I do think it's a big deal because ...
1. It was against the rules.
2. It strikes at the heart of the integrity of the game.
3. It was the Patriots who AGAIN violated the rules, so they should know better.
4. The Patriots nor Tom Brady were forthcoming with the investigation - the Pats wouldn't let the investigators interview key participants to the incident.
5. Tom Brady has denied any role in the incident, which is INCREDIBLY hard to believe. So a ball boy deflates the ball without your knowledge. A ball boy on his own decides to tamper with the balls of Tom "Freaking Golden Boy" Brady, and we're supposed to believe this?
6. Kraft and Brady tried to make the NFL and others who believed in "Deflategate" feel shame for even insinuating that the Pats did something wrong, Kraft even having the audacity to suggest the league should apologize.
7. The league has come down on other teams, particularly the Saints, when there was no evidence that the "bounties" resulted in any opposing player being injured.
It doesn't matter if the Pats beat them 35-7 after halftime. Brady benefited from a rule being broken. This likely wasn't the first time this has happened.
I'm not a Brady basher, and I admire the Patriots for what they've accomplished over the course of this decade.
However, if Brady is not suspended a few games and is merely "fined," I think I'll be ready to join those who believe there's some conspiracy to protect the Patriots, something I rejected with respect to Spygate.