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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The two men most responsible for delivering wins for the New England Patriots both said Thursday they have no explanation for how footballs used to reach the Super Bowl were underinflated by 2 pounds per square inch.Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he has not been contacted by the NFL, even as league officials investigate whether the team cheated against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC championship game.I dont know what happened, Brady said, answering questions from reporters hours after Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he almost never thinks about football pressure and doesnt know what happened, either.I didnt alter the ball in any way, Brady said.Unlike Belichick, who answered questions briefly after a long opening remark by repeatedly saying Ive told you everything I know and I dont have an explanation, Brady answered many questions for a half hour and said he doesnt think about the conditions of the ball during games.I get the snap, I drop back, I throw the ball, Brady said. I dont sit there and try to squeeze it and determine that.He does, however, have his preferences — he likes the football to be pumped to 12.5 pounds per square inch of air pressure, he said. The NFL requires balls to be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. Brady said he never has knowingly played with a ball with less than 12.5 pounds per square inch of pressure.To me, thats a perfect grip for the football, said Brady, who will face the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona. I would never do anything outside the rules of play.With different approaches, Belichick and Brady sent a unified message: Both said they have no clue how the footballs were tampered with or switched during last Sunday nights 45-7 win over the Colts, and started learning about the issue along with fans and everyone else.I have no knowledge of anything, any wrongdoing, Brady said when asked who on the Patriots was responsible for the underinflated footballs. Im very comfortable saying nobody did it as far as I know.Asked if he should have tried harder to learn what happened, considering the possible effect on the teams reputation, Brady said, I think theres a lot of people that have more information than me.Brady said he picks the game balls he wants to use several hours before kickoff, then doesnt think about them at all. He said he didnt know the protocol for handling game balls after he chooses them.Once I approve the ball, thats the ball that I expect out there on the field, Brady said. It wasnt even a thought, inkling or concern of mine that they werent the same ball.Belichick said that before this week, he didnt give air pressure in footballs much thought at all.Ive learned a lot more about this process in the last three days than I knew or have talked about it in the last 40 years that Ive coached in this league, Belichick said during an 8 1/2-minute opening statement during an 11 1/2-minute news conference Thursday morning.While neither Belichick nor Brady took responsibility for the underinflated balls, neither absolved anyone besides themselves of potential wrongdoing.I felt like we won the game fair and square, Brady said. I feel like Ive always played within the rules. I would never do anything to break the rules.Softer balls are generally considered easier to throw and catch, and quarterbacks, specialists and equipment managers are known to have very individualized preferences in how footballs are readied for games. Belichick said he was unaware of the process for game balls until the accusations were raised.Belichick said he sometimes hears quarterbacks, kickers and other specialists talk about their preferences.I can tell you and they will tell you that there is never any sympathy from me whatsoever on that subject. Zero, Belichick said.Under league rules, each team provides balls for use on offence. Referees approve the balls more than 2 hours before game time, then keep the balls until theyre turned over to ball handlers provided by home teams just before kickoff.Belichick said the balls used by the Patriots offence are inflated to the 12 1/2-pound range and any deflation would then take us under that.Going forward, he said, the Patriots will inflate footballs to a safe level to prevent them from dropping under allowable air pressure during games.The coach who has won three Super Bowls said he generally forces players to practice under bad-ball conditions.Anytime players complain about the quality of the footballs, I make it worse and that stops the complaints, he said. We never use the condition of the footballs as an excuse. We play with whatever or kick with whatever we have to use.The issue has drawn inflated reaction from around the game and its fans as the Patriots prepare to play for the NFL title.Several Patriots said it would not distract them in preparing for the game.Wed rather be celebrating our trip to the Super Bowl, special teams captain Matthew Slater said. Its important to us that we respect the game and deal with things in a way thats considered professional.But Brady said the topic of the sports integrity is serious.Everyones trying to figure out what happened but, at the same time, youve got to prepare for the Seahawks, he said.