Punishment is in

[SackExchange]

I don't think it's that light a punishment. The first and fourth are huge.

To me, the closest analogy to this is using a corked bat. I would not say it was like a pitcher throwing a spitball or scuffing a ball, because that is done on the field. This was a doctoring of a game implement in a conspiracy (yes, conspiracy, considering the number of people involved) to impact that implement. Most baseball players have gotten about 8-12 games or so for corking. That is roughly 5-7% of their season. Brady just got 25% of his, PLUS two picks and a huge fine.

I think 8 games was the ceiling, and I was hoping for it, but 4 is about where they would end up. If he appeals, though, no shortening. He and the Pats withheld evidence. No lessening of the penalty.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

I think 8 games was the ceiling, and I was hoping for it, but 4 is about where they would end up. If he appeals, though, no shortening. He and the Pats withheld evidence. No lessening of the penalty.

Exactly my sentiments.

I thought it should be more, but I can live with the punishment, provided it DOES NOT get lessened on appeal.

After the lying and obstruction that accompanied the cheating, if they knock even ONE GAME off it will be a travesty.

 

[Mainejet]

To be fair about this, this is how I see it:

1) Brady's suspension to me is pathetic. The guy was a dooshbag about the whole thing. He was arrogant and smug and refused to cooperate. Common sense will tell you all you need to know. Innocent people have NOTHING to hide. Brady refused to hand over his phone examination and that is very telling.

2) Bellichick NOT getting punishment just proves that Goodell really is stroking Bob Kraft's c*ck. What did Goodell himself say in the past? Ignorance is not an excuse. The fact that the NFL cannot prove by a preponderance that Bellichick knew that balls were underinflated is still not an excuse and those words are coming from Goodell himself.

3) The 1st and 4th draft picks DOES seem severe to me. A team relies on draft picks to keep their team competitive. Good luck for the Patsies to stay competitive. The Patsies have no one to blame but Tom Brady for them taking such a hit.

4) Bob Kraft will NOT be getting an apology from Goodell or anyone else for that matter.

 

[The Wicker Man]

Can Brady appeal the 4 games?

 

[hobson54]

Not sure how Goodell rationalizes hitting Brady and the team with penalties but skipping over Belichick who is right in the middle.

my thoughts exactly.

i thought the penalty was a little light on brady, but can see 4 games as being reasonable. but for all the talk of lack of institutional control and being repeat offenders, i don't know how belichick skates after the precedent the league set on sean payton. kraft probably threatened to take away goodell's allowance if he touched belichick...

 

[ucrenegade]

To be fair about this, this is how I see it:

1) Brady's suspension to me is pathetic. The guy was a dooshbag about the whole thing. He was arrogant and smug and refused to cooperate. Common sense will tell you all you need to know. Innocent people have NOTHING to hide. Brady refused to hand over his phone examination and that is very telling.

2) Bellichick NOT getting punishment just proves that Goodell really is stroking Bob Kraft's c*ck. What did Goodell himself say in the past? Ignorance is not an excuse. The fact that the NFL cannot prove by a preponderance that Bellichick knew that balls were underinflated is still not an excuse and those words are coming from Goodell himself.

3) The 1st and 4th draft picks DOES seem severe to me. A team relies on draft picks to keep their team competitive. Good luck for the Patsies to stay competitive. The Patsies have no one to blame but Tom Brady for them taking such a hit.

4) Bob Kraft will NOT be getting an apology from Goodell or anyone else for that matter.

they combat this through cheating, which is why they can take a long snapper in the 5th because he is just a poiece of the cheating puzzle.

They haven't built shit through the draft they build through the nfl turning a blind eye to their antics.

 

[ucrenegade]

Can Brady appeal the 4 games?

yep prob get it knocked down to 1-2 games

 

[ucrenegade]

i have been blowing up my twitter hopefully the fans make some noise about this unfairness

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

Brady's agent just released a statement that can only be described as a "Declaration of War" against the NFL

In the statement he essentially accused the league and Goodell of large scale corruption and conspiracy.

IOW's if you were expecting Tom Brady and the Patriots to be conciliatory and take their medicine like men, think again.

Defiant and Arrogant to the bitter end.

