Patriots have filed an amicus brief in support of Brady/NFLPA.

[LivinLovin&Breathin_Brady]

I will be as objective as possible on the subject, because nobody is innocent in this situation.

Kraft is supporting Brady to the best of his ability. It's not his job to do it, but he's a just man, apparently. He's obviously paying the hourly salaries of those top-notch lawyers. The PA ain't paying them and I know the Bundchen-Bradys ain't paying that kind of money either. We can argue about their net worth being in the millions, but it's not like they got millions waiting in the bank. These celebs have years of expenses, huge bills, taxes and they splurge on overpriced random stuff, just like everybody else. They are budgeting and living on borrowed funds, they just do it on a higher scale. Even Overpaid-ton Manning claims he won't sue AJ and listed legal expenses as one of the reasons.

It's Kraft paying Brady back for all those pay-cuts that he's taken over the years. Though I would consider Kraft's business relationship with Brady (referring Patriot players to TB12 center) a bonus. He probably doesn't even charge Brady rent for that joint.

It's Kraft using his influence to allow the Washington Post to inform the sheep-like public and defend Brady. Anybody actually believe Brady has that type of pull?

Kraft used his money to fund the website that shredded the Wells Report.

Kraft used his influence to try and have Brady sell out the ball boys and take a game for lack of cooperation. It's the best deal Brady's going to get. Yet his conscience wouldn't allow it.

It's Kraft who sacrificed the fine and loss of picks to protect his QB from being suspended, but the deciding or influential parties of the 31 decided that Brady was going down.

Kraft, like myself, seems like a man uncertain of Brady's guilt or innocence, but Brady has taken it this far, so what does it mean? It shows that this losing battle can somehow convince the public and some media that he's innocent. His lawyers have made this more about the cba, than about his innocence. Is this a ploy to distract the public from his actual guilt? Everybody loves the story of a hero taking down the big, rich and powerful machine. Luke Skywalker vs Darthvader and Death Star. I can't even recall them ever using the word "innocent" in any of their arguments to defend their client. If Brady defeats the league on the grounds of the Goodell abusing his power, then he will be celebrated among the masses, he will once again be a winner and the fact that he deflated balls, even if he did it, will be irrelevant and forgotten.

Ted Wells claimed, during a phone interview, that Brady was guilty. Yet we've heard that Pash edited the report and more than likely changed Wells's finding to "more probable than not," to make Brady's innocence 49% possible. He was protecting Brady and the 32, before Brady went rogue and decided to protect some part-timers, who may or may not have deflated balls for him.

I'm still curious about McNally's role with the balls, because from my understanding his position doesn't even require him to pump balls or anything like that. So what was he doing with the balls?

This leads me to believe that they may deflate balls, during some games, but didn't deflate them against the Colts. The league have known this for years, but didn't care and now, outside of hearsay, they can't prove it.

Brady got in the way of the Make-Luck-A-Superstar campaign and the league is punishing him for it. They tried to blow up some minor infraction, that they can't prove because they didn't consider nature. The PA will save this argument for last because a more informed person could argue that it wasn't cold enough to affect ball pressure, but then again they didn't record the initial ball pressure. Now they look like fools. Brady is, to their shock, fighting the allegation.

I don't think anybody is innocent in this matter. The NFL made their plans to go after Brady obvious, when they exonerate the coaches from scheme. No way Brady played with deflated balls without Belichick's knowledge.
Brady's phone situation is suspect, though, Im sure it has more to do possible infidelity, drugs or something to ruin the illusion of his clean-cut image than deflating a ball. If he's innocent, he should've just been up front about it during the investigation, but he was hiding something, and it made the guilt claims credible.

 

[Ivan]

Tony, I don't think you understand the argument. Andy is saying that Brady himself asked Kraft to physically be at the appeal and that we all talked about it. All the info that I have seen linked, including yours, says that the NFLPA asked Kraft to phone in. They two are different things. Brady may have asked Kraft to physically be there, but I've seen no evidence of it.

I never said Kraft couldn't have testified over the phone.

If Brady asked Kraft to attend we have never seen any evidence of that.

 

[IllegalContact]

I will be as objective as possible on the subject, because nobody is innocent in this situation.

Kraft is supporting Brady to the best of his ability. It's not his job to do it, but he's a just man, apparently. He's obviously paying the hourly salaries of those top-notch lawyers. The PA ain't paying them and I know the Bundchen-Bradys ain't paying that kind of money either.

