Brady Suspension Overturned

[tsalem]

Originally Posted by drcy

Early on I was convinced that Brady cheated-- and I'm not saying he didn't. However, the NFL/Goodell did so many kangaroo court things they deserve what they got. Too many list, but they intentionally leaked false information about the inflation rates and refused to correct it when it was pointed it out as incorrect (even the ESPN reporter who received the information said the information was false), they tried him on one offense but sentenced him on another, the penalty is inconsistent with any similar offense, they didn't allow Brady's lawyers to interview numerous key people, they said the Wells report was independent but it was edited by NFL's own lawyer (and didn't allow Brady's lawyer to cross examine that lawyer)-- and that's just scratching the surface of the dubious things the NFL things did. Most people still have the sense that Brady cheated in major part based on initial leaked PSI information that was long ago proven to be false, and probably intentionally leaked by the NFL to mislead.

The judge was basically saying the NFL has to clean up its procedures.

There is debate about whether or not Brady cheated (and he may have), but its appears unanimous in both camps that Goodell is a boob. He just seems out of his league or completely misguided in legal matters.

And this post is coming from a strong anti-cheating person and Green Bay Packers fan. If first time caught steroid users were banned for life and their stats erased from the books, that would be fine by me, and I early on felt that substantial penalty-- perhaps even loss of that close playoff game-- was warranted for illegally deflating balls. But the NFL mishandled the whole thing so thoroughly-- intentionally releasing false PSI rates then refusing to publicly correct it even when it was soofafter shown to be false, 'independent report' edited by their lawyer who they prevent from being interviewed, switching charges between conviction and sentencing, etc etc etc-- I now give the benefit of the doubt to Brady. In particular due to the intentionally false PSI rates that was the impetus for the whole uproar, I'm no longer even certain there is proof the balls were illegally deflated. Maybe they were, but anything the NFL says on the matter shouldn't be considered serious evidence.

Agree, however... "I'm no longer even certain there is proof the balls were illegally deflated" - There never was any proof.

Also, I have yet to hear any reason why 3 of the 4 balls used by the Colts were under inflated after being tested. I think we all know why now - gas law- however, this was never addressed.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by tsalem

Agree, however... "I'm no longer even certain there is proof the balls were illegally deflated" - There never was any proof.

Also, I have yet to hear any reason why 3 of the 4 balls used by the Colts were under inflated after being tested. I think we all know why now - gas law- however, this was never addressed.

Never addressed? There's a 75 page expert report attached to the Wells Report, which also has an extensive discussion.

[laughlinfan]

This is probably much like arguing politics – I think both sides are fairly intractable. The Wells report addressed and completely understood the ideal gas law. Indy’s balls deflated due to the decrease in temperature, as did New England’s. The ideal gas law does not, however, ever dictate that New England’s balls, being initially inflated at a lower PSI, would decrease over twice as much as Indy’s. Lots of “if this gauge was used, and they waited x minutes, and the balls were damp…” and so on, to try to come up with a scenario to explain it, but as the Wells report considered, that was highly unlikely. But, as the Wells report also said, even throwing out the science, there was more than enough evidence to know what was going on.

Clearly, holding the NFL to a prosecutorial standard shows them lacking (time and time again!), but any reasonable person, after seeing the texts between Jastremski and McNally, knows that there was a longstanding effort to underinflate the balls, and Brady was aware. Was it deserving of a 4 game suspension? No. Do other teams do something similar? I would say yes. When the NFL got wind of what NE was doing, they should have just told them to knock it off. They brought all of this on themselves.

[WhenItWasAHobby]

I can say as an engineer by profession that air is not an ideal gas, so if ideal gas calculations were used to render a conclusion, then the study was flawed.

But the real issue that got obscured was New England's and Brady's lack of cooperation during the investigation. Brady lawyered-up, and likely destroyed or withheld incriminating evidence and refused to give interviews when asked.

This article sums things up rather well about the rationale for the suspension and the fact that New England and Brady acted the way they did and received no punishment is deplorable and sets a very bad precedence against future rule-breakers and investigations.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...of-cooperation

[drcy]

The Patriots did receive punishment. They lost a first round draft pick and $1 million.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by drcy

The Patriots did receive punishment. They lost a first round draft pick and $1 million.

In the end, they could have saved up to $5-$10 million if that draft pick became a bust. All planned! They just didn't like the crop of first round guys for the next draft


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[steve B]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Never addressed? There's a 75 page expert report attached to the Wells Report, which also has an extensive discussion.

Do you have a link to that? The places I've found the Wells report don't include it. And it sounds like something I should read.


Steve B

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by steve B

Do you have a link to that? The places I've found the Wells report don't include it. And it sounds like something I should read.


Steve B

It's in the link you posted earlier, scroll down all the way.