Talk About Integrity: Goodell, Blandino Lied About Deflategate Knowledge

You want to talk about "protecting the integrity of the game," Mr. Goodell? How's this for integrity: you're a liar.

The Wells Report revealed in plain wording that both commissioner Roger Goodell and Dean Blandino, the NFL's V.P. of Officiating, were alerted in the day's leading up to the AFC Title Game on January 18 that the Colts had concerns about New England's possible tampering with game balls.

In an email sent by Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and team equipment manager Steve Sullivan, the Colts expressed their concerns that the league should take a look into how the Patriots handled their pregame football preparation. As the Wells Report indicates, the email was forwarded to Director of Football Operations, Mike Kensil, and eventually all the way to Blandino himself.

Again, as the Wells Report explains, on the Saturday before the AFC Championship Game, "Blandino reminded [referee Walt Anderson] to ensure that proper protocols concerning the footballs were followed."

A week later when Blandino held a pre-Super Bowl press conference, Blandino claimed that no one in the NFL knew of any possible tampering issues involving the Patriots, telling reporters, "There was an issue that was brought up during the first half. A football came into question and then the decision was made to test them at halftime..."

Blandino also flatly denied any idea that a "sting operation" was set up to catch the Patriots in a trap.

And then, the man of integrity himself, Roger Goodell, also denied any knowledge of possible tampering allegations against the Patriots until after the AFC Championship game was over, telling Sports Illustrated's Peter King in late march, "I can tell you that I was not personally aware of it until after the game."

So, there you have it folks, another case of blatant lying on the part of Dean Blandino and Roger Goodell. And you wonder why the Patriots refused to cooperate with the league in the latter stages of their "independent investigation"?

[photo via www.weei.com]