I believe the NFLPA is paying Tom Brady's legal costs....that's how the process works

 

[Ivan]

I will be as objective as possible on the subject, because nobody is innocent in this situation.

Kraft is supporting Brady to the best of his ability. It's not his job to do it, but he's a just man, apparently. He's obviously paying the hourly salaries of those top-notch lawyers. The PA ain't paying them and I know the Bundchen-Bradys ain't paying that kind of money either. We can argue about their net worth being in the millions, but it's not like they got millions waiting in the bank. These celebs have years of expenses, huge bills, taxes and they splurge on overpriced random stuff, just like everybody else. They are budgeting and living on borrowed funds, they just do it on a higher scale. Even Overpaid-ton Manning claims he won't sue AJ and listed legal expenses as one of the reasons.

It's Kraft paying Brady back for all those pay-cuts that he's taken over the years. Though I would consider Kraft's business relationship with Brady (referring Patriot players to TB12 center) a bonus. He probably doesn't even charge Brady rent for that joint.

It's Kraft using his influence to allow the Washington Post to inform the sheep-like public and defend Brady. Anybody actually believe Brady has that type of pull?

Kraft used his money to fund the website that shredded the Wells Report.

Kraft used his influence to try and have Brady sell out the ball boys and take a game for lack of cooperation. It's the best deal Brady's going to get. Yet his conscience wouldn't allow it.

It's Kraft who sacrificed the fine and loss of picks to protect his QB from being suspended, but the deciding or influential parties of the 31 decided that Brady was going down.

Kraft, like myself, seems like a man uncertain of Brady's guilt or innocence, but Brady has taken it this far, so what does it mean? It shows that this losing battle can somehow convince the public and some media that he's innocent. His lawyers have made this more about the cba, than about his innocence. Is this a ploy to distract the public from his actual guilt? Everybody loves the story of a hero taking down the big, rich and powerful machine. Luke Skywalker vs Darthvader and Death Star. I can't even recall them ever using the word "innocent" in any of their arguments to defend their client. If Brady defeats the league on the grounds of the Goodell abusing his power, then he will be celebrated among the masses, he will once again be a winner and the fact that he deflated balls, even if he did it, will be irrelevant and forgotten.

Ted Wells claimed, during a phone interview, that Brady was guilty. Yet we've heard that Pash edited the report and more than likely changed Wells's finding to "more probable than not," to make Brady's innocence 49% possible. He was protecting Brady and the 32, before Brady went rogue and decided to protect some part-timers, who may or may not have deflated balls for him.

I'm still curious about McNally's role with the balls, because from my understanding his position doesn't even require him to pump balls or anything like that. So what was he doing with the balls?

This leads me to believe that they may deflate balls, during some games, but didn't deflate them against the Colts. The league have known this for years, but didn't care and now, outside of hearsay, they can't prove it.

Brady got in the way of the Make-Luck-A-Superstar campaign and the league is punishing him for it. They tried to blow up some minor infraction, that they can't prove because they didn't consider nature. The PA will save this argument for last because a more informed person could argue that it wasn't cold enough to affect ball pressure, but then again they didn't record the initial ball pressure. Now they look like fools. Brady is, to their shock, fighting the allegation.

I don't think anybody is innocent in this matter. The NFL made their plans to go after Brady obvious, when they exonerate the coaches from scheme. No way Brady played with deflated balls without Belichick's knowledge.
Brady's phone situation is suspect, though, Im sure it has more to do possible infidelity, drugs or something to ruin the illusion of his clean-cut image than deflating a ball. If he's innocent, he should've just been up front about it during the investigation, but he was hiding something, and it made the guilt claims credible.

This was a witchhunt from the start, the weather explains the game balls and there is zero evidence of any wrongdoing other than that by Kensil, Pash, Vincent, Goodell, Wells and Co.

 

[Ring 6]

Bologna. Where did I claim that Brady didn't care? Show me. Not only did I not move the goal posts, I restated the foundation of the argument early on in responses to Tony as well.

I quoted it. Here it is again

You said: Kraft and Brady could have discussed it and Brady may have agreed that he didn't need to call in

Y

our original claim was that Brady asked RK to be at the appeal, RK declined so the NFL asked him to call in and he declined and sent an affidavit.

