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

All talk of back channeling is league subterfuge. Cant see patriots accepting any blame.

nowayback said:

Reading other fan bases thoughts on negotiations, they think the Pats want it ! They cant imagine its probably the NFL that wants to resolve this . Cause of course Kraft has godell in his back pocket, that's how the Pats got off with such a "small" punishment.

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You are the proverbial glutton for punishment.

Gumby said:

The only back-channel discussion that should be going on is Jonathan with 23 other clubs!

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Assuming a typo, although admittedly I haven't read all 13 pages... you mean the other 31 clubs?

Unless there's more actual news than I caught - and this is very possible - all we know is that somebody from the Pats and somebody from the NFL are talking.

Can someone bottom line it? Is there a flood of news leading to all the speculation here? Or is the above the extent of what we know at this point?

Sorry, I gave up after the first 3 pages of people playing "can you top this" in Pats fantasyland. I figured I'd stop before I got to the one with Goodell in the stocks in the public square being pelted with rotten vegetables. Not that he doesn't deserve it

Going by memory here, but I think the owners' meeting was this weekend. Seems like the league and the Pats made contact. The contact is continuing. Unless there are a bunch of details I didn't see -- and again, someone catch me up if that's the case -- all we have is a vague agreement that the present course (Kraft v. NFL) isn't what you'd call a win-win.

Is there more actual news than the "Pats and NFL are in back-channel negotiations" report?

just get the picks back

I don't believe the report. I don't believe there are negotiations. I believe they are lies and that Kraft has very few allies, if any, on this point.

The existence of negotiations doesn't have anything to do with Kraft having allies or not. No matter what, the NFL was always going to approach him and try to seek a way to quietly end this. We just gotta hope Kraft tells them to either retract everything, fund a new and truly independent investigation, or f.uck off he's suing.

Brady2Moss said:

Per Schefter

NFL & Patriots are attempting to resolve their differences without appeal through "back-channel conversations." (via @AdamSchefter)

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/600439765029236736

I say fight to the death, screw negotiating.

Edit: I also find it hilarious that they call it "back channels" like its Russia and United States. These guys take themselves way too seriously.

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...the only back channel this whole fiasco is comparable to is the back channel I had a camera up last week...

n6249c said:

I'm thinking it's more like: if we fire Goodell, and lighten the penalty, will you forego an apology and stay on as chair for the upcoming broadcast negotiations, please Mr. Kraft?

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That would be great, but who are the more level heads in the NFL office? It appears more like a strong man (Goodell) surrounded by moron sycophants (Kensil, Vincent, Giardi) from the outside.

Brady2Moss said:

Per Schefter

NFL & Patriots are attempting to resolve their differences without appeal through "back-channel conversations." (via @AdamSchefter)

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/600439765029236736

I say fight to the death, screw negotiating.

Edit: I also find it hilarious that they call it "back channels" like its Russia and United States. These guys take themselves way too seriously.

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Hey, a LOT of our own members are acting like this is one of the most important issues going on in their lives too. It's football and will never be anything but football.

And if you disagree, you need to state why you disagree.

I hope they don't make any deals. I made a promise that I'm done with the NFL if Brady is not totally exonerated. I'll miss football.

5thRing-Hunt said:

I would love to see how these negotiations go down. No way will the NFL backtrack after that letter and the harsh penalties. And I hope to God Kraft doesn't agree to anything other than the minimum fine for equipment that doesnt meet requirements even if it was just the weather. And if Kraft actually negotiates a deal then Brady getting a neutral person to hear his appeal has to be part of it. I say just take the nfl to court for all of this. The fans waited 10 years for another super bowl and we had to constantly debate people about spygate and now we get this. The fans deserve the team to be cleared as well

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Spy gate was a joke. Who cares what people say about it. There is no debate about it. If a rival fan says "your team cheated their way to 3 SBs" I always say," how did they cheat ?" They always say "by using cameras to film defensive signals", and I always reply "you do know that using cameras wasn't against the rules until 2007 ?". Then they usually turn beet red, and their heads explode like in that movie Scanners. There is no proven cheating going on by the Pats in 2001, 2003 & 2004 (Dynasty years). No debate needed.

Rob0729 said:

I hate to say it. Kraft is a League first guy at heart. He will ultimately cave if he can get a significant enough reduced punishment. He really doesn't have a lot of options to begin with, but he doesn't have the stomach to sue his 31 other owners.

Brady, on the other hand, will fight until he is completely exonerated or he runs out of options.

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Brady will fight until he wins...isn't that what he always does?

dpatrick said:

just get the picks back

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At least the first round pick. The NFL overreached on that one. Ridiculous.

PatsFanInVa said:

Assuming a typo, although admittedly I haven't read all 13 pages... you mean the other 31 clubs?

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I believe ( not speaking for him) he was referring to the needed 24 votes (3/4 of all teams) to oust the commissioner, so it's Pats and 23 other teams...

Ryan Hannable ‏@RyanHannable 34m34 minutes ago
On @DandCShow, @AdamSchefter doesn't think there will be confrontation between Goodell-Kraft. Says Kraft is a "league guy" and "hand-cuffed"

sad news if it turns out to be true

Looking at this realistically, I think Kraft would accept a deal similar to what he thought would be proposed when he said he would accept punishment originally. IMO this would entail a fine and loss of mid round draft pick. Brady will be exonerated by the courts and not miss any games. Goodell is safe at this time but he will be gone after his next screw up. Keep in mind that nothing will change what people and media think about the Pats reputation. That ship sailed in 2007 when Kraft capitulated and I am amused if he thinks it can be rehabilitated.

scott99 said:

If a rival fan says "your team cheated their way to 3 SBs" I always say," how did they cheat ?" They always say "by using cameras to film defensive signals"

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Or, if you ask Marshall Faulk, he'll say "by filming the opponents' walk throughs"

Afam said:

A fair suspension should have been 1-2 games suspension for Tom Brady. Fine, and no loss of draft picks or at minimum 4th round pick. Nothing more, Nothing Less.

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A fair suspension? There's no such thing when the team has DONE NOTHING WRONG.

The only fair suspension should have been zero games for Brady.

PatsFanInLondon said:

A fair suspension? There's no such thing when the team has DONE NOTHING WRONG.

The only fair suspension should have been zero games for Brady.

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Fair enough. There is no prove the patriots did anything wrong. I didn't read the whole wells report. Just seems like a big waste of time for me.

If nothing more, Robert Kraft has to protect the Patriots Name. I have had it with other teams, media calling us Cheaters. Screw Them.