How Tom Brady can win in the court of public opinion

Despite the momentum against him, it's not too late for Brady to stage a successful comeback in the court of public opinion. Let's assume that things go as expected:

• A penalty is handed down.
• Brady appeals.
• At the end of the appeals process, there's still a penalty.

At that point, Brady can and should sue for defamation, naming the league, Goodell, Kensil, Wells' firm, Wells and perhaps Exponent as defendants, perhaps among others, but not naming the press. Allegations would include:

• The investigation was portrayed as independent. This was a lie. The lie gave force to negative opinions about Brady.
• Goodell claimed to be hands-off. This was a lie. The lie gave force to negative opinions about Brady.
• Untruthful leaks were orchestrated. Brady wound up being the victim.
  
• Kensil arranged for the Pats to be unfairly judged. Brady wound up being the victim.
• Exponent was claimed to be independent. They're not.

Consequences in the press would likely include:

• Coverage stating Brady's claims.
• Analysis conceding that he has a point.
• Coverage of the defendants' legal maneuverings, which would make them look like they had something to hide.
• Re-argument of the scientific claims.

In particular, if Wells claimed attorney/client privilege, he'd pretty much be conceding he wasn't independent.

Despite his high status in the world, Brady could come out looking like the victim, as he indeed should.

The court of public opinion ship has sailed. Brady and the Patriots lost and Goodell won. And he won without the truth on his side, which just shows how poorly this was handled.

That's why I think it's funny people think Kraft is playing the long game. As if getting some arbitration lawyer to not suspend Brady is anything but a phyrric victory. That story will be on page 72 of the paper and nobody will believe it, much less care.

There will never again be wall to wall national coverage of this situation at the most watched event in the world. Reporters were chomping at the bit for the Patriots to give them something, anything and they gave them nothing. Goodell gave them leaks and misinformation. He completely dictated the conversation from day one. Opinions are made, it's over.

The Patriots decided to respect the process. The process is the punishment.

I'm sorry but people still defending Kraft as if he's their hokey old soft-spoken grandfather need a reality check. The guy is a ****ing putz.

Take a lie detector.

Bobsyouruncle said:

The court of public opinion ship has sailed. Brady and the Patriots lost and Goodell won. And he won without the truth on his side, which just shows how poorly this was handled.

That's why I think it's funny people think Kraft is playing the long game. As if getting some arbitration lawyer to not suspend Brady is anything but a phyrric victory. That story will be on page 72 of the paper and nobody will believe it, much less care.

There will never again be wall to wall national coverage of this situation at the most watched event in the world. Reporters were chomping at the bit for the Patriots to give them something, anything and they gave them nothing. Goodell gave them leaks and misinformation. He completely dictated the conversation from day one. Opinions are made, it's over.

The Patriots decided to respect the process. The process is the punishment.

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True but you still go nuclear when you have been slandered.

PATS16N0 said:

I'm sorry but people still defending Kraft as if he's their hokey old soft-spoken grandfather need a reality check. The guy is a ****ing putz.

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Yeah, it's Kraft's fault. Kraft is a putz. Apparently you don't remember the Billy Sullivan years.

patsfan13 said:

True but you still go nuclear when you have been slandered.

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brady will have all the ammo to go full nuclear on the NFL front office. I believe this is the lone aspect that has prevented the punishment from being handed down already. based on the documentation the NFL has on it's side (weak to say the least) the initial hand down of the punishment is the only place they're going to have any leverage. the appeal process will require that all the lies of omission by the wells report to be addressed. They will have to answer the questions they are not answerng now

tom444 said:

Yeah, it's Kraft's fault. Kraft is a putz. Apparently you don't remember the Billy Sullivan years.

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Unrelated. Kraft's success as an owner does not excuse his gross mishandling of cameragate/framegate, and it most certainly does not excuse his willingness for letting his QB and fans out to dry.

How much $ will it take for the NFL (through TMZ, maybe) to convince McNally that maybe Tommy Boy actually DID tell him to deflate those balls? This is something I worry about.

PrairiePat said:

How much $ will it take for the NFL (through TMZ, maybe) to convince McNally that maybe Tommy Boy actually DID tell him to deflate those balls? This is something I worry about.

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I was sharing the same concern with my wife earlier this evening.

Back in September of 2008 I was living in Maryland. I was watching the Patriots season opener at a sports bar near a college packed with Ravens and Jets fans. When Brady went down with his ACL tear, the entire bar erupted in cheers, roars and applause.

This ball deflation nonsense hasn't changed anything. All it's done is give the jackals a conspiracy theory to focus their hatred into like a bunch of 9/11 truthers.

Public has already made up their opinion about Tom Brady. He can't do anything on the field to change that. Even if he wins another super bowl.

