Tom Brady expected to be suspended by the NFL

[endo]

With the ongoing "deflategate" investigation of deflated footballs in the AFC title game last year has come the decision that Tom Brady is going to take the fall for the Patriots.

The investigation concluded that Brady would have had knowledge of the deflated balls and should be the one to pay the penalty.
The announcement should come from Commissioner Roger Goodell next week. The Patriots say they fear a 6-8 week suspension, while another source said it could be a year suspension.


"According to Myers, the Wells report that was released Wednesday provided the commissioner with enough reason to lay the hammer down on Brady. Myers wrote “the feeling” is that Brady’s refusal to give up any emails or text messages related to the investigation and finding “it was more probable than not” that he was aware of any wrongdoing led the commissioner to hit the star with a suspension.

“The NFL is convinced, according to sources, that connecting all the dots of the evidence supplied by Wells leads to one conclusion: Brady cheated,” Myers added."
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So, as a huge fan of the NFL, to me this completely ruins any legacy Tom Brady had. 4 rings, but how many did they cheat to get? What if it was more than deflating balls and spying on playbooks, but they just didn't get caught?

And Brady shouldn't be the only one penalized, no way head coach Bill Belichick didn't know what was happening. He seems shifty anyways.

Anyway, we'll see next week how big the penalty is. Brady didn't seem concerned at a press conference Thursday night and dodged questions about it.

[endo]

Don Shula was asked about this, and said basically what I feel. He called Bill Belichick "Bill Belicheat" which I thought was great.

[NDX]

He's a piece of ish for sure.

[endo]

Here we go...

"The NFL announced Monday that Tom Brady has been suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL policy on the integrity of the game. The team will also be fined $1 million and will forfeit a 2016 first-rounder and 2017 fourth-round selection in the NFL Draft."
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Patriots owner, Robert Kraft said this, which I think is kind of weird if they did nothing wrong...

"Patriots owner Robert Kraft commented on the matter last week, saying his team "had done nothing inappropriate in this process or in violation of the NFL rules." He indicated, however, the team would accept any punishment the league hands down."

I was expecting more than 4 games, and a $1 million dollar fine is nothing for a player much less a team. But the draft picks, that hurts.
And of course Coach Belichick walks away with no punishment at all. That's not right.

[NDX]

He's made of Teflon, man. It's sad really.

[endo]

Now it's turning into a clusterf**k. Brady is, of course, appealing the decision and calls it laughable.

A rumor has it that his agent also said if he wins the appeal they have a team of lawyers and are set to file a suit against the NFL for defamation of character.
I sure hope the NFL did it's homework and covered all their bases during the investigation. This could be bad.

[endo]

Brady has appealed officially and his lawyers have come out publicly with a threat to sue the NFL and Roger Goodell. Goodell wanted to preside over Brady's appeal, but it looks like he won't be able to as he may need to be called as a witness.
A freaking mess that's going to end up costing a lot of money to someone. Won't be me, I don't have any.

[endo]

The hearing will be June 24th, right around the same time the Patriots will be presented with their Super Bowl 49 rings. Depending on how it goes, that's almost poetic.
I have a feeling Brady will have his suspension overturned. There's no concrete evidence against him, only circumstantial. Can't convict him on that, even though I firmly believe he knew exactly what was up and so did Belichick.

[endo]

Brady had a 10 hour meeting with Commissioner Goodell today with his lawyer. No word yet on what the verdict is. On one hand I want him to do the full four game suspension, on the other, even though I dislike him and think he cheats, I really don't think it would be fair.
Don't know if he'll get it reversed, but probably lowered to two games is what I'm guessing.

[endo]

Yes!! Good on Roger Goodell. He has stuck by his decision and Brady will serve his four game suspension. A large part of his decision was based on the fact that Tom Brady destroyed his cell phone hours before meeting with investigator Ted Wells. Fakking Patriots are a bunch of cheaters and they deserve all the punishment they got.

"A destroyed cellphone cost Tom Brady the first four games of the 2015 NFL season.

The NFL announced Tuesday that commissioner Roger Goodell has upheld the four-game suspension he levied on New England quarterback Tom Brady for his role in the Patriots under-inflating footballs during January’s AFC Championship Game win over the Colts. Goodell cited Brady destroying his cellphone on or shortly before the day he met with investigator Ted Wells as a key factor in the decision.

Goodell met with Brady for more than 10 hours on June 23 to hear the Patriots’ quarterback’s appeal. Afterward, Brady's NFL Players Association-appointed attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told reporters, "I think we put in a very compelling case."

F the Patriots and Tom Brady. Can't stand a bunch of cheaters.

[Jason]

Dude is a goon. I first saw Tom Brady in a top ten all time QB list in around 2006 or so. I legitimately thought it was a trolljob. People who put so much emphasis on rings when evaluating talent lose my ear immediately.

Brady has been the beneficiary of a brilliantly run system that any quarterback with patience and pocket presence can excel in.