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Brady, Belichick Deny Deflategate Involvement; Media Skeptical Of Pats, NFL Investigation

Patriots coach Bill Belichick and QB Tom Brady during separate press conferences on Thursday both claimed to have "no knowledge of how underinflated footballs ended up being used in their AFC Championship game win" against the Colts last Sunday, according to a front-page piece by Shalise Manza Young of the BOSTON GLOBE. Their comments "left unanswered the mystery that has dominated national discussion among fans, players, and media in the days leading up to the Feb. 1 Super Bowl." The NFL said that it is "continuing to investigate." But Brady said that he "had yet to talk to the NFL" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/23). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Kevin Clark calls Thursday "one of the more unusual days" in NFL history (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/23). In Newark, Steve Politi wrote Thursday "was not the worst day in NFL history, but it wasn’t a good one, and had to rank among the most bizarre." One of the league's "flagship franchises is engulfed in a major controversy 10 days before the Super Bowl, and the only thing coming from the league’s Park Street offices is silence" (NJ.com, 1/22). In N.Y., Kevin Armstrong writes the tandem of Belichick and Brady, which has been "celebrated for its efficiency in reaching six Super Bowls, began and ended the day denying wrongdoing" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/23). In Boston, Christopher Gasper writes of the two press conferences, "It was every man and his legacy for himself" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/23).

NOT BUYING IT: SI's Michael Rosenberg wrote Brady's story "was simply not believable." It looks like Belichick is "passing the buck to Brady, who exchanges it for a quarter, then hands it to the NFL" (SI.com, 1/22). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes both Belichick and Brady "came across like street-corner cheats." Plaschke: "You really think a league that has shrugged off domestic violence will actually care about pigskin poisoning?" (L.A. TIMES, 1/23). More Plaschke: "Belichick was bumbling and stumbling, Brady was slick and smiling, but con artists nonetheless. ... I absolutely don’t believe either one of them” ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 1/22). In N.Y., Gary Myers writes Brady's time on the stand Thursday "was uncharacteristically shaky." He "sounded nervous" and "looked uncomfortable" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/23). On Long Island, Bob Glauber writes after watching a "clearly nervous Brady answer reporters' questions ... I can't say I'm convinced he didn't have any involvement" (NEWSDAY, 1/23). In San Jose, Mark Purdy writes, "I'm just laughing at how awful Brady sounded" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 1/23). In N.Y., Steve Serby writes Brady's "pristine image suffers" after Thursday's press conference. Serby: "The clock is ticking, and it’s about to blow up your Super Bowl" (N.Y. POST, 1/23). In DC, Des Bieler noted ESPN's Mark Brunell, a former NFL QB, "startlingly clear about where he stood on the issue of Brady’s truthfulness." Brunell told host Trey Wingo, "I did not believe what Tom had to say" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 1/22). ESPN N.Y.'s Ian O'Connor wrote if the NFL "finds in the coming days that Brady did have something to do" with altering the footballs, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "needs to bench Brady for the Super Bowl" (ESPNNY.com, 1/22). 

A MIXED BAG FOR BELICHICK: Columnist Kevin Blackistone said, “You cannot believe that coach Bill Belichick on this ... didn’t know what was going on” ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 1/22). ESPN’s Wendi Nix said with Belichick, it was “difficult to believe … that someone who is exceptional at attention to detail and who manages everything in that organization from top to bottom would not know.” But ESPN’s Louis Riddick said, “I would be shocked if he was lying.” ESPN’s Dan Graziano said he is "never shocked when an NFL coach lies in a press conference," but he noted Belichick "did come out strongly and convincingly” ("NFL Insiders," ESPN, 1/22). ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said there is "no reason to listen to anything Bill Belichick has to say publicly, because he’s not saying anything." But Wilbon "actually found him sort of credible” on Thursday ("PTI," ESPN, 1/22). NFL Network's Heath Evans, who played for Belichick while with the Patriots, said he found his old coach to be “very believable." Evans: "The people I’ve talked to today that aren’t football players, especially aren’t former Patriots, they found him to be believable as well” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 1/22).

