Patriots being investigated after Colts game (9 Viewers)

[Lutherman2112]

Fans on one board are actually rooting for 0-16, Brady to be traded, and BB to quit. NSFW

http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=69894

Probably not a representative sample of Patriots fans. I know my team has those sorts in its fan base as well. Still, funny.

Exactly.

Looks like I linked the worst example of Pats fans.

 

[Flying Elvis]

For me, there was just no getting past the text that read:

"Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done..."

There was no explaining away what else that could be referring to for a guy that was a 'part time, game day employee' whose sole responsibility was, as referenced in the Pats lawyers' email, to 'schlep balls' to the field. Anyone that argues that it was only after the Jets over-inflation fiasco must admit that it was being done post-inspection. It's plausible, and probably more likely that this was the stem of those texts but that's not relevant.

So, on to a Jimmy G preview for 4* games and then Tom can blast everyone on the field for another deep run down the collective throat of the league.

 

[Old Smiley]

From what I see, most Pats fans here think the Wells investigation was biased and full of holes, and that the leaks at the start of this issue and everything else about the way it was handled is probably worse for the sport than the original offense. Some footballguys® get carried away with the back and forth, but that's not exclusive to Pats people.

Plus, I don't think Brady's a crook. I think he blows off steam too much at his guys, whether team mates or frito peckered hirelings. But a lot of QBs are like that. Dan Fouts was really something on the sidelines.

 

[Run It Up]

For me, there was just no getting past the text that read:

"Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done..."

My take, Brady was talking to Jastremski about the overinflated balls after being irate about it. This was before they found out the officials had over inflated some of the balls. Brady was just being a charming ####.

Brady was blaming the ball boy for something the officials had done. But at the time he just wanted the ball boy to get it right, unbeknownst to him what really happened.

Obviously it doesn't matter now.

Plus, I don't think Brady's a crook. I think he blows off steam too much at his guys, whether team mates or frito peckered hirelings. But a lot of QBs are like that. Dan Fouts was really something on the sidelines.

Its part of the reason why I love Rivers, I honestly don't know who would win in a competitive yelling contest between him and Brady - two most competitive QBs in the game atm, imo.

 

[VarsityBlues123]

With so much tension between the union and players, I smell a strike in the coming years around the playoffs. That will be the only means the players have to remove Goodell from the power of punishment he has. This has nothing to do with inflated balls or supporting criminals, it has to do with the league abusing its powers.

 

[Bayhawks]

Anyone read this book about Spygate?

http://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349970716&sr=8-1&keywords=spygate+the+untold+story

Has a lot of positive reviews. Supposedly uncovers TONS of dirt about the Patriots that Goodell's office covered up for the good of the league. But in agreeing to destroying evidence and covering things up, he demanded from Kraft that this nonsense of pushing every edge stops.

That was all fine until the Patriots were caught cheating again. And before Patriots nation scream nothing has been proven, etc...we get back to one simple fact:

The Indianapolis Colts alerted the NFL that this would happen in the game they were about to play. And like clockwork, it happened. The Patriots balls were well below the spec.

You know what La'el Collins did when everyone was accusing him of stuff? He took a lie detector test. What did the Patriots do? They stone-walled the investigation from the beginning (one interview per person only), not turning over records, lying about relationships, etc.

The racheting up from the Patriots and Commish's office is entertaining. I see no way this ends well for the Patriots even if the league lessens the penalties. The commish no longer is going to look away and I don't think the Patriots are willing to not try and push every possible edge.

I can see Goodell fining the Patriots every week for not submitting an accurate injury report.

and heaven forbid if New England is still doing any of these other things found in the Spygate book above. That's hammer time.

Goodell was in New England's pocket for Kraft getting him the job and his big raise. For Goodell to turn on that, I am convinced he has ample proof that new England is not honoring their end of the deal he made with them during Spygate. What would Goodell's motivation be to discredit a star in the league and the team that just won the Super Bowl? Goodell has no motive to do this. He wins by this being pushed under the rug again. Yet Goodell is not letting that happen at all. He is digging in. He will be hearing the appeal, etc.

Today, Goodell is not in New England's pocket and I think it's safe to say he never will be again. Unless Kraft can get the backing of the owners and they can oust Goodell, he is going to find the sledding very rough very soon. The problem with escalation is there can be no winners. And it's all pointing to a grand finale where Goodell and Kraft both self-destruct.

