2015 NFL Season

[C0ma]

The AP is reporting that Judge Berman has vacated the arbitration award. No games for Brady.

[faldor]

Justice has prevailed! I'd like to say thank god this is finally over. But I'm sure the NFL will appeal this and drag this on forever.

NFL looks horrible once again. They screwed this from the jump. They had the case tried in their backyard and still lost. Suck it Goodell! He should be gone in a few years once his contract is up. Of course he's been compensated quite handsomely, so he'll be just fine I'd imagine.

[pilferk]

And there you go.

Brady is innocent. Matter settled.

[faldor]

Maybe we can finally get back to talking about actual football. Until the next controversy at least.

I was worried about Brady's demeanor for this season. He was put through the wringer this off season. It couldn't have been easy. This decision is a giant load off of his shoulders, but it doesn't change what he had to endure the last 8 months. The Patriots have rallied around each other in the past, but this situation is vastly different. It'll be interesting to monitor. He got off to a bad start last season without all this nonsense surrounding him. And the offensive line is again a question mark, at least to start the season. So I wouldn't at all be surprised if he got off to a slow start once again. Let's not forget, he's also a year older too. Eventually his play is naturally going to slip a bit, and I obviously don't think he's quite as good as the 2007 version anyway.

Of course, he could come out guns blazing and take all his anger out on the field. That's what I hope for at least. We will see soon enough. One week till they raise the banner! Can't wait to settle into my seat at Gillette to enjoy the festivities.

[GeorgeSteele]

Now I can go back to hating Brady and the Pats as usual.  He's overrated!!   

[C0ma]

After today's ruling, knowing Brady will be on the field for 16 regular season games I see things getting very interesting for the Patriots offense. I see their offensive philosophy making 2007 look like a Pop Warner Sportsmanship seminar. They are going to try to hang 100 points on every team they play, Tom Brady may set an NFL record for fewest QB kneels in a season and most throws to the end zone up by 30+ with less than 2 minutes to play...

Admittedly they are going to have to score as many touchdowns as they can to cover for the poor decisions made in their secondary in the off season, but this coach and QB are going to be out to humiliate teams this season. The Colts game specifically will be very fun to watch.

[JAEBALL]

I'm honestly so tired of hearing about Brady...

I really don't care if he plays or not...

Just amazing how they get away with everything. Goodell looks like an idiot again, as usual.

Come next week...nobody cares... just want to see my Giants lay a whooping on Dallas and win some fantasy games.

[pilferk]

NFL is appealing.

Seriously??

Can't we just let it go?

And for the Pats, that might actually be WORSE, depending on how long (assuming it gets heard) the appeal process takes.

UGHHH.  Can't we just get back to playing football, now.

[JAEBALL]

NFL is appealing.

Seriously??

Can't we just let it go?

And for the Pats, that might actually be WORSE, depending on how long (assuming it gets heard) the appeal process takes.

UGHHH.  Can't we just get back to playing football, now.

They've said all along that both sides would appeal the decision.

The part of me that is so sick of them getting away with ti every time hopes that Goodell wins the appeal and Brady has to sit out in crunch time. 

[C0ma]

NFL is appealing.

Seriously??

Can't we just let it go?

And for the Pats, that might actually be WORSE, depending on how long (assuming it gets heard) the appeal process takes.

UGHHH.  Can't we just get back to playing football, now.

They've said all along that both sides would appeal the decision.

The part of me that is so sick of them getting away with ti every time hopes that Goodell wins the appeal and Brady has to sit out in crunch time. 

First, there is no way this appeal is heard until the spring (based on the estimates of several legal experts)

Second, The appeal is based on the Judges ruling, which after reading all 40 pages is nearly bullet proof (all though there are no sure things). While yes, Goodell was give the role of Judge, Jury and Executioner in the CBA, what he wasn't given is the ability to go against generally acknowledged labor and shop law. You can't make it up as you go, you have to give players (workers) notice of rule and penalty (which the NFL didn't do). You also under appeal have to make all relevant evidence and witnesses available to the appellant (which the NFL didn't do). Based on those two points which are 2 or 4 or 5 that the NFLPA made (and were noted by Judge Berman in his decision) I don't see a federal appellate judge overturning this ruling.

