Sports: Deflate-Gate

[TAX GUY]

Interesting how many defend the Patriot actions by claiming other teams do the same thing. There is holding on every play, yet it is the blatant holding that almost always draws a penalty. The Patriots are the ones who got caught, perhaps they should have cooperated fully with the investigation and the NFL would not have had to enact such a strong punishment. The real issue is that Brady, Kraft, and the entire Patriot organization have violated the integrity of the game. Due to arrogant flaunting of league rules, the Patriots pushed the limit too far and the league had to send a message. Seeing as there are 31 other owners, did Kraft believe that he was due special treatment?

For me, its not so much defending them by saying "other teams do it". It's more of "why is this such a big issue"? They aren't the only one's to have game balls outside of the stated range and probably won't be the last either. Because its usually a non issue, BUT it is a rule, I feel others wanted to get them on something, *cough - Harbaugh - cough* so this is what was brought to light. Because there was a complaint filed before the AFC Championship game, it had to be looked at. Rumor has it the Colts were "tipped off" to this so they were better prepared for it (read, make sure your game balls are all within regulation). Is that a conspiracy theory? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[deedeetoo]

Interesting how many defend the Patriot actions by claiming other teams do the same thing. There is holding on every play, yet it is the blatant holding that almost always draws a penalty. The Patriots are the ones who got caught, perhaps they should have cooperated fully with the investigation and the NFL would not have had to enact such a strong punishment. The real issue is that Brady, Kraft, and the entire Patriot organization have violated the integrity of the game. Due to arrogant flaunting of league rules, the Patriots pushed the limit too far and the league had to send a message. Seeing as there are 31 other owners, did Kraft believe that he was due special treatment?

Here is how I see the situation. The speed limit is 65. Everyone is cruising down the highway at the same speed, probably a little over the speed limit but we don't know for sure because no one is really checking. One of the cars is a bright red expensive sports car. Cop comes along and pulls over that car. Everyone else laughs because the guy who made himself stand out is the guy that got caught. The guy driving gets a ticket with the fine for going over the speed limit even though the cop wasn't using radar to tell exactly how fast the car was going. The cop also gets mad at the driver for not handing over proof of how fast he was going and decides to arbitrarily suspend his license for a month, even though that punishment isn't written into any driver's manual or procedure. The driver appeals it and the appeal is heard by the same cop that set the punishment who denies the appeal.

Sounds like a cop on a power trip to me. And everyone else is just laughing because its not them and they really don't like the guy who was driving the car.

 

[undertheradar]

Except the true violation involving Brady and the Patriots, is violating the "integrity of the game." That is something that impacts 31 other teams. Of course Patriot fans think it is too harsh, they are on the receiving end of a "harsh" penalty. The reality is that the NFL is sending a very loud message and the Patriots are the ones who were involved. Somehow I believe the Patriot fans would be singing a different tune if this were any other team, and much louder if it involved a division rival.

 

[ilovefh]

Here is how I see the situation. The speed limit is 65. Everyone is cruising down the highway at the same speed, probably a little over the speed limit but we don't know for sure because no one is really checking. One of the cars is a bright red expensive sports car. Cop comes along and pulls over that car. Everyone else laughs because the guy who made himself stand out is the guy that got caught. The guy driving gets a ticket with the fine for going over the speed limit even though the cop wasn't using radar to tell exactly how fast the car was going. The cop also gets mad at the driver for not handing over proof of how fast he was going and decides to arbitrarily suspend his license for a month, even though that punishment isn't written into any driver's manual or procedure. The driver appeals it and the appeal is heard by the same cop that set the punishment who denies the appeal.

Sounds like a cop on a power trip to me. And everyone else is just laughing because its not them and they really don't like the guy who was driving the car.

That's the same example I've been using.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Except the true violation involving Brady and the Patriots, is violating the "integrity of the game." That is something that impacts 31 other teams. Of course Patriot fans think it is too harsh, they are on the receiving end of a "harsh" penalty. The reality is that the NFL is sending a very loud message and the Patriots are the ones who were involved. Somehow I believe the Patriot fans would be singing a different tune if this were any other team, and much louder if it involved a division rival.

The "integrity of the game" is a bunch of nonsense. First the league is full of people engaging in illegal behavior. Second where's the integrity in leaking blatantly false info the the press? Even if you want to say we don't know who leaked it, it wasn't corrected. Goodell stood by while all kinds of false things were written and never stood up to say it was untrue.
Where's the integrity in putting out that Brady destroyed his phone but hiding in a footnote the fact that he offered the information investigators wanted?
Where's the integrity in claiming to hire an independent investigator when in reality in he works for an NFL lawfirm?

 

[TAX GUY]

Except the true violation involving Brady and the Patriots, is violating the "integrity of the game." That is something that impacts 31 other teams. Of course Patriot fans think it is too harsh, they are on the receiving end of a "harsh" penalty. The reality is that the NFL is sending a very loud message and the Patriots are the ones who were involved. Somehow I believe the Patriot fans would be singing a different tune if this were any other team, and much louder if it involved a division rival.

Not this Pats fan. Wouldn't care if it was the Jets or the Giants. Still all very stupid and wouldn't have had an impact on the outcome of the game. I'd say it for the Pats, the Jets, the Giants, the Ravens......

