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Just bringing this back around from earlier this afternoon. Goodell said at one point he didn't need to clear a particularly high bar in terms of evidence. Let's hope there is an effort to hold him to this. (I also said earlier that the league shouldn't focus on establishing the guilt of/punishing an individual, but should hold the organization accountable. Who cares if they can't pin it directly on Belicheck?) kj

"Your Cheatin' Heart" by Hank Williams.

I don't think the NFL should be worried about pinning this on any one person (not that I think this is all that likely a course for Goodell and his lawyers). Instead, the league should say 2 things: First, it is not possible for the balls to be that deflated absent tampering, and the only ones to be in a position to tamper were employees of the Taintriots. Logic precludes any other possibility. Second, even if we can't identify where the individual responsibility lies (ballboy, Brady, Belichick, or someone in between), we will punish the team. Because the organization has shown itself unable to police itself. And that punishment should include draft picks and a suspension for the head coach, since he is the man in charge. Here is an interesting quote from Goodell from article on SI.com today (speaking in 2008): “Too often competitive violations have gone unpunished because conclusive proof of the violation was lacking,” Goodell wrote. “I believe we should reconsider the standard of proof to be applied in such cases, and make it easier for a competitive violation to be established.” kj

If the Taintriots want to play with deflated balls, make them play the Super Bowl with one of these:

Someone in this conversation is having a hard time coming to grips with facts. But it ain't Rice. kj

The presumption of innocence belongs to, well, the innocent. The Taintriots have long since moved past that point. kj

How does this not matter? I get that some may think this is only about sour grapes--it's not, but I could see where you and others would think that. But this kind of stuff has to matter to a fan of the game, and I don't see how it doesn't (let's call this inclination to dismiss the importance of the cheating the "eternally sweet grapes" position, the opposite of the "everlasting sour grapes" position). Either the rules are there to ensure an even playing field before the game begins and regardless of the outcome, or they aren't. If I showed up at the playground and said let's play basketball, but my side gets 5 guys to your 4, would you wait to see if my guys won before complaining? If I put scuffed baseballs in play when my side was pitching, would you wait until after the game to see if it mattered? Belicheck is a football genius and they have been supremely talented teams for more years than I want to count. My team has been coached by a collection of jokers and wannabes, while fielding rosters that were always lacking talent. The dominance makes sense. But that's got nothing to do with why this cheating bothers me. Belicheck is a serial cheater, who has no respect for the game or his opponents. He coaches the Taintriots. It is not just sour grapes. And I cannot see any way that the grapes taste sweet. kj

#Taintriots kj

As the ever wise Elmo says, one of these things is not like the other. kj

Rex defines foot massage differently than most. Not that there's anything wrong with that. kj

"Don't need to" does not equal "doesn't", as their history shows. kj

When the offense substitutes, by rule the defense has to be allowed to substitute. If the offense sends out a particular player grouping, the D sends out the appropriate package. If one of the players declares himself ineligible to the ref, that changes the grouping and the D should be able to substitute. That's the spirit of the rule, but apparently not the letter. kj

I can't find a video of the whole sequence on the first time it's used. Just a vine edited down to a split second before the snap. I didn't watch the game and I want to see how the play unfolded. The key is whether the defense had sufficient time to digest the information. If I say "I'm going to punch you" and then swing immediately after the word "you", that's still a sucker punch. kj

And the server says to Rex, 'my eyes are up here', forcing him to tilt his head up from the floor. kj

Leroi is getting texts about the next coach. So many are still waiting for a text from the last coach. kj

Sayers' era was so different that they only had 14 games in a season. kj

Doug Marrone is the only one whose dream is getting paid to not be the HC of the Buffalo Bills. kj

Relocation consultant.

11. Also, sign a puntcatcher.

9. Buy an airhorn. kj

Some predicting Kyle joins Dan Quinn (Def. Coord. in SEA) with NY Jets. Quinn as HC, Shanahan as OC. http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/01/kyle_shanahan_dowell_loggains.htm kj

Pete Prisco had Dareus on his all-pro team, too, FWIW. Now we'll never be able to cut him. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/24940854/all-prisco-team-rodgers-murray-bell-watt-suh-earn-honors And yes, do this. kj

It's just like 1984 when Baltimore fans ran the Irsays out of town and made them move the Colts to Indianapolis. kj

Keeps getting crazier, doesn't it? kj

Damn, I still look good. kj