I think that is salient. IMHO the NFL was figuring it out as they went until a certain point was hit. At that point it was no longer about Brady/footballs. Once that was hit their war plan was put in place, thoughtfulness was out the window, and they were 'in for a penny, in for 10 million pounds'.
To this day after everything that has factually happened it is still incredibly shocking it has actually happened. So far they have accomplished the following: Alienated a flagship franchise, has the heir apparent owner to that franchise publicly suggesting weakening the NFL office, another owner suggestion it just needs to be over win or lose (when do owners speak publicly about league office changes or 'win or lose' regarding his own side?), sullied a marquee marketable player, continues Goodell's slide into infamy, made the NFL office look petty and removed from having a sense of fair play, insulted repeatedly by a federal judge, and it must be getting close to an 8 figure cost. THIS! For a friggin ball that was off by at most, maybe, 1/2 pound of psi within a measuring process that was very informal and probably allowed 1/2 pound or more footballs to go by many many times????? JHFC this is so stupid I wonder if the producers from the Jerry Springer Show are advising the NFL.
And one other accomplishment for Goodell (though, unfortunately, not statistically probable - or at least not yet
): If a few stars align, Butler and Brown play solid, the injury gods smile on us, what does Goodell do if the Patriots end up repeating as SB winners? Does Goodell opt out of presenting the Lombardi (maybe he, ahem, gets struck by the flu bug and had to stay home)? If he doesn't opt out, his mutt face will be in front of all those cameras having to silently suck on it while being shown up, maybe getting the cold shoulder and maybe being oh so smugly smirked at ---- with the cherry on top being he is likely to become the person seen by the most millions of TV viewers being *Boo'd* resoundingly (sure he gets boo'd now but this will be in front of the biggest stage).
((As the playoffs start and with each Patriot win, I hope like hell Goodell has to contemplate what just may await him in front of a massive live audience. That contains some justice in and of itself).