In retrospect, could this have gone any worse?

Lets look back from the beginning in the days after the AFCCG. Those days when the initial leaks were coming out that seemingly pointed to the Patriots being caught red handed tampering with the balls? Remember how worried we all were that the Patriots were going to get hammered? But even in those worst days did any of us think, even for a moment, it would end like this?

Of course then things got better. Belichick had his press conferences, Kraft stuck up for the team (lol) and new leaks and reports started coming out that made it seem like the Patriots were going to be ok. That the initial reports were wrong. This feeling only got stronger after the Super Bowl when it . We had hope. Many of us honestly believed that not only were we not going to be punished but that we were going to be exonerated. And even the pessimistic people believed that we would, at most, get a slap on the wrist with a fine or a late round pick so that the NFL could save face for their farce of an investigation.

That hope died on May 6th. The punishment was worse than even the most pessimistic fans feared. And far worse than the materiel loss was the irreparable damage to the legacy of the team and to the GOAT Tom Brady. The team is now looked at as an elaborate joke nation wide, us fans being the butt of it. And when we had one tiny glimpse of hope left, our own owner, OUR OWNER who we've long respected and looked up to as one of the building blocks of our team, sh.its all over us. All over Tom Brady, the man who made him as rich as he is.

And yes, Tom Brady is now screwed. His appeal is a totally separate entity but perception rules all and now the perception will forever be that this team cheated because our own owner decided he wasn't even going to contest it. If Brady even gets off, which will now by more difficult due to said perception, people will think it was because of backdoor dealings or technicalities. Because after all, "why would Kraft role over if they weren't guilty?" He can't win at this point. And say his suspension is overturned. Great, now he can play for the organization that thread him under the bus after everything he's done for them. Real fun to root for as a fan right?

Legacies shattered, reputations ruined, and all for what? And now we cant even rally together against the rest of the league because our teams own owner threw everyone under the bus. How can we respect, or even care about this team anymore if the powers that be don't care about us the fans?

This has really broken my spirit as a fan of the New England Patriots. I think I'm done. I really do.

I'm holding off on saying "I'm out of here" as a Pats Fan (see my sig; I have too many years invested), but if this doesn't turn out to be part of a deal to get TB's suspension lifted entirely, I'll sleep on it for a day or two, but, yeah, I'll probably be out of here.

Losing the Super Bowl and our 2015 #1 would have made this much worse.

Other than the Super Bowl, no.

realtime said:

Losing the Super Bowl and our 2015 #1 would have made this much worse.

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At this point the only solace I take from that Super Bowl is out of spite that we were able to screw the Seahawks. Because when everyone, including the freaking owner Mr Robert Kraft, doesn't seem to give a sh.it about the team's accomplishment then why should I?

Remember Brady's pre game speech? "Its about honor, its about respect!" That game meant more than just what was being done on the field. It meant more than just winning. Hell winning was almost secondary at that point. To the players and to us fans. And its been completely sh*it on. All that honor and respect is gone.

Brady could have already said, "thanks for your overwhelming support, boss, I'm out of here". Who knows, he still may, and who could blame him....

Going from the highest of highs with the most dramatic super bowl win ever to now questioning whether I ever want to root for this team and it's ****ty owners in the matter of a couple months?????

Ummmm, No..... I'd have to say it could not have gone any worse.

realtime said:

Losing the Super Bowl and our 2015 #1 would have made this much worse.

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Much preferred to have lost this year's first.

This would already be behind us had we.

I'd say the worst thing would be for Tom's suspension to disappear. I think that was Goodell's endgame. Pats still lose a pick. NFL still has Brady on the field for opening day. No court case to expose the league's B.S. If this happens,my question is did Kraft get outplayed by Goodell, thinking he was getting his QB back, or is Kraft basically on Goodell's side in wanting to protect the league. I suspect the latter, sadly.

Sadly, has anyone since the Wells report even thought about winning the Super Bowl? It seems a long time ago, lost and forgotten in the lies and betrayals that followed.
And now this....
<sigh>
Thanks for the memories Bob, but it looks like you missed Brady's pre game huddle speech. It was about 'Honor and Respect' Not the $$$ bottom line. Too late for you to learn that. But not to late for me to free up some cash by dropping all my NFL crap.
How hard would it have been to just keep your spine straight a little bit longer. We have been and always will be....DISAPPOINTED.

VectorPrime said:

All that honor and respect is gone.

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No it isn't.

3rd worse event behind the helmet catch and the Welker drop .........

I'd put this number 1 at least those defeats were on the field fair and honorable.

did we even win the superbowl? According to kraft we cheated, and have been cheating since BB came along.

As far as the other 31 teams are concerned the patriots have never won a superbowl. we have stolen a few though.

If the NFL was a TV show they have long jumped the shark.

Ever since the 2011 lockout things have been ****ed up.

Bounty gate mishandling

Fail Mary

The Lights going out in the SB

Mishandling the Ray Rice suspension

The AP suspension

And here its culminated to deflategate.

The NFL has truly become the WWE.

jlu52 said:

Brady could have already said, "thanks for your overwhelming support, boss, I'm out of here". Who knows, he still may, and who could blame him....

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I hope he does

IF and that is a big if Brady isn't completely cleared and I mean completely exonerated not even a fine then I understand Kraft's decision. If not then I cannot support an owner who would rather back the league instead of his HOF QB's and HC's legacy and what they have accomplished.

This is really weird for me.

I've been a Pats' fan since before Plunkett -to-Vataha...

And now here I am hoping BB resigns and Tom Brady demands to be traded. And I actually AM hoping that.