By NADIA BACCHUS

Football fan or not, everyone has heard about the latest National Football League controversy commonly called “Deflate-Gate.” But is it really worth all this recent media coverage?

For those who have yet to hear, “Deflate-Gate” is a recent scandal in which the New England Patriots were found to have used underinflated footballs in the recent AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots beat the Colts 45 – 7 giving them a spot in this weekend’s Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

But what’s the real scandal here? The fact that it may be cheating? Or that no one can decide whether a little less air in a few balls makes an actual difference? Unlike the real scandal of Spy-Gate in 2007, also dealing with the Patriots, Deflate-gate is a little harder to prove because the evidence is literally thin air.

When previous sports scandals have come to light in the past, physical evidence is usually already found before the media becomes frenzied. Lance Armstrong had been accused of doping years before he was actually investigated and found guilty, yet the media didn’t give it real coverage until an investigation began. The media covered the story of Ray Rice, NFL football running back, assaulting his then-fiancée in an elevator than dragging her out by her hair only after a video was released.

So, if something as simple as defective balls or weather conditions could be the real culprit of underinflated balls, why is the media so concerned with who to blame when there is no real proof of foul play?