Deflategate

The NFL, particularly over the past season, has come under fire by many people due to their failure to conduct successful investigations and giving out fair punishments. Ray Rice, after beating his then Fiance unconscious and dragging her unconscious body out of an elevator,  was given a 2 game suspension. Josh Gordon, who tested positive for marijuana, was suspended for the rest of the season. The NFL gave Josh Gordon a harsher penalty than an individual who knocked his fiance out cold. This did not make sense to me, or any other logical person who follows the league. The "deflategate" scandal, is yet another failed attempt by the NFL to conduct a successful investigation. To start, lets forget the assumptions, and look at the facts.

To investigate this matter, the NFL hired Ted Wells, who has investigated other matters in the league such as the Richie Incognito bullying incident. For the scientific part of the investigation, Ted Wells employed the California-based engineering firm, Exponent. Exponent is hardly credible. In fact, an article in the Los Angeles Times in 2010 criticized the firm claiming "Exponent's research has come under fire from critics, including engineers, attorney's and academics who say the company tends to deliver to clients the reports they need to mount a public defense." Exponent had also once claimed that secondhand smoke did not lead to cancer, which has since been debunked and proven wrong.

Now lets get into the actual findings of the investigation. The testing of the PSI in the footballs were done with two different pressure gauges. It is hard to know the actual PSI of each football because of the varied readings of the two pressure gauges. The same footballs were getting different readings by each pressure gauge, some being as varied as almost 0.5 PSI. The NFL tested every Patriots football but failed to test every Colts football. Only 4 of the Colts footballs were tested. Interestingly, 3 of the 4 Colts footballs that were with one of the gauges, were under the league minimum of 12.5 PSI. The NFL, who read and reviewed the Wells report saw this, but ignored that fact. The discrepancies between the two gauges failed to obtain an accurate reading of the PSI's of the footballs. Therefore, it is a fact that an accurate reading of the PSI's for each football was never obtained and not known. It is also a fact that atmospheric pressure deflates air pressure in footballs during football games. There have been many credible scientific sources, such as MIT, who have backed that atmospheric pressure alone could have deflated the footballs to the state where they were inaccurately gauged at halftime. Dale Syphers, a college physics professor, stated that atmospheric pressure alone could have dropped the pressure by almost 1.5 PSI. And that does not account for the almost 300 Lbs. players who are falling on top of the football on almost every play and also does not account for the fact that it was raining that day which can lead to a significant decrease in air pressure.

The punishment that the Patriots received for "Deflategate" was completely unwarranted considering their lack of evidence. The footballs are inflated by the refs before the game and then given to the ball boy who then takes them to the field. In the Wells report, the ball boy who took the balls to the field was given the footballs and went into the bathroom for one minute before going onto the field. If the NFL thinks that the ball boy went into the bathroom and deflated those 11 footballs in a mere 60 seconds, then they really are as bad at administering punishments as we all think they are. That would mean that the ball boy deflated each football by 1 PSI in less than 10 seconds. That would be a nearly impossible feat. A ball boy in 60 seconds could deflate two, maybe 3 footballs in that time. But there is no way 11 is even possible. The Wells report itself is not a reliable source of information for the NFL to be using. The Wells report itself states on page 228 that the investigation is "based on assumptions and information that is not certain." The conclusions were based on probabilities and at no point was there a definitive conclusion. The NFL, although, believed it warranted a $1,000,000 fine, the largest in NFL history, the loss of two draft picks, and a 4 game suspension for the Super Bowl MVP. There are teams that have been caught red handed cheating that didn't come close to that punishment. The Chargers putting stickum on their towels, the Falcons piping in crowd noise, the Browns texting team information on the sideline during games, and the Vikings heating up footballs with the heated bench during games.

NBA Playoffs

As the first round of the NBA playoffs comes to a close, some exciting basketball has been played. Out East, the Nets and Hawks are tied 2-2. This has surprised many people as this series has been a lot more competitive than people expected it to be. Despite a great effort from the Celtics, they were unable to win a game against the Cavaliers and were swept. Brad Stevens team had a lot of fight but ultimately did not have the talent to best Cleveland's star studded roster. After winning three straight against Milwaukee, the bulls have lost two consecutive games but are hoping to close out the series Thursday night in game 6. For the second year in a row, the Raptors were knocked out of the playoffs at the hands of Paul Pierce. The Raptors had a great start to the season, but their performance after the All-star break and in the playoffs was very underwhelming.

