Originally Posted By: Vikas
Before some dumbskull asks why Colt's footballs did not lose air, you do not *know* that. All you know is that Colt's footballs were still within 12.5-13.5 They may started at higher end or could have been over inflated or inflated in cold environment. There is *nothing* to deny this speculation.
Sorry Vikas but you are incorrect. The 12.5-13.5 IS the spec for inflation by NFL rule. Any ball submitted for inspection that is over the 13.5 PSI would be deflated into the proper range by the Ref doing the inspection or disqualified and returned to the team. That 12.5 - 13.5 isn't the low range it is the ONLY range so it doesn't matter if the Colts submitted balls inflated higher because they wouldn't have passed inspection. They would have been dq'd or deflated into spec.
The balls are submitted for inspection 2 hours before the game and then after inspection they are held by the Ref's until being delivered to the team. So the Colts balls were inspected just as the Patriot balls were and then stored for 2 hours under the same conditions as the Patriot balls were. So if the Colts balls were still in spec after being outside and used some 2+ hours after the Ref's inspection( i.e. during warm ups and then the game )the Patriot balls should have been as well.
The fact that 11 of 12 Patriot balls were all down into the 10 PSI range( 12th ball was barely in spec it has been reported )yet all 12 of the Colts balls were still within spec speaks volumes. Something underhanded and fishy went on. Very possibly when the locker room attendant took a detour to the bathroom with them. It is just too big of a discrepancy to just pass it off as weather. I would support that theory if it was just a couple of the Patriot balls but not 11 of the 12 with the 12th almost being under as well. That is intentional IMO.
All the Colts balls were in spec and they faced the same conditions the Patriot balls did. To me that negates any weather defense. 11 of the 12 Patriot balls were underinflated by a lot and more than any weather defense would allow. Remember, game time temps were not really severe. It was 52F at the start and only fell into the upper 40's by the end( weather underground shows a temp of 46.9F at 11PM in Foxboro ). That small drop is not going to account for a 2+ PSI deflation of the footballs. Anyone who thinks it will is the "dumbskull" as you put it( it is numbskull btw ).
Here is the rule from NFL.Com on proper ball inflation...
Originally Posted By: NFL Ball Rule
Rule 2 The Ball
Section 1
BALL DIMENSIONS:
The Ball must be a “Wilson,” hand selected, bearing the signature of the Commissioner of the League, Roger Goodell. The ball shall be made up of an inflated (12 1/2 to 13 1/2 pounds)urethane bladder enclosed in a pebble grained, leather case(natural tan color)without corrugations of any kind.
It shall have the form of a prolate spheroid and the size and weight shall be: long axis, 11 to 11 1/4 inches; long circumference, 28 to 28 1/2 inches; short circumference, 21 to 21 1/4 inches; weight, 14 to 15 ounces.
The Referee shall be the sole judge as to whether all balls offered for play comply with these specifications. A pump is to be furnished by the home club, and the balls shall remain under the supervision of the Referee until they are delivered to the ball attendant just prior to the start of the game.
