EDIT: Schefter Patriots get taken through the back channel by NFL

The tide has not turned. Asswipes like King and Florio believe that there's not enough evidence to convict Brady, even though he probably did it. I doubt that's much solace for TFB.

JayNM said:

**** NEGOTIATIONS.

Even after we win in court, the name of the New England Patriots was still dragged through the mud and worse. We are still going the be the butt of many jokes.

We have been targeted unfairly, since day ONE.

I am waiting to give credit back to Kraft after this incident is over. If he does take any kind of deal, I am done with him.

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They could do a BREAKING NEWS story tomorrow that shows a camera inside the bathroom that shows McNally taking a leak and walking out.. and that wouldn't change the media or all of the hater fans opinions of the Patriots, so the damage is done.

Nobody is going to be convinced that the Patriots aren't cheaters. There are a lot of fan bases and personalities in media that think this ridiculous punishment was LENIENT lol!

TheBeers said:

I honestly don't see how the league backs out of this. You all read Troy's letter.. can they really go "oops, our bad.. nevermind"? or "we initially thought you were guilty as f**k, but now in light of all this new ****.. we realize you like.. didn't do anything wrong and stuff". The mediots would eat them alive! I actually think this might be fun to watch.

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Certain things have come to light. Given the nature of all this new ****, this could be a lot more ah a aa a a aa a complex, I mean it might not be just a simple ya know. New **** has come to light.

RxJock1120 said:

10. Colts have to replace Andrew Luck with Mark Sanchez

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No because mark Sanchez can actually beat the patriots in the playoffs

No salvation can be found playing by the rules at this point. Kraft is a naive fool if he thinks it can.

This seems odd to me. I dont see how the NFL can hand down the stiffest penalty ever and then on a back channel discussion reduce it a week later.

If the Patriots and/or Tom Brady want any real redemption I don't see a back channel agreement making sense either.

I could on the other hand envision negotiating to get an immediate and out of court resolution. Something to the effect of both TB and the Patriots agreeing to one time independent arbitration where both sides accept the final decision And both sides agree on the arbitrator.

We would have to agree to no further suits and they would have to agree they can't be the arbitrator no one has to back down from their stance and lose face.

Bella*chick said:

Get our draft picks back. I don't give a crap about the fine but NO suspension and no draft picks lost.

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The $25,000 fine that would have been levied as a symbolic warning on any other team suspected of doing this without proof that they actually did it..

Brady2Moss said:

If thats the result I'd be ok with it. Only a fine is acceptable.

But we all know if Kraft did sue, we would win AND embarrass the NFL

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As I said above, I'm OK with only a fine, as long as it's the $25,000 version that would have been slapped on any other team suspected but not proven of having done something like this.

YOUGOTMOSSED said:

If Kraft caves, it will mean he didn't learn his lesson from spygate. If he doesn't fight now, we're going to have to deal with an endless stream of allegations of picayune rule violations from the NYJ rascals comprising the NFL office.

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He caved on the ridiculous Spygate penalty and it looks like his appeasement may have come home to roost.

Gwedd said:

As Kipling so succinctly put its; "The problem with paying the Dane Geld, is that you'll never get rid of the Dane."

In other words, the league wants to know how much the Patriots are willing to accept to make the lawsuits go away, etc. THAT will be the new threshold then against the Patriots next time, because there WILL be a next time, and a time after that, and a time after that.

The only way to stop a bully, to stop a serial batterer, is to beat them into submission, to make them understand that they won't get away with it anymore.

The Commissioner is a serial batterer with a special hatred of New England. He and his thug monkeys will keep after the Patriots again and again, until they destroy the franchise, unless the franchise takes this to court and wins.

It's all or nothing time.

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And are you prepared as a fan to watch this play out and have Patriots are Cheaters on ESPN, NFLN and every other sports radio channel every single day for the next 9+ months? Because that is what would happen if it went to court.. it would be 24/7 news coverage of it, with every media whore there is getting their 5 seconds of fame by ****ting all over Brady and the Pats..

Al Davis says, "SUE THE NFL!"

There's something about going rogue and kraft being al Davis that I find strangely appealing.

The F everybody mode fits us well if you ask me.

JarOfMayo51 said:

And are you prepared as a fan to watch this play out and have Patriots are Cheaters on ESPN, NFLN and every other sports radio channel every single day for the next 9+ months? Because that is what would happen if it went to court.. it would be 24/7 news coverage of it, with every media whore there is getting their 5 seconds of fame by ****ting all over Brady and the Pats..

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Sure, I'm prepared for that. Media is easy enough to tune out, I care more about the kind of vindication that probably won't enter the conversation in a meaningful way for another 5 years or so, until people have had their fill of hysterical overreaction and look back at this whole spectacle with a bit more detachment.

The Gr8est said:

There we go with still being penalized....

"NO!"

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You're living in a dream world man.. there is zero scenarios where the Patriots walk away without so much as a $5 fine.. Brady will most likely get the suspension removed through his appeal, after they tell Roger to go F himself and take it to a federal court.. but the Patriots organization will have to pay some type of fine at the very least..