That's the problem with these giant threads. Just when you think you've made some progress, and have delved into the issues a bit with friends and foes alike, some newbie comes along and posts the stuff we dealt with 100 pages ago.

And plenty of fiction is well-reviewed, so I don't see the point there.

Latest theory to chew on: Goodell knew any sane independent arbitrator would carpet his doghouse with the Wells report, so he had to fix it so that he would hear Brady's appeal.

Great theory. Were Marty McFly and Doc Brown in on it? Because the CBA that the players union agreed to in 2011 specifically says Goodell has the power to hear appeals of player punishment himself (if he chooses to do so).

So unless you think Goodell was planning this back when the CBA was being hammered out in 2011, he didn't have to "fix" anything so that he would hear Brady's appeal, he only had to exercise the right that Brady (and the rest of the NFL players) gave him.

He needed his boy Troy Vincent to dole out the initial punishment so that he could appoint himself as arbitrator for the inevitable appeal.

Troy Vincent is usually not the person deciding lengths of suspensions, draft picks lost, etc., perhaps you've noticed.

It's an obvious play by Goodell. it will be interesting to see what the long term ramifications might be.

No, he didn't. That's just something that Patriot fanboys latched onto because it fit their "out to get us" nonsense.

The CBA gives Goodell the power to hand out punishments AND the power to hear any appeals of those punishments. He shouldn't have allowed Vincent to hand out the punishment (although a legal argument that Vincent was acting as his proxy, therefore he didn't actually violate the CBA), but Goodell has always had the right to hear Brady's appeal, if he chooses to do so.

Read the CBA, rather than listening to homer nonsense that is based on nothing except "maybe this is true, b/c it's good news for NE!"

 

[BigSteelThrill]

Anyone read this book about Spygate?

http://www.amazon.com/Spygate-Untold-Story-Bryan-OLeary/dp/0985467002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349970716&sr=8-1&keywords=spygate+the+untold+story

Has a lot of positive reviews. Supposedly uncovers TONS of dirt about the Patriots that Goodell's office covered up for the good of the league. But in agreeing to destroying evidence and covering things up, he demanded from Kraft that this nonsense of pushing every edge stops.

That was all fine until the Patriots were caught cheating again. And before Patriots nation scream nothing has been proven, etc...we get back to one simple fact:

The Indianapolis Colts alerted the NFL that this would happen in the game they were about to play. And like clockwork, it happened. The Patriots balls were well below the spec.

You know what La'el Collins did when everyone was accusing him of stuff? He took a lie detector test. What did the Patriots do? They stone-walled the investigation from the beginning (one interview per person only), not turning over records, lying about relationships, etc.

The racheting up from the Patriots and Commish's office is entertaining. I see no way this ends well for the Patriots even if the league lessens the penalties. The commish no longer is going to look away and I don't think the Patriots are willing to not try and push every possible edge.

I can see Goodell fining the Patriots every week for not submitting an accurate injury report.

and heaven forbid if New England is still doing any of these other things found in the Spygate book above. That's hammer time.

Goodell was in New England's pocket for Kraft getting him the job and his big raise. For Goodell to turn on that, I am convinced he has ample proof that new England is not honoring their end of the deal he made with them during Spygate. What would Goodell's motivation be to discredit a star in the league and the team that just won the Super Bowl? Goodell has no motive to do this. He wins by this being pushed under the rug again. Yet Goodell is not letting that happen at all. He is digging in. He will be hearing the appeal, etc.

Today, Goodell is not in New England's pocket and I think it's safe to say he never will be again. Unless Kraft can get the backing of the owners and they can oust Goodell, he is going to find the sledding very rough very soon. The problem with escalation is there can be no winners. And it's all pointing to a grand finale where Goodell and Kraft both self-destruct.

That's the problem with these giant threads. Just when you think you've made some progress, and have delved into the issues a bit with friends and foes alike, some newbie comes along and posts the stuff we dealt with 100 pages ago.

And plenty of fiction is well-reviewed, so I don't see the point there.

Latest theory to chew on: Goodell knew any sane independent arbitrator would carpet his doghouse with the Wells report, so he had to fix it so that he would hear Brady's appeal.

Great theory. Were Marty McFly and Doc Brown in on it? Because the CBA that the players union agreed to in 2011 specifically says Goodell has the power to hear appeals of player punishment himself (if he chooses to do so).