No that is not what I said. I said Brady (which clearly includes his attorneys to anyone discussing this honestly and rationally) asked him to testify and he said no, so he asked him to testify by phone and he said no, and instead sent in a letter.

My response is that we have no evidence that RK had asked to actually be there, in person, and that we also have no evidence that Brady himself asked him anything.

It is ridiculous to assume that he is the only person asked to testify by phone. What difference does it make anyway? If he only refused to testify by phone instead of both in person and by phone, he still refused to testify.
Brady's team asking is the same as Brady asking, because the case was about Brady.
Are you really telling me that Kraft being asked to defend Tom Brady's character and reputation should get a different answer whether Brady asked himself, or followed the normal procedure of having his attorney make the request?

I also stated that there is a huge range of what could have happened, from outright betrayal to amicable consensus.

How can there be amicable consensus to Will you testify? No.
Yu are trying to let Kraft off the hook by implying they asked but didn't really care if he said yes or no. There is no basis for that whatsoever.

I don't know if you're confusing my posts with the others you were arguing with or if you are intentionally misrepresenting my argument, but either way, your interpretation of the actual words I wrote is way off.

I'm quoting them.

You can have your precious last word, I simply request is that you don't misrepresent the words that I actually wrote in it. Have a good, long weekend.

I have said all along, I have no interest in arguing this, but you keep coming back. Lets just drop it. It has become pointless and annoying.

 

[Froob]

I will be as objective as possible on the subject, because nobody is innocent in this situation.

Kraft is supporting Brady to the best of his ability. It's not his job to do it, but he's a just man, apparently. He's obviously paying the hourly salaries of those top-notch lawyers. The PA ain't paying them and I know the Bundchen-Bradys ain't paying that kind of money either. We can argue about their net worth being in the millions, but it's not like they got millions waiting in the bank. These celebs have years of expenses, huge bills, taxes and they splurge on overpriced random stuff, just like everybody else. They are budgeting and living on borrowed funds, they just do it on a higher scale. Even Overpaid-ton Manning claims he won't sue AJ and listed legal expenses as one of the reasons.

It's Kraft paying Brady back for all those pay-cuts that he's taken over the years. Though I would consider Kraft's business relationship with Brady (referring Patriot players to TB12 center) a bonus. He probably doesn't even charge Brady rent for that joint.

It's Kraft using his influence to allow the Washington Post to inform the sheep-like public and defend Brady. Anybody actually believe Brady has that type of pull?

Kraft used his money to fund the website that shredded the Wells Report.

Kraft used his influence to try and have Brady sell out the ball boys and take a game for lack of cooperation. It's the best deal Brady's going to get. Yet his conscience wouldn't allow it.

It's Kraft who sacrificed the fine and loss of picks to protect his QB from being suspended, but the deciding or influential parties of the 31 decided that Brady was going down.

Kraft, like myself, seems like a man uncertain of Brady's guilt or innocence, but Brady has taken it this far, so what does it mean? It shows that this losing battle can somehow convince the public and some media that he's innocent. His lawyers have made this more about the cba, than about his innocence. Is this a ploy to distract the public from his actual guilt? Everybody loves the story of a hero taking down the big, rich and powerful machine. Luke Skywalker vs Darthvader and Death Star. I can't even recall them ever using the word "innocent" in any of their arguments to defend their client. If Brady defeats the league on the grounds of the Goodell abusing his power, then he will be celebrated among the masses, he will once again be a winner and the fact that he deflated balls, even if he did it, will be irrelevant and forgotten.

Ted Wells claimed, during a phone interview, that Brady was guilty. Yet we've heard that Pash edited the report and more than likely changed Wells's finding to "more probable than not," to make Brady's innocence 49% possible. He was protecting Brady and the 32, before Brady went rogue and decided to protect some part-timers, who may or may not have deflated balls for him.

I'm still curious about McNally's role with the balls, because from my understanding his position doesn't even require him to pump balls or anything like that. So what was he doing with the balls?

This leads me to believe that they may deflate balls, during some games, but didn't deflate them against the Colts. The league have known this for years, but didn't care and now, outside of hearsay, they can't prove it.

Brady got in the way of the Make-Luck-A-Superstar campaign and the league is punishing him for it. They tried to blow up some minor infraction, that they can't prove because they didn't consider nature. The PA will save this argument for last because a more informed person could argue that it wasn't cold enough to affect ball pressure, but then again they didn't record the initial ball pressure. Now they look like fools. Brady is, to their shock, fighting the allegation.

