(SportsNetwork.com) - Perception is a big problem for the NFL. Or to be more accurate, the fact that important people in the league dont understand the simple concept that perception is often greater than reality for the casual audience they crave is troubling. How else can you explain the NFLs vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, getting caught stumbling out of Jerry Jones party bus or Mr. Credibility himself, commissioner Roger Goodell, feeling its OK to have dinner with his BFF, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the day before the AFC Championship Game? Conspiracy theorists only need one innocent slip-up to build their narrative around, which is why public figures in positions that demand trust are always told to avoid the appearance of impropriety at all costs. Incompetence didnt equal conspiracy in North Texas earlier this month when referee Pete Morelli picked up the flag on what should have been a pass interference penalty against the Dallas Cowboys in their wild-card round win against the Detroit Lions, but the 9/11-truthers had the Blandino picture to bolster their spin. The fact that the same guy was instrumental in overturning Dez Bryants awe- inspiring catch a week later in Green Bay due to a bad rule that could have been easily ignored is just a pesky footnote in a short-attention-span- culture. Kraft was breaking bread with the commish before the NFL unleashed a sting operation, likely fueled by the green eye of John Harbaugh, to try to find out if the Patriots were indeed deflating football purposefully to give Tom Brady some kind of perceived edge. Will they be punished? Probably not, Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman said when asked about the issue. Not as long as Robert Kraft and Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective homes. I think he was just at Krafts house last week for the AFC Championship. Talk about conflict of interest. You know, as long as that happens, it wont affect them at all. Nothing will. Common sense says if Goodell was so intent of protecting his buddy, he might have tipped him off between courses so the evil Kraft could have alerted his rogue equipment people to stop messing with Tom Terrifics balls (you can insert Family Guy-like joke here). Instead Goodell shut his mouth, polished off his sorbet and caught the Patriots in the act with 11 of 12 deflated footballs, which more than likely meant next to nothing in their 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts. The perception, though, is dwarfing that common sense. I think the perception is the reality, Sherman said. It is what it is. Their resume speaks for itself. You talk about getting close to the line ... I dont really have a comment about that, but their past is what their past is, their present is what their present is. Its the world we live in. Its the league we play in. Ensuing Bill Belichick and Tom Brady press conferences, which attempted to explain the deflated footballs, have already launched 1,000 different comedy careers and made Science Guy Bill Nye and Mona Lisa Vito from My Cousin Vinny relevant in the world of professional football. Kraft, meanwhile, seems upset that his favorite employee didnt tip him off, even asking for an apology when the Patriots are cleared of any wrongdoing. I believe unconditionally that the New England Patriots have done nothing wrong, Kraft said before adding that if the NFL-backed investigation into the scandal finds nothing wrong, I would hope the NFL would apologize. If the (Ted} Wells investigation is not able to definitively determine that our organization tampered with the air pressure in the footballs, I would expect and hope that the league would apologize to our entire team and in particular Coach Belichick and Tom Brady for what they have had to endure this past week, he said. A prepared statement, of course, prohibited any follow-up questions regarding the FOXSports report that the league has identified a locker-room attendant as a person of interest in Deflategate or as many others like to call him, the sacrifice at the altar of Belichick and Brady. Whatever the outcome or the truth for that matter, though, its never going to be good enough for a portion of the public following this nonsense. And its a systemic problem. By any measure that doesnt rely on EBITDA, Goodell has had a disastrous year as NFL commissioner. But, even if he made no missteps regarding Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson or everything else that has crossed his desk, ultimately hes beholden to the people who employ him -- the owners. And the last time I looked, the puppet is never the one pulling the stings. Im disappointed in the way this entire matter has been handled, a defiant Kraft ominously said. We expect hard facts as opposed to circumstantial leaked evidence to drive the conclusion of this investigation. Translation? Know your role, friend. Chuck Foreman Jersey . -- Top-ranked Stacy Lewis birdied the last three holes and five of the final six Thursday for an 8-under 64 and a share of the lead with Mi Jung Hur in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Garrett Bradbury