So unless you think Goodell was planning this back when the CBA was being hammered out in 2011, he didn't have to "fix" anything so that he would hear Brady's appeal, he only had to exercise the right that Brady (and the rest of the NFL players) gave him.

He needed his boy Troy Vincent to dole out the initial punishment so that he could appoint himself as arbitrator for the inevitable appeal.

Troy Vincent is usually not the person deciding lengths of suspensions, draft picks lost, etc., perhaps you've noticed.

It's an obvious play by Goodell. it will be interesting to see what the long term ramifications might be.

No, he didn't. That's just something that Patriot fanboys latched onto because it fit their "out to get us" nonsense.

The CBA gives Goodell the power to hand out punishments AND the power to hear any appeals of those punishments. He shouldn't have allowed Vincent to hand out the punishment (although a legal argument that Vincent was acting as his proxy, therefore he didn't actually violate the CBA), but Goodell has always had the right to hear Brady's appeal, if he chooses to do so.

Read the CBA, rather than listening to homer nonsense that is based on nothing except "maybe this is true, b/c it's good news for NE!"

Goodell always has the right to consider anybody input on these matters also. If he values and truists Vincent opinions, then so be it.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Brady is in the Bahamas golfing with Jordan, he must be jealous of how Michael was able to cover up his suspension for gambling by playing baseball.

 

[GregR]

For me, there was just no getting past the text that read:

"Talked to him last night. He actually brought you up and said you must have a lot of stress trying to get them done..."

There was no explaining away what else that could be referring to for a guy that was a 'part time, game day employee' whose sole responsibility was, as referenced in the Pats lawyers' email, to 'schlep balls' to the field. Anyone that argues that it was only after the Jets over-inflation fiasco must admit that it was being done post-inspection. It's plausible, and probably more likely that this was the stem of those texts but that's not relevant.

So, on to a Jimmy G preview for 4* games and then Tom can blast everyone on the field for another deep run down the collective throat of the league.

Yep, that was a big part for me too. His job is inflating the balls, letting Brady pick them out, transport them to the refs. I see nothing there with a time sensitive element that getting it done would be stressful.

But the statement makes perfect sense if he's deflating the balls while the refs are handling warm up, rushing because of the risk a ref could return or someone else walk in at any moment. I think anyone would be stressed trying to get that done.

An equally big part for me was the "not going to espn... yet" text right after calling himself the deflator. While it was a joke... a joke about becoming a whistle blower if he doesn't get some cash or swag makes little sense unless there was actually something going on he could be a whistle blower about.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

With so much tension between the union and players, I smell a strike in the coming years around the playoffs. That will be the only means the players have to remove Goodell from the power of punishment he has. This has nothing to do with inflated balls or supporting criminals, it has to do with the league abusing its powers.

Players aren't allowed to strike under the terms of the CBA.

 

[Old Smiley]

Plus, I don't think Brady's a crook. I think he blows off steam too much at his guys, whether team mates or frito peckered hirelings. But a lot of QBs are like that. Dan Fouts was really something on the sidelines.

Its part of the reason why I love Rivers, I honestly don't know who would win in a competitive yelling contest between him and Brady - two most competitive QBs in the game atm, imo.

Myself, I'd save that stuff for Tuesday. But, in most other ways, Brady's probably a better quarterback than me.

 

[squistion]

From Dan Shaughnassy at The Boston Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/05/19/robert-kraft-surrenders-battle-couldn-win/MOpqZnW4k8NhqaFpdMI4qO/story.html#

Robert Kraft surrenders in a battle he couldnt win [...]

Boo. Kraft caved. He took the (gulp) high road. And then he took no questions. He wimped out, and left combative Patriot fans spitting out pieces of their broken luck. He chose to honor the NFL Shield. He opted to keep his seat at Goodells head table. Or maybe (best case for Patriot fans) Kraft cut a deal with the commissioner and managed to get Tom Bradys four-game suspension reduced.

If Bradys entire punishment is stricken from the record, Patriots fans might be able to turn this into a victory, but anything short of that makes Krafts capitulation a big loss for the New England franchise.

The battle is over, Patriot fans. And the war has been lost. The Patriots have been found to have cheated twice in eight seasons. They have accepted the loss of first-round draft picks twice in eight seasons. They have accepted the biggest fine in NFL history.

