Belichick "Shocked" To Learn About Deflated Footballs
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FOXBORO (CBSMiami) – The New England Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick faced the music Thursday morning at a news conference amid allegations that his team cheated in the AFC championship game, by letting the air out of game balls – and he wasted no time!
The head coach spent eleven and a half minutes at the podium, but in his first sentence answered what thousands have been waiting to hear.
"I was shocked to learn of the news reports about the footballs," said Belichick. "I had no knowledge of this situation until Monday morning."
Belichick's team, the New England Patriots are accused of tampering with the game balls from last weekend's AFC championship game – specifically letting the air out of 11 of their 12 game balls, giving them what many say is an unfair advantage in handling the ball – throwing it, catching it, and holding on to the ball.
Belichick added that he's learned more about the process of preparing game day footballs in the last three days than he has in the past fourty years of coaching.
"Each team has the opportunity to prepare the balls the way they want, give them to the officials and the game officials either approve or disapprove the balls," Belichick said.
He added that he didn't see or hear anything being done to the balls after they were approved.
He also pointed out that he coaches his players to be prepared to play with footballs in the worst of conditions, and even makes them play with really bad balls when they complain, so there's no reason for them to doctor the balls on game day.
The last two minutes of the press conference were spent on questions from the packed room of reporters - questions like: Did you conduct your own investigation? What do you say to your critics? How do you address those attacking your character? And what do you have to say to the fans?
His response? "I've told you everything I know," and "I don't have an explanation for what happened."
Belichick said he is not aware of any details in the NFL's investigation, so he couldn't comment on them.
He said, right now, He's putting all his energy into preparing his team to face the Seattle Seahawks in Superbowl XLIX.
The big game takes place at the university of Phoenix stadium in Arizona on February 1st.
