Wetzel: Here's why Tom Brady won't give up in deflate-gate fight

[SVN]

Wetzel:Here's why Tom Brady won't give up in deflate-gate fight

Here's why Tom Brady won't give up in deflate-gate fight

The core argument here remains extremely simple even as the NFL has complicated everything via inaccurate media leaks, invented testimony, a tortured analogy to steroids and a dumbfounding comprehension of high school science.

The footballs were never deflated. That's it. That's all. There's a reason there are no texts or other evidence at all linking Brady, or anyone else, to a plot to deflate the footballs that night. It's because they weren't deflated.

The NFL is inventing a grand conspiracy full of bits and pieces and confirmation bias, yet without releasing the testimony of any of the equipment men supposedly involved or the psi data it collected last season or all sorts of other information.

 

[bormio]

The NFL knew it could not show the balls to have been either deflated with or tampered with. They knew their data and the procedures obtaining that data were utterly lacking. They should have stopped right then and there. But they decided to push on anyways, putting lies out there to cover the huge weakness in their case and then try to create some sort of narrative to take the place of the facts they were lacking. After doing that - they always could argue the facts re: the balls being deflated or not were irrelevant. And they were successful. And the fact that our judicial system rubber-stamped this bag job is appalling.

 

[mikejd]

The NFL is lucky that they chose to screw over the one team in major pro sports that that could be jobbed like this and no one would care about justice or truth. Fans of other teams are happy to see the Pats nailed to the cross by any means necessary. This wouldn't stand against any other team... it doesn't pass the smell test and there would be outrage. Do it to the Pats, hey, we can all laugh at that.

Fans are funny. Most love bagging on the Pats for these so-called integrity issues they're perceived of having. But when the NFL makes things up as they go along and unjustly and unfairly punish the Pats, those fans are all too happy even though the punishments and methods for deciding on those punishments completely lacked integrity to begin with. Pretty hypocritical.

 

[VectorPrime]

The NFL is lucky that they chose to screw over the one team in major pro sports that that could be jobbed like this and no one would care about justice or truth.

The New Orleans Saints would like a word with you.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Yes, I thought that the league really had something on the Saints in bountygate, on the Dolphins in bully-gate, on the Redskins and Cowboys for violating a salary cap that actually didn't exist at the time, and so on.
Did I ever read up on the facts in those scandals? No way. I stupidly trusted the media to give me a nice short summary! It seems like we only take the time to learn the facts when it is our team being scapegoated. My eyes are opened now.

 

[Jackson 2]

The NFL is lucky that they chose to screw over the one team in major pro sports that that could be jobbed like this and no one would care about justice or truth. Fans of other teams are happy to see the Pats nailed to the cross by any means necessary. This wouldn't stand against any other team... it doesn't pass the smell test and there would be outrage. Do it to the Pats, hey, we can all laugh at that.

Fans are funny. Most love bagging on the Pats for these so-called integrity issues they're perceived of having. But when the NFL makes things up as they go along and unjustly and unfairly punish the Pats, those fans are all too happy even though the punishments and methods for deciding on those punishments completely lacked integrity to begin with. Pretty hypocritical.

That's a good post, but I'd take exception to one point in your first sentence. Luck had nothing to do with it. The fact that it was NE was precisely why they carried through with it.

 

[mikejd]

That's a good post, but I'd take exception to one point in your first sentence. Luck had nothing to do with it. The fact that it was NE was precisely why they carried through with it.

You know, it's funny you say that. I thought about wording that sentence a little differently because you are right, there was really no luck involved.

 

[mosi's man]

The NFL can screw whoever they want because the fans (like us) who purchase their product do not care about the NFL but rather their own franchise. This has been evident for years, as I and many others have alluded to. Money is the only thing the owners care about and, as individual fans and franchises, we lack the willingness to hurt the league financially. Whether it's the Rams or the Raiders or the players (see today's Congressional Report on CTE research) none of us is willing to withhold our money from the league, be it in the form of tickets purchased or television ratings share regardless of how outrageous the league's behavior becomes unless it is directed against our team or our players. The league knows this. Yesterday, in a different thread, people on this site wrote, "screw the Raiders, Oakland is a dump" when discussing whether the NFL was appropriate in moving the Raiders to Vegas. No one outside of "Raider Nation" is going to complain to Robert Kraft for screwing the Raider fans and he couldn't care less what they think because they can't hurt him.

As fans, the fundamental question is whether the NFL is just a business or is it a part of the fabric of a community and therefore something of a public trust. Is it the same as GE or Monsanto, who can move their business where ever the economics dictate or does the league bear a responsibility to fans and communities that have supported them, often for decades. If, as fans, we don't care about what happens to the Saints or the Chiefs, why should their fans care about us when we get hosed? Yes, even the Jets must matter or no one can complain about abuses committed by the league.

On the franchise level, it's like (I think it was) North Dallas Forty when Matuszak says, "Every time I call it a game, you call it a business and every time I call it a business, you call it a game".

 

[PatsBoy12]

Yes, I thought that the league really had something on the Saints in bountygate, on the Dolphins in bully-gate, on the Redskins and Cowboys for violating a salary cap that actually didn't exist at the time, and so on.
Did I ever read up on the facts in those scandals? No way. I stupidly trusted the media to give me a nice short summary! It seems like we only take the time to learn the facts when it is our team being scapegoated. My eyes are opened now.

