BRADY/PATS PUNISHMENT OVER TURNED BY JUDGE. (Updated 9/3/15)

[Blitzhawk]

The real sad part is there is no punishment, fine, or loss of draft picks that would not have been worth it to the Patriots to win their 4 superbowls.

 

[253hawk]

They should be forced to vacate their SB win under the unfair acts rule. Maybe even their whole 2014 season.

Pats got caught cheating yet again, and Tom straight up lied about it. There has to be something in the form of punishment...

 

[pmedic920]

Should be stripped of any HOF eligibility.

 

[kidhawk]

I've always respected the opinions and writing of Sando. Here's his take

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SandoESPN/status/596016084777639937[/tweet]


[urltargetblank]https://www.facebook.com/SandoESPN/posts/861099677296378[/urltargetblank]

Quick thoughts on the Wells Report implicating Tom Brady as likely involved in the deflation of footballs:
--Some of the most pertinent details show up in text-message exchanges between New England Patriots staffers. Some of those are provided in the conclusion of the report, which begins on Page 121 (PDF link: https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/…/investigative-and-ex…).
--Adam Schefter notes that the NFL is considering discipline against Brady and two staffers. That suggests the league is not going to hold Coach Bill Belichick, owner Robert Kraft or others responsible. My experience in 18 years covering the NFL has been that the condition of football for game days is very much a matter between the quarterbacks and equipment people or ballboys, not something that would concern the head coach. I know Belichick is thought to control everything, but I do not think this is something he would concern himself with. It would be something Brady would handle, in my view.
--It's interesting that the NFL did not hand down punishment at once. This gives the league time to gauge public relation. I think the NFL could be sensitive to the severe backlash it received for its handling of previous cases, notably the Ray Rice case.
--The Patriots are inviting targets and I'm sure some people will use this case and other cases to discredit what New England has achieved on the field. That is the price of being implicated in situations such as these. The Patriots deserve no pity, in my view. But I also think they remain the standard for on-field excellence in the NFL over the past 15 years.

 

[pmedic920]

They should be forced to vacate their SB win under the unfair acts rule. Maybe even their whole 2014 season.

Pats got caught cheating yet again, and Tom straight up lied about it. There has to be something in the form of punishment...

I tend to agree.
No telling how many catches happened, no telling how many fumbles didn't happen.
No telling how may wins they might not have gotten.

AND Tom Brady should NEVER be eligible for the HOF.

I almost think he should be banned from the NFL.

 

[hawknation2015]

From p. 4 of the report:

When Anderson and other members of the officiating crew were preparing to
leave the Officials Locker Room to head to the field for the start of the game, the
game balls could not be located. It was the first time in Anderson‟s nineteen
years as an NFL official that he could not locate the game balls at the start of a
game. Unknown to Anderson, and without Anderson‟s permission or the
permission of any other member of the officiating crew, McNally had taken the
balls from the Officials Locker Room towards the playing field. According to
Anderson and other members of the officiating crew for the AFC Championship
Game, the removal of the game balls from the Officials Locker Room by McNally
without the permission of the referee or another game official was a breach of
standard operating pre-game procedure. According to Anderson, other members
of the officiating crew for the AFC Championship Game and other game officials
with recent experience at Gillette Stadium, McNally had not previously removed
game balls from the Officials Locker Room and taken them to the field without
either receiving permission from the game officials or being accompanied by one
or more officials.

http://a.espncdn.com/pdf/2015/0506/Patr ... Report.pdf

 

[titan3131]

Brady should be banned for 4 games for being apart of it, and 8 games for lying about it.

 

[pmedic920]

I can't wait to hear what the "commish" has to say

 

[HawkAroundTheClock]

Conveniently released after the draft so the Cheatriots don't lose any picks this year.

