Brady accepting suspension:(

[PatsBoy12]

This is from a Florio tweet:
"To be clear on the Tom Brady developments, he'll serve his suspension but he has authorized the NFLPA to appeal to the Supreme Court"

Not sure if that's any different than what's already been reported. But I read the NFLPA statement as saying it's reserving the right to appeal, while I'm reading Florio's statement as saying he definitely will appeal.

This sheds light on it. Thanks for posting it. Quantum Mechanic was correct.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Florio explains it well:
Tom Brady’s legal fight technically isn’t over, yet

To clarify: his name will no longer be on the suit? Because, otherwise, what Florio says is at odds with Brady's post:
"I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process."

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Brady is taking one for the team here. Just too much chance of him having to serve his suspension towards the end of the season if he proceeded. This way Belichick has certainty, and that's worth a lot from the perspective of the camp and game planning.

Brady got screwed here - I still hopes he participates in a 60-Minutes expose at some point.

On the good side, might increase the value of Garoppolo - they'll simplify things with a predominantly 2+1 game plan, heavier on the run than with Tom. Maybe increases the chances of signing or trading for an upgrade on Blount.

Tom's chances of injury also get significantly reduced. So not all bad news from the team's perspective.

 

[JetFan79]

Somewhere Affleck is having a few drinks and going on an F-bomb rant...

Seriously though, not sure what some of you guys expect out of Brady. He has proven to be the ultimate team guy. A great leader and teammate. Hell, he could be the highest paid player in the NFL, but takes less for the good of the team.

Receiving the stay would most likely have hurt the Pats this year. It's been said here, but really think about it. When is it better to serve the suspension? Weeks 1-4, with time to prepare and 3 at home?.. Or at some random point in Nov or Dec?

If Brady was selfish, sure, go for the stay. But he's not, so he did what was best for the team.

(God damn it! My Fantasy 5th round keeper of Edelman just took a big hit.)

 

[Todd Bradley]

" innocent men wouldnt give up " hmm how does tom accept a 4 game suspension for something that never happened???? this will drive him crazy for a long time. i hope never does any off the field things for the nfl. no sit down interviews/still pissed that he attended that SB mvp halftime farce!

The same morons who say that are the same morons who said "just give it up already and take your punishment like a man!".

Even if Brady had won, it would've been, and was for a short time, "Look at this cheater paying off the judges and getting away with it!"

There's no getting around it. Jealous, petty, little hating morons will do, say and feel the same no matter what.

The outcome makes no difference in the court of public opinion. People hate Brady because he's so good at what he does and they rationally can't explain it without the cheating excuse. It's sad, but that's 2016 America for you.

 

[raduray]

sure there is.......Garoppolo could be worth a boatload of picks by week 5

I'm not sure that's a positive for Brady. After all, Brady was worth a whole bunch of picks after his performance when Bledsoe was hurt. How'd that work out for Drew? If Garoppolo does well, Belichick is the type of coach who'll stay with the hot hand, particularly given Brady's age.

 

[AvocadoIceCream]

It's over.... Let's move on and prepare for one for the thumb

 

[NashuaPats]

Now that this is over, let's see McNally and Jastremski file their defamation lawsuits against the NFL and Goodell.

 

[raduray]

I will be disappointed if the NFLPA doesn't grow a pair during the next set of labor negotitations and reduces the way-overreaching power the Commissioner has to basically, "police" himself.

It's not the NFLPA's resolve that's in question. Are the players willing to strike over this? Last time they went on strike, they folded. NFL players have the worst contract in major league sports and that's on the players.

 

[ViperGTS]

Lots of short, wise posts in this thread.

My thoughts:

I'd bet the farm that Olson told him it was virtually hopeless to think that SCOTUS would take the case after CA2 turned it down for an en banc review and that Brady took his advice.

I have no doubt that TB has made the right decision.

I'm very impressed by the professionalism with which Brady has conducted himself throughout this entire mess.

I think Goodell is the biggest loser both in the short term and the long term, other than with the Owners, who are the only constituency about which he gives a ****. But, I suspect that even the Owners will view him as a liability when his contract is up.

I don't know what difference it would have ultimately made, but I can never forgive Bob Kraft for folding his tent so quickly in San Francisco last year.

I hope that the NFLPA has the guts to go out on a long strike to strip the Commissioner of the absurd powers they have granted to him.

Personally, I'm not going to access to any of the media over the next few days. I'm already anticipating the "told you so" columns by the CHB, the MCI and the Gasper, which would no doubt make me vomit if I read them...which I will not!