Despite their 20,000-word rebuttal to the Wells Report, and their continued public position that they did nothing wrong, the Patriots have chosen not to fight. Kraft is never going to get the apology he demanded when he arrived at the Super Bowl. Instead, he goes down in sports history as a somewhat tragic figure a guy who presided over a franchise that won (at least) four Super Bowls, but was caught cheating twice.

 

[General Tso]

I am so pissed off with Kraft right now I don't even know where to begin. It's the most upset I've been since the Pats screwed Hartford back in the late 90's.

If he had capitulated right from the start I could have understood it. But instead he proclaimed innocence, mislead the fan base, and then punted when it came time to fight. Just an atrocious, cowardly act by a man who has lost all credibility with me. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the League paid him off behind the scenes.

What more can I say? My team is either a bunch of cheaters or a bunch of cowards. Either way it's not a good look, and the franchise deserves every bit of derision it gets from here on out.

Goodell and the NFL still did a lousy job handling this, but at this point it's not a battle I even care to fight anymore. Pats and Kraft deserve all the ####ty treatment they got.

BTW - I have a large white Pats Super Bowl windbreaker for sale if anyone wants to buy it. Ironic they chose white as the color.

 

[jonessed]

High road

His team cheated and they were punished. That's it. I'm glad he decided to stop crying about it and move on.

 

[Spin]

Goodell to Kraft, "Look, I did all of this for you... hear me out.... The fine is 1 million, but the 4 game suspension from Brady saves you 2 million, so you're actually netting a million in the process. You guys don't care about the first 4 games anyways, what'd you go last year? 2-2? Give Brady an extra month off to rest and prep for the rest of the season. He'll come back with a vengeance, your team will embrace the 'us against the world' mentality, and you'll ride the wave of momentum to another superbowl win. The 1st round pick will be 32nd anyways, so it's practically a 2nd round pick. You always end up with a million of them anyways. It's really not THAT big of a punishment for you guys, and we get to look like we came down hard, when in actuality all of this benefits you! More money in your pocket, your star, but aging qb, gets more rest for the games that really matter, and the team will have the fuel it needs to win. So what do you say, let's drop this whole lawsuit thing and call it a day, eh buddy?"

Kraft to Goodell- "I never thought of it that way.... Makes sense to me, thanks pal!"

Goodell - "I can't believe he bought that... damn I'm good"

 

[IrishTwinkie]

Fans on one board are actually rooting for 0-16, Brady to be traded, and BB to quit. NSFW

http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=69894

The thing I find funny on that site is that noone seems to be blaming Brady. The still want defend him. The fans had bragging rights X4 and now Bellichek and Brady have taken those rights away and people aren't mad at the true perpetrators. They'd rather blame the owner as opposed to the guys who gave and ultimately took away those bragging rights.

 

[Ghost Rider]

shark pool be sharkin'

Deep down, didn't we all know that Kool-Aid Larry and 12punch were the same person?

 

[Chicago Hooligan]

a guy who presided over a franchise that won (at least) four Super Bowls, but was caught cheating (at least) twice.

 

[Anarchy99]

I am so pissed off with Kraft right now I don't even know where to begin. It's the most upset I've been since the Pats screwed Hartford back in the late 90's.

If he had capitulated right from the start I could have understood it. But instead he proclaimed innocence, mislead the fan base, and then punted when it came time to fight. Just an atrocious, cowardly act by a man who has lost all credibility with me. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the League paid him off behind the scenes.

What more can I say? My team is either a bunch of cheaters or a bunch of cowards. Either way it's not a good look, and the franchise deserves every bit of derision it gets from here on out.

Goodell and the NFL still did a lousy job handling this, but at this point it's not a battle I even care to fight anymore. Pats and Kraft deserve all the ####ty treatment they got.

BTW - I have a large white Pats Super Bowl windbreaker for sale if anyone wants to buy it. Ironic they chose white as the color.

The team had no options. They had no chance at winning a legal battle. None. There is no appeal process. There is no arbitration. All they could do is sue the league, and they would have lost (if a court would even have heard their plea). All that would have happened was the chance that more dirt came out that would not have helped the team, more ill will, more bad publicity, and more people hating the team.

The fact that fans can read what Kraft said as taking the high road, conceding, etc. shows you how well conceived the spin was in his statement. They couldn't win a court case and they would have looked even dumber for trying. Remember the first rule about digging a hole. Stop digging.