WILL THE SHIELD YIELD? In N.Y., Mike Lupica writes it is now up to the NFL to "determine how seriously it is taking this." In the meantime, "the whole country continues to obsess about this increasingly ridiculous story" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/23). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes under the header, "Pats' Words Dubious." For one of the NFL's "preeminent franchises, with a future Hall of Fame coach and star quarterback, to be caught up in something so juvenile the week before the Super Bowl makes Roger Goodell's prized shield look like a piece of cardboard covered in tinfoil by a kindergartner" (USA TODAY, 1/23). On Long Island, Neil Best writes if the NFL "does not resolve DeflateGate before the Patriots show up in Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX, it is going to have one of the all-time messiest media circuses in Big Game history on its hands" (NEWSDAY, 1/23). In Boston, Steve Buckley writes Belichick and Brady "basically teamed up and sent the following message" to the NFL: "Go ahead and prove it. Until then, we have a Super Bowl to prepare for." They are "leaving it to the NFL to either put up and shut up" (BOSTON HERALD, 1/23).

NFL SAYS IT'S ON THE CASE ... IS IT? In Boston, Ben Volin writes everyone "is zeroing in on Brady, except the NFL itself." It is "hard to believe," but the league "hadn’t yet interviewed the person whom most everyone else in the league believes is the central figure in this mess." Volin: "Someone needs to remind Goodell that it’s a short trip from New York to Boston." The NFL "is saying as little as possible right now," and transparency "is not the name of the game" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/23). In Providence, Jim Donaldson asks, "Four days into what has become a huge national story and no one from the NFL’s crack investigative team has interviewed Brady?" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 1/23). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Jason Gay asks, "Is there a less fearsome phrase than 'the NFL is investigating?' I can only come up with one: 'Family of squirrels threatens to steal car.'" The trip from the NFL's office in Manhattan to Patriots HQ apparently "is still nine days by covered wagon." Meanwhile, the "drama" surrounding the deflated balls "has proved how comically riveted this country has become to the NFL" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/23). YAHOO SPORTS' Dan Wetzel wrote, "What kind of investigation is this? Wait, don't answer that. It's an NFL investigation." Until the NFL "explains exactly what it has and hasn't been doing," it will be a challenge to see the investigation "as anything but a joke" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/23).

IS LEAGUE WILLING TO PUNISH PATS? THE MMQB's Peter King writes it is "highly unlikely there will be some resolution by early in the week -- and the league’s not suspending the coach or the quarterback of one of the Super Bowl contestants during the week of preparation for the game." Still, King expects the league, "barring the unlikely scenario of a rogue ballboy acting without knowledge of anyone in the organization, to come down hard on the Patriots" (MMQB.SI.com, 1/23). In Ft. Worth, Gil Lebreton writes Goodell "has been put in the position of disciplining his league’s most powerful coach, its most popular quarterback and his BFF," Patriots Owner Robert Kraft (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/23). CSN NEW ENGLAND's Tom Curran, addressing Goodell, wrote, "The owner who scurried to your defense when the shrapnel was falling after the Ray Rice controversy has a brand that’s taking on water and a reputation that’s getting stained. Explain to everyone what you allege, if there’s anything else we should know, what the punishment is -- if any -- and let’s get on with it. You’re in charge here. That’s what you like. Act like it. End it" (CSNNE.com, 1/22). In N.Y., Michael Powell writes, "Industrious as ever, those league investigators" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/23). Also in N.Y., Bart Hubbuch writes after the NFL's "mishandling of the Ray Rice probe, this seems like another black eye for the league." A source said that the NFL "had investigators on site" at Patriots HQ Thursday (N.Y. POST, 1/23). In Chicago, David Haugh calls the pace of the NFL's investigation "unacceptably slow" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/23). A BOSTON GLOBE editorial asks, "This is where the NFL stands to lose its credibility forever?" The NFL's integrity "was in question long before any doctored balls showed up on the Gillette Stadium field" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/23).

NOT THAT BIG A DEAL IN SOME CORNERS: THE MMQB's Greg Bedard wrote under the header, "Reaction Around The League: From Anger To Shrugs" (MMQB.SI.com, 1/22). MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough said, “You've got football players who weigh 275 pounds that are roided out, that are on so many illegal drugs that they can run a 4.6 40 and when they hit a quarterback, it is the impact … of a car accident and nobody cares about that. But we have the media freaking out about whether a ball was inflated” ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 1/23). An ARIZONA REPUBLIC editorial states even if they win the Super Bowl, "no one outside of metro Boston would ever consider the Patriots champions." The editorial: "An asterisk forever. That is a stiff price indeed" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/23).  

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