Report: Goodell rejected NFLPA motion to recuse himself (Update:NFL says no decision has been made)

Why is the nfl standing in the way of Brady getting a fair appeal? If a neutral person hears the appeal and agrees with the league then fine. I just can't believe how hard the league is trying to bring down the best quarterback in the game who has never gotten into trouble. Let me repeat that. Brady has never gotten into any trouble. I mean he's the damn current super bowl mvp. Thank goodness Butler intercepted that ball because this whole thing would be even worse if the pats had lost. Whatever happens with this psi nonsense I'll never forget Brady pulling off two of the most clutch drives you will ever see in the 4th quarter of a super bowl. And he did it with properly inflated balls.

5thRing-Hunt said:

Why is the nfl standing in the way of Brady getting a fair appeal? If a neutral person hears the appeal and agrees with the league then fine. I just can't believe how hard the league is trying to bring down the best quarterback in the game who has never gotten into trouble. Let me repeat that. Brady has never gotten into any trouble. I mean he's the damn current super bowl mvp. Thank goodness Butler intercepted that ball because this whole thing would be even worse if the pats had lost. Whatever happens with this psi nonsense I'll never forget Brady pulling off two of the most clutch drives you will ever see in the 4th quarter of a super bowl. And he did it with properly inflated balls.

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All about someone else taking the fall for their mistake.

JMC00 said:

So he had his lawyers submit why he shouldn't recuse himself yet then says that decision hasn't been mad?

Talk about a guy who is just basing things on putting his finger up and seeing which way the wind is blowing.

It's hilarious though. Idiot mortenson puts out a bogus report about the PSI and the NFL never refutes it. But news breaks that Goodell won't recuse himself and within minutes they put something out saying it is wrong.

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They did the same thing when the Pats put it out there why the suspended Moe and Curly, if its in the NFL's best interest they will refute immediately, if it looks bad for the Pats they leave it out there. Fauria and Merloni asked Polian why the NFL let the false report about the balls just sit out there without saying it was wrong, his answer was that nobody knew what the balls measured, Merloni wasn't buying it since Kensil measure the PSI himself so at least one guy knew if not everyone. This thing stinks more and more each day and pi$$es me off more.

5thRing-Hunt said:

Why is the nfl standing in the way of Brady getting a fair appeal? If a neutral person hears the appeal and agrees with the league then fine. I just can't believe how hard the league is trying to bring down the best quarterback in the game who has never gotten into trouble. Let me repeat that. Brady has never gotten into any trouble. I mean he's the damn current super bowl mvp. Thank goodness Butler intercepted that ball because this whole thing would be even worse if the pats had lost. Whatever happens with this psi nonsense I'll never forget Brady pulling off two of the most clutch drives you will ever see in the 4th quarter of a super bowl. And he did it with properly inflated balls.

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i betcha its because the NFL doesnt want Discovery to happen and blow this whole Deflategate BS wide open.

raduray said:

How does it do that?

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I'm not a lawyer but essentially the judge will note that the league explained why Goodell should be the arbitrator and the NFLPA then allowed him to arbitrate. They then will have to accept Goodell's decision. No further appeal allowed.

It's imperative that the players association reject Goodell as arbitrator

The Gr8est said:

My fear is that Goodell will vacate Brady's suspension and give him nothing to litigate. Is that a realistic concern or would Brady have a case even with his suspension revoked?

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Sfpat said:

It's imperative that the players association reject Goodell as arbitrator

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I keep harping on this, I am convinced the owners want no part of a court case vs Brady.
They like the controllable commissioner, their monopoly, control of the appeals, their own independent investigations, etc.

Goodell is in there to keep control, keep it out of court.
And to get Tom to agree to no lawsuit, after the deal is made.

It is why he "wants to talk" with Tom.

You cannot control, predict a judge. They are furiously independent.
Not lightweights. They have spent their life hip deep in BS.
They recognize the smell.

NFL is already buried in very expensive lawsuits.
They will be lucky if the 750M head injury thing stands.
Another big one this week on the mandatory drugging by Mr Sunshine.
All this in an atmosphere of serious political pressure, a political err, football.
Chaos, random, arbitrary and poor decisions, bad actors all around.
Wife beaters, child beaters, drug users and a murderer.

Brady is not that. Wrong bad guy.
He is the right man for the NFLPA though.
This may be a conflict.

NFLPA would welcome the suit.

I really think Brady is in control of this thing.
He gets satisfaction, or they go to court.
He gets satisfaction, he could still go to court.
depends on how pissed off he is.
And truthfully? How pissed off his #1 is.

A key missing ingredient from Mr Kraft, I think.

Owners meeting focused on PATs instead of Pats.

Close.
Missed it by that much.

