I think the punishment would have been far worse if there was evidence to support that BB new this was going on. Then it's a team thing. As it stands it seems like a player issue, a player who has a pretty good reputation (for whatever reason), and as such I don't think the penalty will be as harsh. Still should be a suspension but I think he gets 4 games max, maybe just a fine even. If he had a history of being suspended then it's a different story.
Believe me: I hope you are right. But Bountygate was about the intentional injury of NFL players around the time there were so many lawsuits and whatnot regarding concussions and player safety was the #1 talking point. The broad way of looking at the deflategate is that it's an intentional subversion of the rules to gain an advantage which impacts the integrity of the league...the narrow view is it's a QB who wants a little less air in his footballs. Rewarding players for injuring other players is absolutely worse than a QB letting some air out of a ball. It's not even debateable.
How can you say it's "not even debatable"? Was it bad? Sure. But nobody ever got hurt and no penalties were ever called on any of those supposed Bountygate hits. Fucking with the integrity of the game is worse. It's not even debatable. See how that works? _
I agree with this, but it is the Pats 2nd offense for cheating. This comes under Belichick authority of operation. While deemed a minimal advantage to some; the length to which the Pats have gone to cover up/deny rather than discover the truth proves bad intention. Brady and Belichick should be served
Breaking news: Brady is a filthy cheater! Oh yeah, I knew that already. What next, you're going to tell me Belichick is a cheater too?
Maybe true... But it sounds like Goodell's hands are washed. Punishment execution was handed over to Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations
Pats fans use the same dumb logic in reverse to try to explain why they are being punished (Goodell was a Jets employee). Don't be that stupid. There is absolutely no way they escape punishment for what has been factually established as a concerted and intentional act of cheating. None. The NFL just concluded a MASSIVE investigation into intentional cheating during the AFC Championship Game and the investigation proves a conspiracy to cheat involving the starting QB and Pats employees, as well as a continuing lack of cooperation, lies, and denials from the organization. This cheating apparently has gone on since at least the start of the 2014-15 season. It's a repeat cheating offense for which they already got hammered (Spygate). The integrity of the game is at stake and everyone is watching. Troy Vincent is undoing his belt as we speak and they are going to get it but good.
So if you had to choose between playing a team with balls a bit under-inflated and a team where the defence is getting rewarded by the coaching staff for injurying players, taking them out of the game and targeting their known weaknesses/injuries and going for illegal hits it's kind of a toss up for you? Because I know which one I would choose.
Or they can say that Spygate was the Pats and Deflategate was Brady operating of his own accord. I hope they throw the book at them all but I think people are going to be mightly disappointed if they are expecting massive and far reaching implications from this.
Oh, I didn't know there was a choice as to which cheating we preferred to be the subject of. It's certainly debatable. _
sorry - not debatable. One gives an unfair advantage, the other gives more motivation. Clearly the one that gives an unfair advantage is more severe and should be punished as such.
Well now you're just changing the argument, the initial statement was "Rewarding players for injuring other players is absolutely worse than a QB letting some air out of a ball. It's not even debateable." I stand by that. As I mentioned in my post I'm talking about from a narrow focus here. If the NFL interprets on the narrow focus only, in my opinion (if that makes you feel better), there isn't a debate over which of the two scandals is worse. If the NFL interprets it broadly and the implications of multiple allegations of cheating the the integrity of the league it will be far more strict. Although, if that's the case, it's still not really being compared to Bountygate as it's an issue of a repeat offender instead. There is always going to be a degree of the severity of the act factored in which is why if someone gets a DUI, which is illegal, might get a slap on the wrist if anything and someone who punches his wife in the face or murders someone is going to get a more severe punishment. The interpretation here is narrow (the act itself) and not broad (that the act was illegal) and the punishments vary accordingly, and rightly so...unless you feel it's "debateable" that getting a DUI is just as bad as murder.
I bet you he will make an astounding roar and flex his tiny muscles The fallout from the coverup and the Pats refusal to be 100% compliant in the investigation then try to bully the NFL with their rebuttal.......Hit em Hard. Death Penalty Kraft, Belicheat (on His Watch), Brady Suspensions, Picks and Heavy Fines.
I actually don't think it is. When you narrow an argument you throw out objectivity. When you bring in personal feelings you miss the bigger picture. I think systematic cheating in football by ANY means is far worse for the integrity of the game than purposefully injuring a player or 2 or 3. Sounds callous but I don't give a shit. Millionaires all of them--they signed up for a violent sport. I signed up for as pure a game as can be put on the field. I want to see a fair competition whilst players are being injured, intentionally or otherwise. But hey, that's just me. _
