Tom Brady suspended 4 games & Fined ONE MILLION

[wintersbone]

much more worse things going on in the world than to care about who and why someone deflated foot balls and there fine for not playing with there balls properly.

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by emm74

Which NFL did they break? I'm sure the hometown paper for every team could do a piece on how that team prepares their balls. As long as they aren't breaking the rules, they are allowed to do it.

Your opinion is based on an error. They WERE breaking rules. There is a specific weight the balls are supposed to be inflated to, and it is A RULE. Brady liked them lower than the mandated weight and his equipment people accommodated him. One of the was actually nicknamed "The Deflator." Brady had constant contact with the equipment managers that he refused to reveal to the NFL investigators. If he was sending them out for a pizza or something utterly benign, then why would he refuse to let the investigators see those specific phone records?

He was given the four-game suspension for a specific reason. Performance enhancing drugs aren't allowed because their use gives a team what is termed "an unfair advantage" over their opponents. The suspension for a player now being caught using them for the first time is four games (agreed to by the player's union). Brady's manipulation of the football was also deemed "an unfair advantage" over his opponents. Not only is a deflated ball easier to throw, it is less likely to be fumbled. Statistics prove that. Unfair advantage.

So we now have PEBs (performance-enhancing balls) instead of merely PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs). No reason why they shouldn't be fined equally. So please don't say "as they aren't breaking the rules, they are allowed to do it." It was rule-breaking and they are NOT allowed to do it. There are no special rules for athletes just because they are popular and handsome. Brady is phenomenally successful without these special advantages. He should be ashamed of himself for manipulating the odds in his favor.

As for those of you who point out there was lesser punishment for players who committed felonies, I agree the NFL's punishment has been lack in those cases. But, in fact, crimes committed by people in their private life do NOT influence the outcome of a game. To protect the integrity of a professional sport, the NFL takes actions that influence game outcomes more seriously than any other bad behavior. (The Las Vegas factor.) You and I may disagree with that, but they are employers and they are allowed to punish their employees for work-related infractions anyway they choose, so long as it is agreed to in union arbitration.

Brady should be glad he wasn't suspended for a year. Professional gamblers don't like it when certain teams tilt the outcome in their favor.

[Charlotteborn]

The fact that Brady refused to turn over his cell phone records to the investigators tells me all I need to know. He should have been given a harsher punishment.

[luckyram]

Originally Posted by Charlotteborn

The fact that Brady refused to turn over his cell phone records to the investigators tells me all I need to know. He should have been given a harsher punishment.

Agreed....and more is coming out now.....spoiled billionaire Kraft first tried to play nice and butter up the investigator Wells but when things didn't turn out like he planned (slap on the wrist) he then became a rich guy with a vendetta....that led to Wells taking off the gloves:

Ted Wells says he found direct evidence against Brady | FOX Sports

BTW....I read somewhere else that Wells said he would have even been ok with Brady's attorney verbally reading the texts to him from Brady's phone (i.e.; not taking possession of it or having it to go through) but Tommy McCheat wasn't ok with that and refused....

Gee....you think he was hiding something???

[I_Like_Spam]

If Mr. Brady had made a large wager on the game, or advised bettors that he was going to mess with the air pressure, then there would be a good reason for a hefty penalty.

But as it was, assuming the worst of Brady, its just a kids game, and these things will happen. Indianapolis just needs to get over it.

[The Dissenter]

I think Brady's penalty should be more like 6 or 8 games but I ain't complaining about 4. Remember all, there was a game involving the Vikings and Panthers earlier where both teams were warming up the game balls which prompted the NFL to send a memo warning teams about tampering with the game balls. The Patriots violated the rule, got caught, and Brady refused to cooperate. Fair punishment.

I also don't want to hear about absolute proof. There was compelling evidence and the NFL ain't a court of law. If Goodell is compelled (BTW I hate Goodell's guts and think he should be fired as commissioner based on how he handled the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson situations alone) he can lay any punishment he wants as the boss of the NFL which is a private employer.

[Jukesgrrl]

One other thing about the million-dollar fine (which is chump change to Robert Kraft). Since Brady will not be paid during his suspension, the team will be SAVING $2 million for every game Brady misses. In which case the fine seems largely symbolic, as the Patriots will be making money as long as Brady sits out. Losing draft picks is their real punishment. The team made the decision to keep the investigators away from the equipment manager they wanted to talk to a second time. So, in fact, they impeded the investigation they previously said they would cooperate with. So they should be punished along with Brady.

I also think it's rather disingenuous of Kraft to say he would accept the findings of the Wells investigation and then do an about-face after he discovered he didn't like the punishment that came along with it. Did he think he had Commissioner Goodell in his back pocket? Now he's saying Wells had a conflict of interest and should not have been the investigator. Meanwhile, Kraft had every chance to speak up and object to the choice of Wells at the time he was appointed. But he did not object and said he would cooperate.

