NFL is vindictive towards Brady

[ultimatum77]

I figured that Brady would get 4 games. If the image of Brady returning from suspension to face the Colts didn't make such a nice narrative then I'd expect that to get cut in half. I also figured the Patriots would loose their 1st round pick, but did not see the next year's 4th coming. I didn't really expect Belichick to get punished but think that he should have gotten a game or two just on the theory that a fish rots from the head. Overall I'm satisfied with the punishment.

However, the main problem with this--or any--NFL punishment handed down is that it all seems entirely arbitrary. No one is ever able to offer a more reasonable explanation for how the severity of the punishment was determined then saying that Goodell was playing with dice. He seems to simply pick--and sometimes change--punishment based on how much the public shows it cares about an individual case.

Additionally, the game officials should have gotten punished. The Colts write the league warning them to watch out for the Patriots tampering with the game balls. Patriots personnel leaves with the balls--without permission to do so--and vanishes with the balls. Officials panic. But once they are found the officials just go ahead and put the balls into play? Really?

Very well said, I agree, especially about goodell playing with dice, very arbitrary you would think so called "professionals" would have had a chart or grading system to dole out punishments and to increase the degree for repeat offenders. Instead goodell, goes by his "feelings" for a just punishment which usually is too severe (AP, saints) or too lenient (pats spygate,deflategate, and ray rice). They need a standard punishment system sorely. One that also takes into account repeat offenders vs first time offenders.

[petroleum]

I hindsight, it was a major error that the NFLPA did not make the disciplinary process a point of contention during the 2011 NFL lockout/CBO agreement negotiations. I understand that they had a lot on their plate--and likely wanted to avoid the narrative that the players were endangering the season because they wanted to eliminate consequences for their misbehavior--but now I don't see how the disciplinary process can get changed until after the current CBO expires at the end of the 2020 season. All signs suggest that the NFL owners love Goodell (well, Kraft may have soured on him a bit this week). And why shouldn't they; just look at all the money they have made with him at the helm. If an effort is going to be made to rein in Goodell it will have to come from the players and they may prefer to fight for a bigger slice of the money instead.

[ultimatum77]

I hindsight, it was a major error that the NFLPA did not make the disciplinary process a point of contention during the 2011 NFL lockout/CBO agreement negotiations. I understand that they had a lot on their plate--and likely wanted to avoid the narrative that the players were endangering the season because they wanted to eliminate consequences for their misbehavior--but now I don't see how the disciplinary process can get changed until after the current CBO expires at the end of the 2020 season. All signs suggest that the NFL owners love Goodell (well, Kraft may have soured on him a bit this week). And why shouldn't they; just look at all the money they have made with him at the helm. If an effort is going to be made to rein in Goodell it will have to come from the players and they may prefer to fight for a bigger slice of the money instead.

Yea most of the players who say they "love football for the love of the game are bsing...MONEY Talks and players love money, and they may ask for more once the CBO expires.

[Sidefall142]

I don't mean to be a conspiracy theorist (or maybe i do ), but im pretty sure that the reason they blown this out of proportion (pun intended) is to distract the public from all the murderers, rapists, child abusers, and wife beaters in the nfl. they have been very oily dealing with those kinds of crimes going on in the league and i feel like they've used this to distract the "public" from a more important matter. Besides Aaron Rodgers over-inflates balls but you don't see him getting suspended.

[ultimatum77]

I don't mean to be a conspiracy theorist (or maybe i do ), but im pretty sure that the reason they blown this out of proportion (pun intended) is to distract the public from all the murderers, rapists, child abusers, and wife beaters in the nfl. they have been very oily dealing with those kinds of crimes going on in the league and i feel like they've used this to distract the "public" from a more important matter. Besides Aaron Rodgers over-inflates balls but you don't see him getting suspended.

True there are more important things going on in the world then whether a ball was deflated or not. At the end of the day NFL players are humans too, but the media uses the "celeb" status of players to hype up idiotic issues (like deflategate) when the real issues (read non-football/sports/entertainment) are swept under the rug and kept out of sight.

[NFLVICK7]

honestly i think the punishment was fair.

This isnt the first time they've been caught cheating. They have a track record for doing this kind of thing.

My biggest beef is Brady lying about it. There is no way in hell a HOF QB isn't going to notice the football is under inflated. Even if someone was trying to get Brady in trouble like I've heard some pats fans say. You really think he wouldn't have noticed, and then brought it to the attention of whoever is in charge of that? If he didn't want the pressure that low.

But ofc the "golden boy" isn't going to admit to it. If he would admit to it, I wouldn't even care. In the grand scheme of things it isn't that big of a deal. Just own it, and move on. Doesn't change the fact that he is an all time great QB.

But with the organization's history and Brady lying publicly to everyone, he got what was coming. No way in hell he didn't know. HOF Qb thats been in the NFL 15 years knows when a ball is under inflated.

The old saying "where there is smoke, there is fire" really applies to this. Just take Bias out of it and use common sense.

Regardless doesn't change my opinion on him as a player. He's one of the best QBs ever. And a great story.

[mee]

honestly i think the punishment was fair.

Your points about Brady are good.
But Wells said Kraft and Belichek had no clue, where did the 1st rounder come in? More harsh then Spygate?

[NFLVICK7]

honestly i think the punishment was fair.

Your points about Brady are good.
But Wells said Kraft and Belichek had no clue, where did the 1st rounder come in? More harsh then Spygate?

I do agree that punishing the whole organization may have been a little steep. I see both sides on that.

Because you're right about what the investigation found, or rather didn't find about Kraft or Belicheck, but it's also not the first time something like this has come out of that franchise.

Maybe Goodell is hoping if he comes down hard on them as well that they'll make sure something like this doesn't come out of that franchise again. I'm not sure. He doesn't really have a track record of handling things properly.

I think if he wanted to send a message to the whole organization that the punishment could have been less severe.

[ultimatum77]

honestly i think the punishment was fair.

Your points about Brady are good.
But Wells said Kraft and Belichek had no clue, where did the 1st rounder come in? More harsh then Spygate?

I do agree that punishing the whole organization may have been a little steep. I see both sides on that.

Because you're right about what the investigation found, or rather didn't find about Kraft or Belicheck, but it's also not the first time something like this has come out of that franchise.

Maybe Goodell is hoping if he comes down hard on them as well that they'll make sure something like this doesn't come out of that franchise again. I'm not sure. He doesn't really have a track record of handling things properly.

I think if he wanted to send a message to the whole organization that the punishment could have been less severe.

Goodell is a dunce plain and simple his past punishments speak for themselves, but I think his punishment on the pats is fair. Brady is a good qb but his crap about not knowing about ball pressure is bs, It's like if you drive a car everyday and you recognize one day your suspension seems off, you will notice it. Same with an athlete who handles a rubber ball everyday, they will notice, heck basketball players know it!

[petroleum]

Goodell is a dunce plain and simple

To bastardize Shakespeare: Though this be duncery, yet there is method in it.
The NFL Owners wouldn't pay Goodell $44+ million/year to be a dunce. Whatever the fans may think, the owners must think he is genius. If I had to guess, I'd say part of that is because he is an effective lightning-rod pulling all the negative attention away from them.