 

[kidhawk]

I've always respected the opinions and writing of Sando. Here's his take

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SandoESPN/status/596016084777639937[/tweet]


[urltargetblank]https://www.facebook.com/SandoESPN/posts/861099677296378[/urltargetblank]

Quick thoughts on the Wells Report implicating Tom Brady as likely involved in the deflation of footballs:
--Some of the most pertinent details show up in text-message exchanges between New England Patriots staffers. Some of those are provided in the conclusion of the report, which begins on Page 121 (PDF link: https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/…/investigative-and-ex…).
--Adam Schefter notes that the NFL is considering discipline against Brady and two staffers. That suggests the league is not going to hold Coach Bill Belichick, owner Robert Kraft or others responsible. My experience in 18 years covering the NFL has been that the condition of football for game days is very much a matter between the quarterbacks and equipment people or ballboys, not something that would concern the head coach. I know Belichick is thought to control everything, but I do not think this is something he would concern himself with. It would be something Brady would handle, in my view.
--It's interesting that the NFL did not hand down punishment at once. This gives the league time to gauge public relation. I think the NFL could be sensitive to the severe backlash it received for its handling of previous cases, notably the Ray Rice case.
--The Patriots are inviting targets and I'm sure some people will use this case and other cases to discredit what New England has achieved on the field. That is the price of being implicated in situations such as these. The Patriots deserve no pity, in my view. But I also think they remain the standard for on-field excellence in the NFL over the past 15 years.

The problem that Goodell is going to face is that he already came down so hard on the Saints coaches and players, basically under the assumption that 'ignorance is not a defense' and they "should have known". Can't see how this is any different than suspending Payton and fining the team.

If I were doling out the punishment, I'd suspend Brady for a minimum of 8 games. I'd also fine Kraft, and I'd make it so the employees in question here, are banned from every stadium in the league for a minimum of 2 years, and they would never be allowed to hold positions which give them any ability to control any game day equipment.

 

[hawknation2015]

These text messages from the equipment attendants about Brady are hysterical.

McNally: Tom sucks...im going make that next ball a *edited* balloon
Jastremski: Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and
said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done...

McNally: You working
Jastremski: Yup
McNally: Nice dude....jimmy needs some kicks....lets make a deal.....come on help the deflator
McNally: Chill buddy im just *edited* with you ....im not going to espn........yet

:0190l:

Edit- whoops, forgot to edit out that F-bomb.

 

[253hawk]

I tend to agree.
No telling how many catches happened, no telling how many fumbles didn't happen.
No telling how may wins they might not have gotten.

AND Tom Brady should NEVER be eligible for the HOF.

I almost think he should be banned from the NFL.

Exactly. All it takes is one play to decide the course of a game, and one game to decide the course of a season. Even it if was solely Brady behind 'doctoring' the balls, it also favored anyone on that offense that had a carry or a reception.

 

[massari]

Should be stripped of any HOF eligibility.

Jerry Rice used stickum on his hands and is still in the HOF.

Former QB Jeff Blake says every team deflates balls. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12244 ... lls-common

 

[Cyrus12]

add yet another * beside a Patriots super bowl title....and nothing will come of it because Brady is the league's pretty boy and Bellicheat is the wizard...

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Integrity check for the NFL against a franchise that seems to repeatedly and willfully dismiss the rules.


I doubt anything will happen.

This.

Though what should be done is some massive fines and loss of multiple draft picks for a period of 3-4 years. Basically do what the NCAA does to football teams when they put them on the death level. Make it so the ramifications affect the Patriots for years going forward (somewhere in the ballpark of 10 or so should do it).

 

[Cyrus12]

If the league does nothing then let the cheating attempts continue is what the message will be...Brady is bulletproof and he knows it!

 

[kearly]

Just think what a deathblow this would be to the Patriots legacy if we ran the damn ball.

I know.

I guess I'll just have to take solace in having a team that participated in the most legendary SB ever.

 

[pmedic920]

Should be stripped of any HOF eligibility.

Jerry Rice used stickum on his hands and is still in the HOF.

Former QB Jeff Blake says every team deflates balls. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12244 ... lls-common

IMHO no player that gets caught cheating should not be in the HOF, or considered eligible for the HOF.
I'm not sure about the rules regarding stickum and I don't know the details surrounding JRs use of it.

 

[OkieHawk]

I thought Rice used stickum before it was banned. I could be wrong though. As far as the OP I really doubt anything will happen to Tom, which is pathetic, because he knew what was going on. Goodell should be fired if harsh punishment isn't meted out.

 

[253hawk]

Rice was already in the HOF long before he admitted it (while saying that 'everyone' did it) but stickum was banned in '81.