"Watching Patriots Scandal From Afar, a Retired Football Maker Say Wilson Did It's Job" (click here)
...After all her years at the factory, Helser has never seen a controversy like the one enveloping the N.F.L. now. According to reports by ESPN and others, the N.F.L. found that 11 of the New England Patriots’ 12 game balls were underinflated during their rout of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in the A.F.C. championship game. The balls were approved by a referee before the game but were checked again at halftime. They were reinflated after they were found to have lost about two pounds per square inch of pressure.
...After all her years at the factory, Helser has never seen a controversy like the one enveloping the N.F.L. now. According to reports by ESPN and others, the N.F.L. found that 11 of the New England Patriots’ 12 game balls were underinflated during their rout of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in the A.F.C. championship game. The balls were approved by a referee before the game but were checked again at halftime. They were reinflated after they were found to have lost about two pounds per square inch of pressure.
The scandal, which some have called Deflategate, has caused some to wonder how and when the balls were deflated
after they met the N.F.L.’s exacting specifications and were shipped
from the Wilson factory here. Helser said the Wilson employees had done
their jobs.
“When
it leaves our factory, they may have trouble with a bladder every once
in a while with losing some air,” she said. “But when they have 11 out
of 12 balls losing air, it’s not Wilson’s fault. I’m sure when it left
our factory here in Ada, it was as good as it could be.”
Despite
reports that the cold weather or a player spiking the ball might have
led to the deflation, the only way to remove that much air that quickly
would be to put a needle in the valve and to let the air seep out, said
Kevin Murphy, who runs the American football division at Wilson....
Eleven
out of twelve. Why not twelve? So someone knew there would be at least
one ball meeting regulations if asked? The deflation is nearly
identical. So, the eleven compromised balls were uniform. Someone
deflated the balls some time from inspection to half time. That isn't
that much time. Inspection before game time can't be that long. Someone
knew what he or she or they were doing and did it with precision. There
is nothing to say someone from the opposing team didn't do it either.
But, if the other team wanted to create a problem why only eleven balls?
There is a timeline. The compromise fits into a timeline.
What I find strange, is the fact other team members handled the ball(s) and never detected the compromise. These are professional players. No one else on the Patriot lineup, including the center, detected the problem? Odd. It took an opposition player to detect it. Very odd.
Considering the footballs belonged to the Patriots, it is Patriots that have responsibility for the CUSTODY of the balls after inspection. It is an easy decision. The Patriots neglected and/or compromised the footballs in their custody. Nothing else to say.
There is a timeline. The compromise fits into a timeline.
What I find strange, is the fact other team members handled the ball(s) and never detected the compromise. These are professional players. No one else on the Patriot lineup, including the center, detected the problem? Odd. It took an opposition player to detect it. Very odd.
Considering the footballs belonged to the Patriots, it is Patriots that have responsibility for the CUSTODY of the balls after inspection. It is an easy decision. The Patriots neglected and/or compromised the footballs in their custody. Nothing else to say.