As for the integrity of the game.... really? A slightly under or over inflated football compromises the integrity of the game? If that was the case, then why doesn't the league have STRICT enforcement of that rule as well as checking procedures for the officials checking the game balls, complete with checklists and signoff sheets (might as well throw in video surveillance too, you know, if its really THAT important to protect the integrity of the game.

 

[undertheradar]

The "integrity of the game" is a bunch of nonsense. First the league is full of people engaging in illegal behavior. Second where's the integrity in leaking blatantly false info the the press? Even if you want to say we don't know who leaked it, it wasn't corrected. Goodell stood by while all kinds of false things were written and never stood up to say it was untrue.
Where's the integrity in putting out that Brady destroyed his phone but hiding in a footnote the fact that he offered the information investigators wanted?
Where's the integrity in claiming to hire an independent investigator when in reality in he works for an NFL lawfirm?

Brady's legal reps were setting terms. Crazy, Brady was represented by personal lawyers, NFLPA lawyers, and Patriot lawyers. Why the need for so many lawyers if you were fully cooperating?

The NFL was less stringent on off-field issues until the names Rice, Peterson, Hardy, and Hernandez all came together in a flurry of headlines. So imagine the firestorm if the NFL took no action on a team that was pushing rule limits all season? Yes, the Patriots are being used as the example. Just as countless off-field violators received lesser punishments prior to last season. Do you seriously think that the NFL wants to have to punish violators? I'm going to say that I believe that the NFL would like to have a season with no off-field issues and 32 teams ALL playing within the same rules and boundaries.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

As for the integrity of the game.... really?

Really.

The top QB in the league conspiring with a game-day-only-employee to purposely deceive the referees (nobody disputes that McNally took the balls to an unusual place and spent more than a minute and a half with them in a locked room after he presented the balls to the referee for inspection) gets to the integrity of the game.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Brady's legal reps were setting terms. Crazy, Brady was represented by personal lawyers, NFLPA lawyers, and Patriot lawyers. Why the need for so many lawyers if you were fully cooperating?

The NFL was less stringent on off-field issues until the names Rice, Peterson, Hardy, and Hernandez all came together in a flurry of headlines. So imagine the firestorm if the NFL took no action on a team that was pushing rule limits all season? Yes, the Patriots are being used as the example. Just as countless off-field violators received lesser punishments prior to last season. Do you seriously think that the NFL wants to have to punish violators? I'm going to say that I believe that the NFL would like to have a season with no off-field issues and 32 teams ALL playing within the same rules and boundaries.

None of this has anything to do with Goodell allowing the false leaks to stand, being less that forthcoming about what information Brady did provide or agree to provide, and misrepresenting Wells as independent when he works for a law firm that already represent the NFL.

 

[TAX GUY]

I like this judge already:

"...Berman will reside over the case. In a court order Berman released Thursday, he basically told both Brady’s and the NFL’s respective camps to shut up."

http://nesn.com/2015/07/new-york-judge-to-nfl-nflpa-tom-brady-tone-down-your-rhetoric/

 

[TAX GUY]

He even addresses familyoffive...

“While this litigation is ongoing, it is appropriate (and helpful) for all counsel and all parties in this case (to include familyoffive on the Dis Boards) to tone down their rhetoric,” Berman wrote.

 

[MickeySP]

Still hoisting the banner. So in the end who cares

 

[GAN]

Interesting how many defend the Patriot actions by claiming other teams do the same thing. There is holding on every play, yet it is the blatant holding that almost always draws a penalty. The Patriots are the ones who got caught, perhaps they should have cooperated fully with the investigation and the NFL would not have had to enact such a strong punishment. The real issue is that Brady, Kraft, and the entire Patriot organization have violated the integrity of the game. Due to arrogant flaunting of league rules, the Patriots pushed the limit too far and the league had to send a message. Seeing as there are 31 other owners, did Kraft believe that he was due special treatment?

Ha! Wait till you see what Belichick does with the "rules" this year ....

I almost can't wait!

 

[TAX GUY]

Would Brady need to report as an eligible receiver for this play? Just wondering what the rule on that would be...

http://nesn.com/2015/07/tom-brady-r...-handed-td-grab-on-julian-edelman-pass-video/

 

[undertheradar]

None of this has anything to do with Goodell allowing the false leaks to stand, being less that forthcoming about what information Brady did provide or agree to provide, and misrepresenting Wells as independent when he works for a law firm that already represent the NFL.

You have direct knowledge of Goodell directing that the info be leaked?

 

[TAX GUY]

You have direct knowledge of Goodell directing that the info be leaked?

He was "more probable than not" or "at least generally aware" it would happen.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Still hoisting the banner. So in the end who cares

To some degree, don't you care?

 

[asta]

Still hoisting the banner. So in the end who cares

Don't you care that many people look at that banner and say "yeah, but they cheated". I would hate for my team to be identified as cheaters but I guess if that is what you have you have to run with it.

 

[flowerboy]

The entitlement of this couple is hilarious. http://pagesix.com/2015/07/29/gisele...019.1435090947

 

[pat fan]

Don't you care that many people look at that banner and say "yeah, but they cheated". I would hate for my team to be identified as cheaters but I guess if that is what you have you have to run with it.

If this is the level of "cheating" I'll take that over having someone who whipped their child bloody or beat their GF/fiancé unconscious or threatened to kill her. We've had a couple in the past and Myra wouldn't stand for it, thank God. And yeah, I was all over Hernandez, so I am not one to be blind to a situation on my team.