Semi-OT: NFL beefs up Deflategate legal team

FWIW, Belichick's $20M proposed end zone camera idea = too expensive. $5M+ and counting on this ******** "report" and legal fees for something the average 9th grader knows to be false is okay though.

Herr Goodell.

BradyFTW! said:

Yup, they're basically doubling down on the same argument and hoping it goes over better this time. It's possible, but I don't see any compelling reason to think it'll go better for them the second time around.

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Depends upon who they draw for the judges, at that level pretty much everything boils down to ideology.

Looks to me like the NFL is trying to argue the case again rather than focus on the appeal.

TommyBrady12 said:

i think worst comes to worst the case gets sent back to Berman and berman finds another reason to shove it in goodell's face....

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He actually told the NFL that to their face to discourage them from appealing, since he can then make another ruling on one of the 3 other sticking points and send this on and on for years

VectorPrime said:

So why'd they wait so long to do anything about it if they, and everyone else, knew he'd been doing it for years? Why did not one single person on a single team say anything?

What a fuc.king joke. No one knew anything. They are straight up lying. Seriously, if you're a judge how can you not read that and instantly go "alright, so where are the accounts of people knowing about this for years?"

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When they said that to Berman he chastised the hell out of them for claiming a preference for 12.5psi footballs is evidence of wanting below 12.5psi footballs.

TommyBrady12 said:

shoot, paul clement is a former solicitor general. he's one of the best.

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Honestly - I don't think it matters who they get as counsel

Their argument is "we can do what we want because we're an association - there is no need for due process or fairness in NFL labor/management discipline"

That's a very tough argument to make - to overturn a lower court's ruling that "no - that's not ok - you actually DO have to follow due process" is a high bar to overturn and a dubious ruling by an appeals court

For a guy with a public relations background, he really has an amazing knack for messing up the NFL's relations to the public.

SVN said:

Daniel Wallach‏@WALLACHLEGAL
NFL: "The Commissioner has no incentive to favor one team over another; he has no incentive to favor one player over another."

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The Commissioner is wise...according to the commissioner.

And mice make the best guards for protecting the cheese.
And linemen always order from the menu when the all you can eat buffet is available.

I would love for the judges to double down on Berman and ask for the NFL's notes that they should have provided to Brady and his team and made those public. Better yet, make the NFL* pay for all the leagal charges from both sides for wasting the courts time.

SVN said:

Daniel Wallach‏@WALLACHLEGAL
NFL: "The Commissioner has no incentive to favor one team over another; he has no incentive to favor one player over another."

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Yet there are examples of him doing just that. Also, saying he has "no incentive" is not the same thing as saying he has never and would never do that.

I really hope the NFL somehow eventually is forced to turn over all communications internally and between Wells about deflategate so the rest of the lazy sports writers have no doubt that this whole thing was a sham.
Or let's hope Anonymous finds a motive to target Goodell's email

VectorPrime said:

So why'd they wait so long to do anything about it if they, and everyone else, knew he'd been doing it for years? Why did not one single person on a single team say anything?

What a fuc.king joke. No one knew anything. They are straight up lying. Seriously, if you're a judge how can you not read that and instantly go "alright, so where are the accounts of people knowing about this for years?"

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It's sad that this seems like a completely unrealistic expectation, but the necessary response to outlandish claims like that it is for someone like Robert Kraft to stand up and point out how ridiculous this has become and how it is hurting the league.

That would take some courage and conviction, which is sorely lacking among the league leadership and media.

PatsFanSince74 said:

"responsible" and "lawyer" in the same sentence? Isn't that an oxymoron?

But, it is ethical for a lawyer to tell a potential client that "we will have a tough time prevailing, but if you're willing to pay the money, I'll give it my best shot." I suspect some version of that is what happened here. The fee will probably be in direct proportion to Goodell's level of desperation, i.e., very high indeed.

