How Can You Disappoint Me When I Don't Expect Anything Better

Bill Belichick’s impromptu press conference did little to move the needle amongst the gridiron cognoscenti but as a Patriots’ fan, it was good to see that Belichick wasn’t going to bite the pillow and take the screwing.

It’s clear the day after “the Patriots are Cheaters” narrative will not suffer a reversal due to facts or science. But I knew that.

You, too?

It’s clear the people who write for the internet are not reporters but professional snarks. But I knew that.

You, too?

It’s become increasingly clear that this is playing out exactly how the NFL wants it to.

You were thinking that, too?

Where can you turn today without finding the NFL? The story is on CNN, it’s on MSNBC, it’s the opening sketch on Saturday Night Live. There was a short segment on “Face the Nation” between stories about the collapse of Yemen, the growing threats to the Ukraine and the 2016 presidential election. You don’t think an enterprise as big and economically vibrant as the NFL needs free advertising? Any business that isn’t growing is going out of business. Moms aren’t letting their sons play football because of head trauma risks. The NFL, like any business, needs to grow profitably. It is a televised sport and needs ratings that will drive ad revenue. These are non-traditional channels for NFL news reaching non-traditional fans. Yes, of course, CNN, MSNBC, et al. was going to mention the Super Bowl. But to this extent? This now looks like it could be the most viewed Super Bowl ever and that ain’t nothing.

Back to Belichick.

Just about everything I’ve read from the national pigskin pundits and bobbleheads has mocked “Bill B. the Science Guy” while ignoring the content and the implications of his Saturday press conference.

The Content

Rubbing up the football adds 0.5 PSI. If a football is at 12.5 PSI after being rubbed up and that football is checked an hour later it would read 12.0 PSI. This process involves the excitation of air molecules, the existence of which is challenged by those who believe the earth is a flat disk carried on the back of a gigantic turtle. Take that same football outside with a drop in temperature those of us in New England often refer to as “wicked” and check that same football and it will lose 1.5 pounds of pressure to 10.5 PSI (because the air molecules huddle together for warmth). This process also involves air pressure and equilibrium and most Americans are probably wondering how a mood balancer for depression has anything to do with a football.

Belichick described his confidence in what the Patriots did as 100% and invited anyone (I think he was looking at you, Roger Goodell) to run the same process and perform the same tests if they doubted his numbers.

Then he dropped the mic. “I’m out!”

The Implications

If this was a trial – and it certainly has felt that way – then Bill Belichick just provided reasonable doubt.

That his press conference was not well received is understandable. Any competent investigative journalist could’ve done what Bill Belichick and the Patriots did. The League’s investigation could’ve walked through their own protocols for preparing game balls just like Bill Belichick and the Patriots did.

It’s embarrassing, isn’t it?

It’s easier to call Belichick’s presser “confusing” or “surreal” than to admit Belichick’s case is compelling. The big takeaway from the pigskin pundits and bobbleheads? Belichick is a “My Cousin Vinny” (or perhaps a Marisa Tomei) fan.

I would guess the NFL is pissed at Belichick for calling them out Saturday but then, it wasn’t like Belichick had any friends in the league office to begin with. They should be happy – perhaps relieved is a better word – that they actually have a way out of this mess. After a thorough investigation, no evidence of wrong-doing on the part of the Patriots has been found. Case closed. The League can revise the process for preparing game balls and they probably should if they believe that variations in football PSI impact the outcome of the games played.

For those of us who claim citizenship in Patriots Nation, Belichick’s presser was a game-changer. Bill reminded us once again that this is a pretty good football team that worked hard for everything they’ve accomplished and did so while following the rules of the game they play and love. Belichick reminded us all not to let anyone take this run for a 4^th Super Bowl away from us. Tom Brady is not a cheat and a liar. Nobody in the Patriots organization has done anything wrong. Spygate was 7 freaking years ago. These New England Patriots won the AFC East, the #1 seed in the AFC, two playoff games against great teams including the AFC Championship and did it all fair and square. Maybe it is us against the world and I can’t speak for anyone but myself but I am as proud to be a Patriots fan today as I ever have been.

On the other hand, it seems unlikely this will change the minds of many journalists, snarks, the hard core or casual fans across the NFL.

As a culture, we seem to prefer beliefs to facts; there’s strong anti-intellectual thread in the fabric of our national psyche.

Remember that Belichick being smarter than John Harbaugh is considered cheating by the “no fair dodging” crowd. Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels came up with an unusual but completely legal formation and used it effectively. Instead of celebrating the intellect and creativity behind this innovative tactic, the Patriots were vilified as cheats. The League needs to do something about the Patriots playing by the rules!

Quick aside because I can’t resist: Not only does Tony Dungy encourage cheating to stop the Patriots nefarious use of the rule book, I believe it was Dungy’s Colts – prior to the rules that gave defenses an opportunity to substitute in response to offensive substitutions – that used to rush to the line of scrimmage and quickly snap the football to catch a 12^th or 13^th defensive player before they could run off the field. That was totally fair. Peyton Manning was just a brilliant in-game “aw shucks” tactician using the rules to his team’s best advantage.

Why is this homophobic dick still the moral arbiter of the NFL? Anyone?

Those people who believe the Patriots cheated, that believe Tom Brady lied are unlikely to change their minds, much like those Christians who believe the world is 6,000 years old are not shaken by overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. Belief is important to Americans. Science is not.

This isn’t over and it won’t be over when the NFL makes its report, either. The people who believe the Patriots are cheaters will not change their minds. But it doesn’t matter.

Say it with me now, Patriots Nation.

We’re onto Seattle.