The broadcast networks continue to treat the Patriots’ deflated ball scandal with extreme gravitas, as the story led all the nightly news programs last night and two of the three morning shows today. ABC, CBS and NBC all had reporters live outside of Gillette Stadium. ABC’s David Muir said, “On this Thursday night, the breaking news: the scandal before the Super Bowl. The star quarterback, Tom Brady, answering the question: Are you a cheater?” (“World News,” ABC, 1/22). CBS’ Scott Pelley: “Tonight, caught in a pressure cooker: Is Tom Brady a cheater? …The integrity of the most popular sport in America is being called into question just days before its biggest game” (“Evening News,” CBS, 1/22). NBC’s Brian Williams: “Full denial from Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and from his coach, as a football inflation scandal remains bigger than the upcoming Super Bowl, as the question remains: Who or what was responsible?” (“Nightly News,” NBC, 1/22). ABC’s Amy Robach Friday morning asked, “Did he cheat? Superstar quarterback Tom Brady playing defense” (“GMA,” ABC, 1/22). CBS’ Norah O’Donnell said it was “deflection and denial” from the Patriots in an opening teaser with the headline “Hot Air?” (“CBS This Morning,” 1/23). NBC’s Matt Lauer said, “Pressure rising. The NFL under fire once again as Tom Brady reveals he’s yet to hear from league officials about ‘Deflategate’” (“Today,” NBC, 1/23). In K.C., Sam Mellinger notes all of the news networks "led with" the Patriots deflated ball story on "the day after the president's State of the Union address." Mellinger: "Deep breaths. Are we out of our freaking minds?" (K.C. STAR, 1/23). A BOSTON HERALD editorial states when CNN "goes live to Tom Brady’s press conference you know you’ve entered the Truly Weird Zone" (BOSTON HERALD, 1/23).
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO REAL NEWS? ABC's Jimmy Kimmel in his monologue Thursday night said, "If you weren’t aware of this story -- like if you had just come back from a vacation in Aruba or something and didn’t know what was going on -- you would think Tom Brady had killed the president’s dog. This press conference was covered live on all the sports networks, ESPN, ESPN 24-7, et cetera, and it was also live on Fox News, Fox Business Channel, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, a bunch of local channels. It was really crazy." NBC's Al Michaels appeared later on the show and said, "The government of Yemen has collapsed, we have terror cells in France, and all three network news broadcasts tonight were led with ‘Deflategate’" ("Jimmy Kimmel Live," ABC, 1/22). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said the reaction to the scandal is “so over-the-top, the nation’s preoccupation with the underinflated balls.” ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said, “It’s not over-the-top because it shows you what the NFL means to this country, that this is carried live all over the country all the time” (“PTI,” ESPN, 1/22).
CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE: Boston Herald’s Jeff Howe said the Patriots' media room "was packed" for both press conferences Thursday from Brady and Pats coach Bill Belichick. Howe said, "The cameras were everywhere. People were saving seats. It was like an eighth-grade lunch room. The Aaron Hernandez situation was a real-life issue that deserved a lot of national media attention. Right now, we’re still talking about air, or lack thereof, in footballs. The way people grilled Tom Brady, you would have thought the guy started some sort of international crisis" (“America’s Pregame,” FS1, 1/22).
