Patriots locker-room attendant tried to put unapproved ball into AFC final

[LLT]

Patriots locker-room attendant tried to put unapproved ball into AFC final
February 17, 2015, 10:17 PM ET
By Kelly Naqi | Outside The Lines

A locker-room attendant for the New England Patriots tried to introduce an unapproved special teams football into last month's AFC Championship Game, the same game at the center of the "Deflategate" allegations, four sources familiar with the investigation told "Outside the Lines."

One source said that the attendant assigned to the officials' locker room, identified as 48-year-old Jim McNally, has been interviewed by investigators for Ted Wells, the attorney the NFL hired last month to lead an investigation into allegations the Patriots intentionally used underinflated footballs on offensive plays in the first half of that game against the Indianapolis Colts, which New England won 45-7.

Three sources said that McNally has worked Patriots games for a decade, and has been in charge of the officials' locker room at Gillette Stadium since at least 2008. In the first half of the AFC Championship Game, McNally tried to give the unapproved football to an alternate official who was in charge of the special-teams footballs. Those footballs are known as "kicking balls" or "K balls."


Read More....http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/...-lines-reports

[salamander]

And there's the scapegoat because Belicheat and Tommy boy can do no wrong.

[LLT]

And there's the scapegoat because Belicheat and Tommy boy can do no wrong.

AH!!! but as a paid employee of the Patriots (even if part time)...Kraft will NOT get his apology and the Patriots are once AGAIN complicit in cheating. Anyone who knows anything about football will correctly surmise that Brady is involved.

Just a matter of Goodell waiting long enough to keep it out of the public eye long enough for the anger to subside...than proclaim some half-ass penalty

[86WARD]

Happens under Belichicks watch, he's punishable as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure Goofdell sees it different...these guys will get away with a $25000 fine.

[tube517]

Oh I thought atmospheric conditions are to blame? What a bunch of liars and cheaters

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

[T&B fan]

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the cheating Patriots have yet another scan dell to to explain .

Bill , well " we all know " how cold air changes the air in " are " footballs it also wipes stamps clean off them. thank you professor Bill .

[st33lersguy]

My question is who ordered the attendant to try and put the unapproved ball in? Bellichick? Brady? I have a hard time believing that a random locker room attendant would unilaterally deflate a ball and try and put it in play. Goodell made this guy the scapegoat so he wouldn't have to punish his favorite coach and QB

[T&B fan]

My question is who ordered the attendant to try and put the unapproved ball in? Bellichick? Brady? I have a hard time believing that a random locker room attendant would unilaterally deflate a ball and try and put it in play. Goodell made this guy the scapegoat so he wouldn't have to punish his favorite coach and QB

my understanding is this is a kickers ball and not one of the 12 already in ??, and a different guy not the one who takes balls in the bathroom .

[86WARD]

My question is who ordered the attendant to try and put the unapproved ball in? Bellichick? Brady? I have a hard time believing that a random locker room attendant would unilaterally deflate a ball and try and put it in play. Goodell made this guy the scapegoat so he wouldn't have to punish his favorite coach and QB

Couldn't possibly be Belichick or Brady or any other player for that matter...the "attendant" acted on his own...it's the only possible answer.

[Pappy]

AH!!! but as a paid employee of the Patriots (even if part time)...Kraft will NOT get his apology and the Patriots are once AGAIN complicit in cheating. Anyone who knows anything about football will correctly surmise that Brady is involved.

Just a matter of Goodell waiting long enough to keep it out of the public eye long enough for the anger to subside...than proclaim some half-ass penalty

You hit the nail right on the head.