[Sober_times]

The world can rest easy. Tom Brady; Great American, Football God and future Superbowl 50 MVP is no longer suspended. Fuck Goodell, Fuck the NFL front office, Fuck the Colts and Ravens for being whiny little bitches, and fuck everyone who didn't support Tom Brady during this horrible ordeal. God Bless America and GO PATS!!! 

[JAEBALL]

The world can rest easy. Tom Brady; Great American, Football God and future Superbowl 50 MVP is no longer suspended. Fuck Goodell, Fuck the NFL front office, Fuck the Colts and Ravens for being whiny little bitches, and fuck everyone who didn't support Tom Brady during this horrible ordeal. God Bless America and GO PATS!!! 

LOL ... I have never met you... but I can see you and so many of ur people stating this with a straight face when I go to mohegan Sun for a weekend! l

( all of you of course who couldn't pull Stanley Morgan or Tony Eason out of a lineup! ) haha

[Sober_times]

The world can rest easy. Tom Brady; Great American, Football God and future Superbowl 50 MVP is no longer suspended. Fuck Goodell, Fuck the NFL front office, Fuck the Colts and Ravens for being whiny little bitches, and fuck everyone who didn't support Tom Brady during this horrible ordeal. God Bless America and GO PATS!!! 

LOL ... I have never met you... but I can see you and so many of ur people stating this with a straight face when I go to mohegan Sun for a weekend! l

( all of you of course who couldn't pull Stanley Morgan or Tony Eason out of a lineup! ) haha

The Snark should be obvious in my post. As to not knowing who Morgan or Eason are, whatever.   

On another note, Blake Griffin made one of the best comments via twitter; Great day for Tom Brady but I feel really bad for that Dom Grady guy that was gonna start in his place. Stay ready, Dom. Be a professional. 

[JAEBALL]

The world can rest easy. Tom Brady; Great American, Football God and future Superbowl 50 MVP is no longer suspended. Fuck Goodell, Fuck the NFL front office, Fuck the Colts and Ravens for being whiny little bitches, and fuck everyone who didn't support Tom Brady during this horrible ordeal. God Bless America and GO PATS!!! 

LOL ... I have never met you... but I can see you and so many of ur people stating this with a straight face when I go to mohegan Sun for a weekend! l

( all of you of course who couldn't pull Stanley Morgan or Tony Eason out of a lineup! ) haha

The Snark should be obvious in my post. As to not knowing who Morgan or Eason are, whatever.   

On another note, Blake Griffin made one of the best comments via twitter; Great day for Tom Brady but I feel really bad for that Dom Grady guy that was gonna start in his place. Stay ready, Dom. Be a professional. 

I picked up on the snark...just having a laugh with ya.

As somebody who doesn't care... I have found all the pro and negative Brady on the internet today hysterical.

[pilferk]

The world can rest easy. Tom Brady; Great American, Football God and future Superbowl 50 MVP is no longer suspended. Fuck Goodell, Fuck the NFL front office, Fuck the Colts and Ravens for being whiny little bitches, and fuck everyone who didn't support Tom Brady during this horrible ordeal. God Bless America and GO PATS!!! 

LOL ... I have never met you... but I can see you and so many of ur people stating this with a straight face when I go to mohegan Sun for a weekend! l

( all of you of course who couldn't pull Stanley Morgan or Tony Eason out of a lineup! ) haha

Hey! You're coming to my state!!

[faldor]

NFL is appealing.

Seriously??

Can't we just let it go?

And for the Pats, that might actually be WORSE, depending on how long (assuming it gets heard) the appeal process takes.

UGHHH.  Can't we just get back to playing football, now.

They've said all along that both sides would appeal the decision.

