Brady to play

[Jess from VA]

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/13570716/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-wins-appeal-nfl-deflategate

When going into litigation, it is always best to have the better lawyers... and the better case.

The league will waste it's money on a 2d Circuit appeal.  They can't claim irreparable damages for an early hearing, so they have to get in line on the docket.  Good luck with that boys (I don't really mean it).

The judge cited "several significant legal deficiencies'' in the league's handling of the controversy, including no advanced notice of potential penalties, the refusal to produce a key witness and the apparent first-ever discipline of a player based on a finding of "general awareness'' of someone else's wrongdoing.

Holy crap, I'm generally aware of a whole bunch of people's wrongdoing. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Roger Goodell has got a pretty poor record as the Commishiner on this kind of thing. Makes one wonder how much longer he will be in the position ? (I still think Brady had his guy deflate the balls) but it's minuscule compared to what others have done.

[Jess from VA]

It's not what people think that matters, it's what people can prove.

This is a labor law/collective bargaining case; if you don't have your ducks lined up just right, you lose.

[The emperor has no clothes]

It's not what people think that matters, it's what people can prove.

This is a labor law/collective bargaining case; if you don't have your ducks lined up just right, you lose.

So true  Wouldn't you think someone like Goodell with all his resources would be better prepared ?

[Jess from VA]

As a leader/CEO/Mgr, you have to pick your fights.

One might wonder if the media frenzy over this stupid piddling issue drove his judgment.





(Go Wolverines)

[MAD6Gun]

 If Brady wasn't guilty why did he destroy his cel phone. So the cheaters win again. So let's just let all NFL players who do something wrong go with a slap on the wrist. The Colts Robert Mathis was suspended for four games for having "a performance enhancing drug" in his system. He took the suspension. Did he do something wrong? Probably. Brady did it. No doubt he did it in my opinion. I may be partial because I am a Colts fan. Did the balls make a difference in the outcome if that game. Nope. The colts played like crap but that is not the point. The Patriots cheated. I have said it before. I have two favorite teams. The Colts and any team that plays the Patriots......

[Bighead]

(Go Wolverines)

Yeah that don't seem to be happening

[The emperor has no clothes]

If Brady wasn't guilty why did he destroy his cel phone. So the cheaters win again. So let's just let all NFL players who do something wrong go with a slap on the wrist. The Colts Robert Mathis was suspended for four games for having "a performance enhancing drug" in his system. He took the suspension. Did he do something wrong? Probably. Brady did it. No doubt he did it in my opinion. I may be partial because I am a Colts fan. Did the balls make a difference in the outcome if that game. Nope. The colts played like crap but that is not the point. The Patriots cheated. I have said it before. I have two favorite teams. The Colts and any team that plays the Patriots......

I feel the same way about Brady and the Patriots in general. But I'm not as sure about what happened. ESPN was originally saying that 10 of the 12 balls were substantially under inflated. Now the reports are that 2 were under but not enough to be not explained by atmospheric pressure changes. I DO know that he is going to start this season fired up. I hope he gets it out of his system by the time he plays my Cowboys week 4. 

[Jess from VA]

(Go Wolverines)

Yeah that don't seem to be happening

No kidding.  Same old story... we need a quarterback.  The Utah quarterback was great!
At least there were some promising signs of a good team.

[MP]

If Brady wasn't guilty why did he destroy his cel phone. So the cheaters win again. So let's just let all NFL players who do something wrong go with a slap on the wrist. The Colts Robert Mathis was suspended for four games for having "a performance enhancing drug" in his system. He took the suspension. Did he do something wrong? Probably. Brady did it. No doubt he did it in my opinion. I may be partial because I am a Colts fan. Did the balls make a difference in the outcome if that game. Nope. The colts played like crap but that is not the point. The Patriots cheated. I have said it before. I have two favorite teams. The Colts and any team that plays the Patriots......

What I understand about the phone is this:

The phone got broken.  We all have had that happen.  Brady offered a copy of the texts to the NFL, but they turned him down. At the time he disposed of the broken phone, they had NOT wanted it yet.

I could care less about him.  In fact, I watched exactly one game last year, the Superbowl.  I have seen ZERO evidence, actual evidence, that he did anything wrong.

4 game suspension, because there is a possibility, but no evidence, that he did it?

2 games suspension for hitting a woman so hard in the elevator that she is knocked out?  Really?  Does this seem out of whack to you?

I would assume, since the low pressure balls helped him so much, that during the first half he played really well, and not so much during the second half. Oh, wait a minute, that is NOT what happened, is it?

[Hook#3287]

If Brady wasn't guilty why did he destroy his cel phone.

How about because he didn't want all his personnel communications out there for everyone to see.

Would you want your cell phone dissected in the media?

How about because the whole BS crap pissed him off so much, he decided that was his way of saying enough.

IMHO, this whole charade falls on the NFL.  Why the balls integrity is in the hands of teams, and not NFL officials, is the question to be asked.

And lately, integrity and the NFL, seem to be moving father apart.

I certainly do not expect other teams fans to have affection for the NE Patriots and/or Brady.  But I can tell you, Mr Kraft is one person ANYONE would want to be associated with, and if you were lucky enough to be employed by him, your VERY lucky.

[Alpha Dog]

This whole deflate gate has got so out of whack but this is what the media does and Godell figured he had to do something even if the evidence was poor at best and issued a suspension that was totally over the top.
Footballs like baseballs have always been manipulated in these leagues and the retired players have said so if there is a slight advantage to be gained. I have heard some retired quarterbacks talk about this.  Some kickers use to put helium in there balls and I think keeping the kicking ball warm is still the norm, I could be wrong.  The amount of underinflation apparently was not enough for the refs to notice it during play in the first half and they touch the balls more than anyone besides the center and quarterback.  When the balls were inspected at halftime and full air adjustment made the Pats and Brady played even better.  This whole dang thing should have ended back in Feb., but no the press needed something and boy did they get it and the league failed miserably about the solution.

