I do not doubt that Brady told his equipment managers that he likes them on the softer side, but that is a FAR CRY from telling them that he wanted them UNDER LEGAL PSI. The equipment managers MAY have gotten some balls under the limit, but that is a FAR CRY from intentionally under-inflating below 12.5 PSI. The equipment violation, intentional or not, usually induces a [relatively] small fine – not the biggest penalty in NFL history.
Haters want to believe that there was a conspiracy to CHEAT (by under inflating by 6 ounces, mind you) — cheat by 6 ounces of air pressure!! — when it provided no discernible benefit or detriment to the game OTHER THAN that’s how Tom may have preferred his footballs. (They did BETTER in the second half of the disputed game.)
Haters want to believe that 6 ounces of air is like using performance enhancing drugs! Which drugs are THEY taking!
Hater want to believe desperately that there are any reasons other than better coaching and better playing. It wasn’t supposed to be like this in the era of NFL parity and salary caps – no one team should be winning this many times.
Belichick is Emperor Palpatine and Brady is his Sith Lord and the Patriots are an operational Death Star. The rebels haven’t figured out where the service vent is to bring it down!
Deflategate’s penalty (which I also believe was NFL politics gone awry) gave the Patriots a reason for ultimate revenge in another ring for the hand of the GOAT. Pretty soon the NFL will need two record books: one just for Tom Brady and another for all the rest!
Well put, Mark.