 

[Jet Fan RI]

I don't think it's that light a punishment. The first and fourth are huge.

To me, the closest analogy to this is using a corked bat. I would not say it was like a pitcher throwing a spitball or scuffing a ball, because that is done on the field. This was a doctoring of a game implement in a conspiracy (yes, conspiracy, considering the number of people involved) to impact that implement. Most baseball players have gotten about 8-12 games or so for corking. That is roughly 5-7% of their season. Brady just got 25% of his, PLUS two picks and a huge fine.

I think 8 games was the ceiling, and I was hoping for it, but 4 is about where they would end up. If he appeals, though, no shortening. He and the Pats withheld evidence. No lessening of the penalty.

Bad analogy. A batter comes to the plate 4 or 5 times in a game. QB is involved in every offensive snap, to say nothing of the advantage in reduced fumble likelihood. This is much worse than a corked bat, and the punishment was way too weak.

 

[Jet Fan RI]

yep prob get it knocked down to 1-2 games

Can the number of games be increased on an appeal?

 

[ucrenegade]

 

[SackExchange]

Brady's agent just released a statement that can only be described as a "Declaration of War" against the NFL

In the statement he essentially accused the league and Goodell of large scale corruption and conspiracy.

IOW's if you were expecting Tom Brady and the Patriots to be conciliatory and take their medicine like men, think again.

Defiant and Arrogant to the bitter end.

With the things that Yee has said, I cannot imagine the Colts or any AFC East rival ever dealing with him in good faith. The guy has been way over the top in all this.

 

[SackExchange]

Can the number of games be increased on an appeal?

No. Though I have long thought that should be an option. You appeal, you run the risk of the punishment increasing.

 

[SackExchange]

my thoughts exactly.

i thought the penalty was a little light on brady, but can see 4 games as being reasonable. but for all the talk of lack of institutional control and being repeat offenders, i don't know how belichick skates after the precedent the league set on sean payton. kraft probably threatened to take away goodell's allowance if he touched belichick...

You and Nick make a VERY good point.

How can the Patriots and their fans claim this is unfair, when Payton got nailed for an entire year without his fingerprints on Bountygate, yet the second time a Belichick team gets hammered by the league, he gets off untouched?

 

[Jet Fan RI]

You and Nick make a VERY good point.

How can the Patriots and their fans claim this is unfair, when Payton got nailed for an entire year without his fingerprints on Bountygate, yet the second time a Belichick team gets hammered by the league, he gets off untouched?

And I just read on another board that someone on the Browns got a 4 game suspension for texting during a game. I didn't know that, but is Goodell saying what Brady did is worth the same punishment as for texting? Any way you look at it, this punishment is a joke.

 

[SackExchange]

And I just read on another board that someone on the Browns got a 4 game suspension for texting during a game. I didn't know that, but is Goodell saying what Brady did is worth the same punishment as for texting? Any way you look at it, this punishment is a joke.

I don't think it's that bad. I think the picks are excessive, the Brady suspension is about where I figured he would be, and the Belichick thing is less than he deserved.

The Pats can appeal it, but they should be opening themselves up to further punishment. After all, if Brady is innocent, he could have cleared his name by handing over his electronic records.

 

[SackExchange]

The thing is, the ball is 100% in Tom Brady's court. If he wants to shorten or eliminate his suspension, all he has to do is produce the records he refused to produce during the investigation. If he's innocent and not involved at all, those records will prove it, and he will be exonerated.

If he doesn't do that, he has something to hide.

 

[McJet]

Sean Payton has to be besides himself.
He loses a whole year because his team basically went out to play hard.How many players were injured from bounty gate? Did they actually knock anyone out of a game or even to the sidelines?
Belicheck gets nothing for his players/player actually cheating to enhance their chances at beating the opponent. Who knows for how long. Lets not forget this is a second violation from this organization.
Kraft gets hit for the million. OK.
Team gets hit by the draft picks, OK.
Brady gets hit with a 4 game suspension, should be a little more.
Belicheck get nothing. I don't get it.
31 other owners should be looking to axe Goodell.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

Casserly says the Patriots got off easy:

http://sports.yahoo.com/video/nfl-medias-charley-casserly-england-234418115.html