NFL upholds Tom Brady's four-game 'Deflategate' suspension

[Dback Jon]

Greg Hardy 4 games for beating up a woman and throwing her on to a pile of guns.

Tom Brady 4 games for letting some air out of the ball.

I don't care who you are there is some kind of imbalance here.

I'm really getting sick of Goodell. I've never cared about any NFL commissioner in the past, but this guy irks me.

One was on-field, attacking the integrity of the game, the other was an off-field issue that should be handled by our legal system.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Yep.

How Bellicheat escaped penalty should be the question. Didn't Payton get suspended for the year despite (supposedly) not knowing about bounty gate? Double standered?

There is a huge difference between your entire defense being involved in or knowing about the bounty program and one player deflating balls.

 

[MadCardDisease]

One was on-field, attacking the integrity of the game, the other was an off-field issue that should be handled by our legal system.

yep. It's sad that the NFL has to handle legal issues that occur outside of the game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Hard to say. Didn't they get them pretty quickly? They also have stuff that 'looks' bad, including the 'deflator' comment. If they were trying to delete messages, why didn't they delete these too? Seems too perfect, or rather, imperfect, because it still landed them on suspension. Why only delete the messages that would be from Brady, if the NFL's theory was to be correct? Wouldn't they be interested in saving their own skin?

But the NFL also had access to many other people. So they had plenty of opportunity to find something, and if Brady had his phone for months, and could delete the messages, the same thing would apply to Brady. So what's the point of having the phone at all? Brady gave them all the phone numbers who contacted him, and they could match that up with the ball boys and all the others they confiscated if they wanted. Remember they searched a lot of phone. No smoke. No fire. But somehow Brady's phone mattered?

But regardless IF something is deleted of not, why not contact that 23 or so people who are involved in the NFL that Brady spoke to? It isn't hard, especially not for an investigation that has spent multi-millions. But Goodell said it was 'too hard'. More like they KNEW it was a dead end, because they didn't see anything on anyone else's phone, and they probably already saw the phones of almost everyone else and didn't find anything.

People have to understand, that there IS legal tampering that goes on. I'm sure it goes on ALL THE TIME. From uniforms, to cleats, everything involved I bet someone somewhere is altering stuff just within the rules, and sometimes outside of them. But somehow this is a big deal? Something they can't even proved happened?

It wouldn't surprise me that what Brady or the ball boys are 'guilty' of is that they wanted to keep the balls as CLOSE to the minimum as possible. Which would technically be legal AND explain some of the comments. That's the point, the comments don't explain illegality, but they do seem to hint at something. But nothing concrete to ANY illegality, let alone that Brady orchestrated illegality (a rules violation).

But what we know for sure is the NFL has been playing the public perception slander game from day 1, and this HAS become about Goodell's and the NFL's competence being confirmed more then anything against Brady, it's just the regular people think it's about Brady. It's more about whether or not Goodell can act as judge, jury, and executioner without ANY evidence of wrongdoing against ANY team, going forward, ANY TIME he wants.

That should scare any NFL fan. It's a power play. If Goodell wins, all teams watch out.

Ultimately we don't know what happened, but neither does the NFL, and they are the ones pressing the issue and issuing penalties for a 'crime' they aren't even sure happened.

Think about Kraft, he was 100 percent right. He realized that the NFL was in a bind, and the shield can be hurt big time, if Goodell goes down in flames on this. So he gave them a pound of flesh to silence the matter. Like the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy knew he had to find a way for BOTH sides to save face, and so the answer was pulling obsolete missiles out of Turkey in return for missiles out of Cuba. This is basically what Kraft did. He took one for the team, and Goodell screwed him good.

Instead Roger Goebbels went on his crusade full bore, and used the media to portray things inaccurately (once again) to cover for the fact that they didn't have anything, and were never going to get to see Brady's phone, and never would of found anything out even if they did (because they had everything already AND if not, he would of deleted it by then). So the whole phone being replaced turning into 'Destroy phone= Destroyed evidence= Brady guilty' narrative/meme pushed out by the NFL was nothing but a red herring put out by the league. It's disgusting. They're playing with us.

Anyways, tomorrow Mort is supposed to talk about the 2 PSI under for 11 of 12 footballs tomorrow on the radio at 7:30 ET. Maybe he continues to tow the line, or maybe because it made him look like a complete idiot, he'll come clean. We'll see.

