It's been six months since the AFC Championship game between the Colts and Patriots at a rainy Gillette Stadium. If you're wondering, yes the "deflategate" controversy is still here. After investigator Ted Wells found Brady to be "generally aware" of footballs being deflated, the four-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback is still battling the league after Roger Goodell upheld his four-game suspension for the start of the 2015 season. But did the NFL swing and miss on their latest punishment?
It took about a month for the league to decide on the fate of Brady and his playing time. The upholding of the suspension came as a surprise to many since the Wells report lacked any solid evidence against the Patriots QB. Much of Goodell's reasoning against Brady was the report that was released stating he destroyed his cell phone before he met with NFL-hired investigator Ted Wells. Although this may seem fishy to some fans out there, there is something the NFL and reports aren't saying.
According to an article on NESN.com, Brady was more than willing to retrieve text messages from his cell phone provider, but the NFL chose to deny his offer. If the NFL did truly deny this offer by Brady, then why would they use his destroying his cell phone as the main point in upholding his suspension? The pieces just don't fit here.
In a 20-page release of the league's decision, Goodell defined Brady's apparent participation as falling into the category of affecting the "integrity of the game." He mentioned that Deflategate was classified like steroids as destroying the integrity of the game. This was one of the more absurd comments in the report. Is Goodell really going to stand there and say that leaking air pressure from a ball and taking a PED are on the same level, never mind deserving of the same punishment?
Certainly accusing Tom Brady of doing anything detrimental to the integrity of the game is absurd. You're talking about a player who has done nothing but good for the NFL and the community around him (no, Spygate doesn't count as it was against the coaches and organization). He's only made the NFL the biggest sports league in the world and made one of the bottom-of-the-barrel franchises relevant. He's been the face of this league ever since he defeated the "Greatest Show on Turf" back in 2001. To say that he's done anything to hurt the league is just irrational.
Some reporters have called this a witch hunt by Goodell and his staff, and you can't help but to agree. Just last season the Vikings and Panthers were caught heating up footballs on the field, but Goodell said that there was no evidence of player involvement, so he let that slide. Greg Hardy's 10-game suspension for domestic violence was reduced to four games after his appeal where there was substantial evidence against Hardy. A few years back Brett Favre had sent inappropriate texts to a Jets employee and was only slapped with a $50,000 fine.
It just seems that the NFL and Goodell have made it a point to stick it to Brady and the Patriots. Just remember all of these incidents and then look at the Brady ruling. Ted Wells found him "more probable than not" of knowing that footballs were being tampered with. Being suspended for a quarter of the season for "more probable than not" is just an insane punishment.
Brady has tried to make a settlement with the NFL were he would be granted a large fine with no game suspension, but the NFL declined his offer. Patriots owner Rob Kraft also was willing to take the "largest penalty in the history of the league" in order for his future Hall of Fame QB to not have to take this further.
Since Rodger Goodell announced that he would uphold Brady's suspension, Brady and the Patriots have spoken out. Brady has expressed his displeasure with Goodell's ruling on his Facebook page saying, "I am very disappointed by the NFL's decision ... I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either."
Robert Kraft has also spoken out as well saying, "I was wrong to put my faith in the league."
The federal court proceedings will be held in New York after the league decided to switch the site from Minnesota where the NFL has lost previous court hearings.
Patriots fans can only hope that Brady can win this case against the NFL and be back on the field for the opener against Pittsburgh.
It seems that the NFL is taking this too far, with no real evidence against Brady other than "more probable than not." Taking a look at past NFL rulings, this just seems like Goodell and the NFL are up against Brady and the Patriots in an attempt to make some type of point to the other 31 teams in the league.
It's Brady versus the NFL.
