Inflategate

[RickRund]

Right now am waiting to hear more of the Brady suspension on FOX NEWS.....Early speculation is up to 8 games.....?????
Some say 1-2 games but are saying that the Brown's and Falcons had greater punishment for a lesser offense. And look what they did to that Saints...
Time will tell.

[John K]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

[allcat]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

[John K]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

[allcat]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

[John K]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

That only applies to felonies. This was not a felony.

[allcat]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

That only applies to felonies. This was not a felony.

So how do you rank their differing cheating midemeanors. We have clearing a spot for the kicker in a title game. We have the spygate thing. We have deflatgate in a title game. I do realize that Brady is married to a hot, so that should mitigate some of the penalty.

[John K]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

That only applies to felonies. This was not a felony.

So how do you rank their differing cheating midemeanors. We have clearing a spot for the kicker in a title game. We have the spygate thing. We have deflatgate in a title game. I do realize that Brady is married to a hot, so that should mitigate some of the penalty.

In my opinion, "spygate" is the only one of these that should be considered a felony, and they were slapped pretty hard for that. Again, I'm not saying that they shouldn't be punished at all for this latest transgression, but some people are calling for Brady to be suspended for half a season, or possibly even a full season, and that just seems crazy to me, for nothing more serious than footballs being slightly under-inflated, especially considering that the NFL didn't find any real proof of their guilt. The report stated that it's "more probable than not" that they intentionally under-inflated the balls. I know that the burden of proof for something like this is much lower than in an actual court proceeding, but still, I'd like to think they should have more to go on than that, if they're going to suspend a guy for half a season or more.

[allcat]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

That only applies to felonies. This was not a felony.

So how do you rank their differing cheating midemeanors. We have clearing a spot for the kicker in a title game. We have the spygate thing. We have deflatgate in a title game. I do realize that Brady is married to a hot, so that should mitigate some of the penalty.

In my opinion, "spygate" is the only one of these that should be considered a felony, and they were slapped pretty hard for that. Again, I'm not saying that they shouldn't be punished at all for this latest transgression, but some people are calling for Brady to be suspended for half a season, or possibly even a full season, and that just seems crazy to me, for nothing more serious than footballs being slightly under-inflated, especially considering that the NFL didn't find any real proof of their guilt. The report stated that it's "more probable than not" that they intentionally under-inflated the balls. I know that the burden of proof for something like this is much lower than in an actual court proceeding, but still, I'd like to think they should have more to go on than that, if they're going to suspend a guy for half a season or more.

So, his decision not to participate in the investigation has no relevance?

[John K]

I can't believe that this thing has become so overblown. A few years ago the Vikings got caught illegally warming their footballs during a cold weather game. Do you know what their punishment was? Nothing...just a warning to not do it again in the future. It would be beyond ridiculous, if Brady ends up getting suspended for more than a game or two. If it was any other player than Brady, and any other team than the Patriots, this would be a total non-issue.

You keep ignoring that facts that you keep restating, it is the patriots. Are you saying the more you get caught the less the punishment?

If someone gets a speeding ticket, they shouldn't be sentenced to life in prison, regardless of their criminal history.

I take it you don't believe in the three strike rule in criminal law?

That only applies to felonies. This was not a felony.

So how do you rank their differing cheating midemeanors. We have clearing a spot for the kicker in a title game. We have the spygate thing. We have deflatgate in a title game. I do realize that Brady is married to a hot, so that should mitigate some of the penalty.

In my opinion, "spygate" is the only one of these that should be considered a felony, and they were slapped pretty hard for that. Again, I'm not saying that they shouldn't be punished at all for this latest transgression, but some people are calling for Brady to be suspended for half a season, or possibly even a full season, and that just seems crazy to me, for nothing more serious than footballs being slightly under-inflated, especially considering that the NFL didn't find any real proof of their guilt. The report stated that it's "more probable than not" that they intentionally under-inflated the balls. I know that the burden of proof for something like this is much lower than in an actual court proceeding, but still, I'd like to think they should have more to go on than that, if they're going to suspend a guy for half a season or more.

So, his decision not to participate in the investigation has no relevance?

Sure it does, but I still don't believe a long suspension is warranted for this. Do you think Brady should be suspended for a full season, or at least half a season?

[SonomaCat]

The report stated that it's "more probable than not" that they intentionally under-inflated the balls. I know that the burden of proof for something like this is much lower than in an actual court proceeding, but still, I'd like to think they should have more to go on than that, if they're going to suspend a guy for half a season or more.

From what I heard, they used the "more probable than not" language specifically because that is the threshold required for punishment in the CBA or whatever agreement controls this sort of thing.

I've also heard people who know a lot more about this than I do note that we shouldn't take that to mean, say, 51/49% certainty, but rather than the facts in the report make this more like a 95/5% thing.

It's pretty clear that Brady knew about this and made it happen. It wouldn't hold up in a criminal court, but for purposes of the NFL the evidence is quite solid, even if it is circumstantial.

A couple games is appropriate, IMO ... and vacating the Super Bowl, thus making Carroll's stupid play call something that never happened.

