Gary Myers in today's NY Daily News: Good analysis of a hopeless mess

PatsFanSince74 · Jun 25, 2015

Don't let the red-meat headline (written for Jets fans) fool you, it's clear that Goodell is in trouble when Gary Myers is writing stuff like this. The article ends up with Myers' wishful thinking that Goodell can find a way to get Brady to accept a two game suspension while clearing his name...but in the text of the article, Myers basically says that that is an impossible outcome.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...-roger-goodell-meet-halfway-article-1.2270430

[Goodell's options according to Myers:"

"-He rejects Brady’s testimony and keeps the suspension at four games. If that happens, Brady will likely take the NFL to court and attempt to get an injunction putting the suspension on hold. The risk for Brady comes if the case is heard during the season and Goodell’s ruling is upheld and then he has to serve the four games when the Pats are making a playoff run. The good news for Brady: The last three times a major case went to an independent arbitrator (BountyGate, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson), Goodell’s rulings were overturned.

"-Goodell cuts the suspension in half and absolves Brady of any blame, but still makes him sit out two games for failing to turn over his cell phone to Ted Wells during the investigation. Unless Kraft implores Brady to take one for the team to get rid of this distraction, how can Brady accept two games, costing him almost $1 million, when the previous stiffest penalty for lack of cooperation was Brett Favre getting fined $50,000 in the sexting scandal.

"-He cuts the suspension in half due to Brady’s cooperation in Tuesday’s hearing, but still buys into Wells’ circumstantial evidence that the QB was the DeflateGate mastermind. Brady has won four Super Bowls and three Super Bowl MVPs. Anything he believes unfairly taints his legacy could lead him right to the courthouse steps.

"Besides, when the Vikings and Panthers were caught warming footballs on the sidelines in Minnesota last season, they were just warned not to do it again.

'"He vacates the entire suspension. Brady would be vindicated, but Goodell would look foolish overruling himself after spending $5 million on Wells and basing the discipline on his 243-page report, which he would now be tossing in the garbage can. How does he explain it to the owners? Kraft is going to want his $1 million and two draft picks returned. If he just throws all the penalties out, there is no way for Goodell to preserve his own reputation.

"I’m sticking with a reduction to two games and Goodell finding a way to get DeflateGate off Brady’s resume."

NJPatsfan26 · Jun 25, 2015

2 games and deflategate removed.

Hell no

This is madness.

Concussion Protocol · Jun 25, 2015

Anyone who has been falsely accused of something knows that it creates an anger unlike anything else. If Brady is innocent, he will fight this like a cornered animal, as he should. In real life, people don't accept punishment for something they didn't do. All these mediots need to stop predicting a compromise that involves anything other than complete exoneration and perhaps a 50K fine.

juny · Jun 25, 2015

The big takeaway from this article is that NY media is realizing that Goodell f-ed this situation really bad

NJPatsfan26 · Jun 25, 2015

juny said:
The big takeaway from this article is that NY media is realizing that Goodell f-ed this situation really bad

Yeah I thought it was crazy when the NYT did that article.

Now more NY media are coming out saying Goodell is ****ed.

Brady2Moss · Jun 25, 2015

Nothing will happen to GoToHell, Gary Myers is just a shill for some owner that's pissed probably Mara. He's not losing his job, the soap opera that is the NFL reg season begins in September and everyone, including owners, will stop giving a s*** about what Goodell does or doesn't do.

EDIT: Just read this pile of garbage, rehashing old takes. WTF do these people mean 2 game suspension but get deflategate off his resume. If deflategate isn't on Brady then why does his cooperation MATTER if you've DETERMINED that deflategate wasn't his fault. These media types are so stupid trying to get their own hot take suspension plan. Felger started this whole "2 games for not cooperating, but you didn't do anything wrong with the balls". That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard it just becomes 2 games for deflating balls, no one will remember its for non-cooperation. Basically it's take 2 games because the league set you up, Brady will respond with legal action, as he should.

