Patriots Surrounded By Distractions During Super Bowl Week
Posted
Jerad Shaw-
Who would have thought the first week of Super Bowl preparation would lead us to an investigation of air pressure in the footballs used in the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots game? Something that appears to be so small was talked about on major news outlets in sickening amounts for the better part of last week. Now, regardless of the PSI in 11 out of 12 Patriot footballs, we all know the outcome of that game wouldn’t have changed. The Colts didn’t have the talent to compete against who is arguably the best team in football. That’s never been the complaint of Colts fans, or Patriot haters. The issue is that this isn’t the first time the Patriots have got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. A team so talented, cutting corners and bending the rules just seems too high risk for such a low reward. Of course, both Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick started out the week denying any knowledge. As far as an inside source, that’s where it was left until Friday. The impromptu press conference with Belichick was used to describe the scientifics of a football and how the pressure would fluctuate in certain conditions. While it seemed like he went around the block to get to the kitchen, it became apparent early on that the answers we were hoping for weren’t coming. Instead, we got a long and drawn out explanation, which was later retorted by Bill Nye the Science guy himself. So help me, if I ever have to refer to Bill Nye in an article again, I’ll find a different topic! So here we are no closer to a real understanding of what happened last Sunday. We’ve found out that Belichick investigated himself, passed the case to the jury which was Belichick, and as crazy as it may sound, found himself innocent. The uproar about this being case closed, couldn’t be farther from the truth. The NFL is trying its best to put it on the back burner and have the public focus on the Super Bowl six days from now. That will be easier said than done in terms of interviews and pre-game hype that surrounds media day/week at the Super Bowl. One thing is for certain, this story will play a huge role into even what goes on between the lines come Saturday. Last year, the Seahawks were battling a media storm after Richard Sherman called out Michael Crabtree following the team’s win in the NFC Championship game. While I think the Patriots are battled tested, the Seahawks haven’t had to deal with the same distractions this past week. In a game that means so much, even a small distraction can turn a player’s week into a tail spin. Six days from now, we will be crowning a new Super Bowl champion in Phoenix. It’s a typical good vs. evil scenario, and it doesn’t take Bill Nye to figure out who’s on the evil side of the field. The Patriots have long been a thorn in the side of the Colts, but now might possibly be a bigger thorn in the side of the league. They are an organization that nearly owned a decade, and just might be the biggest story of this one for all the wrong reasons. So for all that is right in the world, don’t force us to endure a year of gloating from Patriots fans. There isn’t anything worse in the sports world than that. Well, unless Purdue beats Indiana in men’s college hoops Wednesday.