Out West, the Spurs and Clippers have been battling in a tightly contested series. After splitting the first four games 2-2, the Spurs earned a much needed win in Los Angeles to give them a 3-2 advantage. The Clippers will need to win game 6 in San Antonio if they wish to keep their season alive and force a game 7. As many expected, the Pelicans were swept by the Warriors. Despite this, Anthony Davis put up historic statistics for a player playing in his playoff debut, putting him in the same company with names such as Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chaimberlain. The Grizzlies have gained a 3-1 lead on the Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies will have to close out the series without Mike Conley after he suffered a facial injury. His injury required surgery and there is still no timetable for his return. The Rockets managed to defeat the Mavericks in 5 games. The Rockets seemed to be clicking on all cylinders and got great performances out of James Harden and Dwight Howard. Many teams seem to be playing well at the right time, but only time will tell which teams will reign supreme in their conferences to play in the NBA finals.

Celtics Set to Face The Cavaliers

After finishing the regular season on a 9-2 run, the Celtics have earned a spot in the playoffs as the 7th seed in the Eastern conference. They are set to take on the 2nd seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Both teams had rocky starts to their seasons but both have been able to turn it around at the end of the season. They split their season series against each other 2-2. The Cavaliers had sat Lebron in the 4th quarter of their third match up and sat him for the entire game in their fourth. Both resulted in meaningless losses for the Cavaliers as they had already clinched the number 2 seed.

While many believe that this series will be dominated by the Cavaliers and their start studded roster, the Celtics may be able to make it interesting. Isaiah Thomas has proven to be an excellent mid season acquisition for the Celtics. Coming off the bench as the team's 6th man, he has led the team in scoring and can be an excellent play maker. Thomas's quickness and nifty moves attacking the basket make him a tough cover against almost any player. Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart are both great perimeter defenders, which may be key if the Celtics intend to slow down the Cavaliers prolific 3 point shooters. Unfortunately for the Celtics, there is no consistent strategy for stopping LeBron James. If the Celtics want any hope at making this a competitive series, they are going to need to find a way to contain him and keep him from dominating. Brad Stevens has been coaching an efficient defense as of late, however, and has proven to be an effective coach who can call the right plays at the right time. We'll see if his clever play calling down the stretch will be enough to best the Cavaliers. But with a match up against the best player in the world, the Celtics will be tested and will be have to play their best basketball all year if they hope to remain competitive.  

Red Sox Hot Start

After beating the Nationals 8-7 in a close game, the Red Sox improved their impressive regular season record to 6-2. The Sox are currently sitting in first place in the American League East. It has been their best start in 9 years and the hopes of a World Series is looking like a legitimate possibility thus far. But the MLB season is a very long one and a lot can change over the grueling 162 game season. The Red Sox hot start has been undeniably impressive though, and has given Boston fans a lot be optimistic about.

Despite a disappointing 2014 campaign, the Red Sox are looking to turn it around in 2015. They've had key contributions this year from players such as Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Mookie Betts. Dustin Pedroia has 10 hits 3 Home Runs and 6 RBI's. Xander Bogaerts looks very promising as he has 13 hits, 7 RBI's, and has a .433 batting average. Mookie Betts has also looked impressive for the Sox as he has 8 hits, 2 Home Runs, and is leading the team in RBIs with 8 and Stolen bases with 3. Overall, the Red Sox have a lot to look forward to as this team has proven early that they can be a serious threat in the MLB.

In the article Some things you just don't forget by Matthew Berry, the author talks about bullying and peoples insensitivity to the fear of the victim. He explains that he was once a victim of bullying and essentially puts himself in the shoes of Jonathon Martin, who was a bullying victim of former Dolphins guard, Richie Incognito. The article makes some very valid points. Whether or not you are in the NFL or elementary school, bullying can occur anywhere. Berry talks about the fear and how much courage it takes for someone getting bullied to take a stand against it. The article was very well written and the author makes some good comparisons from experiences in his own life to what happened between Jonathon Martin and Richie Incognito. I agree that it must have taken a lot of courage on Jonathon Martins part to tell someone what was happening to him, especially as an NFL player who has as many expectations as he does. No matter where or who you are, the NFL or elementary school, bullying is flat out wrong and you must take a stand for yourself.

