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Not condoning this but this is a systemwide issue, like the taping, that the Pats are getting called on. Most / some / many are doing it - the Pats got caught. There should be repercussions.
This is not betting on football outcomes, this is not putting bounties on other players to injure, or using performance enhancing drugs - this is lower level stuff. Like cheating in NASCAR. Or turning off the heat in the visitors locker room. Or manipulating the volume of stadium noise in Indy. I am not condoning what the Pat's are accused of but I am trying to de-sensationalize this a bit.
People are pointing to other situations where this has happened - not sure how true or not - but it is clear that the Refs should manage the game balls. What we are also doing is a lot of speculating. Hearing a lot of interviews and statements by other QBs seems this might be more common than some state.
The NFL has not stated what their findings are nor have they shown the entire process that took place. There are multiple places where this can change deliberately or not (though not likely) as well as the quality of the inspections / inspection processes.
At the end of the day this is a lot of spiel about a minor item. To think that the Patriots are the only team with a bag of tricks in use is a little foolish. Messing with the footballs may be a little common place too across many teams.
Again, not condoning their actions that may or may not (though unlikely) happened but a proper investigation needs to go all along.
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