Columnist on Patriots controversy: NFL doesn't "want to know this stuff"
/ CBS News
In his article "Patriots Drag the N.F.L. Back Into Turbulence," New York Times sports columnist Bill Rhoden wrote Thursday that he is "more or less numb" to issues that arise in the league
The two leaders of the New England Patriots said they don't know why footballs were under-inflated during the AFC Championship Game. Quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday, "I didn't alter the ball in any way," and head coach Bill Belichick said he has nothing to do with the game balls. But there is a lot of skepticism about their explanations, reports CBS News correspondent Anna Werner.
"This comes to the very top of the organization all the way to the owner, to the coach, to the quarterback," New York Times sports columnist Bill Rhoden said Friday on "CBS This Morning."
During a radio interview Monday, Brady laughed off the accusations of wrongdoing. But Thursday, during his first lengthy comments on the subject and under a steady barrage of questions, he was much more serious.
"I've always played within the rules," Brady said. "I've never done anything to break the rules."
Brady said he had nothing to do with the 11 under-inflated balls reportedly found during Sunday's game.
"I have no knowledge of anything," he said. "I have no knowledge of any wrong doing."
But those comments come four days after the alleged incident. Rhoden said NFL officials involved in the investigation may not be pressing hard enough.
"They don't want to know this stuff, just like they didn't want to know Ray Rice," Rhoden said. "You're doing an investigation and you're not talking to the main protagonist."
Brady said he likes his footballs inflated to 12 1/2 pounds per square inch, the minimum required by the NFL and he picks them out several hours before every game.
"I don't want anyone touching the balls after that. I don't want anyone rubbing them, you know, putting any air out," he said. "To me those balls are perfect and that's what I expect when I show up on the field."
Brady claims he didn't notice anything different in the second half when the referees put in balls that were inflated to the proper levels.
"Until something embarrassing comes out ... What are they doing now? What Goodell's doing now is, they're sitting around a table figure, 'How can we make it look like we're doing something without really doing anything,?'" Rhoden said.
Former quarterback Mark Brunell was also dubious.
"I don't believe there's an equipment manager in the NFL that would on his own initiative deflate a ball without the starting quarterback's approval," Brunell said. "I just didn't believe what Tom Brady has to say."
Before Brady's press conference, former Dallas cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman reportedly told a radio station: "It's obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this. For the balls to be deflated, that doesn't happen unless the quarterback wants that to happen."
But Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon, who played quarterback for four NFL teams, thinks Brady is telling the truth.
"I don't think Tom Brady had anything to do with it because he played better in the second half than the first half, once the balls were inflated," Moon said.
Belichick, known for his preparation and attention to detail, said prior to this week, he didn't even know about the specifics of selecting game balls.
"In my entire coaching career, I have never talked to any player, staff member about football air pressure," Belichick said.
Brady said the NFL hasn't contacted him about its investigation. He also knows some are skeptical of him, but said they're entitled to those opinions.
Rhoden said those are opinions that, if not for this incident, may have been directed elsewhere.
"Not that New England did this, had this not happened, what would we be talking about going into the Super Bowl? We'd be talking about the Seattle Seahawks, and that great Green Bay comeback and how heroic Russell Wilson is," Rhoden said. "So whether New England deserves it or not, now it's almost as if the Seahawks never played the game ... The bad guys never get punished."
Columnist on Patriots controversy: NFL doesn't "want to know this stuff"
/ CBS News
The two leaders of the New England Patriots said they don't know why footballs were under-inflated during the AFC Championship Game. Quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday, "I didn't alter the ball in any way," and head coach Bill Belichick said he has nothing to do with the game balls. But there is a lot of skepticism about their explanations, reports CBS News correspondent Anna Werner.
"This comes to the very top of the organization all the way to the owner, to the coach, to the quarterback," New York Times sports columnist Bill Rhoden said Friday on "CBS This Morning."
During a radio interview Monday, Brady laughed off the accusations of wrongdoing. But Thursday, during his first lengthy comments on the subject and under a steady barrage of questions, he was much more serious.
"I've always played within the rules," Brady said. "I've never done anything to break the rules."
Brady said he had nothing to do with the 11 under-inflated balls reportedly found during Sunday's game.
"I have no knowledge of anything," he said. "I have no knowledge of any wrong doing."
But those comments come four days after the alleged incident. Rhoden said NFL officials involved in the investigation may not be pressing hard enough.
"They don't want to know this stuff, just like they didn't want to know Ray Rice," Rhoden said. "You're doing an investigation and you're not talking to the main protagonist."
Brady said he likes his footballs inflated to 12 1/2 pounds per square inch, the minimum required by the NFL and he picks them out several hours before every game.
"I don't want anyone touching the balls after that. I don't want anyone rubbing them, you know, putting any air out," he said. "To me those balls are perfect and that's what I expect when I show up on the field."
Brady claims he didn't notice anything different in the second half when the referees put in balls that were inflated to the proper levels.
"Until something embarrassing comes out ... What are they doing now? What Goodell's doing now is, they're sitting around a table figure, 'How can we make it look like we're doing something without really doing anything,?'" Rhoden said.
Former quarterback Mark Brunell was also dubious.
"I don't believe there's an equipment manager in the NFL that would on his own initiative deflate a ball without the starting quarterback's approval," Brunell said. "I just didn't believe what Tom Brady has to say."
Before Brady's press conference, former Dallas cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman reportedly told a radio station: "It's obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this. For the balls to be deflated, that doesn't happen unless the quarterback wants that to happen."
But Hall-of-Famer Warren Moon, who played quarterback for four NFL teams, thinks Brady is telling the truth.
"I don't think Tom Brady had anything to do with it because he played better in the second half than the first half, once the balls were inflated," Moon said.
Belichick, known for his preparation and attention to detail, said prior to this week, he didn't even know about the specifics of selecting game balls.
"In my entire coaching career, I have never talked to any player, staff member about football air pressure," Belichick said.
Brady said the NFL hasn't contacted him about its investigation. He also knows some are skeptical of him, but said they're entitled to those opinions.
Rhoden said those are opinions that, if not for this incident, may have been directed elsewhere.
"Not that New England did this, had this not happened, what would we be talking about going into the Super Bowl? We'd be talking about the Seattle Seahawks, and that great Green Bay comeback and how heroic Russell Wilson is," Rhoden said. "So whether New England deserves it or not, now it's almost as if the Seahawks never played the game ... The bad guys never get punished."
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