Goodell's letter response to the NFLPA...6/2/2015

[The Gr8est]

I could see the league making the reduction from 4 to 2 games contingent on Brady waiving all future claims i.e. no lawsuit...In which case I think he goes to court....
The kicker is if they offer to lower it to one game in exchange for a waiver of claims....Does BB approach Brady and ask him what he wants to do???? The union would push to defeat Goodell in court but BB is looking to put the best team out there and a future HOF QB is his best option...even if he sits for one game...
If I"m Brady I go b*lls to the wall to clear my name but I'm not him..............
Translation, I'm making wags like everyone else...

Here is a deal I might accept.

ALL punishments levied against the Pats and Brady are vacated since the Wells report is flawed and there is no evidence that Brady or the Pats had anything to do with any tampering of any balls.

A new independent investigator, of the Pats' choosing, will be hired and tasked with investigating any wrongdoing by the league, or other teams, going back to, and including, Spygate. Any wrongdoing including, but not limited to, sting operations, false charges of a malicious and unsubstantiated nature, tamperings of players under contract, will be punished, or previous lenient punishments revisited, to include employment terminations, forfeiture of draft picks and awarding of those picks to the damaged team, sanctions, and possible criminal actions submitted to the legal system where warranted.

Also give Sponge Bob his apology.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Why on earth didn't he tell Brady he wanted to sit down with him *BEFORE* he drew conclusions from the Wells report and *BEFORE* he issued the largest penalty in NFL history?

Stop it. You are being way to logical, impartial and judicial about how the matter should have been handled.

Look- We all know the Wells Report was a railroad job that was intended to cover up/manufacture/demonstrate/create a preponderance of evidence to warrant/mask the overzealous, disorganized and stupidity that goes on in the NFL Exec Office. We also know that the NFL has a credibility and relevance issue.

Thats why they convicted TB12 before having a rational, mature discussion with him. They didnt want another "Dean Wormer Double Secret Probation Meeting" like the Ray Rice fiasco. They decided to follow the process and test Brady's intestinal fortitude at every measure (appeal, court, etc.)

The league feels that there is a preponderance of evidence to support the suspension.

I assume that Kessler, Smith, TB12 and the NFLPA think they will destroy it.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Would it be possible...

to have Brady's (assuming he has to take this to court and they feel they have a strong case) case aired on TV? Could Kessler and team put the screws to the NFL by publicly outing them? If NFL is all concerned about integrity, how about they put their money where their mouth is?

 

[1960Pats]

I have a family relative that is rather well known in business circles here in southern New England. Head of Hasbro and then Lifespan,he's met and shared dinner with a number of NE sports dignitaries ,including Bob Kraft. He relayed a little experience he had with Kraft over dinner and ****tails as the 2011 NBA strike and lockout was going on. Kraft said, in front of many people at this function, that his solution would be to "fire all the players and get new ones. It's the business that is the important thing, not the players OR the fans opinions on the subject."

FWIW, this person's reputation is IMPECCABLE. I cannot divulge his name because I have no such permission, but we share familial ties. I'm extremely close to his younger brother.

What do I think? I think Kraft's lip service about Brady "being like a son" to him is just that. Good PR. The truth is I do not TRUST what he says to be anywhere close to true. What IS important to ANY billionaire is BUSINESS and the making of money.

That is why I think Brady falls in with the NFLPA and DOES business with Kraft and the 31 other owners...in federal court. This whole laughably preposterous stance taken by NFL offices and Puppetdell is nothing but NFL PR spin, no different than the Iraqi minister of information charade.

I'm not that surprised to hear Kraft's true feelings match up precisely to what he just told us all. His team is the NFL. I get it.

The attitude that Kraft has is the same attitude that David Stern had when someone once asked him how the fans might feel about something. Stern's response was that there are other fans (he mentioned fans from other countries, something that I'm sure Kraft is in tune with) and the NBA would be fine. Unfortunately, Stern was right.

It's one thing to have the feeling that your team's owner doesn't give a crap about you, but it's another thing to hear him tell you. He's pretty sure of us.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

No way BB tries to influence TB , will just tell him do what you have to do . And as always BB will make do with what he has. This isn't a war where a personal sacrifice would help your country. Just a game, TFB do you what you have to do, clear your good name.

Agree 100%. Bill loves the history of the game and will feel it is well worth it to stand up for your reputation. Not that the haters won't still hate even after TB12 wins in court, but zero suspension & zero fine would speak volumes to all but the most brain-dead haters (i.e., Jets, Colts, Steelers fans, plus Felger & Mazzz).

 

[QuantumMechanic]

He got a loan for up to 150 million that he is personally responsible for, even if he sells the team. He got 70 million in infrastructure improvements necessary for any stadium

And he has to reimburse the state (over 30 years, IIRC) that $70mil.

 

[RayClay]

And he has to reimburse the state (over 30 years, IIRC) that $70mil.

That's right.

Too bad he hates all the fans and players.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Agree 100%. Bill loves the history of the game and will feel it is well worth it to stand up for your reputation. Not that the haters won't still hate even after TB12 wins in court, but zero suspension & zero fine would speak volumes to all but the most brain-dead haters (i.e., Jets, Colts, Steelers fans, plus Felger & Mazzz).

I agree for a few reasons...
1) BB thinks he can win without Brady (does he think he can win a Super Bowl w/o TB12 is another question.)
2) BB thinks TB12 can win (I'm guessing here but BB hired Kessler in 2000 so he must think he is good)
3) TB12 winning his case in court potentially helps the Pats recoup their picks (assumption that Kraft will pursue once the courts say that the Wells Report is BS and the league was off their rocker with the punishments.)
4) BB can appreciate TB12's plight. Even though it is complete BS, his legacy is tarnished. Same situation for BB.