Whether Kraft and the Patriots fans were morally outraged and the penalty did not fit the crime, it still doesn't change the fact that a court was not going to overturn a decision made by a business that has agreements from the owners and a self-policing policy. The NFL didn't break any laws by penalizing the Patriots. The sad part is, whether the Patriots di anything against the rules wouldn't matter, nor would whether the report proved the Patriots did something wrong. The process doomed the Pats.

Yet people are apparently buying into that they gave up and they caved and they wimped out. But take this to heart, Patriot fans, they had no choice.

 

[davearm]

a guy who presided over a franchise that won (at least) four Super Bowls, but was caught cheating (at least) twice.

Haha I caught that too.

 

[davearm]

I am so pissed off with Kraft right now I don't even know where to begin. It's the most upset I've been since the Pats screwed Hartford back in the late 90's.

If he had capitulated right from the start I could have understood it. But instead he proclaimed innocence, mislead the fan base, and then punted when it came time to fight. Just an atrocious, cowardly act by a man who has lost all credibility with me. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the League paid him off behind the scenes.

What more can I say? My team is either a bunch of cheaters or a bunch of cowards. Either way it's not a good look, and the franchise deserves every bit of derision it gets from here on out.

Goodell and the NFL still did a lousy job handling this, but at this point it's not a battle I even care to fight anymore. Pats and Kraft deserve all the ####ty treatment they got.

BTW - I have a large white Pats Super Bowl windbreaker for sale if anyone wants to buy it. Ironic they chose white as the color.

There is no arena in which they could fight this.

 

[Green and Gold]

Patriots fans can relax about this stuff. Nothing will take away the experience you had when the 4 superbowls were won. Sure, you can argue over legacy or whatever, but there are a lot of NFL fans who have never seen their franchise even get to a superbowl. Just take up the mantle of the bad guy and roll with it.

 

[General Tso]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

 

[Anarchy99]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

I get that you are angry and upset, but they had no place to go. They could not appeal to the league. They could not file for arbitration. And they had no argument within the law to go to court. They literally had no one to hear their case. All they could have done was try to go to court and suggest the league broke their own rules procedurally (which the league didn't do). If they attempted to sue for defamation or slander or whatever else in that realm, they would have to prove that the league intentionally lied or altered evidence, that they intentionally had an axe to grind, that the report and penalty phase was intentionally biased and egregious, and most importantly, they would have had to prove malice by the NFL. Bottom line, there was a high probability that a court would have never even heard their case and they had no chance of winning. In terms of process, the league mostly did what they were supposed to (from what I can tell, the only thing they didn't follow was Vincent is technically not supposed to determine punishment, but that is such a minor point that it would not have made any difference.

So I am not sure where spending millions of dollars on a case you can't when and would only expose your franchise to more liabilities (ie rules violations), the only option they had was to punt. No matter how much money they threw at this case, that were going to lose.

 

[Old Smiley]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

Titans need fans dude.

 

[General Tso]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

Titans need fans dude.

Haha. I used to be a big McNair fan...Hard to believe, but I may be joining forces with some of my most bitter enemies in this thread - BigSteelThrill or GoBirds. Will probably end up going back to my college days and throw my support to the Eagles. Fly Eagles Fly! (Have to learn the rest of the song)...

 

[Anarchy99]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

Titans need fans dude.

Haha. I used to be a big McNair fan...Hard to believe, but I may be joining forces with some of my most bitter enemies in this thread - BigSteelThrill or GoBirds. Will probably end up going back to my college days and throw my support to the Eagles. Fly Eagles Fly! (Have to learn the rest of the song)...

Since you seem distraught at the recent developments, what would you suggest the Patriots/Kraft should have done that would have appeased you?

 

[Old Smiley]

shark pool be sharkin'

Deep down, didn't we all know that Kool-Aid Larry and 12punch were the same person?

Deep down?

 

[GoBirds]

omg he's going to cave

yep

Michael Jackson can't moonwalk as good as Kraft did today. That speaks volumes.

 

[GoBirds]

I'm happier with this than an admission of guilt, I guess. Maybe they really did it.

This is an admission of guilt.

Hahaha.....give him time the denial hasn't worn off.

 

[Run It Up]

shark pool be sharkin'

Deep down, didn't we all know that Kool-Aid Larry and 12punch were the same person?

Man drama

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

I'm not happy Kraft folded but doing so is much more consistent with his character than his previous defiant posture since this scandal broke. If fans want to be pissed, be pissed at those that put the team in this position. While there is plenty to be critical about in the Wells Report and how the NFL handled this, it still is a stretch to think the Pats didn't at best bend the rules.

