NFL 2015/16

[BaNosser]

[54-46]

Price deflation...

[Adolf Allerbush]

You asserted that there was no way an arbitrator could rule in the NFL's favor because there was no evidence. Steve said that the Wells report was written by a very experienced attorney who knows the legal standard and understands what evidence is. Steve then made the very reasonable leap of logic that 1) the report was likely reasonably well prepared and likely contained sufficient evidence therein to support its findings (note: that's not the same as saying the report was correct, not by a long shot) and 2) given #1, it is certainly possible that an arbitrator could rule in the NFL's favor.

Your whole premise is based on a complete misunderstanding of the report and Steve's statements about the report. You continue to conflate substance and process, when they are 2 completely different things. Steve has supported the process of the report, due to his faith in the skill and experience of the authors. That says nothing about the ultimate substantive conclusions. In fact, here's a little test to demonstrate how little you are understanding:

1) Based solely on the report, does Steve think the report is an accurate and correct evaluation of the events?
2) Does Steve think that because the attorneys who wrote the report are very experienced, the report must be an accurate and correct evaluation of the events?

Answers:
1) You would say yes, Steve would probably say "hell if I know".
2) You would say yes, Steve would say no. What he would say is that the because of the attorneys involved, the report is likely to be thorough and its conclusions well-supported.

BONUS QUESTION!
3) Does saying that the conclusions of the report are well-supported (if Steve actually said that) indicate Steve agrees with the report?

BONUS QUESTION ANSWER
3) You would obviously say yes. But the reality is, all that statement means is that an arbitrator is likely to find the report credible, and certainly could find that the report's conclusions are correct. It does not mean that an arbitrator would, nor does it indicate Steve's opinions on the substance of the matter at all.

The experience of the attorneys provides some confidence to Steve that the process of the report was appropriate, and that any conclusions contained in the report are likely to be well-supported by the evidence contained therein. The fact that you think that's the same thing as believing the conclusions of the report demonstrates your cluelessness. The fact that Steve was pompous in pointing that out to you? Gee, that's a bummer.

Objection your honor! Hair splitting be damned!

I could see 2 games, but don't understand how an arbitrator is going to figure that there is actual proof of Brady's involvement. There is the preponderance standard and then there is actual evidence of him telling these dudes to fuck with the balls after they had been checked by the refs. Sure, based on the Wells report it seems like he had to of known right? But they couldn't prove it, let alone find one thing indicating that Brady told these guys to do what they did. Brady and the Pats and the NFLPA are currently having their own legal teams and consultants work to disprove everything in that report that you are taking as fact.

I'm not a pats fan, don't care if Brady is booted out of the league and their fined $1B for this...sheeit, I'd like to see them lose their 2014-2015 SB and have the Hawks given the SB trophy...but that's not gonna happen...and really, there is no good reason why the Pats are being throttled this badly.

Still, if the 4 games sticks, do the Pats/Brady even care deep down? The draft picks are probably the biggest deal to them.

Mischaracterization of my words is fine...but that's not what I was saying...my point was that I couldn't envision an arbitrator sticking with the current suspension+fine+loss of draft pick combo, which has been repeated here several times, but the JDs here take issue with it because they miss the forest for the trees....if you need it repeated that's fine, but otherwise you can go back and rehash the thread starting at page 15 or so.

I said it was well-reasoned and that Wells is an experienced attorney. I will double down on that, your ad hominem attacks notwithstanding.

Yes, you did...can we move on now? My bad.

[EZB]

Seems pretty clear Brady's not gonna say anything. There's his sheepish presscon where he starts to answer, "Is Tom Brady a cheater?" with "I don’t believe so." You all should watch that presscon again. So should he, cuz if he isn't a cheater he would see that he should speak his innocence more unequivocally.

He acts like he'll talk to his people and get back to us, after he finds out what happened LOL.

Remember, it's not just that McNally calls himself The Deflator and jokes about going to ESPN. It's that McNally is NOT THE EQUIPMENT GUY. Jastremski could joke about doing something to the balls cuz that's Jastremski's job. Trouble is, McNally was texting as if McNally had that job.

Brady’s appeal is now 3,570th, on par with...Britney Spears. link

"Leave Tom alone!" Wahhhhhhhhhh.

[54-46]

Did Robert Kraft toss Tom Brady under the bus?

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ro...ll-suspension/

Will Brady now ask Kraft for an apology?

[PB]

And now for something completely different .... not really.

Kaep, you're a childish knucklehead that will never grow into a man. Perhaps the removal of your tongue would help .... no, make that your fingers ..... oh crap, I give up - so hard to be 49er fan at the moment.

[TahoeJ]

I'm not offended so much by what Kaep tweeted about Houston as I am by the fact that he has his own personal promotion hashtag. He needs to knock that shit off.

[54-46]

Dumb move, but at least Kaep apologized for being a douche. He should also apologize to Robert Kraft.

[TahoeJ]

Well, this should be interesting:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...eb1_story.html

Brady isn't going to miss a single game I bet.

