Brady Suspension Reversed!!

[BDL]

Just when you thought the fans could just focus on football (real and fantasy), Goodell and ESPN stir the poop pot 2 days before the season kicks off. A game that Goodell won't even be attending for the banner reveal. Now, we're going back to "Spy-gate". And how Goodell says the tapes were more egregious than originally reported.

I have 2 problems with this statement. 1) If he admits the tapes were worse than believed, doesn't that make him an accomplice? 2) If Goodell considered the penalty at the time, to be light (and that's why he went after the Pats/Kraft/Brady to come down harder with the air in footballs), why was it the HIGHEST penalty at the time in regards to fines for the owner, the HC, and a 1st rounder.

My God... It's like I'm listening to the song Walk Around In Circles. CLICK HERE for my favorite version of the video.

 

[TAX GUY]

At the risk of being too "in your face" because I also support TB12 and the Patriots, I'm glad to see this is working out as we thought it would (based on what was and is relevant in the case) and the evidence (or lack thereof). Now to read there is more hoop-la around this and it may have been a "make up" to "spygate"? All this back and forth (and not just with the Patriots) is out of control and is making the league look more unmanaged and unprofessional than they already do. The Ray Rice issue, the Adrian Peterson issue, the Ray Lewis issue, all the PED issues..... they don't seem to have a set of rules and make them up as they go and base the next on the previous reactions.

 

[pat fan]

My word, can people just give it up and move on already??? Are we going back to Bounty-Gate?? Jerry Rice's stick-um?? This is heading into the absurd and the NFL is losing face. I won't even watch ESPN anymore.

 

[CPanther95]

Good luck (but not too much) Thursday, Pats fans.

 

[andyman8]

I don't know. I understand the facts are dodgey on this, but I think this is a classic "where there's smoke, there's fire." We know the footballs were deflated. We know quite a few messages from his phone could not be recovered or accessed for whatever reason. We know he had contact with those who inflated the footballs. Seems to me like something happened, maybe it didn't warrant such a steep punishment, but I think in a game like this, there is a clear right and wrong. Obviously, cheating to any extent falls well within the wrong, thus a punishment is warranted. To me, it's not about supporting one team or another, who wins, who loses, someone's history, or any of that. It's about being held accountable and sending the right message to all the young football fans: cheating is not okay, no matter who does it.

 

[Shutterbug]

Here is the ESPN article about the spygate and nfl cover up, thats going to be published later this month:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13533995/split-nfl-new-england-patriots-apart

I found it to be an interesting read with some things I hadnt heard about before.

 

[alicat8]

Here is the ESPN article about the spygate and nfl cover up, thats going to be published later this month:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13533995/split-nfl-new-england-patriots-apart

I found it to be an interesting read with some things I hadnt heard about before.

My husband just gave me the rundown on this. I'm not a big football fan, but I was fascinated!!

 

[sunshinehighway]

I don't know. I understand the facts are dodgey on this, but I think this is a classic "where there's smoke, there's fire." We know the footballs were deflated. We know quite a few messages from his phone could not be recovered or accessed for whatever reason. We know he had contact with those who inflated the footballs. Seems to me like something happened, maybe it didn't warrant such a steep punishment, but I think in a game like this, there is a clear right and wrong. Obviously, cheating to any extent falls well within the wrong, thus a punishment is warranted. To me, it's not about supporting one team or another, who wins, who loses, someone's history, or any of that. It's about being held accountable and sending the right message to all the young football fans: cheating is not okay, no matter who does it.

It seems like you have a few things wrong there.

At this point, the whole thing has just gotten completely ridiculous. Espn and the NFL are keeping this going and it's a circus. It reeks of pettiness. How is using ESPN to attack one team with rumors and unsubstantiated accusations good for football?
I guess it's better than the focus being on the illegal and violent behaviors of players.

 

[andyman8]

It seems like you have a few things wrong there.

At this point, the whole thing has just gotten completely ridiculous. Espn and the NFL are keeping this going and it's a circus. It reeks of pettiness. How is using ESPN to attack one team with rumors and unsubstantiated accusations good for football?
I guess it's better than the focus being on the illegal and violent behaviors of players.

What exactly do I have "wrong there"? I am reiterating the basic facts that have been relayed not only on ESPN, but on NBC, various newspapers, CNN, Fox News, etc... This has recently only popped up again because of the judge's unusual ruling. Politics aside, if he cheated, that's not okay there needs to be a consequence. Sorry, that's how I was brought up. If you have a problem with the investigation or the severity of the punishment, that's another discussion entirely.

 

[sunshinehighway]

What exactly do I have "wrong there"? I am reiterating the basic facts that have been relayed not only on ESPN, but on NBC, various newspapers, CNN, Fox News, etc... This has recently only popped up again because of the judge's unusual ruling. Politics aside, if he cheated, that's not okay there needs to be a consequence. Sorry, that's how I was brought up. If you have a problem with the investigation or the severity of the punishment, that's another discussion entirely.

They don't even know someone deflated the balls. There's no record of the original psi and there's different measurements on the psi at halftime. The measurements they do have put most of the balls barely under. It's entirely possible that was due to the temperature. Let's not forget that the Colt's balls which were tested were also under and that's after sitting in a warmer room during halftime.
What missing messages?

 

[andyman8]

They don't even know someone deflated the balls. There's no record of the original psi and there's different measurements on the psi at halftime. The measurements they do have put most of the balls barely under. It's entirely possible that was due to the temperature. Let's not forget that the Colt's balls which were tested were also under and that's after sitting in a warmer room during halftime.
What missing messages?

