Messenger feels hate of Deflategate

The most driven-into-theground story of the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl was undoubtedly “Deflategate,” the accusation, and NFL investigation centering around, the New England Patriots deflating footballs during the AFC Championship game victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

Other than most of the football fans glad the Super Bowl has come and gone so that the story would move to the back burner, Bob Kravitz might be grateful as well.

Kravitz, a longtime Indianapolis sports columnist who now works for for TV station WTHR, first broke the story late Jan. 18, the night of the Patriots’ 45-7 victory over the Colts.

Kravitz, a 32-year veteran of journalism, told the Boston Globe this week that the days since he broke the story has been the “most insane period of my professional life,” while serving as guests for radio and TV shows. Also, there’s the displeasure of Patriots fans.

“Feedback? Hell, it’s been a tsunami of hatred,” Kravitz told the Globe. “It’s gotten very personal, very mean-spirited, some anti-Semitic remarks, some threats to my well-being, but, then, I didn’t expect otherwise.”

Kravitz broke the story through sources inside the Colts organization, but said he doesn’t think it accounts for “sour grapes” as many critics have theorized.

“I haven’t spoken to the single member of the organization who believes the footballs, deflated or stuffed with chicken feathers, had anything to do with the onesided outcome,” Kravitz said. “I sense some of the players are downright embarrassed this came out, simply because it makes them look like poor losers.”