I don't think anybody is innocent in this matter. The NFL made their plans to go after Brady obvious, when they exonerate the coaches from scheme. No way Brady played with deflated balls without Belichick's knowledge.
Brady's phone situation is suspect, though, Im sure it has more to do possible infidelity, drugs or something to ruin the illusion of his clean-cut image than deflating a ball. If he's innocent, he should've just been up front about it during the investigation, but he was hiding something, and it made the guilt claims credible.

These conclusions are ridiculous. There's no reason to believe any balls were ever deflated. None.

 

[DaBruinz]

BTW, if anyone wants copies of the Rulings and the Dissenting opinion, they can be found here.

Court Opinions on Tom Brady's Suspension | govinfo

And, I believe that with Katzmann being the Chief Justice that there will be 6 others who will agree to rehear the case based on his dissenting opinion.

The Court case is titled: NFL Management Council and NFL v. NFLPA and Tom Brady.

So, my question is this. Is the Patriots filing even legal since, by definition, they are already part of the case since they are part of the NFL and, therefore, a party to the suit?

 

[RobertWeathers]

BTW, if anyone wants copies of the Rulings and the Dissenting opinion, they can be found here.

Court Opinions on Tom Brady's Suspension | govinfo

And, I believe that with Katzmann being the Chief Justice that there will be 6 others who will agree to rehear the case based on his dissenting opinion.

The Court case is titled: NFL Management Council and NFL v. NFLPA and Tom Brady.

So, my question is this. Is the Patriots filing even legal since, by definition, they are already part of the case since they are part of the NFL and, therefore, a party to the suit?

According to Steph Stradley, the Pats are NOT part of the suit but rather a 'Friend of the Court' and in essence providing information and viewpoints that the court may find helpful.

Once thing unsaid here is that I think the legal fees the NEP and Bob are starting to climb up there. Granted I'm sure some of this is coming from The Kraft Group/NEP in-house legal but they must have shelled out a good $2-300k+ maybe even more to Goldberg and Morgan, Lewis. Thats a drop in the bucket for him but still substantial.

 

[Galeb]

When the range of what happened could be anything from an outright betrayal to amicable consensus, such distinctions matter. Kraft and Brady could have discussed it and Brady may have agreed that he didn't need to call in. The NFLPA, after speaking with Kraft, may have said that that an affidavit was fine. Conversely Brady could have strongly requested Kraft be there and the NFLPA was able to guilt an affidavit out of him. The simple fact is, we don't know. Only to those that have already made up their minds, do such distinctions not matter.

To clarify to those observing, so that my words aren't misinterpreted by anyone else please note the following.

The quote "Kraft and Brady could have discussed it and Brady may have agreed that he didn't need to call in." contains the words could and may. Both words are conditional and are merely expressing a possibility.

Not only did I say "When the range of what happened could be anything from an outright betrayal to amicable consensus, such distinctions matter." directly before that sentence, it is followed two sentences later by suggesting the opposite may have occurred, " Conversely Brady could have strongly requested Kraft be there and the NFLPA was able to guilt an affidavit out of him."

The paragraph ended with this quote, "The simple fact is, we don't know. Only to those that have already made up their minds, do such distinctions not matter.", the same admission I've been making throughout the argument.

Please draw your own conclusions about the meanings of my words instead of the interpretation of another.

 

[DaBruinz]

If Kraft really wanted to be there he would have returned a day earlier.....It's not like he's flying coach and there's a penalty for changing your ticket...

No, but he is one who upholds his commitments. Considering we don't know what was doing on the day before, how could you say that he would have returned the day earlier? Hell, for all we know, he was attending a funeral the day before the Brady's Arbitration hearing.

So, who are you really to say what he should have done?

 

[sb1]

I will be as objective as possible on the subject, because nobody is innocent in this situation.

Kraft is supporting Brady to the best of his ability. It's not his job to do it, but he's a just man, apparently. He's obviously paying the hourly salaries of those top-notch lawyers. The PA ain't paying them and I know the Bundchen-Bradys ain't paying that kind of money either. We can argue about their net worth being in the millions, but it's not like they got millions waiting in the bank. These celebs have years of expenses, huge bills, taxes and they splurge on overpriced random stuff, just like everybody else. They are budgeting and living on borrowed funds, they just do it on a higher scale. Even Overpaid-ton Manning claims he won't sue AJ and listed legal expenses as one of the reasons.