Jersey .Mateo Kovacic and Andrea Ranocchia scored for Inter, which had goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to thank for several crucial saves.Its an important victory against a Chievo side which plays well, Mancini said. http://www.cheapvikingsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-dru-samia-jersey .Y. -- First, Ryan Miller. Paul Krause Jersey .Y. - Joe Johnson hit six 3-pointers in his 27 points, Mason Plumlee added 18 points, and the Brooklyn Nets won their 11th straight at home, beating the Boston Celtics 114-98 Friday night. Cheap Vikings Jerseys Authentic .C. -- The shot that would have beaten No. PITTSBURGH -- Travis Snider is no longer a regular in the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup. The arrival of Gregory Polanco in June means right field is no longer an option for Snider -- or anybody else -- for the next six years. Relegated to part-time status, Snider isnt sulking. Hes thriving. Sniders major league-leading 11th pinch hit of the season, a sinking liner off Matt Belisle, in the eighth scored Neil Walker and sparked the Pirates to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. "When you dont see (reserves) on the bench, were not hanging out eating sunflower seeds, were actually doing something," Snider said. "We really just try to feed off each other in that sense and have a routine you can stick with it." Coming through is becoming routine for Snider, who is 11 for 39 (.282) as a pinch hitter. "One of the things we continue to talk about with all the pinch hitters is ... theres no downside," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Youre trying to perform one of the toughest acts in the game and hes gotten to a good place with it." All-Star reliever Tony Watson (6-1) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Mark Melancon got Troy Tulowitzki, representing the tying run, to ground out to third to end it for his 17th save. Starling Marte tripled and drove in two runs before leaving late in the game shortly after taking a fastball to the head. Hurdle called the decision to remove Marte "precautionary" and he will be re-evaluated on Saturday. Charlie Culberson and Corey Dickerson had two hits apiece for the Rockies but Colorados bullpen couldnt give starter Jorge De La Rosa his fifth consecutive victory. The Rockies left 11 runners on base while losing their third straight. "We couldnt put it away," manager Walt Weiss said. "We got a few big outs there but the final analysis is we werent able to put that game away." Walker singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth and moved to third on Gaby Sanchezs single to centre. Snider followed with a hard drive that Gonzalez couldnt track down, the low point on a night the slugger also struck out five times. Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano worked five innings as he tries to bouncee back from a difficult first half in which he managed just one win in 15 starts and spent a month on the disabled list with a back injury.dddddddddddd The left-hander returned in four shaky innings last weekend against Cincinnati, but Hurdle threw Liriano right back out there on Friday hoping to get him into a comfortable rhythm. The early signs were encouraging. Liriano laboured through the first two innings -- needing 27 pitches to get out of bases-loaded jam in the first -- but got better as the game wore on. Colorado managed only an RBI fielders choice by Dickerson in the second against him as he retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. Liriano allowed one run on three hits, walking three and striking out eight. "When I started hitting my spot with my fastball in, things started to get better," Liriano said. De La Rosa was just as effective while keeping the Pirates off balance for six innings. Poor decision making by Marte helped. The left fielder tripled to left with two outs in the fifth, scoring Polanco all the way from first. Marte then ran through third baseman Nick Leyvas stop sign and was out by a good 15 feet trying for an inside the park homer. Colorado went back in front in the seventh when Pedro Alvarezs throwing error with two outs snowballed into an RBI single by Drew Stubbs. Pittsburgh evened it in the seventh after loading the bases off Rex Brothers. Adam Ottavino came in and got ahead of Marte 0-2 before hitting the outfielder in the helmet with a 93 mph fastball. "It was a bad pitch, I wish it didnt happen," Ottavino said. "It got away from me." NOTES: Pittsburgh RHP Gerrit Cole threw 30 pitches on Thursday without incident as he recovers from a sore back. Cole was eligible to come off the disabled list on Friday but the team remains uncertain on when he will return. ... Colorado RHP Tyler Chatwood will have undergo reconstructive elbow surgery for the second time in his career. Chatwood hasnt pitched since going on the 60-day disabled list on April 30. The 24-year-old is 20-22 with a 4.34 ERA in 70 major league games. He is expected to miss 12-18 months. ... The series continues on Saturday when Pittsburghs Charlie Morton (5-9, 3.32 ERA) faces Colorados Brett Anderson (0-3, 4.95). 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