madlithuanian

Agreed Pix. I just mentioned earlier that I thought the results of the penalties will probably have about as much effect of the supposed soft balls... Negligible.

I think you can continue to bring up examples of people who think the inflation level does or does not make a difference. The thing is, it matters not. It is a perceived advantage and was against the rules. Had Brady fessed up, he'd have been hit with a $25K fine. All the penalties are due to not supporting the investigation and lying about involvement in it. Again, not under a court of US or international law, under rules of a private business. Everything else is pretty much moot. Just like many say the inflation of the ball didn't make a difference, these penalties on the Pats and Brady won't make much difference either. They will continue to be one of the best teams out there despite losing a pick and having a QB out for a couple games not getting beat up for 4 games...

Sadly sounds about right given our current society.

I did n't catch the multiple 1sts... Sure to be appealed...

From Troy Vincent: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/...w-accomplished/ Troy Vincent to Brady: Accountable “no matter how accomplished” Posted by Darin Gantt on May 11, 2015, 5:53 PM EDT Vincent Getty Images In dropping the hammer on the Patriots and Tom Brady Monday afternoon, the league made it clear that Brady’s standing in the league and the history of the game wasn’t going to help his case. Brady was suspended the first four games of the season for his role in tampering with footballs in last year’s AFC Championship Game. In the letter from NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent, it was spelled out that Brady’s actions and inactions were taken seriously. “With respect to your particular involvement, the report established that there is substantial and credible evidence to conclude you were at least generally aware of the actions of the Patriots’ employees involved in the deflation of the footballs and that it was unlikely that their actions were done without your knowledge,” Vincent wrote in a letter to Brady. “Moreover, the report documents your failure to cooperate fully and candidly with the investigation, including by refusing to produce any relevant electronic evidence (emails, texts, etc.), despite being offered extraordinary safeguards by the investigators to protect unrelated personal information, and by providing testimony that the report concludes was not plausible and contradicted by other evidence. “Your actions as set forth in the report clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the game of professional football. The integrity of the game is of paramount importance to everyone in our league, and requires unshakable commitment to fairness and compliance with the playing rules. Each player, no matter how accomplished and otherwise respected, has an obligation to comply with the rules and must be held accountable for his actions when those rules are violated and the public’s confidence in the game is called into question.” There will be an immediate impact for the team, but the greater harm may come to Brady’s reputation, which was previously simply that he was one of the best players in the history of the game.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/...in-deflategate/

I'm kind of surprised...harsher than I thought.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/...bye-to-houston/

1. No, but they got caught. And have shown a history of violating league policy. 2. It's not the wells report, but there was some report of statistical analysis that showed the league info on funbles at home/etc, and the Pats were shown to have a percentage so far below average. Wish I had it, but I don't. But it's been reported on a lot of sports talk stations in LA. I can't answer the weather thing, I'm not a scientist. But from what I heard, a majority of scientists including the ones in the Wells reports don't think the underinflation was solely due to the weather. 3. Not sure where that comment has any connection to my third point at all. We are talking about the Pats. What other teams do is irrelevant. Just because Bob steals a ring and doesn't get caught, doesn't mean Jimmy, who also steals a ring and gets caught, shouldn't have to pay his dues. 4. Again, we're not talking about the Steelers, Chargers, Colts Giants or Jets...we talking about the Pats. They got caught, They lied, they need to pay their dues. 5. The defendant wouldn't do anything odd to the balls unles instructed. And that would either be by Brday, or by a high enough level coaching staff to mess with their most important player's equipment. COuld happen once that the ball boy F's with it to either help or hurt Brday to make a point. Possible, yes. Probable, no. ...and no, the Wells report is not speculation. Speculation is people thinking there's something in Area 51. The report spells out that it is probable that this happened. That means, most likely. This is not a murder trial, where that level of guilt isn't enough. This is a lower level crime (against a rule book). The bottom line is rules were broken, caught to the level needed by the private company making the rules, and the company should level whatever punishment they feel fits the crime. Due to collective baragaining, the union should be able to 1/2 that penalty as they've done countless time in the past. I think Brady ultimately gets 2 games. NFL might levy 4 games, and the union drops it to 2.

I think you're not seeing all the circumstances where this could be an issue. 1. We all agree this didn't make a difference in the Indy game. Did it in the Raven's on prior? That game was really close. How about others? This wasn't a lone incident just in the Inday game. 2. Regardless of Brady, did the soft ball lessen the odds of Pat's turnovers? The stats seem to imply such. 3. Was this the Pat's first time doing something a little shady? No. The Pats have won more than anyone for a decade +. Ever wonder why? Where there's smoke, there's usually fire. If it were only this indescretion, no biggie. Plop this along with everything else, and it's hard to question it. Do you honestly think this the only thing "odd" they've done or are still doing? There appears to be a pattern. 4. Let's assume that the inflation of a ball matters not in the field of play. It is still a rule. The rule was broken to gain a potentially unfair advantage. Then Brday proceeded to lie about his involvement. It's the "cover up" that's always worse than the transgression. This is the point many are making. 5. Had Brady just come and said, yeah, I like the balls softer. "I asked the equipment guys to get them to the lowest possible. Looks like they over did it. I am sorry." This would have ended. A fine would be assessed. End of story. But no. The usual denials and demands for apologies for even thinking such came forth (especially from Kraft).

Agreed. I see QB, LB, OL, DL, CB, S, TE. Depending on Langford, RB could be in there too. Only WR appears solid at this point. Depending on White. Which leaves us again in a great position to draft BPA. I think QB is the only position that could outweigh BPA depending onwhat the scounts/GM and coaches think.

To a degree, yes. Some injuries you just can't help. But, others can be avoided.

Give it time. Next year, I believe we will see some young blood on the edges...

I haven't been this amped about our OL since Hilgenberg was on the line...

Ha! That's me on Sunday after watching Rodgers take us apart...

Agreed. It's nice not to have to worry about an element of the game such as this!

I think it will. It won't officially. But anyone not a fan of the Pat's or with a small amount a dislike for the team have an easy out to discount them/him in some way. At the end of the day, regardless of what the talking heads at ESPN/NFL/etc say...it's us fans and friends that really matter to us personally. It's bar talk. I care more what my buddy says than Dan Marino. And from the barstool...his legend is tarnished. To me, he's HOF, but not GOAT. Then again, I still that that title goes to Montana anyway regardless...

Good point. Also, given that isn't going down in a court of US law, but from a private business, they don't need the same amount of evidence to feel comfortable placing blame.

C-Dog, I think your take here pretty much sums up my thoughts perfectly...

Good points Alaska. I think a good chunk of people are simply tired of all the little "questionable" things surrounding the Patriots. From the "Tuck Rule" to "Deflategate" and everything in between. It's not as though they've gone into Super Bowls and blown people out. These games are usually close, and maybe, if not for a lack of a fumble here or some other broken rule we're not yet aware of, they gained a slight advantage... We'll never know. A simple shadow of doubt has been cast, right or wrong. To me it's sad, because so many involved are really top HOF players/coaches.

agreed...

Thanks for sharing that!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fhd...=1&sle=true

Aaron Leming @AaronLemingNFL · 3h 3 hours ago W DL Ego Ferguson confirming he plans on playing under 300 pounds this year & focusing on pass rushing, that speaks volumes where he'll play

Why not give the man credit for doing his job well? He's shown so for what now seems like over a decade.