5-at-10: Friday Mailbag on Brady, Hawks, recruiting and a Super Bowl contest

Gang, thanks for a great week, and we’re encouraged about the increased number of comments in the new system. War Interweb.

From “Talks too much” studios, have a great weekend. You deserve it. You’re good enough. You’re smart enough. And dog gone it, people like you.

From Jody –

Hey. This is the first time I’ve ever written you but I read the 5@10 as often as I can and I listen to you and David every day. You guys are great.

Man you were hilarious this week with the whole DeflatedGate thing.

For the mailbag, do you believe Tom Brady?

Thanks and you guys keep doing what your doing.

Jody –

Thanks for the kind words and for playing along.

We want to believe Tom Brady. We really, Really, REALLY do.

We want to blame Bill Belichick. We really, Really, REALLY do.

We want to avoid any more deflated balls jokes. We really, Really, REALLY do.

So where does that leave us? Who knows.

Let’s establish a baseline of what we know.

We know that balls were checked before the game (bend over and face the table Mr. Babar) and met league specifications.

We know that they were rechecked at halftime and traded out for being deflated.

We know that Belichick denied emphatically that he knew anything about it.

We know that Brady said he had nothing to do with it.

We also know everyone who has ever been involved with the NFL has come on whatever talk show and said there is no way a rogue ball boy or equipment manager would go off the reservation and just randomly decided to deflate the footballs. We believe this the most.

So, where are we?

Here’s our theory: We believe the Patriots have been doing this for years. Like as long as Tom Brady’s been Tom Brady. We believe they are hardly the only team in the league that does this, too.

We also believe it’s such a standard operating procedure in New England that Brady does not even have to communicate with the ball boy. It’s a standing order that is understood. That’s how Brady and Belichick can stand up and be believable when they said, “They had nothing to do with this,” and whatever denials they tossed out.

One thing that completely shades Brady’s story, however, is that he says he couldn’t tell the difference in the footballs, he just throws them. Hogwash.

Just in principle, when you are a world-class professional, you are comfortable – extremely comfortable in fact – with your equipment.

If, as he said, Tom Brady prefers his footballs at 12.5 pounds per square inch of pressure, and Sunday night, the balls were at 11, that’s more than a 10 percent difference.

If you are a master carpenter, you know the difference between a 10-pound hammer and an 11-pound hammer. If you are a pro golfer, you know the difference between a golf club with 40-degree loft (likely an 8-iron) or 44-degree loft (most 9s). If you are a big league hitter, you know if your 33-ounce bat has been replaced by a 30 bat.

Brady is on the short list of the best ever, and it’s like fair to assume he has thrown hundreds of thousands of passes in his life, so we have a hard time believing he would not notice 10 percent.
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From scole023

We’re at the Super Bowl and I want to know if you are going to have a contest. I like to win stuff.

Also, when are we going to quit hearing about the New England DeFlatriots?

Thanks, and you still talk too much.

Scole –

Yes, we have arrived at Super Bowl week. It’s official.

No, not because every storyline is revolving around the pressure of Tom Brady’s balls. (Sorry.)

It’s official because the first round of propositional bets are here. Propositional best of course, are the crazy, outlandish picks that Vegas offers to keep the action going nonstop during the biggest gambling gorgefest of the year.

So let’s merge the two shall we?

We’ll put together some sort of prize pack with the following prop bets.

Coin toss: Heads or tails? (FYI: In the 48 prior Super Bowls there have been 24 heads and 24 tails. It’s almost like flipping a coin, right?)
How long will it take Idina Menzel to sing National Anthem? Over/Under 2 minutes and 2.5 seconds
Total Passing Yards: Tom Brady: over/under 262.5 yards

Total Passing Yards: Russell Wilson: over/under 220.5 yards
Will Marshawn Lynch be fined for actions on media day? Yes or No.

What color Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach?

Tie-breaker (only if needed): Number of total points scored in the game (Price Is Right rules apply, which mean if you go over you’re out).

And just an FYI, as far as still talking about the Deflation Situation, do not expect it to end any time soon. And yes, Vegas put the over/under at three on the number of times “defelated balls” will be mentioned during the game. So there’s that.

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From JonMac5

Jay,

Was listening yesterday when a listener called in and said he was moving to Florida…Wells gave him good info about using Tune In…I use that all the time when I am not at home. I am one of your many Florida listeners…you have a good show for any good sports fan…really good guests and just great talk….and you don’t demean people, David is great with the callers. I tell a lot of Chattanooga people and people here about it.

I think you are missing the boat on not telling people about alternative listening options. A lot of people forget about being able to use their phone to listen to you. A lot of guys would keep listening if they knew how easy it was to do…especially when they were out doing other things when they normally wouldn’t be listening to the radio.I listen a lot in the afternoon with a co cola sitting out by the pool for example….

Maybe a question for Friday…I have not read or heard anything about any comments you have made about the college football hall of fame inductees…How can a coach still on a show cause be elected????…also Brian Bosworth??

JM5 –

Thanks for listening, and people can also hook in and listen simulcast here at timesfreepress.com too.

