In-game controversy nothing new for the NFL

The NFL investigation of the New England Patriots continues. The league confirms it is looking into whether the Patriots deflated game-used footballs to gain an advantage in their AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

If the league determines that the Pats did indeed violate league rules by deflating those footballs, then the team could face either a fine or a loss of draft picks.

It wouldn't be the first time for the Patriots. The now infamous "Spygate" scandal unfolded in 2007, when an NFL investigation determined that the Patriots videotaped defensive signals from the New York Jets. "Spygate" resulted in a $500,000 fine for Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, and a $250,000 fine for the team. In addition, the Patriots had their first-round pick taken away in the 2008 draft.

The latest alleged rules violation brings back memories from decades ago of a couple controversies involving the Steelers.

Before a playoff game in the 1970s, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis accused Dirt DiNardo, the head of the grounds crew at Three Rivers Stadium, of intentionally ripping the field tarp to allow water, snow and ice to seep underneath and onto the artificial surface. Davis also accused DiNardo of hosing down the turf to create an icy surface.

It was part of Pittsburgh sports lore that DiNardo swept snow off the field in certain spots and doctored the surface in such a way as to give the Steelers an advantage.

Around that same time, some believed that the "hang-time" on punts from Raiders Hall of Famer Ray Guy were artificially induced. There was wild speculation that Guy was inflating footballs with helium.

According to one story, after the Raiders beat the Houston Oilers in a 1977 game, Oilers head coach Bum Phillips took one of the footballs used by Guy to Rice University to be tested. Nothing was ever proven, and nearly 40 years later, the helium charge can only be categorized as wild speculation.

From allegations of artificial inflation to alleged illegal deflation, the NFL is dealing with another controversy. So wherever you stand on "Deflategate" and whether the Patriots gave themselves an unfair advantage in the win over the Colts, know this. The accusations of impropriety are nothing new. In the NFL, the more things change, the more things stay the same.