Locals say ‘Deflategate’ story blown out of proportion

February 1, 2015 at 12:09a.m.

Having been around football his entire life, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Howland) is rarely caught off guard by unusual gridiron stories which can often overshadow the game itself.

That is especially true when the country has two weeks to dissect every aspect of a single game like the Super Bowl.

Still, even Ryan is surprised by the saga surrounding the New England Patriots and the possible intentional deflating of footballs used in the Pats’ 45-7 win over Indianapolis in the AFC title game.

“For one single headline to completely own the Super Bowl, that in itself is unheard-of,” Ryan said. “But then you factor in what the story is all about, and it’s just bizarre. It’s weird, because all of a sudden the entire football world is talking about a topic that, a little over a week ago, was never discussed.”

Ryan was a standout quarterback at Warren John F. Kennedy High School. Like many former area QBs, he said that the topic of proper ball inflation was “not even thought about” during his playing days.

“For me, rain or snow was the big concern when it came to grasping the football,” Ryan said. “I have big hands so even a football that was maybe overinflated a bit wouldn’t have been a big deal.

“I think most quarterbacks will tell you that they pay way more attention to the surface of a football than they do the amount of its air per square inch.”

Gary Zetts starred as a quarterback at Struthers in the late 1960s, then later coached at the school.

Like Ryan, he is surprised that “deflategate” has become a national obsession.

“It’s just strange in the sense that New England completely dominated the Colts, but their performance has been forgotten about,” Zetts said. “It will be interesting to see who actually did what to the balls. It will be fascinating to see how this unfolds. But in the meantime, people are forgetting about the actual game that’s coming up.”

Zetts noted that at nearly all levels, game balls are generally “broken in” at practice.

“All players want the balls scuffed up, because they are easier to grip,” Zetts said. “We would usually put ours into play on Thursday, get them a little worn, then that was it. The equipment manager handled them from there.

“As a player or coach, I don’t ever remember a single time when ball inflation was brought into question during a game.”

Former Youngstown State University quarterback Jamie DeVore recalls “throwing balls off the turf, rubbing them in grass” to get them game-ready. Like a pitcher in baseball who might reject one ball in favor of another, he said that quarterbacks are particular about their pigskins.

“As a group, we’re not as nutty as kickers, but we do have unique personalities,” DeVore said. “Give me two footballs which are identical in every way, and no doubt I would prefer one over the other.”

Because of this, DeVore is certain that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady would surely notice the difference between a properly inflated football, and one which was under the NFL-mandated air pressure of 12.5 PSI.

However, DeVore is also quick to point out that he doesn’t believe the footballs used by the Patriots were deflated at the direct request of Brady or Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

“There is so much preparation going into a game, I’m sure that’s the last thing on their mind,” DeVore said. “But a ball boy or equipment manager, they know what is preferred. Coaches or players don’t have to talk to a ball boy an hour before kickoff to get a point across. And I’m sure that’s the case in 32 NFL locker rooms.”

Former Niles quarterback and coach Brad Yeager said be believes the issue to be “an ESPN-driven story,” noting that the Patriots dominated the Colts, especially in the second half when the footballs were restored to their proper air pressure.

Yeager also wonders why the footballs, if they were deflated enough to make a difference in the game, were kept in play throughout the first half.

“I remember times when referees knew just by the feel of a ball that it needed to be tossed from a game,” Yeager said. “Remember, a referee handles the game balls after every play. You would think that if it was that big of a deal, it would have been immediately addressed.”

Like quarterbacks, Solon coach Jim McQuaide touched the ball on every snap during his high school playing days. He was a center at John F. Kennedy in the mid-1970s. McQuaide noted that the ball “would have to be drastically under-inflated” to make a difference during a game.

McQuaide said that weather conditions also can play havoc with a player’s ability to handle the ball.

“You can take two footballs which are exact in every way, and they are going to feel completely different on a hot, dry night than they do in the cold,” McQuaide said. “There are so many variables.

“I don’t mean to minimize the situation. If there was cheating going on, it should be dealt with. But honestly, I have to believe that ball inflation wasn’t high on the list of priorities for the Patriots last week.”

Brian Meenachan, who served as a football umpire at the high school and collegiate level for 26 years, said the process of checking game balls is similar at all levels of the sport.

At the high school level, officials are presented with a bag of balls which vary in number “based on the team and especially weather conditions.” The balls are verified by officials, marked to signify they are game-ready, then returned to the respective teams.

Many teams will further break in the footballs by using them during pregame warm-ups.

“It’s a very rare occurrence that a ball has to be thrown out of a game once it’s checked,” Meenachan said. “It would have to be very drastically altered for anyone to notice a difference. It’s just something that you rarely see happen at any level.”

Meenachan said that if anything, overinflated footballs designated for kicking will find their way to the playing field.

As for the Patriots, he believes that they may be guilty of gamesmanship and not cheating.

“Every team does whatever it can to try and gain an edge,” Meenachan said. “If this was intentional, I’m sure it wasn’t the first time they’ve done it. And if it was blatant, they would have been called out on it a long time ago.

“I think New England won fair and square, and the story was blown out of proportion.”

So, how will “Deflategate” impact today Super Bowl between the Patriots and Seattle?

Ryan says that oddly enough, both teams will use the distraction to their benefit.

“New England will likely use an, ‘Us against the world’ mentality,” Ryan said. “Everyone is questioning their talent and integrity. They now have a chip on their shoulders. Seattle, they have been in their little bubble and able to focus on the game without any distractions whatsoever. They are being left alone, something teams crave during Super Bowl week.

“In the end, all the craziness should give us a great game.”