arsaint

Pats HAD to be hit after what this tyrant of a commissioner did to the Saints and others.

That being said - we've all been screwed as football fans thanks to Goodell. He will be the downfall of the league if he stays much longer...

burningmetal

I'm pretty shocked that they got this much punishment. I wanted to see it happen only because of what the NFL did to us, and not as much about the act of deflating balls, itself. I fully expected a slap on the wrist.

I think Brady's suspension will easily be reduced to two games. The evidence, though circumstantial, was stronger than anything they had against us. With the bounty crap it was all about terminology and what was said in pre or postgame rants. But on the field there was no such activity that would indicate anybody was trying to hurt anyone. There were big hits and sometimes injuries DO HAPPEN in the NFL but the targeting just wasn't there.

At least with the deflated balls, we know they were tested and were all below the legal limit, and were the same exact PSI. They may not have proved who was at fault or how long it's been going on, but we at least had something to go on.

Yet the public outcry is unbelievable right now in comparison to what it was for the Saints. NOW everyone wants Roger to show the evidence, whereas we Saints fans were in the minority when we were screaming for it.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

SloMotion

IDK, a million dollars has to be a lot even to a guy like Kraft. Loss of a first round pick? Meh, where do they typically pick? 30th? 31st? 32nd? Suspend the SB MVP four games? A little misplaced/misdirected IMO, but I'll accept it as an example to the rest of the league ... just don't reduce it to two games on appeal if you want some respect, .

Excellent point, ... you knew the Saints punishment was going to have a dramatic affect on their season. This punishment? Not so much for NE. How they hold SP accountable for what goes on and completely absolve Belicheck is a little beyond me, .

Another 'bingo'. Private organization, they can do what they want with/without rythmn/reason or tangible proof ... we've all seen that, .

It's Roger paying lip-service to integrity of the game just as he paid lip-service to player safety by singling out NO. These are common practices within the league brought to the forefront by a disgruntled player or team and now he has to act and set an example, IMO, nothing more.

During all the time it has been speculated (2006-2014) the Pats were deflating the balls, having less fumbles, winning games, et ... weren't the referees handling the balls between every play of every game? Nobody noticed anything out of the ordinary then? Why'd it take so long? Why'd it take a team to call it to the attention of the NFL to get ball pressure checked during a game? The NFL/Referees Association has some culpability here. Why do QB's like Peyton Manning refuse to comment? Pleading the Fifth if you ask this reporter, .

I knew Goodell would f@#k the whole thing up ... again, .

arsaint

A guarantee. Everything this commissioner touches turns to crap.

papz

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papz

Ex-Saints and retired Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Blake confessed in an interview that removing air from footballs was common when he played in the NFL from 1992-2005.

"I'm just going to let the cat of the bag, every team does it, every game, it has been since I played," the ex-Jets QB said Wednesday in a radio interview on the "Midday 180" show on Nashville's 104.5 The Zone. "Cause when you take the balls out of the bag, they are rock hard. And you can't feel the ball as well. It's too hard.

"Everybody puts the pin in and takes just enough air out of the ball that you can feel it a little better. But it's not the point to where it's flat. So I don't know what the big deal is. It's not something that's not been done for 20 years."

Blake says that he'd order ball boys to let air out of his footballs just before the start of games during his entire NFL career, which included time with the New Orleans Saints in 2000 and 2001.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

Beastmode

Times have changed since Blake. Cameras, smartphones everywhere. You can't do that stuff anymore, along with a lot of other things and get away with it as easily.

vpheughan

Like Shannon Sharpe said "You ask Me if I cheated, I tell you Hell No!" not "I don't think so"

RaginCajun83

So what, it's still not enough

ScottF

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...165502937.html

the Pats new Twitter logo is supporting Brady,

"Brady 12" is also the Pats request for the psi in TB's footballs
too bad the rule is 12.5-13.5