Today is the day. Today we find out if Tom Brady’s Deflategate four-game suspension holds, or if he was somehow able to negotiate down to a lighter sentence. Failing that, the federal judge could decide to throw out Brady’s suspension or various other options. The crux of the problem is that Team Brady believes he should not have to face any punishment whatsoever, nor admit any wrongdoing. The NFL’s position (and Roger Goodell’s position) is that they would be amenable to a lighter penalty if Brady would simply admit that he had unclean hands somewhere along the line.
Brady’s appeal was filed through the NFLPA (NFL Players Association) in the New York federal appeals court. Brady made an appearance at the court last week, and he skipped out on Tuesday’s football practice so that he could attend the final full day of settlement talks in New York. He doesn’t have to be in court today for the final decision/settlement, and word is that he is going to skip out on court. USA Today’s sources say Brady will be practicing with his Patriots teammates in West Virginia and his team of lawyers will be on hand in NYC to sort out the decision.
As for how everything is going to come down… I have no idea. I was surprised that Brady got the four-game suspension and I wouldn’t be surprised if the judge “splits the baby” and says Brady should only be suspended for one or two games or something like that. The NFLPA’s position is that Goodell’s decision needs to be vacated entirely, which I seriously doubt will happen. The judge has been acting as moderator between the two sides for days now and according to ABC News, the settlement talks “got nowhere.” The judge has also told both sides to “attempt to reach a settlement and to tone down rhetoric in the case.” Which hasn’t happened.
So what will happen? I’ll update/post a new story when we hear something.
Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN, Fame/Flynet.
I swear that guy has the same bone structure as Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s monster.
Lol…so true. I don’t find him all that attractive. At certain angles he looks cute, but I fail to see the hotness (his crappy personality must overshadow it).
He looks down right creepy in the first pic.
I believe that’s what’s happened with me as well. I thought he was cute years ago. Now he just scares me. But I think it’s a combination of him aging and being exposed as an ass.
His face is perfect.
He wasn’t exposed as an ass. Goodell is an ass.
@don’t know-another Pats fan? yay. Come hide out with me.
JORTS! Kitten, FTW!
That poor court artist got in trouble for drawing what she saw!
Exactly what I was thinking always thought he was a bit off looking that drawing was accurate
I thought that drawing was ridiculous but the pic up top proves me wrong! Apologies to the court artist.
A friend’s uncle came up from Kitzbuhel one summer and I met him. My friend always swore to me that he looked like Brady the famous NFL star! The guy I met was super nice, twinkly eyes, funny, but looked like a Frankenkiller. Yipes! He was about 55-60.
Her mom brought out family photos for everyone to enjoy, with images of this uncle and her (much handsomer albeit plumper) husband in their university days — yup, dead-on, like Brady.
So….watch out, Tom! Apparently, your head deflates too!
Some points on the actual court proceedings. The judge told Brady last week that he doesn’t need to be there today.
It is an appeal hearing so nobody will be testifying about anything; lawyers make oral arguments.
Arbitration decisions can only be overturned on very narrow grounds and it is not common for a court to overturn them. Getting the facts or law wrong is not one of the grounds on which the court can overturn.
The question before the judge is whether Goodell acted properly and whether or not his decision was in accordance with the arbitration provisions in the collective bargaining statutes, not whether or not Brady deflated footballs or knew about deflated footballs.
If the judge does not overturn the decision, it is a ruling that the union did not prove at least one of the four points on which an arbitration decision can be overturned, none of which have anything to do with whether or not footballs were deflated or anybody knew that footballs were deflated. However, one of the points is whether the arbitrator was impartial or unduly influenced by one of the parties.
I do realize that people will ignore the actual legalities and read into the decision what they will, not what it actually says. I would not be surprised if the judge upholds Goodell’s decision but points out that it was not supported by facts. I’ve seen that happen many, many times
“However, one of the points is whether the arbitrator was impartial or unduly influenced by one of the parties.”