My thoughts anyway...

 

[flasox27]

That's right.

Too bad he hates all the fans and players.

He doesn't hate the fans as long as they come to his stadium and Patriot Place and make the couple of million he pays the state chump change. He just doesn't care about the team and its fans as much as he does for his partners and he has said so.

 

[SVN]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-sue-to-challenge-goodells-refusal-to-recuse/

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Here's an interesting choice to offer the 32 owners. Would you choose either a) an option that hurts your team but may foster parity in the league or b) support your team, no matter what because after all you are the owner? Up until a month ago I would have thought that all 32 would choose option b to support their franchise...
I guess it is 31 piranhas and one naive altruist. If he thinks any other owner would have taken the same course of action as him,he's mistaken and it's laughable.
Yes, I know he is a self made billionaire but his recent action is not consistent with someone who is a Titan of industry. They don't roll over at the first sign of adversity. They fight, find a solution and overcome. This was waiving the white flag.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Does anyone have the end of the game PSI levels of the Pats footballs? I just want to compare them to the pressure loss of the first half balls. If the percentage loss is similar, there can't be artificial deflation, right? I mean the pats' balls were probably exposed to the cold weather the same amount in both halves.

 

[RayClay]

He doesn't hate the fans as long as they come to his stadium and Patriot Place and make the couple of million he pays the state chump change. He just doesn't care about the team and its fans as much as he does for his partners and he has said so.

Wow. Well, I guess if it hadn't worked out, the fans would have chipped in to pay him back the 325 million he paid for a useless stadium.

Imagine him wanting fans to buy tickets, what a jerk.

 

[RayClay]

Here's an interesting choice to offer the 32 owners. Would you choose either a) an option that hurts your team but may foster parity in the league or b) support your team, no matter what because after all you are the owner? Up until a month ago I would have thought that all 32 would choose option b to support their franchise...
I guess it is 31 piranhas and one naive altruist. If he thinks any other owner would have taken the same course of action as him,he's mistaken and it's laughable.
Yes, I know he is a self made billionaire but his recent action is not consistent with someone who is a Titan of industry. They don't roll over at the first sign of adversity. They fight, find a solution and overcome. This was waiving the white flag.

Yeah, it's taken him multiple years to get back his investments in a racetrack and a stadium that seamed frivolous, but I'm sure he uncharacteristically showed his hand and rolled over this time.

 

[Danger Zone]

Does anyone have the end of the game PSI levels of the Pats footballs? I just want to compare them to the pressure loss of the first half balls. If the percentage loss is similar, there can't be artificial deflation, right? I mean the pats' balls were probably exposed to the cold weather the same amount in both halves.

That would help if we knew the Patriot footballs were measured within the same time frame as they were in the second half and where they were stored.

I haven't read a thing that stated anything about where the balls were stored after the game or for how long they sat before being measured.

It's yet another example of how terrible the NFL is at ball "integrity"... they obviously had absolutely no clue that the cold had anything to do with deflating footballs... they find out that even on a mildly cold night it can account for a 1.23 psi drop... and yet they still stick with their cheating assertions.

It's disgusting.

 

[skinnydog]

Does anyone have the end of the game PSI levels of the Pats footballs? I just want to compare them to the pressure loss of the first half balls. If the percentage loss is similar, there can't be artificial deflation, right? I mean the pats' balls were probably exposed to the cold weather the same amount in both halves.

I'm pretty sure they measured 4 footballs for the NEP after the game. I think some had increased in pressure in the after the game measurements.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I'm pretty sure they measured 4 footballs for the NEP after the game. I think some had increased in pressure in the after the game measurements.

Yes, and they do not say how long after the game they were tested. From the high numbers, probably quite a bit after, when they would have warmed up

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Yeah, it's taken him multiple years to get back his investments in a racetrack and a stadium that seamed frivolous, but I'm sure he uncharacteristically showed his hand and rolled over this time.

Then how do you explain his actions this time? They lost their draft picks, the fine and potentially their starting QB for a 1/4 of the season. By not even going through the motions of an appeal ( which was his right) some could argue that he waived his right to appeal so should Brady's punishment be overturned he can't argue to get the draft picks back. You could argue that they weren't getting those picks back anyhow but why not try an appeal? Maybe it would have been reduced like many others? You don't know if you don't try and he did not even try to appeal.
Unless.....he believed Goodell and thinks Brady and the clubhouse employees are guilty. That is the only way I can wrap my head around this. From demanding an apology and commissioning the wellsreportcontext to this.....what did Roger say to him on the couch at that Birthday party? That is a question to ask.......

 

[flasox27]

Wow. Well, I guess if it hadn't worked out, the fans would have chipped in to pay him back the 325 million he paid for a useless stadium.

Imagine him wanting fans to buy tickets, what a jerk.

I am sure that Kraft appreciates your unshakeable support. The investment he made to get a team in one of the largest tv markets hasn't turned out badly for him since TV is the largest source of revenues for him. He built the stadium with money guaranteed by the League after he couldn't coerce one from Boston or Hartford. I guess his generosity only extends to football fans. He is trying get the City of Boston to fund a stadium for his soccer team. Maybe he can get the 15000 fans that show up to watch minor league soccer to foot the bill for that turkey.

 

[1960Pats]

He doesn't hate the fans as long as they come to his stadium and Patriot Place and make the couple of million he pays the state chump change. He just doesn't care about the team and its fans as much as he does for his partners and he has said so.

That's the part that I don't understand. The guy told us point blank that he's on the side of the owners. He also said that he knows the fans aren't happy. So why support him?

The funny thing is, the loss of the 1st and 4th round picks will save Kraft more than enough money to cover the million dollar fine. For him that choice is a no brainer.