Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Anyone that hands over a phone to ANYONE for ANY reason is a moron. Yes, it's that simple! We all know that had he done so, pistures and emails would have been on TMZ in three days, tops.
And one more time, yet again, for the slow kids...
There is already an established penalty for using an underinflated football. That is an $8600 fine.
It is a personal vendetta, and anyone HONEST would admit it.
For the even slower kids in the room... ( see others can do it too )
Brady didn't actually have to give them/hand over his phone. They didn't ask him to do that even though they could have under the CBA. The players have to cooperate with league investigations as part of the CBA their union agreed to so it is what it is. They league/investigators wanted his phone records and they wanted to see any texts from the team and those attendants. They weren't looking for personal calls/texts between Brady and non NFL people. They were even willing to look at what they wanted to see, in his presence and with his lawyer there, all while
HE kept physical control of the phone( i.e. he would look up what they wanted and then show it to them ). An innocent man, even one who has conspiracy and anti government issues, should have no problem with that. His personal info was safe.
Again, for the even slower kids in the room...
Just because there is a penalty for equipment violations on the books covering deflating footballs it does not mean other more severe penalties can not also apply in regards to the integrity of the game. I would say cheating definitely impacts the integrity of the game and even more so when the incident in question happens during a Championship game.
Jerry Rice admits he used stickem on his hands when he played and that a lot of WR's use it. Many have said it is no big deal. Just another $8600 equipment violation under the NFL rules. I have to ask, would you feel the same if you found out that those last second catches by Giants WR's that cost the Patriots 2 SB's were aided by the WR having stickum on their hands? How would you feel if they were just fined $8600 for it and no other action was taken? Would you be happy if the league also went after them hard for integrity of the game violations as well for cheating? Lets be
"honest" here now with your answer remember.
This goes way beyond a simple equipment violation. It was cheating done with the sole purpose of gaining a competitive advantage which does impact the integrity of the game. Whether it helped or not is totally irrelevant. It is about the intent and that intent was to cheat to gain an unfair advantage. Once caught, the moment Brady and the team started to deny and deflect, hire lawyers, refuse access to key witnesses, destroy evidence, etc... vs. just saying oops, my bad, and cooperating it became even more serious.
More for the even slower kids...
So by your definition of vendetta those in the legal system that go after and are hard on repeat offenders have a personal vendetta against the criminal. It has nothing to do with the fact the accused has broken the law before and broken it here again. Even though they are under arrest and/or back in court, yet again, for breaking the law it is actually a personal vendetta by those in the legal system for arresting and prosecuting them. Don't you see how ridiculous that is?
The Patriots have an
EARNED reputation for cheating and for pushing the rules beyond the line to gain an advantage. That is just a fact. Brady has been the QB the whole time this reputation has been earned so he owns part of it fair or not. I will agree that other teams( owners, GM's, players )dislike the Patriots. I will agree that most of them are having a good chuckle over the Patriots' woes due to deflategate. Something akin to "good they deserve it". I do not agree though that Goodell just woke up one day and on his own or with pressure from other owners said okay I am going to make up a fake scenario where we deflate footballs, say that the Patriots did it, and take them down. Just foolish.
There is no league wide conspiracy out there to get the Patriots. A lack of sympathy for them from others in the league, and those same folks being glad that they are finally being held accountable for their wrong doings, does not equate to a "vendetta". They are repeat offenders who are now facing the consequences of their actions( on field and for obstructing the deflategate investigation ). If you don't want to be called a cheater and treated like one then don't cheat. Just common sense.
Again, for the even slower kids...
This is on Brady and the Patriots and no one else because it all started with them cheating again. Leave the balls alone and this never happens. That is an undeniable fact unless you think the league did it to set them up as part of a conspiracy to take them down in which case there isn't enough therapy and medication out there to help someone like that.