However, he can change the NFL and the still come up on top if: he holds a press conference; states no wrong doing; exposes NFL for trying to make-up for all other screw-ups; states that he wants no part of the NFL that is out there to destroy him after what he has achieved; announces his retirement.

This will shock the NFL, the media and the fans. Most people will stop to think that what if Tom is innocent. The NFL will be begging him to be in the hall of fame.

I would like Tom Brady to play forever, but it in my opinion it makes sense for him to retire. At the moment, the NFL and the media is out there to get him.

Anyone notice Goodell is doing an entire show on his mother dying from cancer tomorrow on NFLN? Guess he has his PR campaign in full swing.

After a series of failures in the past year.. Goodell has "wired" deflategate to create an appearance of how much he cares for the "integrity" of the game.. what better way than to hang out our "golden boy" to the lynch mob. Most of the country do not like the Patriots anyways.. so he saw an opportunity at #12's expense to create an aura that he is equally applying justice...

One problem with my proposal -- distraction. Brady would clearly rather be in the locker, film or weight room than in court.

So perhaps he should follow the unusual plan of publicly announcing a framework for a settlement offer. For example, he could ask for:

• An apology exonerating him.
• A serious ad buy to publicize the apology.
• A rule change in which the NFL measures the pressure in every ball after the game, and publicizes the numbers.
• His legal fees.
• $1 additional in damages.

If Goodell turned down that offer and then lost in court, he'd pretty much be finished as commissioner.

I particularly like my third bullet point.

PrairiePat said:

How much $ will it take for the NFL (through TMZ, maybe) to convince McNally that maybe Tommy Boy actually DID tell him to deflate those balls? This is something I worry about.

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You don't think they have been trying since January to coerce such testimony from the two of them.

One thing Brady can do to save his rep is leave the Pats and join another team more beloved by the media. At this point, that's about it.

Personally, I'd like to see Brady run for Warren's Senate seat, win in a landslide, go to Washington, and lead a successful effort to get the NFL's antitrust exemption revoked.

Bobsyouruncle said:

The court of public opinion ship has sailed. Brady and the Patriots lost and Goodell won. And he won without the truth on his side, which just shows how poorly this was handled.

That's why I think it's funny people think Kraft is playing the long game. As if getting some arbitration lawyer to not suspend Brady is anything but a phyrric victory. That story will be on page 72 of the paper and nobody will believe it, much less care.

There will never again be wall to wall national coverage of this situation at the most watched event in the world. Reporters were chomping at the bit for the Patriots to give them something, anything and they gave them nothing. Goodell gave them leaks and misinformation. He completely dictated the conversation from day one. Opinions are made, it's over.

The Patriots decided to respect the process. The process is the punishment.

Click to expand...

Truly believe Brady will win the court of public opinion. Everyone has commented, but no one has read this Wells report, however in the next several days it will begin to be digested and torn apart. At that stage the public will see it for what it is - worthless trash.

Goodell would be foolish if he issued a punishment / suspension. Truly believe it would backfire and cost him his reputation as well as his job.

Jim Colclough fan said:

Truly believe Brady will win the court of public opinion. Everyone has commented, but no one has read this Wells report, however in the next several days it will begin to be digested and torn apart. At that stage the public will see it for what it is - worthless trash.

Goodell would be foolish if he issued a punishment / suspension. Truly believe it would backfire and cost him his reputation as well as his job.

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Completely agree. The public is fickle. Shift the narrative and you will shift their perception.

It's already starting to feel like the tide is changing and this will blow up in the NFL's face. The only person that these other fans hate more than Belichick/Brady/Patriots is Goodell.

Jim Colclough fan said:

Truly believe Brady will win the court of public opinion. Everyone has commented, but no one has read this Wells report, however in the next several days it will begin to be digested and torn apart. At that stage the public will see it for what it is - worthless trash.

Goodell would be foolish if he issued a punishment / suspension. Truly believe it would backfire and cost him his reputation as well as his job.

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I think your optimism is unjustified. They certainly never changed the narrative on Spygate. I just watched the news this morning on a major network and its proven the Patriots deflated balls. Had Brady or Kraft held a press conference and pointed out the gauge switcheroo then the news would have to address his points.

The fact is the Wells report is not going to trial, it was the trial. And the Patriots never even submitted a defense. They can try to sway the public, but thus far the Patriots have proven themselves completely incompetent at that.

They can try to attack the processes of the NFL, but that's not going to change the fact that Wells opinion is guilt, and the whole world believes it. Maybe after drawn out legal battles they can get the punishment removed, probably after it's been served and Brady is retiring.

I think you guys need to come to terms with the fact that Brady will pass on his deathbed with most people thinking he cheated just like BB will. Neither of those things are just, but justice doesn't always prevail, especially in public opinion. And part of the problem is that like you guys, they thought justice and truth would prevail, and that the public would care about the details more than the headlines.