Patriots Fans Feeling Deflated Ahead Of Super Bowl
BOSTON (CBS) - Getting fired up for the Super Bowl has a whole new meaning for Patriots fans because of the 'DeflateGate' scandal.
Tony Massarotti of the Felger and Mazz show on 98.5 The Sports Hub says, "It takes the fun out of the event and it lets the air out of the balloon. Fans are ticked off and they have a right to be, I get it."
Pats fans are finally getting fed up. Another scandal and this time it's hitting the faithful hard. According to an ESPN report, the Patriots were using under-inflated balls in their AFC Championship win over the Colts.
Read: DeflateGate Coverage
The Sports Hub phone lines were filled all day with folks looking to vent.
Caller Dave from Bolton says, "I'm a huge Pats fan. If this is proven it would be a huge disappointment."
Co-host Mike Felger says, "It changes and taints it for Pats fans. You got to defend yourself for two straight weeks whether you are cheaters or not."
But it's not just the fans feeling deflated.
"I didn't feel the same bounce in the step I felt Monday," said Paul Perillo, a reporter at the Patriots Football Weekly. He works for the Pats at Gillette Stadium.
Perillo says, "I don't sense the same excitement that I sensed on Monday, today more subdued."
From staff and players, this mess is making its way around Gillette.
Perillo says, "The excitement from the win early in the week went away Tuesday and into today it was noticeably less enthusiastic."
Bad feelings, bad timing and the big question: Why?
Massarotti says, "You got me, I don't have a clue why they would do this it makes zero sense to me."
Of course many fans are defending the team. And some say the latest controversy doesn't matter.
But all fans can agree, they would much rather be talking about the Super Bowl.