Sick of this BS.

varjao · Jun 25, 2015

juny said:
The big takeaway from this article is that NY media is realizing that Goodell f-ed this situation really bad

man there is no way to think otherwise, when you think that there are 2 situations with precedentes and very different outcomes:

- Panthers and Vikings tampered with the footballs, ON RECORD, and got only a note to not do that again.
- Favre didn't give his phone and got a 50k fine.

HOW THE **** they come up with the loss of 2 high draft picks and a 4 games suspension for the QB of the team? Only these facts are already an utter absurd.

goheels22002 · Jun 25, 2015

Gary Myers is a grown up in the NFL press corps and usually gets things right. The story reads much more like Goodell has a big problem on his hands, which is to keep this from going to court via the NFLPA over a biased process, or by Brady suing the league for lost 2015 and future wages due to the damage this does to his future earning power.

On the NFLPA part, the horse is out of the barn. Any suspension or lost wages should result in the NFLPA filing an unfair labor practice with NLRB requesting an injunction and a hearing before a federal labor judge. The central issue is that the arbiter could not possibly be objective since he hired the investigator and the staff member who imposed the suspension. I hope this happens. The NFL is out of control. Goodell is unqualified per se to serve as an arbiter of any case involving criminal conduct, and in this particular case, as an arbiter where science plays a central role. To its discredit, the NFLPA should have never agreed to a CBA that had such shoddy terms for appeals of sanctions against its union members.

On Brady's personal lawsuit, he'll probably lose because he's a public person, and the courts do not like to overrule an arbiter that the employee's union agreed could hear such cases. The win could come over the technicality that there is nothing in the CBA that allows the NFL to punish an individual player for this type of infraction, especially in light of the simple warning that the Panthers and Vikings got for warming footballs thereby keeping the balls fully inflated. The NFL should have pulled the game balls, warned the Patriots and moved on. Instead, the NFL went overboard. Brady's suspension, and lost wages, are disproportionate to the infraction.

Myers' piece suggest that Goodell's objective is to stay out of court. It's hard to imagine the other 31 owners (and the networks that are financing the league) want this scandal continuing to cast a media shadow over the league and the general loss of credibility that it gives the league when they are trying to draw in casual fans to watch games and buy merchandise. Unfortunately for them, their CEO screwed the pooch on the NFLPA piece by letting his ego get the best of him, and now has to completely lose face by dropping the suspension to zero or face a second lawsuit from the league's greatest QB of all time who has almost unlimited resources to go as far with this as he chooses.

The NFL would do themselves a favor by firing Goodell and bringing in somebody like former Senator George Mitchell as a short-term commissioner. Mitchell is a lawyer, diplomat, minority owner of a pro franchise (the Red Sox), and did a magnificent job with the Mitchell Report on steroids in baseball.

nabwong · Jun 25, 2015

varjao said:
- Panthers and Vikings tampered with the footballs, ON RECORD, and got only a note to not do that again.
- Favre didn't give his phone and got a 50k fine.

1. No one outside of Carolina and Minnesota watched that game and no ones else cares about those teams.

2. No one wanted to see Brett Favre's small penis. They were probably like "Do you wanna see a penis? Erm, no, I'm not gay. You? Erm, no, I'm not gay either. Hey Favre, you got bikini pics of that chick? Ok, trade them for $50,000.

Deus Irae · Jun 25, 2015

I think it would be really great if these reporters would be so kind as to explain how Goodell's sticking to punishment because of the amount of money spent on Wells, and because of how he'd supposedly look if he cleared Brady, shows any kind of integrity.

After all, Goodell's all about integrity.

scott99 · Jun 25, 2015

Gary Myers almost had an orgasm when Deflategate happened, he was so happy. His articles just fanned the flames of hatred towards Brady/Pats. I believe he was also saying Belichick should get suspended even though the Wells report exonerated him.

