So. Unless you've been living under a hedge in the wilds you've heard all about ball security and how the Patriots may have been playing with deflated balls in their crushing defeat of the Colts (45-7). As it stands the investigation is still on-going with a final ruling not expected until after the Superbowl. But it's been the talk of the town. There's been stuff about how to talk to your kids about 'deflate-gate,' a segment on NPR about it, and last Friday Sesame Street's word of the day was 'inflate.'
Really? Ball security is that important?
More important than making a big deal out of Ray Rice knocking his fiance unconscious? (2 game suspension)
More important than Adrian Peterson using a switch on his 4-year old that caused "visible swelling, marks and cuts"? (suspended without pay for final 6 games)
More important than Michael Vick's conviction for orchestrating a dog fighting ring? (served 2 years in prison, currently with the Jets, poor thing)
Personally, I think the above issues far outweigh an improperly inflated football but if ball security is truly that important then I have a suggestion - two actually. I think the NFL needs to put someone in charge of ball security. One person whose sole responsibility is to make sure the balls in play are inflated to the proper psi. Either that or start filling the damn things with nitrogen so they won't be affected by a change in temperature.
Don't get me wrong. If the Patriots screwed around with the balls they should be punished - fairly - but Good God! Do we really need to keep harping on this? Is this really the most important thing that's ever happened in the world of sports? Can't we talk about something else - like who's going to win the Superbowl and how?!
Anyway. My son makes me listen to The Big Jab (sports talk radio, fascinating stuff) in the morning and I had to weigh in. Meanwhile, we're waiting for the snow to start falling in expectation of this massive blizzard that's supposed to dump 1-2 feet of snow on us. I just hope I don't lose power...
Thoughts on 'deflate-gate?' Hate the Pats? Got snow?
Personally, I think the U.S. ought to be ashamed that a de-inflated football is in the forefront of the news when ISIS continues to behead captives and Boko Haram slaughters thousands of innocent people. If people want to talk about morality in THIS country, lets talk about the astounding number of murder-suicides, senseless killings of children by their own parents, and cold-blooded murders carried out in this month alone.
ReplyDeleteI don't really care about football as a sport, and I don't think an actual football should be making headlines.
Exactly.
DeleteGuess you're getting the big snow tonight and tomorrow. Like Dianne above, I'm disgusted by how this is such big news. Sports are not news and we're a sports playing and watching family but it's just entertainment, not something important.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, we got some big snow here and I completely agree. It's like making some celebrity's scandal the biggest news ever. Ridiculous.
DeleteI obviously do live under a hedge in the wilds. All this was news to me - but I would agree, the subsidiary issues you listed trump ball security every time. Or should.
ReplyDelete"I obviously do live under a hedge in the wilds." This made me laugh since I know where you are and all I can say is I'm glad you HAVEN'T heard! But yes, those other issues are the ones sports media should be making a big deal, not some deflated balls.
DeleteJust regular winter snow here, and I love it.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we don't lose power I'll love it, too!
DeleteI don't watch sports. But, they will probably implement your suggestion for a person in charge. His sole duty will be to watch all the balls, all the time, and he will be paid a million dollars a year for this vital service. Money well spent, right?
ReplyDeleteHey, I'll do it for that kind of money!
DeleteI completely agree! Stop whining and droning on about the stupid footballs. Is it really that important? Would the Colts have scored more than forty-five points if their footballs were deflated? Doubtful. Get over it. Move on to something more important in life.
ReplyDeleteThe Colts didn't lose because of deflated balls. They lost because the Pats were better. And there's lots more important things to talk about than some bloody deflated balls.
DeleteSo agree with you, Marcy, and with Dianne's comment about what is really important to discuss in the news.
ReplyDeleteYup. Ball security should be a minor story, especially in light of everything that's happening in the world.
DeleteThat's lame stream media for you.
ReplyDeleteLame stream media, ha!
DeleteI totally agree with Dianne's comment. I'm not a Pats fan but I'm so sick of the media acting as if this is the biggest story on the planet right now. We have much bigger problems to worry about!
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't get as much snow as predicted and you all stay safe and warm. Honestly I can't stand the way the media makes such a big deal out of snow either. I know it's a bad storm but that doesn't seem all that surprising for January in New England.
I'm a casual fan and I do plan on watching the Superbowl but even the sports announcers are sick of this story. They want to talk about the game but all anyone else wants to talk about is what cheaters the Pats are. I wish they'd made this big of a deal over the Ray Rice case.
DeleteI enjoy a little football game watching, but not enough to give two hoots about "deflate-gate." I think Dianne Salerni said it best in her comment.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right.
DeleteI have been deliberately ignoring this, and I still have heard more than I care to. I'm not even going to watch the Super Bowl! (I never do.)
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty ridiculous. Even the sports talk guys are sick of it. I'll be watching the Superbowl, but I don't really care who wins.
DeleteI thing we bury ourselves in this stupid stuff so we don't have to look at the important issues. If we did, we might actually feel the need to do something.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right.
DeleteOK, I'll admit it. I've no idea what this post was about LOL
ReplyDeleteYes, well it's a stupid American thing called football and apparently the balls used were not inflated to the proper psi. It was discovered and...deflate-gate. Basically it's the media making a huge deal out of something that shouldn't have been, instead of focusing on more important things.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I can't get past the fact that they did a segment on how to talk to your kids about it. That cracks me up. Yep, no bigger problems to deal with. But under-inflated balls, the horror!
ReplyDeleteI know, my son and I rolled our eyes when we heard that. I mean, really?
Delete