It's Kraft paying Brady back for all those pay-cuts that he's taken over the years. Though I would consider Kraft's business relationship with Brady (referring Patriot players to TB12 center) a bonus. He probably doesn't even charge Brady rent for that joint.

It's Kraft using his influence to allow the Washington Post to inform the sheep-like public and defend Brady. Anybody actually believe Brady has that type of pull?

Kraft used his money to fund the website that shredded the Wells Report.

Kraft used his influence to try and have Brady sell out the ball boys and take a game for lack of cooperation. It's the best deal Brady's going to get. Yet his conscience wouldn't allow it.

It's Kraft who sacrificed the fine and loss of picks to protect his QB from being suspended, but the deciding or influential parties of the 31 decided that Brady was going down.

Kraft, like myself, seems like a man uncertain of Brady's guilt or innocence, but Brady has taken it this far, so what does it mean? It shows that this losing battle can somehow convince the public and some media that he's innocent. His lawyers have made this more about the cba, than about his innocence. Is this a ploy to distract the public from his actual guilt? Everybody loves the story of a hero taking down the big, rich and powerful machine. Luke Skywalker vs Darthvader and Death Star. I can't even recall them ever using the word "innocent" in any of their arguments to defend their client. If Brady defeats the league on the grounds of the Goodell abusing his power, then he will be celebrated among the masses, he will once again be a winner and the fact that he deflated balls, even if he did it, will be irrelevant and forgotten.

Ted Wells claimed, during a phone interview, that Brady was guilty. Yet we've heard that Pash edited the report and more than likely changed Wells's finding to "more probable than not," to make Brady's innocence 49% possible. He was protecting Brady and the 32, before Brady went rogue and decided to protect some part-timers, who may or may not have deflated balls for him.

I'm still curious about McNally's role with the balls, because from my understanding his position doesn't even require him to pump balls or anything like that. So what was he doing with the balls?

This leads me to believe that they may deflate balls, during some games, but didn't deflate them against the Colts. The league have known this for years, but didn't care and now, outside of hearsay, they can't prove it.

Brady got in the way of the Make-Luck-A-Superstar campaign and the league is punishing him for it. They tried to blow up some minor infraction, that they can't prove because they didn't consider nature. The PA will save this argument for last because a more informed person could argue that it wasn't cold enough to affect ball pressure, but then again they didn't record the initial ball pressure. Now they look like fools. Brady is, to their shock, fighting the allegation.

I don't think anybody is innocent in this matter. The NFL made their plans to go after Brady obvious, when they exonerate the coaches from scheme. No way Brady played with deflated balls without Belichick's knowledge.
Brady's phone situation is suspect, though, Im sure it has more to do possible infidelity, drugs or something to ruin the illusion of his clean-cut image than deflating a ball. If he's innocent, he should've just been up front about it during the investigation, but he was hiding something, and it made the guilt claims credible.

Brady's mistake with the phone was telling them he got rid of it. He should have just said they can't have it, he is not handing it over and they have no right to ask.

I do think it is very believable that Brady simply asked M&J to make sure that another 16 PSI situation never happened again and then McNally took care of it and prepped them accordingly every game if they felt "wrong". It's a theory that fits perfectly with the text messages and the other evidence. It also fits with Brady's vague "I don't think so?". And who knows - maybe McNally got carried away once or twice. Anyone who calls this cheating is like calling a jaywalker a lawbreaker.

But if that was all true then it's odd that Wells wasn't told about it.

 

[ivanvamp]

I'm curious to know what evidence exists out there that makes people think the Patriots - and Tom Brady in particular - did anything wrong with respect to football tampering. Seriously.

 

[ivanvamp]

Brady's mistake with the phone was telling them he got rid of it. He should have just said they can't have it, he is not handing it over and they have no right to ask.

I do think it is very believable that Brady simply asked M&J to make sure that another 16 PSI situation never happened again and then McNally took care of it and prepped them accordingly every game if they felt "wrong". It's a theory that fits perfectly with the text messages and the other evidence. It also fits with Brady's vague "I don't think so?". And who knows - maybe McNally got carried away once or twice. Anyone who calls this cheating is like calling a jaywalker a lawbreaker.

But if that was all true then it's odd that Wells wasn't told about it.

That Brady told them tells you one thing: That he never, ever, ever expected that would be an issue.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

To clarify to those observing, so that my words aren't misinterpreted by anyone else please note the following.