Expecting 100% complete and total exoneration after what we've witnessed over the last couple weeks is really just lunacy..

and hey... i would absolutely love for that outcome as well.. but it just won't happen realistically and you're only setting yourself up for disappointment

Tuck said:

You guys are going to be disappointed. I personally hope they accept nothing less than a full retraction of all sanctions and a public apology but it's not going to happen. A million bucks is a lot of money even to Robert Kraft so if Goody removes that piece of the penalty Kraft may suddenly be willing to eat the draft picks.

Brady on the other hand has motivation to fight this to the end. His endorsement deals are on the line and he's gotta be thinking future deals are in jeopardy now too. Not to mention hall of fame consideration and the legacy. If I'm him I don't budge an inch.

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There is no way he would accept a reduction in his monetary fine over draft picks... That 1st round pick is a hell of a lot more valuable than 1 million dollars

Plea deals are reached behind closed doors all of the time in our system, particularly when the punishment is heavy and the defendant is left to gamble on an all or nothing approach. Most people don't think that deals are accepted if the person is innocent, but throw a 10-15 year sentence at them and watch what they plea to.

If the suspension is taken away and our first round pick given back, that's more than what most of us were expecting through litigation anyway--but it'd have to be BOTH for me to be satisfied as a fan.

JJC said:

If I were Kraft, I'd make it clear that the only way Goodell keeps his job is if he does the following:

1. Upon Further Review: Throw Wells and his report under the bus. Their report was biased and not what he asked them to produce.
2. Upon Further Review: Throw Kensil, Gardi, and Vincent under the bus. They manipulated the information that they provided to him and the investigators.
3. Regarding Brady: There is no evidence against Brady or the staff - it was nature alone that was responsible and we apologize to everyone involved. No suspension and complete exoneration.
4. Regarding Kraft: Where there is no crime, there is no coverup. The draft picks are restored and the fine is rescinded. Apologies for the ensuing mess and I will be establishing a new league policy enforcement committee comprised of five owners and Bob Kraft will be the chairman.
5. Regarding the NFLPA: See #4. The Commissioner will no longer be a Commissar, but will answer to the ownership committee.

But somehow, I think we left that world a long time ago.

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The problem with 1-2.....(1) NFL Counsel Pash was coauthor of the Wells report. Per the NFL media release at the very beginning of this Crap Storm.

The NFL issued a statement Friday to provide an update on the league's investigation if the Patriots intentionally deflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game against the Colts.

NFL investigation of balls in AFC title game led by Pash, Wells

• NFL.com
• Published: Jan. 23, 2015 at 01:56 p.m.
• Updated: Jan. 24, 2015 at 09:02 p.m.

The league announced that the investigation is being led by NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash and Ted Wells, an attorney from the Paul Weiss law firm. Wells was tapped to conduct the league's investigation concerning allegations of workplace misconduct with the Miami Dolphins in November 2013.
So they can't throw Ted Wells under the Bus without throwing Pash under the bus and Pash knows where all of Goodell's bodies are buried.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...-of-balls-in-afc-title-game-led-by-pash-wells

(2) If all these guys get thrown under the bus Goodell will have about ten seconds before all them will give up good ole boy Roger for who he really is and what part he played in this whole fiasco.

Roger has worked himself into a box and pulled the lid in after himself. All these guys live or die at the same exact moment. Its the only way to play it. It prevents anyone individual from turning on any or all of the rest.

So Roger will not be giving up anyone period. Their thought is its better to get a black eye in court then to find themselves all hanging from the same tree.

yes Rawky...I posted that connection and more back when this all started...thanks for keeping the FACTS alive and kicking...I, for one ,am NEVER going to let this go until I see that red faced ginger under siege the entire 24 hour news cycle for a month.

JarOfMayo51 said:

And are you prepared as a fan to watch this play out and have Patriots are Cheaters on ESPN, NFLN and every other sports radio channel every single day for the next 9+ months? Because that is what would happen if it went to court.. it would be 24/7 news coverage of it, with every media whore there is getting their 5 seconds of fame by ****ting all over Brady and the Pats..

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lol, not sure why people are disagreeing.. You think if this continues to play out, that suddenly all of the filthy media whores who've been having a field day pissing in Brady's face would suddenly change their minds and be like "Oh we were mistaken, the Patriots didn't do anything wrong!"

The narrative I'm still seeing everywhere is that "they should just admit it and move on, this is ridiculous! You were caught, just own up to it!"

I think people are underestimating just how much hatred there is for our franchise.

Rawky77 said:

The problem with 1-2.....(1) NFL Counsel Pash was coauthor of the Wells report. Per the NFL media release at the very beginning of this Crap Storm.

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Well, that makes things even more interesting. I would think that gives Kraft and Brady even more leverage.

I was thinking that Roger, being the turd that he is, would strike a deal for his own skin. If that is not on the table, then I would love to see them all hang together. Maybe there is a RICO suit against the league office and the owners could throw the whole cabal under the bus and start fresh!