The part of me that is so sick of them getting away with ti every time hopes that Goodell wins the appeal and Brady has to sit out in crunch time. 

As C0ma said, there's very little chance the appeal is heard until after the league year. There's also a very little chance of the NFL winning the appeal based on their track record, but wish away if you'd like.

Out of curiosity, what have the Patriots "gotten away with" in your mind? They were punished pretty harshly for Spygate, and they were fined a million bucks and lost a 1st and 4th draft picks next year. I wouldn't necessarily categorize that as "getting away with it". Do you not believe the punishment handed down in this case was beyond harsh? I mean, even if they did it, which wasn't proven. Does the punishment really fit the crime?

[tim_m]

The judge may have vacated his suspension but there was still pretty good evidence to suggest he was guilty and public opinion still believes he's guilty.

[Sober_times]

The judge may have vacated his suspension but there was still pretty good evidence to suggest he was guilty and public opinion still believes he's guilty.

Most people made up their minds based on rather or not they like the Patriots. Though it didn't help that the NFL has leaked incorrect information(that they never publicly corrected) from the get go in addition to out right lying in press releases. So you know there is always that. Though at this point, nobody cares. However, I am curious as to what "pretty good" evidence linking Brady you're citing here?

I read something funny today in a column, can't remember from where but it went something like this: Let's a take a second here to note that the NFL lost a case in which it was outraged over Brady's lack of cooperation and unwillingness to hand over evidence, in part because it was uncooperative and unwilling to hand over evidence. Seriously.

That is true and pretty funny when you think about it.

[faldor]

The judge may have vacated his suspension but there was still pretty good evidence to suggest he was guilty and public opinion still believes he's guilty.

Lots of people believe he's guilty. That I don't deny.  And that won't change. I get  and accept that. But I'm not sure there's enough good evidence to prove he's guilty. Guilty of what exactly? What did Tom Brady do that was against the rules, in the court of public opinion? The fact that he got rid of his phone?

You could say something fishy happened, still wasn't proven however. But to setup Brady as the fall guy and pin it all on him seems like a bit of a stretch to me. I've heard the theory, and it wouldn't shock me, that the NFL took this "minor infraction" to such great lengths so it could stay in the headlines all year round. They're bulletproof as it is. No matter how bad they look and handle these types of things, they still make billions. Get people's attention away from all the concussion talk. The ex players who are cast aside once they're of no use to the league anymore, battling with brain injuries and other serious ailments. Look away, nothing to see here. Someone may have been generally aware that a fraction of air may have been taken out of some footballs. Yeah, that's much more important!

[C0ma]

The judge may have vacated his suspension but there was still pretty good evidence to suggest he was guilty and public opinion still believes he's guilty.

What evidence? The Wells Report was a joke, the measurement of the balls at the AFC championship was a clown show, no one knows what gauge was used, the measurements pre game weren't recorded... So Wells takes the refs recollection of what they were, but throws out the refs recollection of which gauge he used during half time because the gauge he says he used came up with numbers that support the ideal gas law. So apparently the 'bullet proof evidence' of Brady's guilt are text messages that never actually say anything or implicate Brady in anyway unless you make some fantastical leaps. Which is why it was found it is 'more probable than not that Tom Brady (the quarterback for the Patriots) was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of McNally and Jastremski involving the release of air from Patriots game balls'... Which doesn't suggest he was guilty of anything. Are you going to throw away the 2012 Ravens Super Bowl because the team and coaches should have been 'at least generally aware' that Ray Lewis was using Deer Antler Spray (a performance enhancer)... No you aren't because that was a joke, just like the thought that the balls had anything to do with the fact that Andrew Luck is 0-4 against Tom Brady by a combined score of 189-73.

But lets try to explain away the fact that the Pats have won 4 Super Bowls, appeared in 6, appeared in 9 ACF Championships, appeared in the Playoffs in 12 of 14* seasons that Tom Brady has played (missed 2008 while Brady was out with torn ACL).