Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
5 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,815 Year: 3,072/9,624 Month: 917/1,588 Week: 100/223 Day: 11/17 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   Deflation-gate
MrHambre
Member (Idle past 1392 days)
Posts: 1495
From: Framingham, MA, USA
Joined: 06-23-2003


Message 155 of 466 (760160)
06-18-2015 9:49 AM
Reply to: Message 154 by Percy
06-16-2015 3:30 PM


Re: AEI Issues Report
AEI (American Enterprise Institute) has issued a report on deflategate: On the Wells report.
I wonder whether the AEI isn't just the number-crunching cavalry that franchises call in when they're accused of wrondoing. The report proudly states that the AEI's analysis helped the Saints avoid penalties for their "bounty" program, wherein they were alleged to have injured opposing players at a higher rate than normal. I'm no statistician, and I guess the AEI is making the point that the statistical model used in the Wells report was too crude to support the conclusion that the acknowledged drop in pressure of the Patriots' footballs is evidence of wrongdoing. But I'd like to know if a more sigma-savvy reader would be able to establish whether the AEI's take is convincing.
This whole thing seemed like a moot point even when it happened. Only the most loyal Colts fan could argue that a few Psi could account for the humiliating blowout that the Pats pulled off in the AFC Championship game. However, what came to light when questions started flying made me think there might be at least a kernel of truth to the accusations.
I remember there was a controversy during the 2010 World Cup over the new design of the balls being used. A lot of players complained about the unpredictability of the footballs compared with the ones they used in league play. Certainly that might have affected some of the outcomes.
However, it's no secret that Brady had a lot of personal control over the state of the footballs used in games. Even after the Deflategate controversy had surfaced, Brady met with his equipment guy to discuss the Super Bowl balls. CNN reported: "Brady said he recalls requesting that Jastremski visiting him there (i.e. in the QB room) because he was busy preparing for the Super Bowl and wanted to discuss how the game balls would be prepared." Now I'm not saying that Brady did anything untoward in this meeting or any other, but it's obvious that he didn't think anything of discussing this kind of prep in private with his equipment handler, even as both were in the midst of a scandal over improprieties in ball preparation during the NFL playoffs. CNN again, quoting Brady, ellipses in original: "I didn't alter the ball in any way," he said. "I have a process that I go through before every game where I go in and pick the balls that I want... Our equipment guys do a great job of breaking the balls in ... When I pick those footballs out at that point, you know to me they're perfect. I don't want anyone touching the balls after that."
Is it just that American football tolerates a much greater degree of control and familiarity between the franchises and the game balls, even in the playoffs? Or do Brady and other quarterbacks exploit their access to the equipment for an advantage?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 154 by Percy, posted 06-16-2015 3:30 PM Percy has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 156 by Faith, posted 06-18-2015 4:02 PM MrHambre has not replied
 Message 157 by Percy, posted 06-19-2015 8:01 AM MrHambre has seen this message but not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024