It's been a while since I had the time to blog. Been a busy couple of months, but is there ever a better time to jump back in than around the Super Bowl? Actually, last week would have been better with the "deflate-gate" controversy in full swing. Supposedly, we are expected to stop talking about it and talk only about the game instead. Why? It was a legitimate topic that came up organically last week saving us from all the manufactured Super Bowl hype. I would rather discuss deflate-gate than the media generated "story lines" about these 2 teams, neither of which I am too fond of. How much more of the designer angles like "low draft picks" Brady V Wilson or Pete Caroll's stint in New England would ESPN have subjected us to if not for this scandal? Those stories are interesting if you care about the teams. If not, deflate-gate is as good as it gets.
The controversy itself feels very juvenile at one level, but the fact that this Patriots regime is entering the "repeat offenders" territory makes it very interesting. If the NFL can indeed prove that the Patriots did tamper with the ball, which of course is a BIG "if", hoodie will be in deep trouble given his past history with spy-gate. Thats exactly why Belichick and the Pats are so vociferously and aggressively denying the allegation. If convicted, punishment will be severe. Saints coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for a year for bounty-gate, will have a lot of opinions for the league office on the appropriate punishment for the hoodie. Lots of people are arguing that deflating the ball is not a big help for Brady or that the Pats are good enough to win without it etc. Thats not the point. The point is, if you are deflating the footballs after the refs have checked and approved them, you are cheating. Why would anybody do it if it didn't help? There are some parallels I see here with the steroid controversy with baseball, especially with Barry Bonds. Not that deflate-gate is that serious, but some people said the same type of things about Bonds and steroids. "He was always good", "He didn't need PEDs" etc. The counter argument is pretty simple. If it didn't help, why did he take it? Thats why Bonds is still not in the Hall Of Fame.
As for the Super Bowl itself, I think this controversy will only drive the Pats even more, as if they need any extra motivation. Brady and Belichick are getting up there age-wise and it's all about legacy for them at this stage of their careers. They have lost their last 2 Super Bowls and I am not sure if Russell Wilson can channel his inner Eli Manning and subject the Pats to a third Super Bowl loss. I am afraid the Pats win this one easy, 30 - 20. The Seahawks have to show up better than they did in the first 55 mins of their game against the Packers to even have a shot. If they show up with that weak sauce, they truly run the risk of getting blown out. This Patriots team is not an amazingly dominant team by any stretch of the imagination, but they have a decent defense, a good running game that they turn on and off at will, and Gronk. All of those things typically cause serious issues for the Seahawks as if dealing with Brady and Belichick is not challenging enough. It might be a mistake to pick against the Seahawks after what they did to Peyton Manning last year and Aaron Rodgers last week, but I am going to do it. The Pats get it done in the big game even with the rightly inflated footballs.
The controversy itself feels very juvenile at one level, but the fact that this Patriots regime is entering the "repeat offenders" territory makes it very interesting. If the NFL can indeed prove that the Patriots did tamper with the ball, which of course is a BIG "if", hoodie will be in deep trouble given his past history with spy-gate. Thats exactly why Belichick and the Pats are so vociferously and aggressively denying the allegation. If convicted, punishment will be severe. Saints coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for a year for bounty-gate, will have a lot of opinions for the league office on the appropriate punishment for the hoodie. Lots of people are arguing that deflating the ball is not a big help for Brady or that the Pats are good enough to win without it etc. Thats not the point. The point is, if you are deflating the footballs after the refs have checked and approved them, you are cheating. Why would anybody do it if it didn't help? There are some parallels I see here with the steroid controversy with baseball, especially with Barry Bonds. Not that deflate-gate is that serious, but some people said the same type of things about Bonds and steroids. "He was always good", "He didn't need PEDs" etc. The counter argument is pretty simple. If it didn't help, why did he take it? Thats why Bonds is still not in the Hall Of Fame.
As for the Super Bowl itself, I think this controversy will only drive the Pats even more, as if they need any extra motivation. Brady and Belichick are getting up there age-wise and it's all about legacy for them at this stage of their careers. They have lost their last 2 Super Bowls and I am not sure if Russell Wilson can channel his inner Eli Manning and subject the Pats to a third Super Bowl loss. I am afraid the Pats win this one easy, 30 - 20. The Seahawks have to show up better than they did in the first 55 mins of their game against the Packers to even have a shot. If they show up with that weak sauce, they truly run the risk of getting blown out. This Patriots team is not an amazingly dominant team by any stretch of the imagination, but they have a decent defense, a good running game that they turn on and off at will, and Gronk. All of those things typically cause serious issues for the Seahawks as if dealing with Brady and Belichick is not challenging enough. It might be a mistake to pick against the Seahawks after what they did to Peyton Manning last year and Aaron Rodgers last week, but I am going to do it. The Pats get it done in the big game even with the rightly inflated footballs.