Comparing Goodell to Goebbles is beyond stupid and quite frankly insulting to any Jewish person, including this one.

 

[Buckybird]

There is a huge difference between your entire defense being involved in or knowing about the bounty program and one player deflating balls.

Then why were they fined $1 mil & 1st & 4th rounder as a team? Wasn't that the same as the Taints?

As the commish said not knowing what's going on with you're team as a coach isn't an excuse. Just sayin

 

[MadCardDisease]

Then why were they fined $1 mil & 1st & 4th rounder as a team? Wasn't that the same as the Taints?

Two reasons I can think of:

Repeat offenders. (remember spygate a few years ago?)

Members of the staff were also involved. (Ball boys worked with Brady)

 

[slanidrac16]

One was on-field, attacking the integrity of the game, the other was an off-field issue that should be handled by our legal system.

I get that, but Goodell really is all over the board with the suspension crap. Ray Rice got banned for basically a whole year as did Peterson. I really don't care if Hardy's charges were dropped our 'paid off". He still did what he did.

And now suddenly there is this entire new protocol about how the balls will be handled. If 1lb. of pressure more or less is such a big deal one's got to think things should have already been in place.

Has any investigations been started with any other teams? How would we feel if we found out Palmer was guilty of having his game balls over inflated by 1/2 lb. of air? We'll never know if Palmer or Rodgers or Brees or anybody else hasn't done the same thing because apparently the big shots that run the NFL didn't worry about it too much or it would have been policed a lot more.

The CBA has to be ammended to take this "supreme power" away from Goodell because he obviously is out of his league when it comes to dealing out punishment.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Greg Hardy 4 games for beating up a woman and throwing her on to a pile of guns.

Tom Brady 4 games for letting some air out of the ball.

I don't care who you are there is some kind of imbalance here.

I'm really getting sick of Goodell. I've never cared about any NFL commissioner in the past, but this guy irks me.

That is incorrect, he missed 16 games last season, that makes 20 games... Not even in the same area code...

 

[slanidrac16]

That is incorrect, he missed 16 games last season, that makes 20 games... Not even in the same area code...

Forgot about that...I feel like Goodell....

 

[Stout]

But what we know for sure is the NFL has been playing the public perception slander game from day 1, and this HAS become about Goodell's and the NFL's competence being confirmed more then anything against Brady, it's just the regular people think it's about Brady.

I disagree that the NFL has been slandering him from day 1. For quite a long time, the NFL remained silent and let this 'golden boy' and his organization make themselves look like arrogant jackasses who think they're above the rules. While it was hilarious, the Brady 'balls' press conference was so childish and flippant, he must have known it was going to rile the league. And the whole phone thing is just plain idiotic.

 

[moklerman]

I get that, but Goodell really is all over the board with the suspension crap. Ray Rice got banned for basically a whole year as did Peterson. I really don't care if Hardy's charges were dropped our 'paid off". He still did what he did.

And now suddenly there is this entire new protocol about how the balls will be handled. If 1lb. of pressure more or less is such a big deal one's got to think things should have already been in place.

Has any investigations been started with any other teams? How would we feel if we found out Palmer was guilty of having his game balls over inflated by 1/2 lb. of air? We'll never know if Palmer or Rodgers or Brees or anybody else hasn't done the same thing because apparently the big shots that run the NFL didn't worry about it too much or it would have been policed a lot more.

The CBA has to be ammended to take this "supreme power" away from Goodell because he obviously is out of his league when it comes to dealing out punishment.

Pretty sure the Chargers were fined for inflation issues FWIW.

For me, it's telling that the Patriots(Tom Brady) was instrumental in getting the rule about using your own footballs put in place. Along with Manning, they lobbied for it hard.

IMO, Manning because he was tired of using balls supplied by New England in road games and Brady because he wanted to gain an unfair advantage.

Sounds paranoid but it's backed up by the numbers. After '06, Manning's overall numbers against the Patriots got significantly better(more in line with what he'd done against the league). After '06, Brady and the Patriots dramatically reduced their rate of fumbling.

That's what I'm waiting to see now. Will the Patriots fumbling rate go back to where it was from '99-'05 or will it remain incredibly low?