[John K]

The report stated that it's "more probable than not" that they intentionally under-inflated the balls. I know that the burden of proof for something like this is much lower than in an actual court proceeding, but still, I'd like to think they should have more to go on than that, if they're going to suspend a guy for half a season or more.

From what I heard, they used the "more probable than not" language specifically because that is the threshold required for punishment in the CBA or whatever agreement controls this sort of thing.

I've also heard people who know a lot more about this than I do note that we shouldn't take that to mean, say, 51/49% certainty, but rather than the facts in the report make this more like a 95/5% thing.

It's pretty clear that Brady knew about this and made it happen. It wouldn't hold up in a criminal court, but for purposes of the NFL the evidence is quite solid, even if it is circumstantial.

A couple games is appropriate, IMO ... and vacating the Super Bowl, thus making Carroll's stupid play call something that never happened.

I can go along with that. I've said all along that I could see him getting 1-2 games, but I'm just sort of stunned when I hear people calling for a full season, or even half a season, for what I believe is a relatively minor offense. If not for their past history, I don't think it would even warrant a 1-2 game suspension.

[allcat]

This is what I said earlier in the thread.
I still think they should make Kraft sell the team. Take away the 1st and 2nd round drafts for 3 years. They fine Lynch 100,000 for not talking to the media, They should fine the Patriots $10,000,000. I'm probably letting them off easy.
I did leave out Brady in that one, but yes I do think a season is appropriate. Everything I'm proposing is because they are the Patriots and the other punishments have not worked.

[John K]

This is what I said earlier in the thread.
I still think they should make Kraft sell the team. Take away the 1st and 2nd round drafts for 3 years. They fine Lynch 100,000 for not talking to the media, They should fine the Patriots $10,000,000. I'm probably letting them off easy.
I did leave out Brady in that one, but yes I do think a season is appropriate. Everything I'm proposing is because they are the Patriots and the other punishments have not worked.

Are you just trying to get a reaction out of me? Because (in my best John McEnroe)..."you cannot be serious!?" Or in my best Allen Iverson..."we talkin' about PSI...not real cheating...we talkin' about PSI". Seriously, you must really hate the Patriots.

[allcat]

This is what I said earlier in the thread.
I still think they should make Kraft sell the team. Take away the 1st and 2nd round drafts for 3 years. They fine Lynch 100,000 for not talking to the media, They should fine the Patriots $10,000,000. I'm probably letting them off easy.
I did leave out Brady in that one, but yes I do think a season is appropriate. Everything I'm proposing is because they are the Patriots and the other punishments have not worked.

Are you just trying to get a reaction out of me? Because (in my best John McEnroe)..."you cannot be serious!?" Or in my best Allen Iverson..."we talkin' about PSI...not real cheating...we talkin' about PSI". Seriously, you must really hate the Patriots.

As I've also said in this thread, I only hate the Cowboys. I also take the same reaction to the 1-2 game suspension stuff, by yelling "are you f#king kidding me, it's the F74king patriots." To me it's the same as the Clinton's always say, "we did nothing wrong this time, it's just the people out to get us. I'm obviously not going to convince you, and you are not going to convince me, so I say we make the patriots forfeit some wins from 1992. agreed.

[91catAlum]

Brady gets 4 games. Pats lose 1st round draft pick.

Like I said earlier, the punishment wasn't just for the violation but also the “failure to cooperate in the subsequent investigation.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... flategate/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... /26989751/

[John K]

This is what I said earlier in the thread.
I still think they should make Kraft sell the team. Take away the 1st and 2nd round drafts for 3 years. They fine Lynch 100,000 for not talking to the media, They should fine the Patriots $10,000,000. I'm probably letting them off easy.
I did leave out Brady in that one, but yes I do think a season is appropriate. Everything I'm proposing is because they are the Patriots and the other punishments have not worked.

Are you just trying to get a reaction out of me? Because (in my best John McEnroe)..."you cannot be serious!?" Or in my best Allen Iverson..."we talkin' about PSI...not real cheating...we talkin' about PSI". Seriously, you must really hate the Patriots.

As I've also said in this thread, I only hate the Cowboys. I also take the same reaction to the 1-2 game suspension stuff, by yelling "are you f#king kidding me, it's the F74king patriots." To me it's the same as the Clinton's always say, "we did nothing wrong this time, it's just the people out to get us. I'm obviously not going to convince you, and you are not going to convince me, so I say we make the patriots forfeit some wins from 1992. agreed.

Well, I'm a Rams fan, so if we're going to make them forfeit/vacate any wins, I'd say it should be the 2002 Super Bowl.

[TomCat88]

If you believe the NFL is show business and there's no such thing as bad press in show business, then this is right up your alley. Look at the attention this is getting. The NBA and NHL playoffs are going on, but this is getting all the headlines.

[allcat]

If you believe the NFL is show business and there's no such thing as bad press in show business, then this is right up your alley. Look at the attention this is getting. The NBA and NHL playoffs are going on, but this is getting all the headlines.

The NBA is still alive?

[John K]

If you believe the NFL is show business and there's no such thing as bad press in show business, then this is right up your alley. Look at the attention this is getting. The NBA and NHL playoffs are going on, but this is getting all the headlines.

The NBA is still alive?

Actually, I think the NBA is more popular right now, than it's ever been.