Look, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I could list a slew of articles, PDFs, etc... showing that those footballs didn't have close to the regulated amount of air in them, but it would be a useless exercise as your mind is clearly made up. The controversy to many is whether Brady had any direct knowledge of it and/or if he influenced those who were in possession of the footballs to deflate them at all. Based on the evidence presented and the team's record, it looks to me, and apparently the League, he did. For now, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[pat fan]

I think this is a classic "where there's smoke, there's fire." We know the footballs were deflated. We know quite a few messages from his phone could not be recovered or accessed for whatever reason. We know he had contact with those who inflated the footballs.

We do NOT know the footballs were deflated. of the 11 that were "low" PSI, 10 were within the realm of natural gas law with only one being under more than that. 3 of the 4 Colts balls tested were also under 12.5. Why did they test only 4 not all 12? Good question but nobody's asked that.

I have never heard messages were missing. Ever.

Of course he had contact with them. He never tried to hide that fact. He had contact with them a lot. Like the game a few week prior when the balls were inflated to 16 PSI at the Jets game and he was angry about how hard they were. But no one is going after how that happened, are they?

Seriously, read the facts before just buying what ESPN is selling.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

So, there's no going back & taking away a Super Bowl from someone, just as there's no erasing 70 or 73 home runs, or 4,000+ hits. But as with baseball, the Hall of Fame looms out there one day. I wonder what happens then.

 

[andyman8]

Seriously, read the facts before just buying what ESPN is selling.

Excuse me, I have gathered information from a multitude of resources. I get my news from more sources than the average person, as I'm in journalism. If you'd like, I could list them to you (btw, I hadn't read anything from ESPN until a PP linked an article from this week). Anyways, by inaccessible messages, I meant he got rid of his phone, thus making it harder for investigators to locate messages and communications he might have had. You can give me a slew of excuses, but personally, it seems like there was something fishy going on. That's my PERSONAL opinion, and I also respect yours. As a Patriots fan, you appreciate Tom Brady and would come at this with a different perspective, but I don't see any reason to get nasty with me just because you disagree.

 

[Missy1961]

So, there's no going back & taking away a Super Bowl from someone, just as there's no erasing 70 or 73 home runs, or 4,000+ hits. But as with baseball, the Hall of Fame looms out there one day. I wonder what happens then.

My guess? He gets in without a fuss.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Excuse me, I have gathered information from a multitude of resources. I get my news from more sources than the average person, as I'm in journalism. If you'd like, I could list them to you (btw, I hadn't read anything from ESPN until a PP linked an article from this week). Anyways, by inaccessible messages, I meant he got rid of his phone, thus making it harder for investigators to locate messages and communications he might have had. You can give me a slew of excuses, but personally, it seems like there was something fishy going on. That's my PERSONAL opinion, and I also respect yours. As a Patriots fan, you appreciate Tom Brady and would come at this with a different perspective, but I don't see any reason to get nasty with me just because you disagree.

You represented your personal opinion as known facts. Saying "we know" is much different than saying "I believe".

The haltime psi readings are available to anyone looking for them. No special sources needed.
There are no missing messages.

You want to talk fishy? It's fishy that the NFL leaked bad information to ESPN and never corrected it. It's fishy that Goodell misrepresented much of the investigation, including his independent investigator who works for the NFL's lawyers and the whole cell phone thing.
It's fishy that the same media outlet which was responsible for reporting all the bad information to begin with is now dragging up something from 8 years ago.

 

[PACVII]

Well I am thinking where there is smoke. Pats are dirty they got busted twice. Call it pushing the rules or what ever you want. It's a sham they are a good team but with everything else you have now no one sees that other then pats fans. Everyone is going to remember all this other stuff going on. Like I said to start where there is smoke there is fire. Something is going on somewhere.

 

[goofy4prez]

Here's my take on this whole thing.

1. I can't stand the New England Patriots.
2. I can't stand Tom Brady and his arrogant smirk.
3. I can't Bill Belichick and his pathetic personality. This resentment for him goes back to his days in Cleveland as well as my misfortune of meeting this guy on several occasions while he was in Cleveland (business).
4. I think IMO Tom Brady was guilty in "De-flate Gate."
5. I do think that Bill Belichick knowingly cheated along with other coaches in the "Spy-Gate" controversy.
6. I'm personally of the opinion that Patriot fans have evolved into a base of fans that have become like those of many (not all) Steeler and Yankee fans; not very pleasant. (Was not always that way.)
7. Being an outsider, outside of my pathetic Cleveland Browns the New England Patriots used to be my favorite team. But with time Brady, Belichick and yes (putting on the flame suit) the home team fans have turned me off.
8. I loved Teddy Bruschi, John Hannah, Andre Tippet, Willie McGinnest, Ben Coates, Russ Francis, Steve Grogan, Craig James and Irvin Fryer.

With all of that said, I do believe the NFL and namely Roger Goodell were completely wrong in this whole deflate gate joke of a mess. While I think Brady was guilty, there is not enough proof and for this reason it was a losing cause for the NFL. As for the Spygate scandal, who really cares, that is yesterdays news and I wish the NFL, media and fans would just move on.

 

[TAX GUY]

Things keep getting worse for the Pats...

 

[CPanther95]

Here's my take on this whole thing.

1. I can't stand the New England Patriots.
2. I can't stand Tom Brady and his arrogant smirk.

Agree 100%, but I'll freely admit that both of those are primarily fueled by envy - as it is in the case of most of the hate.

3. I can't Bill Belichick and his pathetic personality. This resentment for him goes back to his days in Cleveland as well as my misfortune of meeting this guy on several occasions while he was in Cleveland (business).

Disagree 100%. In fact, he is probably my favorite active coach in the league. Ironically, my admiration for him also goes back to his days in Cleveland.