I don't like Goodell - I think he's bad for the league - but he made the no-brainer smart decision on this one. If Goodell caved he would have lost the rest of the league and 99% of the fanbase. The delusional fans on PatsMorons.com are going to be on collective suicide watch. EDIT: LMAO that Kraft refused to take questions.
Guess that's two players that "never lied" to Kraft, have now lied to him. At least he was smart enough to realize the Pats didn't have a leg to stand on in this appeal process. As little evidence as Wells collected to prove Brady was involved , the Pats had even less in trying to prove he wasn't involved.
WEEI is must-listen radio right now. One of their hosts has convinced himself there's a behind-the-scenes handshake deal that Goodell will repeal Brady's suspension (all 4 games!) before the season starts. Thank god for internet radio.
In an article ESPN published yesterday, they stated Kraft and Goodell had back channel conversations to resolve the Deflategate issues. In light of today's press conference, it seems like Kraft got the smoking gun showed to him.
Francesca seems to think the same thing almost. Caller said they might have an under the table agreement to cut it to 2 games.
At this point though whether Brady's suspension is cut or not his legacy is tarnished. 2 games or 4 games it doesn't matter. It should've been a year like New Orleans got.
The sad part is they hugged b4 parting ways. i.e Brady the cryer is still appealing the 4 game suspension thus Goodell goes right back to being kraft's jockstrap boy. It will go down to two games and NE can go right back to the cheating ways. JMO
Why would Brady receive reduced penalty..? That would not make sense. His own team is now accepting punishment, guilty. Brady knowledge of illegal deflation of footballs is the entire reason for the Pats punishment.
Patriots penalty was never going to be reduced. Teams have no recourse against the league. Accepting it is just a PR move. All he chose was to not become the modern day Al Davis.
P*ts made this way worse than it ever had to be. Should have taken the hand slap penalties from the get go. Disgrace
I could see the league throwing the equipment guys under the bus (with a huge private settlement for each), and then letting Brady walk away with a 2 game suspension. Apart from the text messages and a mountain of circumstantial evidence that Brady has full knowledge and control over how his balls get done, the league has no direct evidence implicating him. Nevertheless, I think he gets 2 games for the lack of cooperation. No way they cannot let him walk scot free as he deliberately resisted the league investigation and that would set a really bad precedent.