Myers is a first class imbecile. I met him in person and he's a real *******, you can see the look of entitlement and holier than thou in his face.

It may just be that his few remaining brain cells kicked in, and allowed him to see past his hatred and realize the Wells Report is a sham. The hatred will be back, trust me. He can't help himself.

Ring 6 · Jun 25, 2015

goheels22002 said:
Gary Myers is a grown up in the NFL press corps and usually gets things right. The story reads much more like Goodell has a big problem on his hands, which is to keep this from going to court via the NFLPA over a biased process, or by Brady suing the league for lost 2015 and future wages due to the damage this does to his future earning power.

On the NFLPA part, the horse is out of the barn. Any suspension or lost wages should result in the NFLPA filing an unfair labor practice with NLRB requesting an injunction and a hearing before a federal labor judge. The central issue is that the arbiter could not possibly be objective since he hired the investigator and the staff member who imposed the suspension. I hope this happens. The NFL is out of control. Goodell is unqualified per se to serve as an arbiter of any case involving criminal conduct, and in this particular case, as an arbiter where science plays a central role. To its discredit, the NFLPA should have never agreed to a CBA that had such shoddy terms for appeals of sanctions against its union members.

On Brady's personal lawsuit, he'll probably lose because he's a public person, and the courts do not like to overrule an arbiter that the employee's union agreed could hear such cases. The win could come over the technicality that there is nothing in the CBA that allows the NFL to punish an individual player for this type of infraction, especially in light of the simple warning that the Panthers and Vikings got for warming footballs thereby keeping the balls fully inflated. The NFL should have pulled the game balls, warned the Patriots and moved on. Instead, the NFL went overboard. Brady's suspension, and lost wages, are disproportionate to the infraction.

Myers' piece suggest that Goodell's objective is to stay out of court. It's hard to imagine the other 31 owners (and the networks that are financing the league) want this scandal continuing to cast a media shadow over the league and the general loss of credibility that it gives the league when they are trying to draw in casual fans to watch games and buy merchandise. Unfortunately for them, their CEO screwed the pooch on the NFLPA piece by letting his ego get the best of him, and now has to completely lose face by dropping the suspension to zero or face a second lawsuit from the league's greatest QB of all time who has almost unlimited resources to go as far with this as he chooses.

The NFL would do themselves a favor by firing Goodell and bringing in somebody like former Senator George Mitchell as a short-term commissioner. Mitchell is a lawyer, diplomat, minority owner of a pro franchise (the Red Sox), and did a magnificent job with the Mitchell Report on steroids in baseball.

I have said all along Brady wins going away in court, because what this boils down to is the burden that an employer must meet in order to deny a unionized worker their employment.
It will be Tom Brady vs the NFL, but to a judge and in setting precedent its Joe the union carpenter vs a huge employer who fired him for something they cannot prove he did.

PatsFanSince74 · Jun 25, 2015

Brady2Moss said:
Nothing will happen to GoToHell, Gary Myers is just a shill for some owner that's pissed probably Mara. He's not losing his job, the soap opera that is the NFL reg season begins in September and everyone, including owners, will stop giving a s*** about what Goodell does or doesn't do.

EDIT: Just read this pile of garbage, rehashing old takes. WTF do these people mean 2 game suspension but get deflategate off his resume. If deflategate isn't on Brady then why does his cooperation MATTER if you've DETERMINED that deflategate wasn't his fault. These media types are so stupid trying to get their own hot take suspension plan. Felger started this whole "2 games for not cooperating, but you didn't do anything wrong with the balls". That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard it just becomes 2 games for deflating balls, no one will remember its for non-cooperation. Basically it's take 2 games because the league set you up, Brady will respond with legal action, as he should.

Sick of this BS.

Not sure we read the same article. Myers seems to understand that and actually says so.
The significant thing is that a NY Tabloid is basically saying that Goodell ****ed up so badly that the only outcome that would save his pathetic butt is one that it not going to happen.

