The only thing I'll say, is that no matter how insanely fucked up the Hardy case is, it A. had nothing to do with football, and B. He was already suspended all of last season. Why didn't Rice, or Peterson get games added this year too? What Brady did affected football games, and is a lot more severe from an integrity of the game standpoint.
Fair enough, I made the mistake of confusing the appeal with the actual case. My point is no matter how vile and disgusting of an act he committed I'm not 100% behind the NFL punishing a player for conduct off the field without a 100% certainty he is guilty. Hardy won his appeal and for whatever reason whether we agree with it or not in the eye of the court he won. The difference is Hardy might be a disgusting person, a real low life piece of shit but he isn't tampering with the product on the field. Brady who based on the law in a civil trial would have been found guilty circumvented the rules to gain an advantage on the field. This is where I feel the NFL should police itself without interference of the federal government. This isn't a federal issue, Brady's liberty hasn't been violated. This is a workplace issue and as far as I'm concerned his boss determined to punish him based on the facts presented to him, no different than if you fudged some reports to make your sales numbers look better and your boss found out and determined you did fudge the numbers and punished you and that should be final.
If it's such a minor matter, why lie about it? That makes no sense. He lied because he did it, and he lied because he knew this had been going on for a while and not just two or three games, and he lied because he knew what it would mean to his legacy if this were discovered. QBs handle the ball every play. A number of current and former NFL QBs have discussed how QBs are obsessed with the feel of the footballs and know every detail about them. It has been proven that Brady preferred underinflated balls. Playing with illegal footballs didn't impact the 582 passes Brady threw or the 430 times he handed the ball to a RB? The stats showing that the Pats low rate of fumbles compared to the rest of the NFL is statistically impossible should be ignored?. We should ignore the Wells report? Ted Wells is one of the most accomplished lawyers in the world and does not need the NFLs business. But we should take some Pat's fan boys view of this issue, and the Pats loving national media view of the report over the work of one of America's most brilliant minds? And ignore that Brady told Wells and the NFL to screw off by not cooperating? Learn the standard of proof in this case - it might help you understand this better. It's not clear and convincing or beyond doubt. It's more likely than not. Do you honestly believe that it is more likely than not that Brady played no role in the deflation of the footballs? And you and others are seriously comparing this to the Alosi incident and think its comparable? A sideline trip on a punt return is comparable to the advantage gained on every pass a QB throws? Really? The Pats have a history of bending rules and cheating and they got caught - again - and we should just dismiss it? The point being argued that everyone does it is such BS. If that is true, then when the others are caught they should be fined and suspended appropriately. Here is the crux of the matter. The Pats cheated once, got severely punished, and went almost ten years without winning a SB. Then they are caught again and it just happens to be when they break their 9 year title drought. The Pats treat the NFL and their opponents with disdain and a lack of class and sportsmanship that is unlike anything I have seen in 50 years of following sports. It's not one incident. It happens over and over. Taping defensive signals, mugging receivers, illegal formations, running up scores and embarrassing opponents for no reason, refusing to shake hands after a loss, acting like assholes in post game presses...... The Pats alone are responsible for numerous rules clarifications and changes. Why? It's not because they are smarter and don't hand me this BS that " if you aren't cheating you aren't trying." Nothing impacts the integrity of the game more than cheating. And the Pats have continually won and repeatedly cheated and have brazenly and repeatedly told the NFL to screw off. Now it's time to pay the price and if Goodell wimps out and reduces this suspension I for one will freak out.
Brady lied about cheating to slither away unscathed and keep his minions public opinion in his favor . The Ne/Brady psychopants are just as stupid as Brady is. Excellent summation Joe Willie White shoes
The boyhood buddies BB and Ernie are responsible for the Pats Way legacy of football. THey found an owner to be complicit with their schemes. It's that easy.
I don't know? probably b/c NE has been caught doing so many of these little things that they knew it would blow up. he should have come out and admitted it right away, it would have blown over. if anyone thinks NE wasn't cheating the previous 10 years you don't know NE and you don't know the NFL. the Pats and every team are trying to bend rules to gain an advantage at all times.
when caught they should be punished, NE was and Brady was. they earned their penalties just as they earned their SBs.
your comments on earning the suspensions as the title are kind of steeped in a little contradiction. They cheated as the slightest advantage seemed to give them the edge they needed to win 4 SB titles. All by less than 4 pts. All 4 titles are tainted. End of Story.
considering the last SB the balls were under heavy scrutiny I don't see what the final score has anything to do w/ it? unless you think they found a way to deflate balls during that game and even if they did to suggest that is why they won is comical.
They shouldn't have been in the big game period. Just a farce that they were allowed to be there. They should have lost by forfeit to the Colts, but men with money have no morals or scruples. Anyone caught cheating in a NFL Playoff game should be vacated from any win. The rule book has a rule for this.....the highbrow NFL is dumb and blind
The only thing deflated in the SB was the Seattle brain trust come crunch time. Imagine, having no less a beast than Marshawn Lynch in your backfield, with not 1 or 2 but 3 cracks at the endzone from 1 yard out - boggles the mind.
your team built a dynasty on steroids. should we remove 4 SBs? SB XL was won w/ controversy, should we take that away too?
every team took them and they weren't outlawed until late 80's. you're arguement is weak. So you mean every team until Superbowl 20 should be rescinded? Even the Jets?
This is the single best post ever written on TGG.com. It should stickied so that all shall read and understand what a quality post on a substantive football issue looks like. It should also be required reading for every Pats troll that posts on the site. Close this thread as there is nothing further left to discuss. Nice job JWWS!
every team looks for an edge too and who cares when they were outlawed? it was known to be against the spirit of the rules. No teams deserved to lose their SBs, I am just giving an example of your flawed logic.
why aren't any current QBs up in arms about this? why haven't any come out against Brady? think about that.
Don't you have an lobster traps to set? Not sure what you know about that situation? Plenty of the millions upon millions of Steeler fans looked down on Ben for his loose nightlife among other things. He never ever got charged for it, so lets stop with the fantasy land chowder head!! He got suspended by his owner, not the NFL's behest. He's repented his ways and is now obliterting the record books!! We went 3-1 with him out, how you guys gonna do when he's out? Oh yeah, your psychopant boards have you guys going 16-0 again!! HA HA HA enjoy this nugget cheater chowd NFL QB Passer Ratings When No Pressure Vs. Pressure (multi years)