Finally, I want to express my admiration for the many insightful, informed and highly intelligent exchanges many of us have been able to have over the last, dreary 17 months. 99% of the Posters on this Board made us all proud throughout.

I have to respectfully disagree. TB had 2 options. Cave, which he did or go nuclear, which was the only last real option. Guess he took option A. I feel totally and utterly let down. You are also wrong that Goodell will get the worst of it. Brady has, and Brady will in the end take the brunt of it.

Now, we all get to hear he's a cheater and a cheater he will known to be. By giving in, he proves he's not innocent because he's partly guilty. At least that's the argument that will be put forth.

I really thought the suspension would never really stick and turn the NFL into the WWE. Instead this is what we have.

 

[PatsBoy12]

" innocent men wouldnt give up " hmm how does tom accept a 4 game suspension for something that never happened???? this will drive him crazy for a long time. i hope never does any off the field things for the nfl. no sit down interviews/still pissed that he attended that SB mvp halftime farce!

I hate the word "accept" though. I think Tom did everything he realistically could have at this point. He had legal guys briefing him in every possible outcome. How do we know they didn't tell him his chances of the SC reviewing the suspension was zero? I guess I'm only suggesting we don't know what's happening behind closed doors between any if the parties involved. Almost everything that we think we know could be speculation. The story just broke no more than an hour ago? We hardly know now what all the moving parts will yield.

I guess I'm just not as angry about Brady's decision as some, right or wrong. I can't tell anyone to not be upset any more than someone can tell me I should be angrier. I guess it's because I expected this. I truly did. The season is not lost and I hardly believe this is going to "tarnish" Brady's legacy any more than Spygate or any of the other ********, especially since there are a lot of people who feel this whole thing had more to do with the organization all along. Brady just ended up being somewhat of the fall guy. It doesn't make the pill that much easier to swallow, I admit. But it is what it is. So those who want to be angry and call for Brady to sue or Kraft to sue...don't be surprised when it doesn't happen.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

This is from a Florio tweet:
"To be clear on the Tom Brady developments, he'll serve his suspension but he has authorized the NFLPA to appeal to the Supreme Court"

Not sure if that's any different than what's already been reported. But I read the NFLPA statement as saying it's reserving the right to appeal, while I'm reading Florio's statement as saying he definitely will appeal.

Sounds like Florio's contorting himself there. Brady clearly says in his statement that "I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process." But, if his name is on the suit, then he is proceeding "with the legal process."

 

[PatsBoy12]

Well, what I read was some nonsense about "deals behind closed doors" being somehow tied to Belichick's decision-making, which is beyond stupid.

And you are entitled to that. Thanks.

 

[ViperGTS]

" innocent men wouldnt give up " hmm how does tom accept a 4 game suspension for something that never happened???? this will drive him crazy for a long time. i hope never does any off the field things for the nfl. no sit down interviews/still pissed that he attended that SB mvp halftime farce!

Bingo. It will be the "I know the evidence is really sketchy, but you didn't take it all the way...so...."

 

[PatsfanTN]

Also a sad day for employees everywhere considering this decision not to continue to fight essentially makes arbitration useless.

Not true, most CBA's utilize an independant arbitrator. The NFL CBA does not, which was holy crap dumb as hell to agree with in the first place.

 

[Galeb]

I'm not sure that's a positive for Brady. After all, Brady was worth a whole bunch of picks after his performance when Bledsoe was hurt. How'd that work out for Drew? If Garoppolo does well, Belichick is the type of coach who'll stay with the hot hand, particularly given Brady's age.

Bledsoe was no Brady, and was a bad fit for BB's scheme.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Sounds like Florio's contorting himself there. Brady clearly says in his statement that "I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process." But, if his name is on the suit, then he is proceeding "with the legal process."

According to another poster, Brady's name must remain on it for it to continue. I'm no legal expert, so I honestly have no idea at this point what any of it means. If it doesn't directly effect the suspension anymore, which is all I care about in the very immediate future, then I don't care right now. Bring on TC.

 

[patsfan13]

I support Brady, no matter how I feel personally.

 

[DaBruinz]

Also a sad day for employees everywhere considering this decision not to continue to fight essentially makes arbitration useless.

It's not just employer/employee situations that arbitration is now useless. It's in every venue that arbitration was pushed because now the consumer is going to get screwed over more often than not..

 

[ReverendMaynard]

I really thought the suspension would never really stick and turn the NFL into the WWE. Instead this is what we have.

It officially became the WWE when that pick was not made on day 1 of this year's draft. This is just icing on the cake for the NYJFL and the 32.