social media shadows of ourselves.

It Is 2015.

There is something refreshing about New Year's Day. It isn't the day off from work or the Rose Parade.

January 1st brings the feeling of a reset button being hit. 365 loom ahead full of possibility and potential. There is room for hopes and dreams. There are more days to make it a great year than to wish it away.

Because my mind won't shut up

and people keep doing things to set off more thoughts.

There are days I wish I could sit down and speak with Adam Cappa. He's very caught up in posting about relationships. While I admire his focus on God, he has a running theme regarding relationship memes.

I know my confidence comes from God. My parents raised me to read my Bible and attend church not plaster boybands on my walls and attend concerts. They wanted my foundation to be in Christ. They never wanted my identity to be bound to another human being.

Apparently though my confidence/strength in God has caused an intimidating personality. I'm still trying to find a Biblical answer to balance out confidence in Christ and an approachable spirit. I'm not even sure how to identify the two aspects. I can't say kindness or gentleness because I do believe I possess those traits. Apparently I am only a threat to guys interested in dating me. Despite my insecurities I apparently don't need to lose some weight or dress differently to be physically attractive. If I was diagnosed properly the other day, it isn't my physical body at all which is the deterrent. It is me - the inner workings of my mind, the character traits I've acquired, and the knowledge I've gained.

Insecurity says it isn't the outside which isn't please to men; it is the inside.

Which blows everything out of the water for me. Because while I've been fighting the physical attraction battle. Apparently I should lay down my sword and surrender because I need a guy who is going to react phyically to me because everything else isn't a good package.

The cartwheels are now somersaults.

Damsel In Distress

otherwise known as working things out in my head.

I haven't been reading much recently. First there hasn't been much time. Work has been beyond busy. Second honestly despite some of my favorite authors having new releases, I am just not interested.

I'm still working on a project, but I'm stalled. It isn't writer's block, but a lack of focus. The completion of this project probably won't reduce the terrifying aspect of me nor have me branded a hopeless romantic.

In the same conversation I was informed I am terrifying, I was also told I am not a romantic. Oddly enough I began to think about many of the books I immerse myself in. I enjoy almost everything by Susan May Warren and I enjoyed the The Heart of a Hero series. A romantic heart does beat in my chest. I also find though many woman can write romantic stories which can captivate a woman.

Let's lay it on the line though. Most authors don't write books about 5'10" sturdy girls (aka not Victoria Secret model material) who know more about football than most men. When you factor in the independence and confidence, you don't have a good damsel in distress. If an author writes about a woman nearly six feet tall then the male lead is at minimum 6'2". A lot of the times the male lead is almost a foot taller than the female lead and strong. He's the anchor when the wind threatens to blow her anorexic butt off the ground.

Then you have some type of tragedy which sends the girl into DID (damsel in distress) mode. A death, car accident, horrible break up, etc are the catalyst for the woman needing a man to be her strength. I'd rather not have to attend a funeral for a guy to witness my tears and swoop in and save me. I can't think of who I'd sacrifice in order to gain a Prince Charming.

Where are the stories about a relationship which occurs organically? Why does true love only happen after someone has been kidnapped? Why must my soul mate be waiting for me at the site of a plane crash?

You're confident.

Can I tell you a secret? I was told my confidence is intimidating to the male species. The secret is I'm confident despite my many insecurities.

A friend informed me I scare him and I terrify a friend of his. I've spent weeks trying to wrap my mind around why. The other day I was told it is because I'm confident. Apparently confidence is one of those PC answers people give when asked what they find sexy in someone they are attracted to. It sounds good when you say it, but when confronted with someone who is confident most people have no idea what to do. The Knights in Shining Armor seek out their Damsels in Distress because it strokes the male ego.

The truth of the matter is I'm confident, but a lot of my confidence comes from the reality of I live without being someone's other half. I was raised to not seek the approval of others. My parents brought me up to honor God in all I do. Which means I haven't changed myself in order to gain the attention of someone I'm attracted to. My purpose in life is not to land a man, but to bring glory to God. In thirty-four years I've spent more time handling everything than I have being taken care of.

Side story: I was about 25 when a woman well into her forties wanted to know if I was married. I told her I wasn't. She wanted to know if I was engaged. I told her I wasn't. She wanted to know how long I had been with my boyfriend. I told her I didn't have one. She was amazed because I was "so content" for being single. I was completely baffled at the time. She was on a date with one of my co-workers who she met while she was on a date with someone else. She left with my co-worker while her date was in the bathroom. I couldn't relate to her at all.

Tonight I'm sitting here as my thoughts do a complete floor routine in my head. When I think I've got it all figured out I realize I'm cartwheeling and my feet are off the ground.

A few months ago I was introduced to a guy. He seemed like a great guy. We had great conversation and a great time when we were together. However, I could tell I was too much for him. My "confidence" was overwhelming to him. He needed someone who needed him as badly as he needed them. There was an awfully lot of needy in there. I wasn't the girl for him. I was upfront with him from the beginning about who I was, but he seemed convinced we'd be a good match. Until I didn't live up to the picture he had in his head. He disappeared in a cloud of dust. Didn't even bother to tell me why or let me know we'd be better of as friends. He simply went radio silent.

My confidence took a hit. Even though I knew we weren't going to be a forever couple, it hurts when you are rejected even if you know it is the right decision. However, it has set me into a tailspin. Because there is a guy who I could see myself spending a significant amount of time with and it having a different outcome. However, I guess I'd have to tone down who I am if I want him to approach me. Which I can't do. I briefly tried to be someone I wasn't and it didn't work for very long.

The truth is I want to be cared for. In some ways that does mean a mutual needing of each other. However, my confidence is a shield. Let's be honest. It is the truly cocky people who lack insecurity. It is the people who walk around believing they are better than everyone else who don't throw up shields. They have other issues to deal with. I do want someone despite at the moment not needing someone. It wouldn't be me though if I ran around throwing myself in the way of a runaway car so I could be rescued.

My confidence is my shield because it does hurt knowing the next few days I am going to be alone. It is lonely to a certain level. While I can enjoy some peace and quiet and maybe put the mental brakes on, the silence can grow deafening. It is painful to know there isn't someone out there who is willing to set aside some time to watch a movie or go to the store with me. No one is going to call because they simply want to be near me. Most of my friends are already with their families. The others will soon be so they are in the rush of holiday planning. The reality is I have to accept these facts. I could sit here and cry about it, but what will it accomplish? Someone won't magically appear to wipe my tears.

So rather than cry tears which will flow unseen, I'll remember I don't need a guy to affirm who I am. I'm not really terrifying. I'm just terrified to give in to the sadness which would overwhelm me if I dwelled on the empty space next to me.

The truth is I wish there was someone next to me. Someone wanting to be there. I wish someone would see beyond the confidence to the girl who would appreciate being cared for. However, I want them to want me for who I am and not for the less-confident-but-more-attractive version I sometimes consider conforming myself into.

This my friends is my confidence conundrum.