I mean, is there really ANY doubt?
Great post, Lilacflowers.
Also these “deflate” jokes were corny as f*ck the first time around but now they just make me want to bang my head into a wall.
Repeatedly.
What about BALLS, because that is still funny. Less syllables, more inuendo.
BALLS….HA!!!
“Balls” never goes out of style, Tiffany–a classic that works in any scenario. 😉
I’m now chanting “balls”, a la the Monty Python “SPAM” skit.
“BALLS, BALLS, BALLS, BALLS…wonderful BALLS!”
“I mean, is there really ANY doubt?”
Yes, outside of Boston there is LOTS of doubt.
But typical pretty-boy behavior from Hollywood Tommy. Challenging the decision leaves the Pats last ‘Bowl win forever tarnished. Brady would have been wise to accept the suspension and move on. Challenging it just reinforces the shady legacy of the Belicheck-era Pats.
@Ruckhappy-What does Boston have to do with it? Glossing over the fact that you forgot that the Patriots belong to four other states, you can seriously sit here and say that Goodell appointing himself arbiter in a case that he initiated is fair? Seriously? Yes, you can blame the CBA that the NFLPA gladly signed, but it doesn’t change the fact that it was completely f*cked up for Goodell to be prosecutor as well as judge and jury during Brady’s appeal.
Whatever. Just know that the Pats are not the first team. It happened to the Saints and the Dolphins when the Jimmy Incognito scandal went down. But don’t come crying to me when it happens to your team, which judging by your comment here is probably the Jets. lol
@Kitten judging from what is coming out of the court today, Bernal pretty much flat out said that Goodell had no proof that Brady cheated or was “generally aware” of ball deflation but it doesn’t sound like he’s convinced that the union has met its statutory burden so it could result in a ruling that Brady didn’t cheat but the decision can’t be overturned because an arbitrator’s decision is the final word
I’m a Seahawks fan, not a Jets fan. But I’m obviously a lot better tuned into the opinion of the average NFL fan since I follow the game seriously instead of being a blind homer. Goodell is loathed by a lot of NFL fans, and yet he has deep support for dinging Brady for cheating–which is the truth outside of Boston, whether you like it or not. Why is that? Because Belicheck’s success has always been regarded as shady and tainted, and Brady regarded as an overrated QB by most fans.
This is a case where the average NFL fan thinks the Pats are getting a long overdue comeuppance, not concerned about a pattern of unfair judgements by the NFL front office.
@Ruckhappy, you and several others seem to be under the impression that New England fans care what others think of their team. They don’t. They never have. They never will. It’s not how New Englanders roll. New Englanders grew up with outsiders despising Red Auerbach and the Celtics because, well, those 17 championship banners. They grew up in the midst of two of the most intense rivalries in sports; Canadians v Bruins and Yankees v Red Sox (people have murdered people in that latter one). And those teams are geographically close enough that when they play here, their fans invade. Outsiders hating the Patriots and their 4 Super Bowl wins is just a transference of outsiders hating the oldtime Celtics. It doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t matter in a courtroom either.
By the way, the Seahawks played a great game in this year’s Super Bowl. But they did not lose because of anything Belichick did. They lost because their own coach made the mind-numbingly stupid decision to throw the ball to Malcolm Butler in the end zone instead of handing it off to one of the best runners in the league to carry it over the line.
Outsiders aren’t jealous of Boston sports teams, they just think that Boston sports fans are obnoxious. Which they are. You guys are almost worse than Philly fans. From the celebrity perspective, you’ve got three stars who are famous Boston sports fans: one is a thug (Wahlberg) and one is a drunken philanderer (Affleck). But that’s par for the course for Boston fans, isn’t it? Drunken thugs.
Most NFL fans just don’t like or respect the Pats. That’s reality. They’ve just never had that dynasty-respect from non-Boston fans like the Steelers, Cowboys or Niners have had. Here in the SF Bay Area, d’know whose are the third-most commonly seen team jerseys, after the Niners and Raider? The Seahawks–and they’re bitter division rivals with the Niners!
