Tom Brady suspended for four games

[JoeKing]

And Goodell just announced he will hear the appeal.

Absent some new info that shows aliens tampering with the balls, there is no reason to reduce the suspension.

Brady not cooperating was almost as bad as the cheating.

I hear folks saying this isn't a big deal but I disagree. Integrity of the game matters. This is a teachable moment for Goodell, cheating should not be tolerated. But I also have lost faith in Goodell's ability to hand down an appropriate punishment. Brady will more than likely get his reduced suspension.

 

[Nightman]

I hear folks saying this isn't a big deal but I disagree. Integrity of the game matters. This is a teachable moment for Goodell, cheating should not be tolerated. But I also have lost faith in Goodell's ability to hand down an appropriate punishment. Brady will more than likely get his reduced suspension.

Why would it be reduced?

He was found to have cheated, that won't change and he didn't cooperate. If does it will only implicate him more.

 

[JoeKing]

I just read the entire Wells report. They have plenty of evidence, including (TADA)- the actual game balls that were deflated.

I knew Brady was lying during that intial press conference and all the text messages back that up.

They should be glad he only got 4 games.

Exactly. I read the whole thing the day it came out and I was actually impressed at the evidence they were able to gather. But Brady has a fine team to fight this though so I'm interested to see which way this will go. Is it possible they increase the suspension?

 

[JoeKing]

Why would it be reduced?

He was found to have cheated, that won't change and he didn't cooperate. If does it will only implicate him more.

I hear you. It's just my lack of faith in the system I guess.

 

[Nightman]

Exactly. I read the whole thing the day it came out and I was actually impressed at the evidence they were able to gather. But Brady has a fine team to fight this though so I'm interested to see which way this will go. Is it possible they increase the suspension?

I think Goodell likens this using PEDs. It is cheating but not worth a death sentence.He doesn't reduce PED suspensions except if they find the sample was mishandled.

 

[JoeKing]

I think Goodell likens this using PEDs. It is cheating but not worth a death sentence.He doesn't reduce PED suspensions except if they find the sample was mishandled.

Making that suspension stick would be justice, IMO.

 

[joseephuss]

Now because Brady didn't "cooperate", it doesn't seem to matter that the NFL has trashed one of the teams and its star player from one end of the country to the other without having any evidence that he did what they have led everyone to believe he did. Their response to that is they don't need any evidence, only a statement that it is more likely than not that Brady knew someone else was doing something wrong. Perhaps the owners will notice that Goodell can come after any team for any reason and without any actual evidence, and will decide they need a leader who is more interested in the integrity of the league and fairness in general than Goodell has shown to date. He has decided to hear the appeal, even after a Missouri court ruled he simply can't be impartial due to the nature of his job.

The NFL didn't even try to deal with this quietly, which should always be the case if there isn't any actual evidence of wrongdoing. That is why it appears to be a sting followed by a vendetta. I wonder what is really going on here; there seems to be more to this than can be seen on the surface.

Any chances of dealing with this quietly went away because of Robert Kraft. When he is screaming for an apology at the very beginning it erases any hope of this ordeal being done in a quiet manner.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

Now because Brady didn't "cooperate", it doesn't seem to matter that the NFL has trashed one of the teams and its star player from one end of the country to the other without having any evidence that he did what they have led everyone to believe he did. Their response to that is they don't need any evidence, only a statement that it is more likely than not that Brady knew someone else was doing something wrong. Perhaps the owners will notice that Goodell can come after any team for any reason and without any actual evidence, and will decide they need a leader who is more interested in the integrity of the league and fairness in general than Goodell has shown to date. He has decided to hear the appeal, even after a Missouri court ruled he simply can't be impartial due to the nature of his job.

The NFL didn't even try to deal with this quietly, which should always be the case if there isn't any actual evidence of wrongdoing. That is why it appears to be a sting followed by a vendetta. I wonder what is really going on here; there seems to be more to this than can be seen on the surface.

https://lh5.***BROKEN***/-zjNDlyYVifg/UnGoSe-f8UI/AAAAAAABX90/1E-BOoWjNxU/w800-h800/headInSand.gif

 

[Wheeltax]

Get 'em Roger

 

[Cowboys22]

Just heard on Mike & Mike that the two suspended employees are going to be brought back in for interviews during the appeals process. This can only be bad for Brady and the Pats. The team already offered up all the lame excuses for these two that they could muster and no one is buying them. Kraft will likely demand the truth from them or threaten to never let them work in the NFL again. I can't see anyway the penalties are reduced by Goodell unless Brady offers new evidence that proves his innocence but since that doesn't exist because it would already be out there, I think the four games stands.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Just heard on Mike & Mike that the two suspended employees are going to be brought back in for interviews during the appeals process. This can only be bad for Brady and the Pats. The team already offered up all the lame excuses for these two that they could muster and no one is buying them. Kraft will likely demand the truth from them or threaten to never let them work in the NFL again. I can't see anyway the penalties are reduced by Goodell unless Brady offers new evidence that proves his innocence but since that doesn't exist because it would already be out there, I think the four games stands.

