From the moment the Wells Report was released, social media lit up – once again – over the scandal of under-inflated footballs appearing to be a common practice for New England Patriots football games. Call it Deflate-gate if you like. Detractors and Patriots slam the report, others are demanding Tom Brady’s head … or at least a season-long suspension.The story/scandal has provided fodder for a slew of coarse jokes and innuendo. Given three months for sifting through information that resulted in a 139-page report – which generally blames lower-level employees while stating the quarterback Brady was “generally aware of inappropriate activities.” Frankly, when I read a few of the text messages released online, it seemed more than likely to me that deflating footballs was standard operating practice and after the press ran with the story, obfuscation and cover-up followed.

But does it matter? Writer Andrew Brandt explains here why it does matter. He makes a valid case why it matters to the NFL. Granted, the NFL is a business as is each team within the organization. But here’s why it really matters … and it’s completely apart from the business aspect.

C-H-I-L-D-R-E-N. Every time there’s a scandal in the NFL, every time a player whoops up on his wife or kids, or every time a player or owner is caught acting badly, children take note. Should we shrug it off and say this is just the seamier side of big business? Sorry, kid, you enter into the equation. Just keep buying your NFL gear and keep your complaints to yourself.

The poem below reflects my view about the flap. It’s hardly the important thing many people think it is … but for any children looking up to a New England Patriots quarterback, they might want to choose a different role model.