Screw it, at the end of the day if the best other fans can throw out there is there should be an asterisk to their SB wins than big f'ng deal. Pats fans should really be upset about someone saying *. Who cares, I want my team to push the envelope in a league that is known for it. I'm pissed they were caught, not that they did it.

 

[GoBirds]

I am so pissed off with Kraft right now I don't even know where to begin. It's the most upset I've been since the Pats screwed Hartford back in the late 90's.

If he had capitulated right from the start I could have understood it. But instead he proclaimed innocence, mislead the fan base, and then punted when it came time to fight. Just an atrocious, cowardly act by a man who has lost all credibility with me. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the League paid him off behind the scenes.

What more can I say? My team is either a bunch of cheaters or a bunch of cowards. Either way it's not a good look, and the franchise deserves every bit of derision it gets from here on out.

Goodell and the NFL still did a lousy job handling this, but at this point it's not a battle I even care to fight anymore. Pats and Kraft deserve all the ####ty treatment they got.

BTW - I have a large white Pats Super Bowl windbreaker for sale if anyone wants to buy it. Ironic they chose white as the color.

Uhhh yeaahhhh....the league paid him off behind the scenes. Sure, or he knows they are guilty.

 

[GoBirds]

Where I come from if you are innocent you fight for your reputation. You don't punt because you don't think you can win. The only thing I can glean from all this is that Kraft must have gotten word from either Brady or someone else that they really were tampering with the balls. These ####### guys just cheated AGAIN only 7 years after Spygate. And on top of it they stone faced lied about it to the fan base then left them holding the bag while they punted. Just despicable on so many levels.

Titans need fans dude.

Haha. I used to be a big McNair fan...Hard to believe, but I may be joining forces with some of my most bitter enemies in this thread - BigSteelThrill or GoBirds. Will probably end up going back to my college days and throw my support to the Eagles. Fly Eagles Fly! (Have to learn the rest of the song)...

I don't blame you Chewbacca....jump aboard and leave the dark side in the past.

 

[Anarchy99]

Oh to have been a fly on the wall in the Pats locker room the day after the AFCCG when this story first broke. I can't even imagine the number of F bombs that BB would have been lobbing out as he got to the bottom of things. Probably a lot of threats of shoving needles and footballs up people's rectums, too.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

shark pool be sharkin'

Deep down, didn't we all know that Kool-Aid Larry and 12punch were the same person?

Larry showed up as soon as punch was give a time out.

 

[The General]

Oh to have been a fly on the wall in the Pats locker room the day after the AFCCG when this story first broke. I can't even imagine the number of F bombs that BB would have been lobbing out as he got to the bottom of things. Probably a lot of threats of shoving needles and footballs up people's rectums, too.

I don't think Bill knew about this stuff. Can't see him doing the whole science lecture press conference if he did.

Brady hung him and Kraft out to dry by telling them nothing was going on.

Kraft has to be pretty pissed on some level at Brady, made him look pretty stupid. Probably got over it by looking at the championship press clippings though.

 

[12%realjuice]

probably why it was 4 games

 

[JohnnyU]

Goodell to Kraft, "Look, I did all of this for you... hear me out.... The fine is 1 million, but the 4 game suspension from Brady saves you 2 million, so you're actually netting a million in the process. You guys don't care about the first 4 games anyways, what'd you go last year? 2-2? Give Brady an extra month off to rest and prep for the rest of the season. He'll come back with a vengeance, your team will embrace the 'us against the world' mentality, and you'll ride the wave of momentum to another superbowl win. The 1st round pick will be 32nd anyways, so it's practically a 2nd round pick. You always end up with a million of them anyways. It's really not THAT big of a punishment for you guys, and we get to look like we came down hard, when in actuality all of this benefits you! More money in your pocket, your star, but aging qb, gets more rest for the games that really matter, and the team will have the fuel it needs to win. So what do you say, let's drop this whole lawsuit thing and call it a day, eh buddy?"

Kraft to Goodell- "I never thought of it that way.... Makes sense to me, thanks pal!"

Goodell - "I can't believe he bought that... damn I'm good"

You had me convinced they got a good deal.

 

[Run It Up]

probably why it was 4 games

10/10 first post.