I was stunned that Jim Tressell was inducted into the Hall of Fame. As for Brian Bosworth, well, maybe we’re a little more forgiving on the players – or maybe a little more nostalgic for the Boz, because we all know as a high school a certain future TFP sports editor so had a hair cut similar to the Boz’s – but we’re more OK with that one.

Tressell’s presence is laughable and makes the college football voting board look almost as bad as the baseball writers who would have a tough time voting for a proper lunch order.

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From Bo

Jay,

I just started reading your blog and I like it. I probably could have asked this in the comments, but here’s my question.

What do you make of UT’s Butchy offering a scholarship to a kid and pulling it because a better player comes along?

Typical UT junk in my opinion.

Thanks and maybe you and David can talk about this on Press Row [Friday]?

Bo –

Thanks for passing that along, and yes, feel free to chime in. We are happy that the commenting and exchanges are starting to return, and while the system is still new – the blockheaded TFP sports editor is still struggling getting his comments in there – and different and not as good as the original, it’s much better than where we were right after the conversation.

Also, we’re still trying to figure out a way to get a “Update” or the number of comments in the headline so you guys and gals can see when the rest of the field is adding to the discussion.

Schools pulling scholarships is a dicey proposition. This is not a shot at UT, per se, because every school does it, and it likely will happen again before signing day Feb. 4. (And be careful throwing too many stones, because we’re not sure who your team is Bo, but unless you pull for an Ivy league school or one of the military academies, there’s a pretty good chance your school has done this too. Heck, Alabama is renowned for doing it and/or making the “Grayshirt” offer late in the process.)

In fact, credit UT for at least giving Marques Ford, the defensive end commit, they were running out of room early enough in the process to find a new place. Ford was told Wednesday, and according to an article JM5 sent, there were 20 schools in contact with Ford by Thursday. Ford committed to Rutgers on Thursday evening.

It also happens in the other direction, as kids flip at the 11th hour and change their mind throughout the process, but those are teenagers who are making a huge life decision and being torn in a multitude of directions.

Shouldn’t we expect more from the universities and the coaches?

Maybe this will be partly solved with the early-signing period that is on the horizon, because if this had been this time next year, Ford, who has been committed to UT since July and according to Rivals had not taken any visits anywhere but Knoxville, would likely already be signed with the Vols.

The early signing period will force coaches and recruiters to gauge how many early offers they are willing to accept, because if you have a kid committed but do not let him sign in December, well, how committed is the school to the commit?

It’s a tough situation to be sure, and we’re happy Ford still had options to explore.

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From Etsubuc13 –

Hey just read the column today and I’m slightly upset. I sent a mailbag question over a month ago about the hawks and never got any love. So when you asked who could have seen this run coming all I have to say is me. I am in no way a bandwagon fan as I’m sure you can tell by my past emails I love all ATL teams. Please stop acting like all your readers didn’t see this coming since I told you they were good in late December (I think). And give some love to ETSU. I wanna get jomo and JMC riled up the rivalry is back on!! GO BUCS GO BUCS GO BUCS GO BUCS GO BUCS winning in the regular season is fine we’ll see you in the tournament

GO BUCS!!!!!!

Etsubuc13 –

You are so right and that’s completely on us. Here’s ETSUbuc13’s email from mid-December:

Also have a potential mailbag question

Why are the Hawks getting no love right now? If you watched ESPN you wouldn’t even know that they had a team. They just got done beating Chicago and Cleveland in back to back games and still nothing. I know Atlanta teams are really good at losing when it matters and it’s just the regular season, but this team feels different. They play great team ball (no more Iso Joe or the Josh Smith show) and this new coach they got from the spurs has them looking a lot like the defending champs with the way they play pass first offense. They’re by far the most watchable team going for Atlanta right now. Thoughts?

Well done sir, and you were on the bandwagon before it jumped hyperdrive and went straight to ludicrous speed.

Not surprisingly, there was not a Hawk voted into the starting lineup of the All-Star game. Here are the starters as determined by fan vote:

EAST

G- John Wall

G- Kyle Lowry

F- LeBron James

F- Pau Gasol

F- Carmelo Anthony

WEST

G- Kobe Bryant

G- Stephen Curry

F- Anthony Davis

F- Blake Griffin

F- Marc Gasol

The Hawks have worked together and worked under the radar for most of the season, and the numbers and success have been staggering. Check this data:

Atlanta is 28-2 since Thanksgiving, and the only two teams in the modern era to have better runs over a 30-game stretch were the Bulls in 95-96 and the Heat two years ago when each went 29-1. Each of those other teams won NBA titles.

Atlanta is assisting on 70 percent of its made baskets in the streak and does not have a player in the top 30 in the league in scoring or minutes played.

Atlanta’s highest paid player is Al Horford at $12 million. He ranks 43rd in the NBA in annual salary. Atlanta has but three players in the top 80 (Paul Milsaps is 62nd at $9.5 million; Jeff Teague is 78th at $8 million). The Brooklyn Nets have three of the three players in the top 20 of salary, including the aforementioned Iso Joe Johnson.

This is a fun basketball team.

Hawks fever. Catch it.

As for the rivalry stuff between ETSU and UTC, you kids have it. Just play nice and remember, mom always said, don’t play ball in the house.