The quote "Kraft and Brady could have discussed it and Brady may have agreed that he didn't need to call in." contains the words could and may. Both words are conditional and are merely expressing a possibility.

Not only did I say "When the range of what happened could be anything from an outright betrayal to amicable consensus, such distinctions matter." directly before that sentence, it is followed two sentences later by suggesting the opposite may have occurred, " Conversely Brady could have strongly requested Kraft be there and the NFLPA was able to guilt an affidavit out of him."

The paragraph ended with this quote, "The simple fact is, we don't know. Only to those that have already made up their minds, do such distinctions not matter.", the same admission I've been making throughout the argument.

Please draw your own conclusions about

No, but he is one who upholds his commitments. Considering we don't know what was doing on the day before, how could you say that he would have returned the day earlier? Hell, for all we know, he was attending a funeral the day before the Brady's Arbitration hearing.

So, who are you really to say what he should have done?

And for all we know Tom and the NFLPA may have told him not to change his plans, that trip is very important to him. Bottom line is we just don't know.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

No, but he is one who upholds his commitments. Considering we don't know what was doing on the day before, how could you say that he would have returned the day earlier? Hell, for all we know, he was attending a funeral the day before the Brady's Arbitration hearing.

So, who are you really to say what he should have done?

Actually we do know since it was all over the media. He took 18 Hall of Famers on a tour of Israel... Sounds to me like he could left a day early to support his future Hall of Famer.
Football Hall of Famers’ trip to Israel rewarding - The Boston Globe

 

[Froob]

The phone doesn't even matter, had they had the phone everyone would be outraged Brady lied to his friends and family because he wouldn't admit to cheating.

 

[Froob]

I don't think he's wrong. Why couldn't Kraft testify over the phone?

Report: Robert Kraft Wrote Statement In Support Of Tom Brady’s Character (<< Link)

Ian RapoportVerified account‏@RapSheet
Interesting to note: The @NFLPA called Robert Kraft to testify over the phone. He could not. So he offered a written statement of support.


Adam SchefterVerified account‏@AdamSchefter
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, now out of country, wrote an affidavit to be introduced into today's appeal, supporting Tom Brady's character.

Lol is this about the NFL appeal? Nothing anybody said was going to win that appeal. Even a recorded convo of Goodell admitting it's a sham.

 

[DaBruinz]

He has to show me more to convince me. Right now it's bipolar Bob ( no offense intended to those who suffer from mental illness) because one day it's "I demand an apology" supporting Brady..then it's backing Goodell and Roger is " doing a great job."
One day it is wellsreportcontext.com then it is "it's the lawyers at the league office, not Goodell". Then we get the amicus brief....IF his next few actions totally back Brady and NONE publicly support Goodell, I may change my stance....

People need to stop with the crap that Kraft said Roger is doing a great job. Why? Because you're not giving the entire statement. It was well reported by Chris Price that Kraft said the following:

Well, putting personal situations aside, I think he has done a very good job

Read the part in bold. The personal situation Kraft was referring to is DeflateGate. I believe the "very good job" that Kraft is referring to is the increase in league revenue. League revenue has grown from around $7.09B in 2007 to a $13.3B in 2015. That's nearly 88% growth in 9 years. I believe they're projecting league revenue to be over $14.5B this year.

So, let's stop pretending like Kraft gave blanket approval to Goodell when he didn't.

 

[Ring 6]

No, but he is one who upholds his commitments. Considering we don't know what was doing on the day before, how could you say that he would have returned the day earlier? Hell, for all we know, he was attending a funeral the day before the Brady's Arbitration hearing.

So, who are you really to say what he should have done?

He was on a trip to Israel with NFL HOFers. His flight landed by 2pm the day of the hearing.
If he wanted to be there, he could have. He surely could have not rejected the request to testify by phone.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

People need to stop with the crap that Kraft said Roger is doing a great job. Why? Because you're not giving the entire statement. It was well reported by Chris Price that Kraft said the following:




So, let's stop pretending like Kraft gave blanket approval to Goodell when he didn't.

Giving a hug sounds like blanket approval to me........

Roger Goodell, Patriots' Robert Kraft reportedly hug it out; could they resolve Deflategate penalties?


Roger Goodell and Patriots owner Robert Kraft already have met, spoke and even hugged, per an industry source who witnessed it.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 19, 2015