:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52281611/usa-today-8871542.0.jpeg)
Leave it to the Steelers and the Giants, two teams that everyone north of New Jersey has hated for the better part of 20 years (or, for some people, their entire lives) to give Deflategate a fresh set of legs, almost two years to the day after the Patriots took the Colts' lunch money in the AFC Championship Game and, well, you know the rest.
In case you missed it, the New York Football Giants told the NFL that, in Week 13, they tested two of the Steelers' footballs after two turnovers (which is a rules violation by itself, but whatever), and both of them were under the legal limit of 12.5 PSI. Fortunately for the Steelers, who laughed the whole thing off anyway, the NFL said that the Giants never filed a "formal complaint", so it's all good.
Right. Anyway, this is not about any of that. Well, it sort of is, because CBS Boston's Michael Hurley, who:
A) Finds himself in PP's daily "Patriots Links" lists almost every day, and
B) Chronicled Deflategate like a grad student in dissertation
...got to thinking on Tuesday night that there may be another explanation behind the NFL choosing to go all House of Cards on the Patriots over an issue that middle schoolers have debunked for science fair projects.
Fair warning: you're going to need to be relatively well boned-up on your Deflategate knowledge for most of this to make sense. That said, if you're on this site to begin with, odds are you are, so, let's roll.
It starts with this premise:
Anyway, I've got a working theory here. It's going to blow your god dang mind. It's about deflated footballs, obviously.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Okeydoke. Go on...
But what if -- WHAT IF -- the NFL *did* actually know about science and the Ideal Gas Law prior to the 2014 AFC Championship Game?
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
You have my attention.
Grigson emailed Kensil. Kensil forwarded it to Daniel, Blandino, Riveron. They told Walt Anderson. Securing the footballs would be easy.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Told you your Deflategate trivia would have to be on point.
Mind you, all of this is based on suspicions that made zero sense. Less than zero. https://t.co/NbCTA0bTkI
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
But what if the NFL knew the PSI would drop? All they'd need to do was "lose track" of the balls for two minutes. And voila -- scandal born.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
From there, you cause a scene, create a disruption, hell, maybe you distract them enough to cost them their trip to the Super Bowl.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Then you leak select info to select reporters. You gauge the reaction. Then you permanently muddy the story with blatantly false info.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
At that point, you've won the story. You just need to fill in the blanks. Hire an "independent" investigator to craft a gripping narrative.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
(thinking face emoji)
Rig the process every step of the way so that you cannot lose. When you yield that much power and you control the narrative, you can't lose.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Throw the knockout punch, Hurley!
More likely: multi-billion dollar corporation overlooks basic info when warned ahead of time, or corporation games the system for own gain?
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
(Mortal Kombat voice) FINISH HIM
I suppose it's possible. But five officials knew ahead of time. None thought to google "does air pressure drop in footballs"?
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Fact that Blandino lied about what he knew and when has never been addressed. Why lie if there's nothing to hide? https://t.co/hMStaREGKw
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Just something that popped into my head in the wake of DeflateGate 2.0. I buy less into "they're complete idiots" storyline.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Then there's that minor detail where "THEM CHEATIN' PATRIOTS!" can make life a whole lot easier for the NFL:
1. NFL a top story in every Us media outlet for months
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
2. NFL domestic violence NOT top story
3. Never underestimate how small men can be https://t.co/06dLaEwanF
But, in true Scooby-Doo fashion, there's just one minor question that has gone unanswered:
There is a big hole: why institute mandated PSI testing in 2015, only to abruptly change it to "spot checks" upon gathering data?
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Though that could be explained by the NFL's governing standard for bad PR: People will forget and move on to the next thing.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) December 14, 2016
Oh, right.
Do with this what you will.