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/ap_nfl Andre Roberson Jersey . The turf is scheduled to give way to actual grass that is bright green, so we dont have to complain any more—we just have to wait a few years. Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played. Terrance Ferguson Jersey . Tristan Jackson returned a missed field goal 129 yards early in the fourth quarter as the Roughriders beat the B.C. http://www.cheapthundersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-steven-adams-jersey . -- Those impatient for the Stanley Cup to return to Canada will have just one team to root for in the NHL playoffs -- the Montreal Canadiens. Patrick Patterson Jersey .The ruling takes effect on Jan. 1 and stems from the debate surrounding Paralympic champion Markus Rehm, an amputee who won the national long jump title competing with a carbon-fiber prosthesis. Hamidou Diallo Jersey .S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather.MINNEAPOLIS - Its been a slog at times for Arron Afflalo in his second tour with the Denver Nuggets as he tries to re-acclimate himself to a team in flux.Little by little, its all coming back to him. Just ask the Minnesota Timberwolves.Afflalo scored 34 points and the Nuggets handed the Timberwolves their 12th straight loss with a 110-101 victory on Monday night.J.J. Hickson had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Nuggets shot 55 per cent to cruise past the Timberwolves. Jusuf Nurkic scored 14 points and Ty Lawson added 12 assists for the Nuggets, whose reserves outscored Minnesotas 47-10.If the Nuggets (15-20) are going to turn things around after a terrible start, Afflalo will likely be a catalyst. Hes averaged 25.3 points on 61 per cent shooting over the last three games.When you go through struggles, which I was going through, I really tried to find myself and find what makes me a better player, a more effective player, Afflalo said. I think Im starting to notice it over the last two or three games, how to be efficient and effective.Gorgui Dieng tied a career high with 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shabazz Muhammad added 19 points and six boards for the Wolves (5-28), who are now tied with Philadelphia and New York for fewest wins in the league. The Timberwolves shot just 43 per cent and have not won since Dec. 10 while playing without Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin.Weve just got to dig through these dog days, said Wolves assistant Sam Mitchell, who filled in when Flip Saunders couldnt make it to the arena because of an illness.Nuggets coach Brian Shaw recently switched up the teams game-day schedule, eliminating the time-honoured morning shootaround in favour of a light workout later in the afternoon. Shaw believes starting later in the day gives his players more continuous sleep and has them operating when their bodies are used to exerting their most effort.The approach was successful on Saturday when the Nuggets thumped the Grizzliies 114-85 and Shaw said before the game on Monday the plan was to employ it the rest of the season to get a large sample size and make a determination going forward about the long-term future.ddddddddddddThe Nuggets looked energetic and well-rested again Monday night, though playing against the woeful Timberwolves might have had something to do with it. They outscored the Wolves 19-10 in transition and 56-38 in the paint.The Wolves allowed the Nuggets to shoot 61 per cent in the first half. They turned the ball over eight times and were outscored 13-3 in transition and trailed by 24 points midway through the second quarter.The veteran Afflalo took it to No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins, making him work for his 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting while Afflalo was 11 for 18 — including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.I think I couldve done better, a lot better, Wiggins said. I dont think it was one of my best defensive performances.TIP-INSNuggets: Nate Robinson, who was questionable with a sprained right wrist, scored 12 points in 21 minutes. ... After scoring 26 points and grabbing 25 rebounds in a win over the Wolves in Denver at the end of December, Kenneth Faried had 15 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.Timberwolves: Wiggins was named Western Conference rookie of the month for December. Hes won the award in each of the first two months of the season. ... F Chase Budinger missed his second straight game because he was sick and F Robbie Hummel was also out with the same bug.LINEUP SHUFFLEThe Timberwolves tried to change things up by putting veteran Mo Williams in the starting lineup at point guard and moving rookie Zach LaVine to the bench. But it was just more of the same for a struggling group that cant defend, cant hit a 3-point shot consistently and cant stay healthy.Williams scored 17 points in 25 minutes. LaVine managed just five on 2-for-9 shooting in 26 minutes.UP NEXTNuggets: Host Orlando on Wednesday.Timberwolves: Host Phoenix on Wednesday. ' ' '