The team already suspended them indefinitely. They are part time employees from what I understand.
They only have something to gain, not lose here by saying Brady didn't know.
Problem is that Brady demands the footballs not to be touched AFTER he approves them. That would make it something that Brady is fully aware of.
He still won't get more most likely, and I doubt less. I have a hard time believing that micro manager Bill would have no knowledge of this though.

 

[khiladi]

I think Goodell likens this using PEDs. It is cheating but not worth a death sentence.He doesn't reduce PED suspensions except if they find the sample was mishandled.

The more times you get caught using PEDs, the greater the suspension. There is a reason they just gave a suspension to Brady, but not Bellichek and the "ignorance is not an excuse" argument doesn't apply. If Brady wasn't forthcoming and suspended for not being supportive of the investigation, the Patriots with their own lawyers weren't forthcoming for trying to halt the investigation. There is nothing Brady didn't do that the Pats didn't do either.

The NFL wants it to be merely a Brady issue.

 

[khiladi]

Now because Brady didn't "cooperate", it doesn't seem to matter that the NFL has trashed one of the teams and its star player from one end of the country to the other without having any evidence that he did what they have led everyone to believe he did. Their response to that is they don't need any evidence, only a statement that it is more likely than not that Brady knew someone else was doing something wrong. Perhaps the owners will notice that Goodell can come after any team for any reason and without any actual evidence, and will decide they need a leader who is more interested in the integrity of the league and fairness in general than Goodell has shown to date. He has decided to hear the appeal, even after a Missouri court ruled he simply can't be impartial due to the nature of his job.

The NFL didn't even try to deal with this quietly, which should always be the case if there isn't any actual evidence of wrongdoing. That is why it appears to be a sting followed by a vendetta. I wonder what is really going on here; there seems to be more to this than can be seen on the surface.

Problem with this argument is that there was no evidence that Sean Payton was involved in Bounty-Gate, but because of perception of the country regarding concussions, Goodell did punish the whole organization...

Goodell doesn't act without the approval of the owners. He is there to create perception and is a face to the franchise.

 

[ragman]

If the Patriots are innocent, why did they fire/suspend the ball boy and the equipment guy?

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Of course teams doctor the balls.

Why?

Because you're allowed to doctor the footballs.

What you're not allowed to do is to have the footballs measured at the required PSI before the game and then have your equipment guys, sneak into a bathroom and deflate them well below the required PSI.

As the Wells report showed, the Colts didn't doctor the footballs in an illegal way. They were perfectly within the rules and I think it's obvious that because of that...we could safely conclude that the Patriots cheated.





YR

Yeah, this is no revelation. However, it doesn't change the fact that there are more teams out there who are "Doctoring The Footballs" above and beyond what are specified in the rule book. I think we would be naive to believe otherwise.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

My son thinks this is the event that will cause Goodell to be fired. Kraft will demand it, and the other owners will back him.

That may not be the case. Jerry has already publicly stated support for Goodell. Since then, John Elway has as well (Not an owner, but an icon and the GM). Now, Arthur Blank is throwing out a subtle reminder to Kraft that maybe he should get back in line http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...failure-to-acknowledge-caused-hammer-to-fall/.

I haven't heard another owner support Kraft yet. Kraft supporters may come out at some point, but this doesn't appear to be a case of other owners just lining up behind Kraft.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

That may not be the case. Jerry has already publicly stated support for Goodell. Since then, John Elway has as well (Not an owner, but an icon and the GM). Now, Arthur Blank is throwing out a subtle reminder to Kraft that maybe he should get back in line http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...failure-to-acknowledge-caused-hammer-to-fall/.

I haven't heard another owner support Kraft yet. Kraft supporters may come out at some point, but this doesn't appear to be a case of other owners just lining up behind Kraft.

Goodell had to pick the other 31 in this case, even tho he wont get invited over to the Krafty Crib for dinner parties anymore.

 

[WPBCowboysFan]

If the Patriots are innocent, why did they fire/suspend the ball boy and the equipment guy?

Apparently for not using this:

 

[SkinsandTerps]

They probably snitched.
Pats playing with gangster type of mentality.

Keep your mouth shut, or suffer.

 

[Nightman]

They probably snitched.
Pats playing with gangster type of mentality.

Keep your mouth shut, or suffer.

The Aaron Hernandez Way