Point Blank: if this ends poorly are you done with football?

[Jim Colclough fan]

Its the 11th hour of this entire deflategate fiasco and there is still yet hope that there might yet be vindication. After 3 months of absolute crap since the Wells Report dropped the tide has finally shifted in the national media regarding everything. Back in May where it seemed like everything was ruined there is now room for optimism.

At the same time we are witnessing the NFL act in perhaps the most openly and shockingly corrupt manner I have ever seen a multi billion dollar company act. And yes, that includes Oil conglomerates, banking institutions, multinational corporations and the like because they are usually much better at hiding their evil from the public eye. Whether its through sheer incompetence or arrogance the NFL is being plainly open about how its acting. Its of course why so many national media people are now turning to Brady's side. But here's the scary part, none of it might matter. The NFL, and Goodell, might get away with this scott free because of the possibility that a judge rules in their favor because of a shockingly godawful CBA.

For me, I think its safe to say that I am staking my final bit of interest in the sport on the results of this case. If the suspension is vacated then I can breath easily for the first time in months. If it's not, I honestly think I'm done with the game. I don't even know if I would be able to stomach watching any game again, even with Brady and Belichick still in the game, if this sort of blatant corruption is allowed to win.

Great question!

Guess my interest in this sport will wane over a 5 year period.

• No longer watch ESPN; a few years back that channel was on all the time
• Could care less about reading the football articles in the Globe. Once really enjoyed reading Bedard's articles. Volin is awful and isn't worthy of the position he holds.
• Am a New England Patriot fan, if the Sunday, Monday or Thursday night games don't impact the Pats; then it isn't viewed
• Have really grown tired of listening to current and ex NFL players ***** about the Pats. Find their jealousy, ignorance and manner of speaking detestable. So, many times the talk radio channel is switched off once one of those Bozos are featured

Like many here, my football passion has grown because of Tom Brady and the Patriot Way. Once that passes, my passion will probably decline as well.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I don't know. I'm pretty emotionally attached to this team. I'll have to ponder it later on down the road.

One set of players retires,next man up and then I find myself invested in those players too.

The main thing for me is to stick it up the NFLs cram hole every chance we get for the time being.

But yes, I hate the NFL itself with a passion right now and want heads to role. I'll never even be somewhat satisfied until this leadership is gone.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Point blank: NO

Only a fairweather johnny-come-lately person would respond to the contrary.

I've suffered through a 1-15 and a pair of 2-14's. I guess I'm just not that fickle.

 

[The Gr8est]

I'm not trying to send them a message. They just simply killed the fun for me. The highest levels of the league office conducted a sting and destroyed the reputation of one of the best teams, best coaches, and best players in the history of sports, all concocted literally out of thin air. I just can't watch it anymore.

Well said, and what is worse is that if the NFL* succeeds and Justice Berman rules against the NFLPA, then there is literally nothing the NFL* can't do to a player, coach, or team and make it stick.

The only "evidence" the NFL* has going for Deflategate is highly suspect anecdotal evidence and a handful of texts taken out of context and liberally mixed with poetic license.

They have lied, moved the goalposts, and destroyed evidence. If this clumsy effort succeeds, and all that matters is that Goodell has ultimate authority to do this through the CBA, then there is nothing left to the NFL* worth watching, and Mark Cuban will be proven correct.

 

[The Gr8est]

Of course not. Corrupt people and practices are everywhere in life. You do what you can and hope for the best.

Fortunately, this will end well. We have 2 strings to our bow - Judge Berman and Robert Kraft. I believe that they'll both prevail in fixing what is so obviously broken but even if they don't, I'll still enjoy watching some of the world's best athletes play a game that's really great. My enjoyment is not based on legal decisions (much as I enjoy reading and thinking about the law) but rather about the sport itself.

I did stop watching the NBA because of the way it's officiated- palming, traveling, and offensive fouls basically not called- but I can fight corruption in the league office while still enjoying the game itself.

There are some really great athletes in professional wrestling too.

Just sayin'.

 

[letekro]

I dont get this "until Brady and BB retire" stuff. Either take a principled stand now or be a fan for life.

 

[sphen22]

Yeah, until there is a egregious show of refs trying to make the pats lose I'm still in, this upcoming season alone will be BB and Bradys finest hour. I can only imagine what belichek is telling his players behind closed doors. Just the anticipation of the colts game is getting me giddy with excitement. I will certainly be making the largest sports wager I can realistically make for that game.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm already done. It went too far before this ever hit the courts. That fans are willing to tolerate this kind of nonsense from an allegedly professional sport is troublesome.