 

[jeeperaz]

I disagree that the NFL has been slandering him from day 1. For quite a long time, the NFL remained silent

January 21, 2015

​

What is that, a day or two after the game? So the league is leaking false info right from the get go. Eventually, the Wells Report revealed that, depending on which of the two sets of measurements were used, one or none of the 11 footballs were as much as 2 PSI under the minimum.

Below is actually a really good read with a lot of provocative information in it.
http://www.barstoolsports.com/bosto...ecap-to-the-deflategate-conspiracy-factsonly/

 

[Stout]

January 21, 2015

​

What is that, a day or two after the game? So the league is leaking false info right from the get go. Eventually, the Wells Report revealed that, depending on which of the two sets of measurements were used, one or none of the 11 footballs were as much as 2 PSI under the minimum.

Below is actually a really good read with a lot of provocative information in it.
http://www.barstoolsports.com/bosto...ecap-to-the-deflategate-conspiracy-factsonly/

Or ESPN is doing shoddy reporting. I know, that would be so very shocking, huh?

 

[CardsFan88]

Comparing Goodell to Goebbles is beyond stupid and quite frankly insulting to any Jewish person, including this one.

Insulted? You should be, Goodell is following his model.

I'm just calling it out. You shouldn't be insulted at me, you should be insulted at the people following his handiwork. You do realize his 'model' is followed today and is RAMPANT in the USA and the World, right?

...and that's a fact, and that's the BEST way to remember. To NEVER FORGET.

I guarantee you, sticking your head in the sand, to avoid remembering, is exactly how we'll arrive at the same position, again. That would be the ultimate insult.

I disagree that the NFL has been slandering him from day 1. For quite a long time, the NFL remained silent and let this 'golden boy' and his organization make themselves look like arrogant jackasses who think they're above the rules. While it was hilarious, the Brady 'balls' press conference was so childish and flippant, he must have known it was going to rile the league. And the whole phone thing is just plain idiotic.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...n-leaks-of-false-information/#comment-4405646

also

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...l-deflategate-report-on-weei/#comment-4401645

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...alize-he-was-used-by-the-nfl/#comment-4402150


....and again the passion comes from Brady being railroaded without a shred of evidence he did anything... and without a shred of evidence anything happened. I don't like that no matter WHO he is, he is American.

Anyone want the Cardinals to face the wrath? Where the NFL goes after a player or our team as a whole, without evidence of a crime, and USES the idiot media to sway people with outright propaganda to help get their way. That's ABSOLUTELY sickening.

Does anyone think tyrant Goodell will stop here? If you look back at many other things, he's been trending this way. Remember Bountygate? Well turns out they changed their story about 4 times about it. Remember Ray Rice? Well he DID get TWO punishments for one crime. The NFL has been trending towards lawlessness for quite some time, and now we see them using the media, and our media just eats it up and passes on fake info and doesn't correct anything. When is it our turn to face Goodell's illegitimate, illegal, and public witch hunt wrath?

This is a good test for the American public as well. How much will they allow Goodell to get away with, because fittingly it's also a good microcosm to how much we'll let our politicians get away with. Funny enough, the two seem to match.

If people won't realize what is happening here, which is something they pay attention MUCH more then anything in Washington, what are they liable to do with anything that happens there? This is a great test, and while some are passing, like Mike Florio, just about everyone else is failing, including the public, which for the most part, still clings to the NFL's original propaganda and their 'gut feelings'. The sad thing is, most people are completely unaware the propaganda swayed them, which is usually how it goes. If people looked around and took a step back to notice this, we'd be far better off as a country. 'Hey I was used by propaganda...and believed it!!!!' That right there, would be a good step in the right direction.


edit:

Remember the Mort interview well he cancelled it....but he had some intriguing things to say (still he has no backbone)

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/espn-a...cancels-boston-radio-interview-222311239.html

“You guys made a mistake by drumming up business for the show and how I would address my reporting for the first time,” Mortensen told WEEI. “I will not allow WEEI, [Patriots owner Robert] Kraft or anybody to make me the centerpiece of a story that has been misreported far beyond anything I did in the first 48 hours. Maybe when the lawsuit is settled, in Brady’s favor, I hope, we can revisit. Don’t call.”

