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Emails Show The NFL Failed To Stop Misinformation As Part Of Deflategate

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Emails between the general counsel for the New England Patriots and Jeff Pash, the general counsel for the NFL, show that leaks about the deflated footballs in the 2014 AFC Championship Game to Walt Disney -owned  ESPN were chocked full of misinformation, yet the NFL refused to acknowledge it. The emails were released on the Wells Report Context blog.

The emails from the Patriots, first to Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the league, and then to Pash show repeated attempts to get leaks of misinformation stopped, after it was apparent that the information could only have come from the league. Chris Mortensen of ESPN was the first to report the story about how it appeared that 11 of 12 New England Patriots footballs “were significantly below the NFL’s requirements” according to league sources.

Yet, the emails between the Patriots and the league show that league had information to refute the leaked information that made its way into not only Mortensen’s initial report but others from ESPN, yet ignored pleas to do anything about it.

“What is unconscionable to me is that the league holds data that could very well exonerate us from any wrongdoing and completely dismiss the rampant reports and allegations of nefarious actions, but the league refuses to provide us the data,” said Stacey James, the ‎Vice President of Media Relations of New England Patriots to Aiello in an email dated Feb 17, 2015. “I cannot comprehend how withholding the range of PSIs measured in the game is beneficial to the NFL or the Patriots.”

In another email from Patriots general counsel Robyn Glaser to Jeff Pash dated the next day addresses another ESPN story about the Pats using a kicker’s ball. Glaser forwards the email from James and adds, “This ESPN piece, which by its own admission is supported by not one by 'FOUR sources familiar with the investigation' is yet the latest in League leaks (because the only others “familiar” with the investigation are us, and we can assure you we are not talking to ESPN or anyone else). And, once again, the information is not only inaccurate, but completely inflammatory and profoundly damaging to our brand.”

Glaser then goes on to forcefully ask Pash to address the leaks, misinformation, and failure to correct that misinformation. “This ESPN article is yet example in two ways…. first, it talks about an attempt by a Patriots employee to introduce a kicking ball into the game that was not authorized when you well know that the ball was handed to the Patriots on two separate occasions by two different league employees to be inserted into the game… we never attempted to introduce a ball into the game that had not been handed to us by a League employee…. and second,  it contradicts a prior ESPN article that stated 11 of the 12 balls were 2 pounds underweight – information the League has known to be incorrect but never corrected.”

Pash then replies saying that he’s seen the story but says, “I have no reason to think it came from our office but I certainly don’t condone leaks which do not serve anyone’s interest.”

Glaser brings up the obvious in her reply saying, “these leaks would only come from the League office as it would not serve anyone else’s purposes.” She then asks (again) for the league to promptly resolve the matter.

But it is the idea that the league has all the important information in its possession at the outset on PSI of the balls, but fails to release it that provides insight into perpetuating the narrative through the media that the Patriots and Tom Brady have been cheating. Glaser says to Pash that ESPN will continue to run misinformation “as long as the League continues to refuse to provide data in its possession, and correct misinformation it knows to be untrue.”

There’s a lot more within the emails (one of the best parts is how the leaks name Jim McNally, one of the equipment personnel of the Patriots and how personal information of his hometown, age, and picture could impact McNally’s 15-year-old daughter), but it’s clear that the NFL had information that could have stemmed the flow of stories, yet chose not to which has built up the case against the Patriots and Brady in the court of public opinion and create what has now been known as "Deflategate".

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