Fans in general are willing to tolerate it because fans in general are stupid. They don't stop to think about the damage this asshat we have as a commissioner is doing to the brand and that it could and likely someday will be their team. Hell, even players that are mental midgets (see: Cromartie, Antonio) get it. After Brady and Belichick go, I'll start following college football a lot more. It remains to be seen whether or not I'll even give the pros so much as a cursory glance. Given that it's Goodell that's in charge, I have to wonder if the game will even be football anymore at that point.

 

[Kontradiction]

I dont get this "until Brady and BB retire" stuff. Either take a principled stand now or be a fan for life.

Because we idolize Brady and Belichick and what they did in a different era. When they leave, it will only be Goodell's league to many of us. I, for one, won't care to stomach that once the two men I idolized growing up are gone. Now, if Goodell is fired somewhere along the line, we can talk.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Even if Brady's suspension is overturned, people will say "he got off on a technicality" or because of the NFL's own incompetence and that he still cheated.

I've been a pats fan for 25 years. I'm not going to stop because of Goodell. I will not let that moron ruin football for me.

 

[OhExaulted1]

My rule of thumb is if your going to dislike or disagree with someone then post and explain why.

I could care less about negative ratings and all that. Whatever.

My point is I'm not going to stop watching football and let it be dependent on the outcome of this particular case. I didn't stop watching when the spygate crap happened, and I won't no matter what happens now.

I'll watch the SB and playoff games no matter who's in it.

I still love the game itself.

 

[reneluar]

i enjoy the game, even games of other teams, classics like Jaguars-Steelers from 2007 or Cardinals-Packers from 2008, i wont lose those great games because goodell is an idiot, i just hate the fans and the media.

 

[Geezer Butler]

I'm already done after all this. It's actually a real bummer for me. Been a huge fan since Grogan. I have completely stopped listening to all sports media aside from Pats related forums and such. No more fantasy for me, not one dime of my money to go to any aspect of the NFL. I have an HD antenna to watch the Pats.

I've decided to watch only Patriots games until Brady and Belichick retire. Then I'm totally and completely done. Even if Goodell gets fired I have no faith in the owners to get anyone in there that will be nothing more than a yes man for these greedy corrupt heathens.

FU NFL! You've gone full Pro Wrestling and I already have Pro Wrestling for that.

 

[Wax Frog]

I still love the game itself.

You'll love it even if there are people in positions of real power with the ongoing means and motive to harm and hobble the Pats? How can you love a garden with diseased soil?

I seldom downvote posts, and only when ready to explain why.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

Yeah, until there is a egregious show of refs trying to make the pats lose I'm still in.

Did you miss the 2006 AFC championship game against the Colts?

 

[Wax Frog]

Did you miss the 2006 AFC championship game against the Colts?

Death of a thousand cuts. The NYFL s***ting on something that should be the stuff of glowing legends-of-the-game retrospectives was just deep enough to shake me out of my dreamy denial.

 

[deters]

I'll most likely continue to watch only the Patriots, but I'm done with everything else NFL, ESPN, NFLN and fantasy football. If a game is on NFLN or any ESPN channel, I'll either bootleg stream it, or refuse to watch, and that goes for my favorite college teams too. Haven't watch either network, nor visited their sites since Super Bowl. It was actually really easy to stop watching it.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

No matter how it ends, I'm just about done with it. It's a clown show at this point thanks to the circus atmosphere, endless commercials, announcers and color men who should be side show barkers, and the endless media assault on common sense. Couple that with a corrupt administration and vacuous billionaires attempting to convince us this is in our best interest is the icing on top of the biggest sh&t-show on television. If it wasn't for fantasy football, this sport would most likely be a fourth tier event in the US, behind baseball, basketball, and soccer.

 

[YOUGOTMOSSED]

How can this possibly NOT end poorly?

OK, I'll hold out some hope that the arbitration award will be vacated but then what?

Goodell is still the commissioner. The league office is still infested with ex-Jets. Greedy owners still want "parity" at any cost because they think it's more profitable. Sports media is still nothing more than puerile trolling. Most sports fans are still just overgrown children who will continue to invent reasons to hate the Patriots.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Did you miss the 2006 AFC championship game against the Colts?

Back then I thought of it as a one of event. Every team's fans can site such a game, see Seahawks vs Steelers SB for the worst example.

If I reach the conclusion (not there yet) that there is a widespread out of control ongoing attempt to cause the Pats to lose games via the refs, I AM out. So far I see the attempt confined to rules schemes, etc. I'll admit that if Gronk, Edelman, etc. get pulled out of a key drives for capricious injury reasons by league officials I may stop watching.