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Sadly, these days "lawyer" and "responsible" have become mutually exclusive terms. Ditto "ethical."

The Berman decision is well-reasoned and pretty much "airtight." The NFL's case is, was, and always will be a dog. . . with fleas. When a sucker with a huge bankroll walks in the door, I suppose "legal ethics" becomes open to interpretation.

the league continues the charade. why don't they go after scumbag hardy?
amazing how other teams fans thinks the league " wants us to win "..****ing joke.

significant evidence?wtf are they talking about. cant believe our jellyfish owner still pals around with these idiots..so sad.

robertweathers said:

Its not personal.....it's strictly business.

As has been discussed 1000 times, this is no longer about Brady and footballs.

The NFL absolutely cannot have the NFLPA with any leverage on anything- especially it's ability to discredit the NFL's ability to hand out punishment without due process.

To the NFL, dropping another $2-$3m on legal fees is less than the hundreds of millions of dollars it stands to lose in another CBA where things like discipline are horse traded away in exchange for a greater % of the revenue to the players.

The NFL wants all the chips.

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I disagree. This IS PERSONAL. Without a doubt, they will not be shown to be wrong. IMO they are out to get the Pats for not conforming to their plan of parity. A few years ago, I would say you were paranoid to think this, but now, I am convinced. This ALL ABOUT THE PATS.

flasox27 said:

I am glad that Kraft is fine with Goodell again. I wonder what he will say when he cuts his check to pay for his share of the legal costs of this fiasco. It is a real pity how a smart and good guy got duped by that POS.

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if im tom, i would never speak to spineless kraft. hilarious that he's paying for this garbage.
kraft is a clown, nothing more

Elijah said:

It's so weird that this is so personal to them.

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This is about the league losing leverage to the players union. This is way beyond deflated footballs.

SVN said:

Daniel Wallach ‏@WALLACHLEGAL 17m17 minutes agoFort Lauderdale, FL
NFL: Brady scheme "was aimed at gaining an unfair competitive advantage on the field & it was devised to avoid detection by game officials"

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... soooo, since the alleged "scheme" Brady plays better than ever, and is on track of breaking whatever records are left, yet, somehow these idiots argue it was aimed at "gaining an unfair competitive" ... I don't get it anymore ...

Gronkowski123 said:

the league continues the charade. why don't they go after scumbag hardy?
amazing how other teams fans thinks the league " wants us to win "..****ing joke.

significant evidence?wtf are they talking about. cant believe our jellyfish owner still pals around with these idiots..so sad.

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Bingo!! And Jerry Jones approves of it!!!! It just blows my mind at the full on, blatant , "In the wide open public domain", that the MFL would still pursue this!!! Just mind blowing. !!!! No words. And they have every fan that the Pats have beaten "And that's just about every fan" buying in. .... But I have to admit, it feels good to be hated.. We've made it!!!

TheFlyingWedge said:

For a guy with a public relations background, he really has an amazing knack for messing up the NFL's relations to the public.

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I have to disagree. Public opinion is on his side because . . . jealousy.

He's simply appealing to the lowest common denominator through disinformation and inflaming passions. Have you heard the game broadcasts lately? Clearly the "in the bag" broadcasters have been given party lines to spout off through the game.

E.G. Chris Collinsworth/Al Michaels- herp a derp we didn't read and/or can't understand the all of the decision or the Wells report but let's explain them to you . . . herp a derp . . . it doesn't prove Brady didn't do it . . . herp a derp . . . legal technicalities . . . herp a derp.

jimache said:

... soooo, since the alleged "scheme" Brady plays better than ever, and is on track of breaking whatever records are left, yet, somehow these idiots argue it was aimed at "gaining an unfair competitive" ... I don't get it anymore ...

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Geez if Goodell would have went after Peyton Manning last year with his "deflation Scheme" just think of how all the mediots would have reacted to his Sudden Decline in performance. Thank God Brady is ripping up the record books.