Whaaaaa.

[luckyram]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

If Mr. Brady had made a large wager on the game, or advised bettors that he was going to mess with the air pressure, then there would be a good reason for a hefty penalty.

But as it was, assuming the worst of Brady, its just a kids game, and these things will happen. Indianapolis just needs to get over it.

Ummm.....just no.....you are really very naive or just have no clue what you are talking about....

It's not a kid's game as you so sophomorically state & offhandedly dismiss.....it is a billion(s) dollar business AND an occupation for guys who get contracts & paid according to performance (well..except the Jets...LOL) and their accomplishments.

Therefore.....it can be followed to any one of unfair outcomes such as (but not limited to) - teams selling more tickets because they are winning due to an unfair advantage, players on such a team getting better contracts/higher pay because of elevated performance due to an unfair advantage, team gear selling better & them reaping more $$$ in sales of merchandise because they are winning due to an unfair advantage, tv packages during primetime (Mon/Sun Night football) being rewarded to those teams who consistently do well due to having such unfair advantage, coaches of teams fired for losing/getting kicked out of important games because the other team has won by employing and unfair advantage, teams making it further into the playoffs/championships and getting more pay due to an unfair advantage.....I could go on and on but those are just some of the issues it raises.

[mkpunk]

I preface this as someone who don't like Brady prior to deflate-gate and likes the Indianapolis Colts...

I think the Patriots got off very lightly and I think that most of this is because of Robert Kraft's relationship with Roger Gooddell. Brady should have been suspended for eight games at a minimum and preferably the entire season, Kraft should be removed as the owner, Belicheck should be suspended for the year, and the AFC title game should be vacated (by virtue the Super Bowl too.) The reasons:
Brady cheated and unlike PEDs which MAY improve performance enough for a win, the PSI WOULD and DOES. As it stands, Brady gets the same length as the first offense of PED use. Does that sound fair to you?
Kraft should be suspended due to the fact he tried to cover it up by firing the ball-boy and the fact Colts owner Jim Irsey was suspended for about 6 games due to DWI (and rightfully so.)
Belicheck should be suspended for the same reason Sean Peyton was for a year AND the fact he was already tied to at least one other cheating scandal (spygate.)
As for the AFC title game, there might have been three running touchdowns and they would win anyway BUT who's to say the passes down the field could have been dropped easily without the already low PSI going lower during the cold game? The NCAA has pulled wins and championships away from teams with players conduct, players getting paid, recruiting practices, etc. as well as alleged cheating.

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

It only cheating if Brady knew that the balls were at 12.5 when he made the request.

He didn't give cell phone and e-mail records himself for "right to privacy" BUT the replies to the equipment managers showed he wanted it to at the very least be testing the boundary of the 12.5 PSI or lower than it.

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

The air pressure in footballs is much like the air pressure in the tires of your automobile. It goes down when the temperature outside goes down, and back up when it warms up. So a previous reading isn't necessarily accurate, if the balls been outside and then inside.

It does but it would give a faster time to go down. Say I play with the highest PSI and it goes down to 12.5 through play, that would be a fair ball. A ball starting at 12.5 however is starting on the lower end and dropping out of the window. If what is said is true, the PSI was below 12.5 to start.

Originally Posted by Charlotteborn

The fact that Brady refused to turn over his cell phone records to the investigators tells me all I need to know. He should have been given a harsher punishment.

That don't help him. The guy is a enabled spoiled child. He calls for a leg hit that would not get a flag for ANY other quarterback, he gets one. Now he is caught cheating and gets a four game ban, the same as a PED user. Talk about coddling and entitled.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

It only cheating if Brady knew that the balls were at 12.5 when he made the request.


The air pressure in footballs is much like the air pressure in the tires of your automobile. It goes down when the temperature outside goes down, and back up when it warms up. So a previous reading isn't necessarily accurate, if the balls been outside and then inside.

Originally Posted by emm74

Which NFL did they break? I'm sure the hometown paper for every team could do a piece on how that team prepares their balls. As long as they aren't breaking the rules, they are allowed to do it.

So What's the difference between sanding off the surface and deflating the ball a pound or two, cheating-wise?

And don't give me the childish wah wah wah about "oh dear, it's the rules."

Use your common sense. Begin by asking yourself why the NFL lets each team use its own balls, anyway? Wouldn't they expect each team to customize the balls? Then provide the NFL's list of the psi of every team's balls for every game over the past five years. Just to make sure that the Patriots are the only team to underinflate. Can't do it? Hey, neither can Gooddell. That's why the Pats will win in court...

Stupid trivial nonsense.