I guess there are some powerful people that don't want this to come out, like at the NFL and ESPN, so he doesn't have the cover to report anything, until at least after the court decision. Even then, Mort might sit on it.

 

[moklerman]

Perhaps if the Patriots weren't habitual cheaters there wouldn't be such an effort being made in this case to convict them?

 

[Buckybird]

Perhaps if the Patriots weren't habitual cheaters there wouldn't be such an effort being made in this case to convict them?

Yeppers

 

[jeeperaz]

Come on, Spygate was almost 10 years ago. The Wells Reports has already stated that "In particular, we do not believe there was any wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing by Patriots ownership, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick or any other Patriots coach in the matters investigated."


If anyone has demonstrated a habit or pattern of abusing rules, it's Roger Goodell.

 

[moklerman]

Come on, Spygate was almost 10 years ago. The Wells Reports has already stated that "In particular, we do not believe there was any wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing by Patriots ownership, Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick or any other Patriots coach in the matters investigated."


If anyone has demonstrated a habit or pattern of abusing rules, it's Roger Goodell.

Goodell has demonstrated a lack of preparation and consistency but I think it's absurd to condemn him for not having a specific rule in place for each and every way that NFL players cheat and/or break the law.

Are you saying that 10 years ago the Patriots just went cold turkey and stopped all of their rule bending/breaking?

 

[jeeperaz]

Are you saying that 10 years ago the Patriots just went cold turkey and stopped all of their rule bending/breaking?

Sure. I have no proof to show me otherwise.

Are you implying their continued success is because they continue to break rules?

 

[Cardiac]

Sure. I have no proof to show me otherwise.

Are you implying their continued success is because they continue to break rules?

IMO the Patriots have an unhealthy and or misguided sense of competiveness. I don't think they need to cheat to be successful but they simply can't help themselves. It's a culture established by Billacheat and at times he goes to the line but doesn't cross it and then other times he goes to far.

Billacheat is very very smart and obviously an innovative football mind. An example would be what he did against the Ravens with players announcing they were ineligible receivers. Clever concept and out of the box thinking but the Ravens thought it skirted the rules ( I forget why ). Point is Billacheat knows he's smart etc. but doesn't know when he is crossing the line. Spygate being the example.

So as he shares these ideas with his players (especially Brady) then they get caught up in the "let's outsmart our opponents" mentality that has a skewed sense of fair play and simply what's right.

I doubt Billacheat had no idea of what Brady was doing but even if he didn't he created the culture that crossing the line is not only okay but expected.

Crazy thing is they don't need to cross these lines to be SB champs and perennial winners, they are that smart and talented.

 

[AZCrazy]

They cheated and should be punished badly. Everything else is fluff.

And Goodell has been inconsistent but he hasn't broken any rules. That illegal crap is all on the players, whether on or off the field.

People complain about wife beaters and criminals getting the same punishment as ball deflators, but the harsher penalties he's tried to hand out have all been cut out from under him by bleeding heart arbitrators and the stupid players' union that stands up for the criminal members more than the ones who were cheated against.

 

[moklerman]

And let's not forget, this is what the players union agreed to. To get all the extra days off and easier practices, the players AGREED to give Goodell the power he's got.

 

[Matt L]

What you fail to look at it is that NFLPA & the players voted to give him that power with a new CBA. Even most of its team Union player reps think Brady is guilty & are pissed about how much $$$ is being spent on him trying to prove he knows nada.

How do you know about the part in bold?

 

[Matt L]

And let's not forget, this is what the players union agreed to. To get all the extra days off and easier practices, the players AGREED to give Goodell the power he's got.

The commissioner has been exercising the authority to discipline the players and "protect the shield" before this version of the CBA was signed.

It would not surprise me if Brady is responsible for the lack of PSI in the footballs and I think he should be punished. However, I do not understand why this particular offense warrants a four game suspension rather than the fine that is prescribed in the league rule book:

“Once the balls have left the locker room, no one, including players, equipment managers, ball boys, and coaches, is allowed to alter the footballs in any way. If any individual alters the footballs, or if a non-approved ball is used in the game, the person responsible and, if appropriate, the head coach or other club personnel will be subject to discipline, including but not limited to, a fine of $25,000.”

— From the NFL Game Operations Manual

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

damn, 88 is making Mitch look shortwinded . We're gettiing an essay every post