By: Sam Neuman
After defeating the Indianapolis Colts 45-7, on January 18, 2015, the New England Patriots were once more accused of cheating. This time around it had to do with deflating footballs.
The New England Patriots have a reputation for pushing the rules or “cheating.” In 2007, they were caught videotaping opponents’ practices. It just so happens the Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season that year. After an investigation, the NFL fined Patriots’ head coach Bill Belichick $500,000 (the maximum allowed by the league and the largest fine ever imposed on a coach in the league’s 87-year history) for his role in the incident, fined the Patriots $250,000 and made the Patriots forfeit their original first-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft.
The Patriots were accused of deflating 11 out of 12 of the footballs that the NFL allows them to have on the field. The rule in the NFL is that the referees check the balls two hours before game time and at halftime; thus the Patriots would have had time to deflate 11 out of 12 of those footballs. Deflated footballs do not necessarily give a particular team an advantage; they are just easier to throw and catch in cold and wet conditions.
The NFL plans on making a thorough investigation this offseason to determine whether or not the New England Patriots tampered with the footballs. If the Patriots are found guilty, punishments will rain down on them. Some of the punishments might include making the Patriots forfeit future draft picks, fining or suspending Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and fining the owner of the team, Robert Kraft.
The Patriots have pled that they have not done anything wrong and have demanded apologies from the NFL and the media if nothing wrong is found. What will they say if they are found guilty of cheating yet again? The NFL has to get this particular investigation right, which is why they are taking their time and being very thorough about the process.
Comments