Concussion Protocol · Jun 25, 2015

Deus Irae said:
I think it would be really great if these reporters would be so kind as to explain how Goodell's sticking to punishment because of the amount of money spent on Wells, and because of how he'd supposedly look if he cleared Brady, shows any kind of integrity.

After all, Goodell's all about integrity.

Exactly. At this point Goodell is risking his job if he exonerates Brady. There's a major conflict of interest here, brought about by Goodell's past failures and low approval amongst the public. If he repeals all penalties, he might as well clean out his office immediately afterwards. What's best for him and what's right are not compatible.

borg · Jun 25, 2015

I am of the opinion Brady has long planned to be a part of management once his playing career is over. Given the team friendly contracts and the public mutual adoration between player and owner, I believe Brady's future in the organization has been predetermined ages ago. Bob eventually steps aside, Jonathan becomes CEO, Brady slides into the President's chair. (I don't see BB pulling a Fat Tuna and becoming a suit).
I mention this because, if my hunch is even partially correct, Brady has to consider his deflategate course of action in grander terms than just as a disgruntled star. He may become one of them one day. Management with NE.....or maybe an ownership stake elsewhere.
Brady is a competitive guy and I don't see him needing to occupy is future free time in the celebrity/broadcaster role....at least I hope not.
Just thoughts

Palm Beach Pats Fan · Jun 25, 2015

Not much there, but it sounds like the official bird cage liner of NYC /official hot air machine of the NY Jets is no longer so ****y about the possible outcomes of this dispute.

RunAmok · Jun 25, 2015

The media twisting facts to get to an outcome. Now where as that recently happened?

Brady2Moss · Jun 25, 2015

PatsFanSince74 said:
Not sure we read the same article. Myers seems to understand that and actually says so.
The significant thing is that a NY Tabloid is basically saying that Goodell ****ed up so badly that the only outcome that would save his pathetic butt is one that it not going to happen.

I don't think its significant, just a tabloid playing both sides of the argument and enjoying the free material this farce has provided for all media.

PatsFanSince74 · Jun 25, 2015

scott99 said:
Gary Myers almost had an orgasm when Deflategate happened, he was so happy. His articles just fanned the flames of hatred towards Brady/Pats. I believe he was also saying Belichick should get suspended even though the Wells report exonerated him.

Myers is a first class imbecile. I met him in person and he's a real *******, you can see the look of entitlement and holier than thou in his face.

It may just be that his few remaining brain cells kicked in, and allowed him to see past his hatred and realize the Wells Report is a sham. The hatred will be back, trust me. He can't help himself.

If Myers doesn't throw red meat on a regular basis to the Jets and Giants fans, he's out of a job. But, on Deflategate he's been making a lot of sense for several weeks.
Goodell is increasingly isolated. If he lets this spin much further out of control there could be a coup among the owners.
As to what Myers is like in person, these guys are all, for the most part, egomaniacs on a par with politicians if they've gotten where they are. I've never met him, but he's answered a few of my emails as a Daily News Subscriber and he's always been polite and to the point, even when disagreeing.

Brady2Moss · Jun 25, 2015

Everyone getting their hopes up again, theres no pressure on Goodell, there is no tide turning our way. I started a thread on the tide turning back when the report came out, I was wrong. Our only solace will come through federal court.

Gary Myers in today's NY Daily News: Good analysis of a hopeless mess

PatsFans.com Supporter

In the Starting Line-Up

Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

In the Starting Line-Up

2nd Team Getting Their First Start

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

PatsFans.com Supporter

Vice President of Boycott NFL Club

PatsFans.com Retired Jersey Club

Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal

PatsFans.com Supporter

PatsFans.com Supporter

Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job

Pro Bowl Player

Pro Bowl Player

On the Game Day Roster

2nd Team Getting Their First Start

PatsFans.com Supporter

2nd Team Getting Their First Start

Similar threads