If something needs to be done why not just let the Pats play one half the next time they play the Colts with a football with only 1 pound of pressure in it.  Then the Colts could have there pound of justice.
Chuck

[Woton]

Would never have thought I would see it happen in this WILDLY popular US professional sport...

But, combine embarrassments like Deflategate (a pox on BOTH houses in my opinion) and the bumbling response by the League, along with the increasing thuggery/overall bad behavior of the players ON and OFF the field...

Is it possible that that American public will eventually turn against pro football?

Used to love the NBA as a child, and now I won't even go see my area team play 40 miles away...  That's just me, but it is not the sport it used to be.

Neither is the NFL...

[PAVALKER]

Would never have thought I would see it happen in this WILDLY popular US professional sport...

But, combine embarrassments like Deflategate (a pox on BOTH houses in my opinion) and the bumbling response by the League, along with the increasing thuggery/overall bad behavior of the players ON and OFF the field...

Is it possible that that American public will eventually turn against pro football?

Used to love the NBA as a child, and now I won't even go see my area team play 40 miles away...  That's just me, but it is not the sport it used to be.

Neither is the NFL...

Yea..... It's no longer about the game, more about the money IMO.  Considering all the criminals that the NFL has working for em, maybe it's time to do away with the money grabbing NFL and just send em all to prison so they can play the guards in a remake of The Longest Yard.  And how did the NFL get tax exempt status anyhow.....

[Woton]

In fairness, I really need to add...

There are some fine men playing in the NFL right now.  On our own Carolina Panthers we have guys like Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis just to name two - worthy role models for our youth of today.

If you wish you could all mention guys from your own favorite team that are true gentlemen of the sport.

Just feel the overall direction of the game is trending the other way...

Bummer.

[therapist]

If beings from another planet secretly landed here, and the first glimpse of our culture/behavior was this story, they would fly away, shaking their heads, and from that point on, refer to our planet
as "the crazy place".   

And, yes, that was a ridiculously long sentence.

[old2soon]

Brady and the Pats are VERY easy to hate or despise. And rekemember-I ARE a BEARS fan thru and thru.  WHY are Brady and the Pats so very easy to hate you ask-cause they win too cursed much AND they make it look too cursed easy in the process.  Give brady a 10 pound football and the other team an N F L "legal    football and Brady and Pats win 65% of the time. This whole cursed "gate" thingy is/was/are a tempest in a gatorade bottle. I have as much lack of respect for goodell s I do the obuminater.  As an aside Is Suh still suiting up fer Detroit? THERE is an on field thug!  Go BEARS!  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Ndamukong Suh signed a 6 year, $114,375,000 contract with the Miami Dolphins, including a $25,500,000 signing bonus, $59,955,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $19,062,500. In 2015, Suh will earn a base salary of $985,000, a signing bonus of $25,500,000 and a workout bonus of $15,000.

shaking their heads, and from that point on, refer to our planet
as "the crazy place".      

And they would not be wrong.

[old2soon]

Ndamukong Suh signed a 6 year, $114,375,000 contract with the Miami Dolphins, including a $25,500,000 signing bonus, $59,955,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $19,062,500. In 2015, Suh will earn a base salary of $985,000, a signing bonus of $25,500,000 and a workout bonus of $15,000.

shaking their heads, and from that point on, refer to our planet
as "the crazy place".      

And they would not be wrong.

          Well-just think of the legal services he is now capable of affording!  NOT if he needs legal representation but WHEN he needs it!  I looked up the figures for suh and he alone will be responsible for some MAJOR cap hit.  Be-well not funny-but he performs an illegal hit on field and is immediately suspended for the rest of the season and forfeiture of ALL that seasons pay! Oh-wait-we are talkin-n f l-here or like it's becoming-not frikkin likely!  They ONLY go after nebulous things they can't prove!  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Man I am in pretty poor shape (compared to my early years).  Still healthy as hell, despite, not because of my absence of exercise.

For $15K a workout, I could easily remedy that. 

Secretly though, man am I happy no one is offering it.

[baldo]

I'll be in my season ticketed seats for the game against Pittsburgh, next Thursday night. Every team that plays the Pats this season had better be on their A game. Brady is going to be out for blood. I almost feel real pity for Indy and the Ravens. They are going to be annihilated this year.

[Steve K (IA)]

If something needs to be done why not just let the Pats play one half the next time they play the Colts with a football with only 1 pound of pressure in it.  Then the Colts could have there pound of justice.
Chuck

And in the end, the Patriots will still win.
 

[cookiedough]

am sure brady had a hand in it somehow, but who cares really about it since it didn't decide the outcome of the game in my opinion.

Did it help, maybe a tad, but not much really.

Now, if you gents want to watch a real football game, watch the LFL league:  lingerie football league with women on their I'd be afraid to sleep with in fear they'd beat the living tar out of me. 

If you watch it,  they put some mikes on them to pickup their vulgar language calling each other all kinds of nasty names.  Touch of class right there???   Their type of language would NOT be tolerated in the NFL no way. 

Let's face it,  I really don't think most professional sports are even close to what they were decades ago.  I use to watch ML baseball and the NBA all the time, but haven't seen either one not even a single game in decades.  Not missing much in my eyes. 

I do still like watching the NFL, but would prefer to watch 100x's more say the high school basketball division games at the end of the season or other more local sports where money is not the root of all evil.