 

[12%realjuice]

Fans on one board are actually rooting for 0-16, Brady to be traded, and BB to quit. NSFW

http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=69894

The thing I find funny on that site is that noone seems to be blaming Brady. The still want defend him. The fans had bragging rights X4 and now Bellichek and Brady have taken those rights away and people aren't mad at the true perpetrators. They'd rather blame the owner as opposed to the guys who gave and ultimately took away those bragging rights.

keep rocking in your corner -- maybe the lombardis will disappear and the mean ol' patsmonster won't get you this year

I think hightower sums it up pretty well

this is the time of the year when all the losers have their victory parades.

football will be starting soon enough.

 

[Old Smiley]

probably why it was 4 games

10/10 first post.

Reconstituted

 

[Bucky86]

Let's knock the insults off. Disagreeing with someone else is fine. Insults and derogatory comments about others posters are not.

The only thing I thought was odd about the texts was the Deflator comment. But that was months before the AFCCG, and if you follow the time line, Brady didn't know there was a minimum PSI until after a midseason game when a referee had over inflated some of the Pats balls beyond the maximum and Brady snapped on Jestremski (and that information was relayed to Mcnally). After he found out it wasn't the Pats responsible for the balls being over inflated that game he told Jestremski to find the rule in the rule book and make sure the officials are informed not to inflate them past 12.5 in the future.

This is a start to having a civilized conversation about the matter at hand. So the text therefore shows that Brady in turn does communicate with Jestremski about ball pressure correct? I am not fishing just simply trying to show it from a neutral fan that perhaps Brady is not so innocent in this saga. That he in turn does tell the ball boys what the pressure should be. Now how far he communicated with those ball boys about bending the rules is what is up for argument.

If you don't believe there was any ball tampering at all then you are not thinking logically. Two of the ball boys have been suspended by the team. Thinking logically it is clear to see that move by the Pats shows that they feel these guys are the ones to blame.

Again I am not out to get Brady and think this whole mess is getting blown out of proportion. Brady will still go down as one of the greatest to play the game. Bellicheck is easily the best coach in the league and it could be argued that he is the best coach in sports right now (he and Popovich in the NBA).

I think the only defense that Kraft and Brady will have is that Brady did talk with the ball boys about making sure the balls were deflated, but not to cheat to do so or go to means that would cause the team a punishment. The punishment comes out and bam the Pats fire these guys. Who knows how long these guys were doing this prior to getting caught. Goodell obviously felt Brady played a large enough part to warrant a suspension. He then also felt that the Pats were not forth right with how it all went down and punished them as well. All of this again is debatable, but failing to acknowledge that there was at least some level of ball tampering is not logically thinking this whole fiasco out.

######### ##### ####### (SODIUM CHLORIDE)

Fantastic work banning a paying customer.

Two hours after you posted your "warning" You ban somebody for THAT?????? (blocked out due to another potential banning????)

News Flash: There's a fantastic feature on YOUR MESSAGE BOARDS that allows you to jump the last post in the thread. Not everybody reads EVERY POST OR EVERY WORD of this train-wreck thread. How am I supposed to see a warning posted 2 Hours prior to my post which was inarguably meant in a teasing manner?

I suppose it's too late to ask for a refund for my purchase of your premium membership? Which I was originally happy to pay for solely for how much I enjoy the chat in the FFA. A sort of donation for all that you provide, but never again.

If I do something inappropriate then I'd gladly accept my banning, but for that above is beyond ridiculous.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Folks should be able to appeal bannings to JB or a neutral hearing officer.

 

[Bucky86]

Folks should be able to appeal bannings to JB or a neutral hearing officer.

Not JB. It's probably another protect the shield type of situation.

 

[Bucky86]

Although, I am pretty jazzed about having 1 warning point. Can ya'll see that? :flex:

 

[Run It Up]

Although, I am pretty jazzed about having 1 warning point. Can ya'll see that? :flex:

I got mine for the Vick suspension. I'm not impressed.

Although I'm tickled pink about your holier than thou attitude when it comes to your horrible behavior in this thread, like it ####### matters at all that you're a current subscriber.

 

[jonessed]

I got banned once for posting an unverified news story about Moss when he was with the Pats. One of the mods claimed to be connected and deleted it base on his sources. It turned out to be true.

Some people are just #######s.

 

[Bucky86]

I got banned once for posting an unverified news story about Moss when he was with the Pats. One of the mods claimed to be connected and deleted it base on his sources. It turned out to be true.

Some people are just #######s.

wth

 

[BustedKnuckles]

you guys are living on the edge here