Balls, Balls, Balls

Balls.

I'm so sick of hearing about balls.

The biggest problem that I have with this deflated footballs mess is that the rule in question is an old and stupid rule. The 12.5-13.5 psi air pressure range rule that is such the topic now was established in 1934 for a football that was slightly bigger than the one used today. Wilson manufactures the footballs now. They didn't manufacture the slightly bigger footballs used in 1934. Wilson didn't start providing footballs for the NFL until 1940. So, the rule that no one even knew existed in January was for a very different football than the one used today. The rule was established for a football that was about a quarter-inch larger, made by a different company, and made over 80 years ago. What are the chances that a football made today was made exactly the same over 80 years ago? The air pressure range rule really has no connection to the football used today.

The air pressure rule is a stupid rule because every change to the football over the last 100 years has been to make it easier to throw. Just as damn near every on-field rule change in the last 40 years has been to help the quarterback, the evolution of the football has been to make it easier to throw. It's become more aerodynamic and easier to handle. In the 1960s the AFL used an even smaller football than the NFL used to help their quarterbacks. The ball was meant to be thrown. It was meant to generate offense and excitement. The first 4,000 yard passing season accepted by the NFL was accomplished by Joe Namath with the Spalding-produced J5-V. Named like a jet. Traveled through the air like a jet. This football was a quarter-inch skinnier and longer than the NFL football. It was a missile designed as a football. No one one belly-aches over that very different football impacting the league's history. The NFL has allowed quarterbacks to scuff, rub, and alter game day footballs for nearly a decade. The NFL allows the quarterback to "alter" the football to their individual liking. The NFL wants the football to be easier to throw. They want it to be easier to handle. They love the offense that comes from that ease. Ever since teams started throwing the football the NFL has gone out of their way to "gift" the quarterback a competitive advantage. After all of these allowances the NFL suddenly pulls back. Why? And they pull back for a stupid rule that was established over 80 years ago. A rule that came not from a study but from a manufacturer's suggestion. A suggestion that was made more for the average Joe tossing a football to his son than a bunch of professional football players. A manufacturer's suggestion that came from a manufacturer that no longer manufactures the football.

The air pressure rule is a stupid rule due to the NFL's obvious inability to enforce it. Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson alerted the NFL before the AFC Championship game to the possibility that the New England Patriots might be under-inflating their footballs. What does the NFL do? They fail to document any of the initial pressure readings for the footballs. They allow the footballs out of their site before the game. They use two pressure gauges, one with a crooked needle, that produce very different readings. When they do actually record the readings at halftime the results mean next to nothing because of the questionable initial readings. There's no way to show any tampering of the footballs when there are no reliable readings. How is a multi-billion dollar business so incompetent? If this was a sting operation, the average two-year old could script it better. NFL gumshoe Ted Wells took over three months to investigate this mess and file his report. After seeing all of the holes, all of incompetence, all of the nonsense, it's obvious that all 243 pages of his report are worthless. All for a rule that is stupid to start.

By the books, the breaking of the stupid air pressure range rule is a $25,0000 fine but when was the last time that Goodell and the gang did anything by the book. They've been making things up as they go for far too long. I would be surprised if the NFL suits don't find a way to suspend Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for a couple of games. They shouldn't but they probably will. Some have speculated that Brady could get four games or more. That would be ridiculous. If it were me making the decision, I'd fine Brady. It may be a stupid rule but it's still a rule. There has to be some sort of punishment even though none of the air pressure readings are reliable enough to prove that any tampering was done. There was enough evidence in the text messages between the two locker room clowns to suggest that some air pressure noodling was taking place. If not for the AFC Championship game then for previous games. Most importantly, if it were me making the decision I would toss out this stupid air pressure rule. It didn't really have a place in 1934 and it certainly doesn't have a place now. Simple common sense can tell anyone handling a football whether it is inflated or not.