Chris Mortensen says Krafts apologized to him, Patriots deny it


Chris Mortensen continues to dig himself deeper and deeper in his role in Deflate-Gate.

First, he falsely tweets out a report that 11 out of the 12 balls used by the Patriots in the AFC Championship game were two pounds under the required 12.5 PSI. That was later to be found false by the Ted Wells Report and it was revealed by WEEI that it was Mike Kensil who gave Mort that false report.

Mortensen has yet to apologize for that report and now according to Mike Florio of Pro Football, who has documented Mort's moves, the ESPN Insider is stepping into it again saying that the Kraft's actually apologized to him. But did they?
Appearing on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Mortensen addressed various aspects of his report that 11 of 12 Patriots footballs measured at two pounds below the 12.5 PSI minimum at halftime of the AFC Championship Game.

Among other things, Mortensen claimed that Patriots owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft separately called to apologize to him for “the way this thing has gone down.” WEEI in Boston reports that the Patriots say the Krafts did not apologize to Mortensen.

In the interview, Mortensen also brushed off the fact that his facts were false and that he was not given the information, he sought it out.
“The whole narrative that somebody from the league deliberately leaked false information to me is so much baloney,” Mortensen said. “It’s actually insulting, because I made the inquiry.”

I don't know how Mort can come back from this. I can't speak for other people who root for other teams because I don't think they are following Deflate-Gate as intently as we do here in New England, but can anyone take him seriously anymore?

Does it really matter if he sought out the information or not? Kensil knew that reporters were going to be calling about this. All he had to do was wait by the phone and it just so happened that Mort was the poor sap that came a'ringing.

Something that doesn't get too much play because it gets drowned out by the "11 out of 12" is the wording of "two pounds below the required 12.5 PSI." Two pounds sounds a lot worse than two pounder per square inch which is the correct phrasing. When people read "two pounds," they think actual weight, which is incorrect and poor phrasing by Mortensen.

Curious to see how ESPN handles Mortensen this year, who is looking worse and worse by the day.

Maybe Cris Carter can be his fall guy.

Photo Credit: NESN

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