GOOD MORNING, WE ARE ON THE
AIR WITH BREAKING NEWS.
THE BELICHICK TOOK THE PODIUM
AND IS ABOUT TO SPEAK.
I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN OF THE
NEWS ABOUT THE FOOTBALL.
I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE
SITUATION.
MONDAY MORNING, I LEARNED A LOT
MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I HAD IN
THE LAST THREE DAYS.
THIS IS MORE THAN IN THE LAST
FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN
COACHING.
I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE
VARIOUS STEPS INVOLVED IN THE
GAME BALLS AND THE PROCESS THAT
WAS GONE THROUGH BETWEEN WHEN
THE BALLS WERE PREPARED AND WHEN
THE OFFICIALS WENT TO GAME.
I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THAT.
I AM OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTANDING
THAT EACH TEAM HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE THE BALLS
THE WAY THEY WANT WITH THE
OFFICIALS.
THE GAME OFFICIALS APPROVE OR
DISAPPROVE THE BALLS.
THAT WAS THE END OF IT FOR ME.
UNTIL I LEARNED A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT IT OVER THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT MY PERSONAL
COACHING PHILOSOPHY AND
MENTALITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO
MAKE THINGS AS DIFFICULT AS
POSSIBLE FOR PLAYERS IN PRACTICE
.
WITH REGARD TO FOOTBALLS ANY
CURRENT OR PAST PLAYER OF MINE
WILL TELL YOU THAT THE BALLS WE
PRACTICE WITH OUR AS BAD AS THEY
CAN BE.
WET, STICKY, COLD, SLIPPERY,
HOWEVER BAD WE CAN MAKE THEM I
MAKE THEM.
ANYTIME THE PLAYERS COMPLAIN
ABOUT THE PLAY OF THE BALLS, I
MAKE THEM WORSE AND THAT STOPS
THE COMPLAINTS.
WE NEVER USED ANY CONDITION OF
THE FOOTBALL AS AN EXCUSE.
WE PLAYING AND KICK WITH
WHATEVER WE HAVE TO USE, THAT IS
THE WAY IT IS.
THAT IS NEVER BEEN A PRIORITY
FOR ME.
I WANT PLAYERS TO DEAL WITH A
HARDER SITUATION IN PRACTICE
THAN THEY WILL EVER HAVE TO DEAL
WITH IN GAME.
THAT IS PART OF OUR WHOLE BALL
SECURITY PHILOSOPHY.
I AM TRYING TO COACH THE TEAM.
THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO.
WE ALL KNOW THE QUARTERBACKS,
KICKERS, SPECIALS HAVE CERTAIN
PREFERENCES ON FOOTBALL.
I KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT IT THAN
I DO, AND ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO
IT THAN I AM.
I HEAR THEM COMMENT ON IT FROM
TIME TO TIME.
I END THEY CAN TELL YOU THAT
THERE IS NEVER ANY SYMPATHY
WHATSOEVER FROM ME ON THAT
SUBJECT.
.
BEST ZERO.
FOOTBALLS OR SOMETHING THAT HE
CAN TALK ABOUT IN SOME -- MUCH
BETTER DETAIL THAN I COULD
POSSIBLY PROVIDE.
TO TELL YOU THAT MY ENTIRE
COACHING CAREER I HAVE NEVER
TALKED TO ANY PLAYER, STAFF
MEMBER ABOUT FOOTBALL AIR
PRESSURE.
THAT IS NOT A SUBJECT THAT I'VE
EVER BROUGHT UP.
TO ME, THE FOOTBALLS ARE
APPROVED BY THE LEAGUE AND GAME
OFFICIALS PRE-GAME AND WE PLAY
WITH WHAT'S OUT THERE.
THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT I'VE
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE
INFLATION RANGE SITUATION
OBVIOUSLY.
WITH OUR FOOTBALL BEING INFLATED
TO 12 AND A HALF OUNCE RANGE --
POUND RANGE, ANY DEFLATION WOULD
TAKE US UNDER THAT SPECIFICATION
LIMIT.
KNOWING THAT NOW IN THE FUTURE,
WE WILL CERTAINLY INFLATE THE
FOOTBALLS ABOVE THAT LOW LEVEL
TO ACCOUNT FOR ANY POSSIBLE
CHANGE DURING THE GAME.
AS AN EXAMPLE, IF A BALL
DEFLATED FROM 13 TO THE 12 .9,
IT WOULDN'T MATTER IF IT
DEFLATED FROM 12.5 TO 12.3.
AS AN EXAMPLE.
WE WILL TAKE STEPS IN THE FUTURE
TO MAKE CERTAIN WE DO NOT PUT
OURSELVES IN THAT TYPE OF
POTENTIAL SITUATION AGAIN.
THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS
INVESTIGATING THE SITUATION.
WE HAVE COOPERATED FULLY,
QUICKLY AND COMPLETELY WITH
EVERY WORD -- REQUEST THAT THEY
HAVE MADE.
WE HAVE OFFERED HELP IN ANY WAY
THAT WE CAN.
I HAVE NO EXPLANATION FOR WHAT
HAPPENED.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING
INTO.
I CANNOT COMMENT ON WHAT THEY
ARE DOING.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU
SHOULD TALK TO THEM ABOUT.
MY OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF FOOTBALL
SPECIFICATIONS AND PROCESS, THAT
HAPPENS ON ANY DAY WITH THE
FOOTBALLS IS VERY LIMITED.
DURING THE COURSE OF THE GAME,
IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED ON AN
INCOMPLETE PASS.
I AM NEVER TOUCHED A GAME BALL.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE ANY FAMILIARITY WITH.
I WAS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY
UNAWARE OF ANY OF THIS WE HAVE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THE LAST
COUPLE OF DAYS UNTIL MONDAY
MORNING.
BASED ON WHAT I KNOW OF NEWS
SUNDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT,
THINKING BACK ON THIS WHICH I
HAVE DONE SEVERAL TIMES, I
REALLY CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING
THAT I WOULD'VE DONE DIFFERENTLY
BASED ON WHAT I KNEW THEN OR
KNOW NOW.
I TOLD YOU THE ONE CHANGE WE
WOULD MAKE, THAT WAS THE INITIAL
START LEVEL OF THE FOOTBALL
PRESSURE.
THAT IS REALLY ABOUT IT.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS IS A
STORY COMING OFF TO GREAT
PLAYOFF VICTORIES.
BY FOOTBALL PLAYERS -- MY
FOOTBALL PLAYERS HAVE COOPERATED
WITH THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION
AND CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE WILL TURN ALL OF OUR
ATTENTION FOCUS ONTO THE SEATTLE
SEAT HAWKS.
-- SEAHAWKS, A VERY TALENTED,
TOUGH, AND COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL
TEAM.
WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST F O YOU
AREN'T DAYS -- FOUR DAYS, THOSE
ARE COMING TO A CONCLUSION.
WHERE -- WE ARE WRAPPING THAT UP
AND STARTING OUR PREPARATIONS
FOR THE SEAHAWKS AND PRACTICING
THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
WE WILL HAVE A GOOD, SOLID
OPPORTUNITY TO GET OURSELVES
READY TO GO.
CAN I JUST HAVE NO FURTHER
COMMENT ON THE NFL
INVESTIGATION.
I HAVE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I
KNOW ON THE SUBJECT FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE.
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.
TO THE NFL INVESTIGATION TO
YOUR OWN INVESTIGATION, DID YOU
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
I TOLD YOU.
I DON'T HAVE ANY EXPLANATION.
FOR ANYONE WHO QUESTIONS YOUR
INTEGRITY .
I HAVE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I
KNOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY MESSAGE TO
THE FANS WERE WATCHING ALL OF
THIS? I HAVE TOLD THEM
EVERYTHING I KNOW.
THERE IS NOTHING ELSE I CAN ADD
TO IT.
CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED? I HAVE
NO EXPLANATION.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR
WHAT HAPPENED.
WHAT YOU SAY TO YOUR YOUNGER
PLAYERS WHO DO NOT HAVE
EXPERIENCE BEING IN THE
SPOTLIGHT LIKE THIS.
?
NONE OF THEM ARE INVOLVED IN
THIS.
HOW WELL ARE THEY HANDLING
THIS? THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS
THAT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE
LEAGUE, THAT IS PART OF WHAT
THEY ARE DOING.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM DOING.
EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE MADE IT,
I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
I'VE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING I CAN
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE FROM
THE INVESTIGATIVE SIDE, PLEASE
ASK THEM.
COULD IT HAVE HAPPENED
NATURALLY? SO THERE IS NO
OPPORTUNITY FOR A SMALL MARGIN
OF ERROR UNDER THOSE
SPECIFICATIONS.
OK?
DO YOU THINK THAT THE
FOOTBALLS COULD HAVE
ACCIDENTALLY DEFLATED?
I DON'T HAVE AN EXPLANATION
FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE
ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.
WHAT COULD SOMEBODY DO TO DEAL
WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING
ON?
I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE
PROCESS.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE BALL GOT
FROM THE OFFICIALS LOCKER ROOM
OUT ON THE FIELD AND SO FORTH
AND SO ON.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I'VE
EVER CONCERNED MYSELF ABOUT ON
GAME DAY, I'VE BEEN CONCERNED
WITH COACHING THE TEAM.