BleacherCoaches.com

I listened in today and liked it a lot. There was some interesting discussion but I particularly enjoyed the part about Deflategate. I would say I enjoyed this particular segment because I'm on the side of the fence where very few people are at with this issue. I could care less. Shaq was on my side today and shared some great info.

1. He deflated basketballs. How? He used a needle...himself. He squeezed the ball and if it wasn't comfortable, he let air out until it was good for him. I have seen and done this 100 times as many others probably have as well. Rack of balls? Pick one. Feel it. Bounce it. Put it back and try another.

2. The speed limit is 55. The driver goes 60. Why don't we drive 55 when that's the limit? We don't because we feel comfortable at 60 and we feel like we won't get busted for going 60. Most drivers go over the actual speed limit when they drive. Are they cheating? Sort of...but it isn't really cheating if you don't get caught...is it?

3. In the NBA, Shaq is backing you down. You have fouled. You have double teamed. You have tried everything to stop him but he is still dominating you in the post. The next time he rocks back into you, you flop to draw the foul. In Shaq's opinion this is the same as deflating the ball. You are making a conscious effort to do something on purpose to gain an edge. Simple idea that I think makes perfect sense. When you flip to draw a foul you are doing something to help your cause because nothing else you were doing worked.

Did Tom Brady feel like he was cheating or was he looking for the comfortable ball? Did you ever fill a ball to the acceptable weight zone and then take out a half a pound? I did just to test it. You can barely tell. Shaq was basically saying it is a simple concept... He wanted to be a little more comfortable with the ball.

I know what happened with Deflategate wasn't right but it isn't as bad as people have made it out to be either. The number of pics on Facebook and complaints I saw just seemed over the top to me. I'm glad to know my man Shaq agrees with me.

Great analogies and I agree 100%. You can't tell me that Tom Brady is the only person who has ever deflated footballs. I found this website that lists all of the times each team has been accused of cheating: http://yourteamcheats.com/ Everyone tries to gain an edge... it's natural in any competition. And honestly, as a Steelers fan, I hope Tom Brady isn't suspended at all so we can play him week 1. To be the best you have to beat the best and a Bradyless Patriots team is not the best.

If you let the air out of a basketball before a game, it is the same ball both teams use. Shaq’s team didn’t score a basket and then another ball brought in for the other team. They are all using the same ball thus leveling the playing field to a certain degree. It’s not the same in the NFL.

If the speed limit is 55 and you are driving 60 the police have every right to pull you over. You are breaking the law. Are you going to argue with the officer and say that everyone else was going 60? It doesn’t matter. He pulled YOU over and you were breaking the law. Just pay the ticket and be on your way.

If Shaq keeps backing you down and you flop it is a foul in the NBA, against the person doing the flopping! Subject to fines up to $30,000 and a suspension. And either team has the right to flop.

Not the greatest of analogies. Tom Brady cheated and got caught. He’s a great QB but it tarnishes his legacy. He is doing it for a reason and it is because it helps him even if it is only to make the ball more ‘comfortable’. And he is part of a team that has been caught in the past. If NE hadn’t made such a circus out of it and just admitted to it this would have went away pretty quickly. I have no patience for ‘bending’ the rules to get an advantage. The rules are there for a reason and everyone should follow them.

Is this what we are teaching our youth? Cheat until you get caught. It’s ok. The other team is probably doing it too?

I also can't really relate to any of those analogies. The way I look at it is if during media day of the super bowl Tom Brady simply gave some sort of acknowledgment of their ball tampering, then this all would have went away. Just some as simple as, "Yes, we do try to keep the footballs at psi limit as close as possible to legal limit. In this particular case we must have pushed that envelope a little too far."

It was just a minor infraction but the lack of cooperation makes it seem like there is much more than what we see on the surface.

If it ain't cheating, you ain't trying!

On another issue, I still don't see how eye glasses or contacts aren't a performance enhancing device. They aren't natural, so why are they legal? People with perfect eyesite may view this as cheating.

Anyone with perfect eyesight should be forced to wear contacts/glasses to see what a great "advantage" it is!!

Those who wear glasses should be forced to play a sport without them to "see" how much they really help. Maybe then everyone would reconsider the entire PED issue. I'd like to see a sportswriter write their column without them.

In terms of cheating, I don't buy the moronic PED war because where do you draw the line? Pain relievers ok, but not strength enhancers? Which type of elixir is more beneficial? You can't take HGH or andro, but its ok to take a cortisone shot? You could argue this all day.