The Quarterbacks' Hall of Fame

The Quarterbacks’ Hall Of Fame

                Todays’ NFL has become a passing league dominated by elite quarterbacks. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers are some of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. They have all proven how elite they are by breaking numerous records and winning Super Bowls. Despite the fact that these are all great quarterbacks, only one can be voted into the quarterbacks’ hall of fame. The most deserving of this honor would have to be Tom Brady. When looking at his accomplishments as compared to Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, the choice is obvious as Tom Brady has become the most accomplished quarterback of all time.

            

               After a very successful 2014-2015 campaign, Tom Brady had won his fourth Super Bowl and cemented his legacy as the greatest of all time. Some would argue Joe Montana but people seem to forget that Joe Montana played before a salary cap had restricted teams from keeping all of their players and maintaining the identities of their teams. In 2015, there was only one other player besides Brady who was on the roster when the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2005. This player was Vince Wilfork who was in his rookie season. Defense had been the identity of those Patriot teams that had won three Super Bowls in four years. The Patriots with Tom Brady have won in every way possible. They have won with a defensive identity and an offensive identity. Tom Brady in 2011-2012 managed to carry the 31^st ranked defense in the NFL to the Super Bowl. Despite losing, it was an incredible feat for Tom Brady. Also, almost all of Montana’s postseason records have been broken by Tom Brady including Postseason wins, postseason touchdowns, Super Bowl touchdowns, and many more. A popular argument for people who say Montana is best quarterback ever, is the fact that he never lost a Super Bowl. Despite this, Tom Brady has still won as many as Montana but has made appearances in two more. It is better to lose in the Super Bowl to the best team in the opposing conference, than to lose to a worse team in your own conference. Just because Montana had lost earlier in the postseason as opposed to late in the postseason is a ludicrous argument that people should lose credibility for using. Not to discredit Montana in any way, but Tom Brady has clearly accomplished more in his career than Montana did in his and the thing is, Tom Brady’s career is not yet over. The fact that a legitimate argument can even be made for Brady to be better than Montana, shows he is more deserving for a spot in the Quarterbacks’ hall of fame over Manning and Rodgers. If Tom Brady is the greatest of all time, who deserves the spot over him?

                

             Now, let’s compare Tom Brady to the people who are competing with him for this spot in the Quarterbacks’ hall of fame. Tom Brady has won 21 playoff games, 4 Super Bowls, and has made 6 Super Bowl appearances. Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers combined have won 17 playoff games, 2 Super Bowls, and have made 4 Super Bowl appearances. Peyton Manning holds the record for most playoff losses for a starting QB of all time with 13. He is also under .500 in playoff games with an 11-13 record. He also has 9 one and done playoff appearances (most of all time). Brady, on the other hand, has 9 conference championship appearances (most of all time). Brady has only gone one and done twice. Aaron Rodgers does not even have a third of the playoff wins Brady has (6-5 in 11 games) and has a fourth of the amount of Super Bowl wins so I don’t see the argument there. Brady by far excels his peers.

                To wrap this up, Tom Brady is the most accomplished quarterback of all time. To vote Manning or Rodgers in over him would be robbery. No disrespect to Manning or Rodgers, both are excellent QBs, but there is no comparison to be made between them and Brady. Tom Brady is the GOAT.

"Sacking the Super Bowl."

                “Sacking The Super Bowl” is an insightful article that gives a different perspective on the sport of football. The author, who grew up a big Raiders fan, decides to stop watching football after many years of enjoying the sport with his father and friends. This article was particularly insightful as it gives the reader a point of view that most don’t usually see. The author touches on many negative aspects of the game including violence, and injuries. Although I do not completely agree with his views, I found that the author made a lot of valid points throughout the article. The injuries that occur in football do serious damage to the health of these athletes, even after they walk away from the sport. Concussions in football are a serious issue and many athletes end up having brain damage as a result. Despite the sport of football being a very popular and enjoyable to watch, many people look past the fact that these athletes are putting their health at risk in order to compete in the game. Although football is a fantastic sport, I must agree with the author that it is also very dangerous.