"When the AEI analysts looked more closely at how such a mistake could have been made, what they found “astonished” them, says the report’s co-author Stan Veuger. The Wells report “relies on an unorthodox statistical procedure at odds with the methodology the report describes.” Translation: The Wells report said it would use one equation but then used a different (and weird) equation to arrive at its numbers.

“It was really clumsy,” Veuger says. “It’s the kind of mistake you’d see in freshman statistics class.”

Another phrase possibly applies to all of this:

Falsifying results.

Normally, these “special counsel” reports are airtight documents. They’re meant to give sports leagues an unshakable legal basis for discipline and protect league integrity. The report by Major League Baseball on Pete Rose’s gambling was an unassailable document of 215 pages that included 313 witnesses and seven volumes of exhibits, including bank and phone records and transcripts of interviews that made it impossible for Rose to fight his banishment. But lately the NFL has begun turning these special counsel investigations into manipulated campaigns calculated to enhance the commissioner’s profile and powers.

And they seem to be written to fit predetermined conclusions. "

[Tuckerman]

Did someone say AEI. Oh a independent report not paid for by any interested party. And now TB is in NY where the Pats are most hated, its like an away game. The radio say there were so many people they needed a bigger room. They also said most of the Attorneys will not even be speaking just racking up billable hours. That and they will get to say they were part of this very important process in like 10 years.

[neufox47]

Hear ye hear ye. Kangaroo court is now in session. The honorable Fuhrer Goodell will hear the appeal for the case he prosecuted.

[Danno]

If there's one thing we all can agree on, it's that this is indeed a kangaroo court.

[BigDaddy]

Lots of pressure on Goodell from the other NFL owners to fuck the Patriots. They/we are not well liked by them or the HQ.

I heard the main office hates to deal with the Krafts... Even on a day to day basis. Huge pains in the ass, quote, unquote.

Many incentives for the Wells report to be biased, but I'll let this play out on the field. Likers gonna like.

[EZB]

So far what would be the top kangaroo moment?

[ ] That the Patriot lawyers thought it was a good idea to simultaneously say McNally is unavailable, and that his Deflator text meant he was trying to lose weight.

[ ] Or that Patriot fans are so stupid they believed it...

[Adolf Allerbush]

Lots of pressure on Goodell from the other NFL owners to fuck the Patriots. They/we are not well liked by them or the HQ.

I heard the main office hates to deal with the Krafts... Even on a day to day basis. Huge pains in the ass, quote, unquote.

Many incentives for the Wells report to be biased, but I'll let this play out on the field. Likers gonna like.

If I'm an owner of an NFL team there's no way I fall in line with what Goodell is doing here....why? Because the same could be done to any other team in the league. So even if it's the Jets or Miami or whoever dislikes the Pats ownership, they'd be dumb to allow the NFL to set precedent like this.

[54-46]

Seems like every other player who challenged a suspension had it reduced. Same expectation here...

[BigDaddy]

AA, you're talking sense, but that doesn't mean they do. I think there's a lot ego/jealousy involved... in a complex algorithm of money, ego, success and power. The word was, Goodell HAD to bring it down on NE to appease these owners. He's no fool and does what his bosses want. Would you jeopardize $40M a year?

That said, they owe Kraft who has done a thing or two for the league and for the brass at the home office. Not just stuff for the business, either, but personal stuff.

[Tuckerman]

How many games in this series? Game 1 - Kangaroo court in NY Game 2 - Real court Boston?

[TahoeJ]

I'm not sure why the other owners would have it in for Kraft - who is probably the most responsible individual for them all making a shit load of money. He was heavily involved in the massive TV deals and other endorsements / negotiations for the NFL... that's why he carries so much weight amongst the group.

[54-46]

Under/over on length of suspension after this arb - set line at 2 games?

[AdironRider]

Ill take the under, but I suspect real courts will be involved in the interim.

[EZB]

Brady arrives @ NFLHQ...

[iceman]

Does the league roll over to stay out of Federal court, where the definitely don't want to be....or, does the league fear being seen as weak so much that they go balls to wall and don't change anything? We will see.

[Danno]

Does the league roll over to stay out of Federal court, where the definitely don't want to be....or, does the league fear being seen as weak so much that they go balls to wall and don't change anything? We will see.

One game. They save face. He accepts it. Or not.

[BigDaddy]

So my inside "man" gave me a brief synopsis on what went down yesterday...

First Brady signed about twenty footballs, then they took them into a bathroom. After 90 seconds, they brought them out and tossed a couple around the conference room.

About halfway through, they took one aside and checked the signature. The autograph was found to slightly smudged, so deemed unworthy and placed under Ted Wells chair. When he unknowingly sat down, it emitted a loud "fart-like" noise. Wells then hastily exited the room red faced while Brady and company high five each other, laughing hysterically.

Still smiling, Brady picked it up, drilled a strike to Goodell and said, "I guess that one's been deflated!" Goodell tried to catch it, but misjudged the throw and took it directly on the chin. Rubbing his now sore spot, Roger said he'd have Well's put some "cream" there later.

At this point the judge blew his whistle and the meeting adjourned. But not before Giselle was heard muttering towards Goodell... "WTF, does Tom have to catch it, too?!"