“But we don’t care what you haters think!” Yeah, and the rest of the country doesn’t give a damn whether the NFL is shafting the Pats.
He needs to deflate his ego like he deflated the balls. Not a fan of his or his wife or his team. So there you go.
+1
They have no proof he was in on it. The whole investigation was biased and corrupt from the start. And no one should be coerced into admitting they did something, especially if there’s a chance they didn’t do it. This whole thing is messed up.
His cheating makes him so much less attractive. Almost ugly now.
I agree.
Tool
I can never figure out what’s going on with his hair. Is it some kind of back to front comb over?
Tom wants to be Teflon Tom so he’ll be the golden boy forever. Here in New York, Don Gotti used to be known as the Teflon Don. Until he wasn’t. I’d find Tom more credible and human if he just admitted that he knew what was going on. It’s difficult to believe that a group of minions, unbeknownst to Tom, made sure the football was exactly the way Tom liked it. And remember, it’s not a criminal trial (for God’s sake, Tom isn’t going to jail). I don’t believe it’s a civil trial either, where the bar is much lower to find someone guilty. It’s a sports league’s internal disciplinary procedure. Tom got too cocky and went too far. It’s extremely common when one’s ego is burnished the way Tom’s has been for years. No, he didn’t kill anyone, but he hurt the integrity of the game. He compromised his own integrity, too. I’m also not saying he’s in the same league as cyclist cheater Lance Armstrong–far from it. I think Tom would be a better role model if he honestly examined his conscience and admitted that he did something wrong. It’s what we try to teach our children and Tom is a role model for children, his own and others. Say, “I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I learned my lesson.” It’s the same thing newscaster Brian Williams should have done. Own up instead of denying everything until his lawyers clean up all the details. Lastly, destroying his phone (or having a minion destroy it) when he knew the NFL wanted it is the act of a guilty man. Sorry, but it’s true. People don’t destroy the evidence when they’re innocent.
*sigh* Brady’s actions are not before the court; Goodell’s are.
Why don’t people seem to understand this very basic fact?
Because they either don’t understand or don’t want to understand.
Also, there is no obligation to notify the referee that the ball feels light. If there were, games in places like Buffalo and Green Bay would be never ending due to the delays.
He can’t go to court. He;s too busy trying to get his rings back from Ninja Nanny.
^^ This comment wins Internet Comedy Gold.
This is such nonsense about nothing. How can a case be appealed so quickly over something that is so trivial? Don’t people wait months, or even years, for their more compelling cases to be heard???
Because they filed for an emergency ruling and the court decided that the case met enough of the criteria for initial conferences. It can still decide not to rule and hold it over in the usual time frame
The judge scheduled another settlement conference, admonishing to parties to get serious about coming to a settlement. Brady is apparently holding out for a slap on the wrist settlement, and the NFL isn’t going to agree to a settlement that exonerates Brady for cheating. So essentially Brady is sacrificing his team’s chances this season because he’s too big of a baby to admit that he cheated.
Reports from the courtroom indicate that the judge had some very harsh and critical statements for … Roger Goodell.
No, they don’t indicate that at all. The judge wants both parties to give a little to come to a settlement, which is his way of telling Brady’s counsel that they’ll have to accept some settlement that upholds the judgement of competitive misconduct (i.e., cheating). The NFL can negotiate on the length of the suspension without undermining the judgement but have no incentive to exonerate Brady on cheating. In order to maintain credibility it’s in the NFL’s best interest to go to trial and have an exoneration finding forced upon it, because then it can just dismiss it as a bad ruling.
Forcing Brady to appear at the next settlement hearing is the judge’s way of making it clear to Brady he needs to be realistic about settlement terms.