And your comment, and trust me when I say I was the same way about Bounty Gate because I was yearning for something to come out about a team other than NE, is why I don't give people who call NE cheaters too much credence. They're doing what I did when the Saints were on ESPN every day. I listened from afar, decided the circumstantial evidence made too much sense and rolled with that opinion. Do I know of anyone's guilt or innocence in that organization as it relates to bounties, no. But do I now understand my own folly in trusting ESPN hook, line and sinker, HELL YES.

Other fans are living out the glory that NE took from them so many times in the past 16 seasons. This is their validation that NE can't be that good for so long without doing multiple clandestine and dubious things. It's their validation that Brady really is not that good without cheating or having things perfectly fall into place for him. It is what it is. I just hope that they find a way to get him on the field from Week 1.

 

[RunAmok]

The NFL can screw whoever they want because the fans (like us) who purchase their product do not care about the NFL but rather their own franchise. This has been evident for years, as I and many others have alluded to. Money is the only thing the owners care about and, as individual fans and franchises, we lack the willingness to hurt the league financially. Whether it's the Rams or the Raiders or the players (see today's Congressional Report on CTE research) none of us is willing to withhold our money from the league, be it in the form of tickets purchased or television ratings share regardless of how outrageous the league's behavior becomes unless it is directed against our team or our players. The league knows this. Yesterday, in a different thread, people on this site wrote, "screw the Raiders, Oakland is a dump" when discussing whether the NFL was appropriate in moving the Raiders to Vegas. No one outside of "Raider Nation" is going to complain to Robert Kraft for screwing the Raider fans and he couldn't care less what they think because they can't hurt him.

As fans, the fundamental question is whether the NFL is just a business or is it a part of the fabric of a community and therefore something of a public trust. Is it the same as GE or Monsanto, who can move their business where ever the economics dictate or does the league bear a responsibility to fans and communities that have supported them, often for decades. If, as fans, we don't care about what happens to the Saints or the Chiefs, why should their fans care about us when we get hosed? Yes, even the Jets must matter or no one can complain about abuses committed by the league.

On the franchise level, it's like (I think it was) North Dallas Forty when Matuszak says, "Every time I call it a game, you call it a business and every time I call it a business, you call it a game".

I also put the blame on the players. The NFLPA has the very real threat of a strike over the NFL/Goodell's breaking of the CBA by his constant mishandling of player issues and his arbitrary creation of the "Player Personal Code of Conduct". It's the one stick they hold that will get the owners attention because it will hit their where they hurt - the wallet. But they won't because they are too greedy and short-sighted.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The NFL is lucky that they chose to screw over the one team in major pro sports that that could be jobbed like this and no one would care about justice or truth. Fans of other teams are happy to see the Pats nailed to the cross by any means necessary. This wouldn't stand against any other team... it doesn't pass the smell test and there would be outrage. Do it to the Pats, hey, we can all laugh at that.

Fans are funny. Most love bagging on the Pats for these so-called integrity issues they're perceived of having. But when the NFL makes things up as they go along and unjustly and unfairly punish the Pats, those fans are all too happy even though the punishments and methods for deciding on those punishments completely lacked integrity to begin with. Pretty hypocritical.

They messed with the wrong QB.

They knew Bob would kneel to Zod but the NFL never expected Tom to fight like this.

The lack of understanding they had for his integrity, resolve and fight is laughable.

Idiots.

 

[oldrover]

They messed with the wrong QB.

They knew Bob would get on his knees kneel to Zod but the NFL never expected Tom to fight like this.

The lack of understanding they had for his integrity, resolve and fight is laughable.

 

[RobertWeathers]

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Wetzel is spot on here. Tom isn't a silver-spooned senator's son who needed his daddy's help to get in a 1/2 decent college. He's earned everything he has in life.

Tom will endure hell if he wants something bad enough. If he didn't make it as a QB he would have worked for his dad selling insurance. It's a good living but being a pro QB is a little more appealing.

 

[Tunescribe]

The NFL is lucky that they chose to screw over the one team in major pro sports that that could be jobbed like this and no one would care about justice or truth. Fans of other teams are happy to see the Pats nailed to the cross by any means necessary. This wouldn't stand against any other team... it doesn't pass the smell test and there would be outrage. Do it to the Pats, hey, we can all laugh at that.

Fans are funny. Most love bagging on the Pats for these so-called integrity issues they're perceived of having. But when the NFL makes things up as they go along and unjustly and unfairly punish the Pats, those fans are all too happy even though the punishments and methods for deciding on those punishments completely lacked integrity to begin with. Pretty hypocritical.

"Truth" is very subjective these days in most public endeavors (politics being an obvious example) and too many people have come to accept this. I'm grateful that Brady hasn't compromised his innocence for the sake of expediency or convenience. TRUE integrity is refreshing to behold. Goodell wouldn't understand that if it bit him in the butt.

 

[Reckedtrek]

If Goodell was on fire, I wouldn't piss on him to put him out. He doesn't understand big words like integrity.

 

[h0c2000]

People who support the NFL are the same people who hope the house wins in Vegas.

 

[Koma]

Man, a good amount of those comments are just sad. I realize some of the people are just trolling, but they all can't be.

 

[Nikolai]

If Goodell was on fire, I wouldn't piss on him to put him out. He doesn't understand big words like integrity.

I'd piss on him to put the fire out...and then set him on fire again.

 

[AQPE]

 

[borisman]

Man, a good amount of those comments are just sad. I realize some of the people are just trolling, but they all can't be.

It's sadly still the case and always will be. Nothing will ever change, even if Brady is granted his appeal and winds up getting no suspension. I mean, look at all the proof, evidence vs. Brady and the Pats. They're guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. Please, show me one piece of concrete, damning evidence....anyone? Will they really stick to phone destruction?