Tom Brady's appeal to Roger Goodell of the four-game suspension was denied as he currently is suspended for the first four games of the season, including the Bills game here on September 20. The reason for the NFL upholding the suspension is that they said Brady was not cooperative with the investigation and not turning his phone over and being very defiant throughout the investigation. They felt he's been tampering with the investigation thus the cover up is worse than the crime.
I see why Brady fights it because 1.) he doesn't want to miss games and try to clear his name which might never happen, and 2.) he knows he's Tom Brady and he can get away with anything. He's been getting away with stuff for 10-15 years. The Patriots cheat all the time and while they got punished for Spy Gate, they still got away with a not so harsh penalty which should have involved suspensions. They believe they are above the league and can do whatever they want and get away with it.
I don't know but I doubt the CBA has anything where the league can ask for your phone and you have to give it over. I bet it doesn't if it does Brady is screwed. If not, then the NFL can't prove even with the Wells Report and the looks of him cheating. But it appears they can't prove he did it if he went ahead and destroyed his phone instead of turning it over, therefore a settlement will probably be determined.
However, the CBA states Goodell has the ability to punish anyone who performs transgressions on the field and deflating footballs . Of course Goodell comes under intense scrutiny for punishing players due to last year's Ray Rice punching his then-fiance out and only giving him two games. Greg Hardy's 10 game suspension for domestic violence was reduced to four games, the same length as Brady. Yes obviously hitting a woman is a lot worse but as I wrote earlier (http://buffalosportsbeat.blogspot.com/2015/07/greg-hardys-suspension-reduced-to-4.html) Hardy is essentially suspended 19 games because he missed the last 15 games of last season as he was sat down by the Panthers.
The thing is not that they are looking for his phone as the Patriots did turn over all electronic data just not Brady's phone. That stupid laugh of Brady's the day after the story came out on Boston radio not only makes him guilty but makes me want to punch him or hit him with an object as hard as possible. Why does he destroy his phone instead of not turning it over? Why wouldn't he want to shove it in the league's face and the detractors that he didn't do it by showing his phone and clearing his name? Obviously he's guilty.
If nothing was done, how come the Patriots suspended the two employees who Brady made sure the balls were deflated to his liking? The Patriots accepted the $1 million fine and loss of draft picks (including next year's first round) without a fight as they basically want to end it, but they "did not cheat" according to Robert Kraft they just want it to end. Obviously, they knew they did something wrong or else they'd fight a lot harder. They believe they got off pretty light. However, Brady is making it so hard and ruining their credibility.
I think they want everyone to move on and want Brady to sit and take his suspension and prepare with either Jimmy Garoppolo or Matt Flynn in training camp and preseason in preparation for the first four games. They'd rather let the two QBs, preferably last year's 2nd round pick Garoppolo, prepare and get ready instead of having the suspension possibly moved to the middle or even end of the season where they might enter the games cold instead of full on preparation with a full training camp and preseason with the starters.
Why couldn't Brady be suspended longer? If I were the league, I'd suspend Brady for four games, but they are to start in the playoffs. If the Patriots play four playoff games, Brady is gone from every one of them. If they only play three playoff games, Brady is suspended for the opener the following season as the suspension carries over. If they play two, he misses the first two games the following season, and so on. He cheated in the playoffs and they won the Super Bowl as a result, he should not be allowed to play in the playoffs. I'd make an unusual penalty for Brady to show you don't do that to my game and my league.
The NFLPA is probably trying to push the suspension as long as possible by going to court so when it comes whenever it does, Brady can just retire as he will be 38 when the season starts. There's a chance Brady might play against the Bills Sept. 20 if it goes to court and it could allow him to play while the hearing is going on. I know Bills fans want to see Brady go against Rex Ryan and beat them in a game in which means more beating Brady then say Garoppolo.
My take on that is sure I'd like to beat Brady's smug and arrogant ass. But Brady beats the Bills as he is 23-3 with 58 touchdowns, just 19 interceptions, and a 101.2 QB Rating in 26 games all-time against the Bills. Last year after Brady struggled early in the year, I thought he was easy pickings for the Bills before he destroyed them in the second half of the game here and I made it a point never to assume we're just going to beat him even with an improved head coach.
Brady has struggled against Ryan more than any other head coach he's faced as he has a 61.8 QBR (73.4 against everyone else) and under 60% completion all-time against Ryan (65% all-time against everyone else) and the Patriots' yards and points per game drop significantly against Ryan's defense than everyone else. But he's still 9-4 all-time against Ryan because Ryan has had Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith at QB and Ryan still doesn't have a great QB here.
I want to beat Brady but I also want to win a game, especially in my division Brady or not, it still counts. Playing Garoppolo gives us the better chance to win than playing Brady and early in the season I want wins. This isn't anything like last year's season-finale where the game meant nothing for both teams, it means a lot for both. A win is a win and I'd rather win than face Brady with a good chance to lose. Besides, we'll play him later so we'll get a chance to see what Ryan and the Bills can do.
I have one more thing to say, why didn't Pete Carroll run Marshawn Lynch? This wouldn't be as bad if he ran the ball with Lynch and won the Super Bowl. I don't think I couldn't hate Carroll more than I do now and every time I see the Patriots, Brady, and especially if Brady gets off with less games or none, I'll always think back to the time Carroll decided to throw the football instead of run Lynch.
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