Actually, yes, the reports do indicate that. http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/13467909/judge-orders-patriots-quarterback-tom-brady-roger-goodell-back-court-aug-31
And this is what I do for a living. And I’m good at it. As I said above, and as I have said repeatedly on these threads, an arbitration decision can only be overturned on extremely limited grounds. The question of whether Brady cheated is not before the judge. The question of whether Roger Goodell did is. Courts will very often uphold arbitration decisions on the grounds that the grievant could not show that the case met the very limited grounds to vacate despite holding that the arbitrator’s decision is not supported by law or facts. Lack of supporting law or supporting facts is not one of the grounds for overturning a decision. I’m fully aware of what the NFL can do and what the NFL is doing and why it is doing what it is doing, thank you, and it has nothing to do with the integrity of the game. I’m also fully aware of what the judge can and cannot do. The judge cannot overturn an arbitration decision simply because there is no evidence to support the arbitrator’s decision. Arbitrators do get to make up stuff and it was clear from the line of questioning that the judge seemed to believe Goodell did just that. Both parties have been ordered to appear at the next session, not just Brady. It is quite PROBABLE, as I have repeatedly stated, that the judge will uphold the arbitration but rip Roger Goodell a new one in the process.
And no, Brady didn’t hurt the team by refusing to settle. Any suspension will be served in September, not later, because he did not request a stay. If the judge rules in his favor AFTER he serves the suspension, the NFL must pay him for those games. The league has made it quite clear that a suspension must be part of any settlement – they’ve also leaked which team owners are the ones demanding that. The Pats also have other, good QBs. Brady DID meet with the magistrate yesterday.
Oh come on, the judge knows what the positions are of both sides and that Brady’s (one game suspension, no admission of wrongdoing) is the same as having the NFL sanctions repealed. When he is telling both sides to be realistic, he is talking to Brady. The NFL isn’t going to settle for a deal that lets Brady off the hook. Why should they?
“It is quite PROBABLE, as I have repeatedly stated, that the judge will uphold the arbitration but rip Roger Goodell a new one in the process.”
In which case the NFL wins, because the judge’s opinion of the sanctions process won’t matter a hill o’ beans, what will matter is that the NFL front office slapped the Pats for their sleazy machinations and made it stick.
And you may know arbitration law but you don’t know jack about NFL football. Of the Pats first four games, the only team they have a decent chance to beat without Brady is Jacksonville. Three losses puts a real hole in your boat when you need 12 wins to have a decent chance in the playoffs.
So sorry your coach decided to pass to Malcolm Butler. And Richard Sherman thinks the suspension should be repealed. Guess he doesn’t share your views..
I have never had a problem with the goal line pass call. Wasn’t particularly upset about it at the time and still am not. That was just the breaks of the game. My issue, like most NFL fans, is with Belicheck’s sleazy ways and Brady’s prima donna act. Any other NFL QB would have taken the two game suspension deal that was likely offered yesterday for the good of their team. Only Hollywood Tommy, the special snowflake, holds out because he believes he deserves special treatment.
Again, why was Tommy boy on a private jet to Vegas with Affleck’s side-cooze when he should have been in camp training for the new season? Answer me that, Pats fans.
“Why was Tommy boy on a private jet to Vegas with Affleck’s side-cooze when he should have been in camp training for the new season? Answer me that, Pats fans.” Oh my… You are so bitter. You didn’t read those articles? You don’t know why? The pic was taken June 27. Charity event!
And today, Brady donated $50,000 to the Jimmy Fund for research to treat children’s cancer at Dana Farber.
Nope don’t talk about that.
Here are thing we should talk about:
1) Brady let Affleck’s nanny wear his SB rings
2) Brady is ugly and looks like Frankenstein
3) Brady is a smug arrogant jerk
4) Brady should just shut up and take his suspension even though he’s innocent
I think I covered everything. You’re welcome.
Yes.
The same happens to his wife who donates money to charities in Brazil but nobody talks about them including Gisele. The woman is even financing a very ambitious environmental project in her hometown.
So? I still don’t care for him just like many don’t care for (insert athlete/celebrity) even though they’ve donated to charity as well.