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DeflateGate: Patriots Rebuttals Border on Absurd; Accuse Colts

By Luke Schultheis

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Today, we learned that the New England Patriots have launched their own website called WellsReportContext.com, which challenges claims made in the recently released Wells Report regarding the DeflateGate controversy. Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the origins of the web site are as follows:

"“The Patriots’ point-by-point rebuttal, which is nearly 20,000 words, was written by attorney Daniel L. Goldberg, who represented the club and was present during all interviews of team personnel conducted at Gillette Stadium,” Reiss writes. In creating the website, Goldberg previously wrote, “Our intention is to provide additional context for balance and consideration.”"

While the creation of a web site seems excessive enough, it’s the rebuttals made on the lengthy webpage that border on the absurd. For instance, one of the rebuttals claims that the nickname of “Deflator” for Jim McNally, the Patriots locker room attendant who allegedly deflated the footballs in the bathroom, was simply given to him as a joke for “losing weight”:

"“Deflate” was a term they used to refer to losing weight. One can specifically see this use of the term in a Nov. 30, 2014 text from Mr. McNally to Mr. Jastremski: “deflate and give somebody that jacket.” (p. 87). This banter, and Mr. McNally’s goal of losing weight, meant Mr. McNally was the “deflator.” There was nothing complicated or sinister about it. If there was any doubt about the jocular nature of the May 9, 2014 texts, a review of all the texts between these two men that day would dispel it."

If DeflateGate wasn’t a circus before, it certainly is now.

I’m not sure who the Patriots are trying to fool here, but it’s not the American public. That claim above is outrageous, and it’s not believable by anyone not wearing Patriots colored glasses. The fact that the Patriots are hiring an attorney to come up with such

rebuttals

nonsense is surprising to say the least.

However, the Indianapolis Colts weren’t left out of the nearly 20,000 words containing rebuttals. Not only did the Patriots challenge the PSI levels of the Colts footballs, but Indy’s arch-nemesis also made a bold accusation, citing them for a violation of a rule:

"“Once the game starts, neither team is allowed to gauge the footballs, pump them, or the like,” Goldberg writes. “That is solely the province of the referee, who is to be the “sole judge” of whether footballs comply. The Colts, with advance concerns about psi, did not take the issue to the referee. They took the matter into their own hands and had an intern gauge the football. (pg. 63) This conduct was in violation of Rule 2. Nowhere does the Report identify this conduct as a violation of the Rule.”"

It seems like with so much mud being flung on the Patriots, the team was happy to fling some back on the team that effectively turned them in. However, it seems like a pretty petty accusation, especially since the Colts only did it to ensure that the Patriots weren’t initially cheating and not for some other misguided intention.

Additionally, a letter from Daniel Goldberg to Ted Wells also included an accusation that Colts ball boys previously carried needles in their sleeves during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars:

"“Evidence was also provided that Indianapolis ball boys, in a prior season, had been seen by Jacksonville personnel will ball needles hidden under their long sleeves,” Goldberg writes."

If Jacksonville had suspicions of the Colts own deflating misconduct in a prior incident, why didn’t the Jaguars notify the league then about the Colts? Having the Patriots make an unsubstantiated claim now on their behalf, year(s) after the fact doesn’t do much good.

More mud. 

Today’s happenings just indicate that DeflateGate is far from over, and Colts fans can expect many more bizarre turns and twists before it’s all said and done. However, the controversy’s absurdity levels have just reached an all-time high, that much is for sure.

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