04/23/24
August 31, 2015
Only 1 Game Apart, But Brady/NFL Negotiations Fail: Tom Brady was willing to serve a one-game suspension and the NFL was willing to accept two, Ian Rapoport of NFL.Com reports citing unnamed sources. But negotiations have failed, federal Judge Richard M. Berman announced, so he'll rule this week.
If Berman rules for the NFL, Brady will probably file for a stay, and this thing will continue on while Brady suits up and plays.
By now, there are probably some owners who are ready to place Goodell alongside Jimmy Hoffa for having orchestrated this fiasco on behalf of the NFL. Which is an understandable sentiment. The problem being that Hoffa deserves better company.
It's almost unimaginable to recall that at one time, the Pats were the league's golden boys to whom the commissioner was happily indebted for having tuck ruled the despised Al Davis' Raiders and kept them out of the Super Bowl. By the time the deflation tale is fully told, the bad blood between Davis and the league will be seen as practice squad level compared to the splendor of the enmity that now exists between Kraft and Goodell.
At this point, my main interest in seeing the Pats win another title is so I can watch the team stare Goodell's sorry ass off the stage in total silence at the trophy presentation.
posted by beaverboard at 09:02 AM on September 01, 2015
Does it really serve Brady or the Pats to push a potential suspension deeper into a season by filing an appeal?
posted by rcade at 09:40 AM on September 01, 2015
The goal is continued relentless exposure of the incompetence of the commissioner and of the absurdity of his disciplinary strategy and decisions. The torment that the league is currently enduring is entirely of Goodell's making. Both through his bumbling actions and his derelict inactions. It's just a question of how long it will take for the owners to do what they need to do.
Despite all the prestige and persuasiveness that Kraft has accrued as an owner, he doesn't need to stand up and ask for Goodell's head at this point. He can (and should) let his colleagues do the deed themselves of their own free will without his influence. Kraft has previously shown a willingness to try to be reasonable and find a way forward, and has been compliant by accepting the fine and loss of draft choices that Goodell foisted on his franchise without ample foundation or merit.
I certainly wish that Kraft had fought back on that instead, as a firm defense on all fronts would have hastened the exposure and demise of this plague of a commissioner.
posted by beaverboard at 10:12 AM on September 01, 2015
Of course all my irony-and-doomsday-prone friends whose families came from the old country (via County Cork) are saying over pints that Brady will get to play but will get dinged up by Rex's defense and they'll have to send Garoppolo out there anyway.
posted by beaverboard at 10:21 AM on September 01, 2015
there are probably some owners who are ready to place Goodell alongside Jimmy Hoffa for having orchestrated this fiasco on behalf of the NFL
Do you think so? The league has been in the public eye all off-season with a story of telenovela-quality drama. No matter which way Berman rules has the league really been hurt by this at all? It just feels like the NFL is getting one step closer to reality TV and if there is a change of commisioner— is that Vince McMahon's entrance music I hear? And wait, who's his manager? Is that He Hate Me?!
posted by yerfatma at 10:42 AM on September 01, 2015
The goal is continued relentless exposure of the incompetence of the commissioner and of the absurdity of his disciplinary strategy and decisions.
"Come at the king, you best not miss." -- Omar, The Wire
Is that goal more important to them than having Brady playing in December? The chance of bringing down Goodell is slim. Kraft's decision to accept the fine and loss of draft picks instead of filing suit suggests that even he is willing to make nice and move on.
posted by rcade at 11:24 AM on September 01, 2015
Kraft's decision to accept the fine and loss of draft picks instead of filing suit suggests that even he is willing to make nice and move on.
He retracted that position a month or so ago, apologizing to Pats fans for trusting in the NFL office to get things right.
posted by yerfatma at 12:01 PM on September 01, 2015
Complaining to the press is not the same thing as filing a suit, though. Kraft had a shot to take on Goodell and he cheesed out.
posted by rcade at 12:42 PM on September 01, 2015
"Come at the king, you best not miss." -- Omar, The Wire
Yeah, well, eventually Omar got got and Brady's name is his name.
posted by tron7 at 12:59 PM on September 01, 2015
And ten years from now Belichick will still be doing rip and runs and burying AFC East coaches.
Give me a couple of days to finish the last episode and we can all start making Show Me a Hero references.
posted by yerfatma at 01:36 PM on September 01, 2015
A story about how James Harrison believes Goodell will win contains this line:
But as CBSSports.com's Jared Dubin points out, whatever Berman decides, we're beyond guilt and innocence. This is about procedure.
Shit just got REAL.
posted by rcade at 06:44 PM on September 01, 2015
Well sheeeiitttt!
posted by billsaysthis at 10:48 AM on September 02, 2015
Six-quarter suspension. Bring him out at halftime to crush the hopes of my Jacksonville Jaguars when they've taken a nigh insurmountable four-point lead.