The league doesn't want Brady to get a fair appeal because they know his case will blow the entire thing up. At this point they are calling Brady's and the NFLPA's bluff that they won't take this to federal court.

Sfpat said:

I'm not a lawyer but essentially the judge will note that the league explained why Goodell should be the arbitrator and the NFLPA then allowed him to arbitrate. They then will have to accept Goodell's decision. No further appeal allowed.

It's imperative that the players association reject Goodell as arbitrator

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That makes no sense. Lawyers write any opinion their clients want.
1. The lawyers work for the NFL will write an opinion Goodell wants.
2. The NFLPA has already stated they do not want Goodell to arbitrate and their lawyers will write an opinion backing that. Goodell may choose to artbitrate, but it will be so despite NFLPA protestation.

seven said:

It is why he "wants to talk" with Tom.

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Not gonna happen. All Tom has to say is "I'm represented by counsel" please direct all your requests to them........

Just a reminder that the primary legal point to be raised by the NFLPA will probably be that the suspension should be voided because only the Commissioner can hand down penalties for "conduct detrimental to the League" activities. This is a CBA dispute and is therefore clearly a case for the courts.

[Edited based on information from ctpatsfan77]

TruthSeeker said:

Just a reminder that the primary legal point to be raised by the NFLPA will probably be that the suspension should be voided because only the Commissioner can hand down penalties for off-field activities. This is a CBA dispute and is therefore clearly a case for the courts,

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FWIW, I believe it is specifically because it was "conduct detrimental" that it can't be delegated.

Awesome.

I hope they provide Kessler with as much rope as possible for Goodell and his Jet pals to hang themselves with.

I wouldn't be shocked if Kessler et al threw a retaliation claim in there as well. Remember Brady was the lead plaintiff in the NFLPA laws uit a few years back. What's to say this isn't the league trying to get back at him by punishing him in a vastly disproportionate manner??? That opens a whole different can of worms for the league......

ctpatsfan77 said:

FWIW, I believe it is specifically because it was "conduct detrimental" that it can't be delegated.

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Thanks for the correction.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...768/quick-hit-thoughts-around-patriots-nfl-25

3. When the expected news was delivered Friday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is being advised by his lawyers to reject the NFL Players Association's motion to recuse himself as arbitrator for Tom Brady's appeal, it was described to me this way by someone close to Brady: Not desirable from a short-term perspective but something that could ultimately be a good thing long-term. What that told me is that Brady is digging in for a fight and, unlike owner Robert Kraft, he's prepared for it to go the distance.

4. Count me among the believers that even if Goodell ultimately decides to reduce Brady's suspension from four games to two, as some have speculated, Brady wouldn't view it as anything close to a victory at that point. He'd likely still be inclined to pursue whatever avenues are available to him. In turn, the expectation is that the NFL will attempt to block any efforts of Brady's camp to take the league to court, so the lawyers will be busy. When I step back and consider how we got here, it is still amazing to me that Goodell has presided over a situation that has irreparably damaged the legacy and reputation of one of the greatest quarterbacks and ambassadors in the history of the game, relying on the anything-but-definitive Wells report in doing so, while failing to take any accountability from a league perspective for creating a swirling mess. It leaves a bad taste.

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SVN said:

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england...768/quick-hit-thoughts-around-patriots-nfl-25

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VectorPrime said:

The league doesn't want Brady to get a fair appeal because they know his case will blow the entire thing up. At this point they are calling Brady's and the NFLPA's bluff that they won't take this to federal court.

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Calling the bluff of the ultimate competitor in Brady and Jeffrey Kessler the high powered attorney who sued the NFL and brought about free agency... Wow, Goodell and his minions keep proving their stupidity. Kessler must be walking around with a permanent boner right now.

TruthSeeker said:

Just a reminder that the primary legal point to be raised by the NFLPA will probably be that the suspension should be voided because only the Commissioner can hand down penalties for "conduct detrimental to the League" activities. This is a CBA dispute and is therefore clearly a case for the courts.

[Edited based on information from ctpatsfan77]

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Wouldn't such a narrow technical win be a shallow victory? No vindication.
And, couldn't Goodell then go ahead and impose the suspension himself? Which would, of course, be followed by another appeal and another potential path to the courts. This could take awhile.

raduray said:

Wouldn't such a narrow technical win be a shallow victory? No vindication.

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Yes, win the battle but not the war (which is an impartial finding of innocence hopefully with over the top condemnation of both the Wells report and the penalties applied).

And, couldn't Goodell then go ahead and impose the suspension himself? Which would, of course, be followed by another appeal and another potential path to the courts. This could take awhile.

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We can only hope this happens and makes its way to a true impartial arbitrator (since Roger said last year he doesn't want to handle appeals that he has judged...)