Brady Supposedly Destroyed Cell Phone
- Thread starter Stormin
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I think Brady can make a solid case that he didn't get a fair arbitration hearing. Goodell was involved in determining the original punishment. An arbitration hearing is supposed to be mediated by a NEUTRAL 3rd party mediator. I don't see how Goodell can be considered a neutral 3rd party mediator, meaning the arbitration hearing that upheld the original punishment was a sham.
I am not a fan of Roger, but the NFLPA agreed to allow him to be the judge and jury. It doesn't matter much what it SHOULD be, but what was agreed upon between union and the company.
- Mar 27, 2006
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This. It's collectively bargained. Complaining about Goodell's position as arbitrator plays well with the public, but in a legal sense, it's a non starter. The union agreed to it.
They have no choice, and it was good move on their part. The NFL is going 'all in' because they know they are up against a guy now that is not going to give up, and has the pockets to go all in as well. Between Tommy and Adrian, Roger is keeping his attorneys busy.
- Mar 27, 2006
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They absolutely have a choice. The league easily could have reduced the penalty to just a fine. They easily could have talked settlement more than they did. Brady claims that the league basically paid lip service to talk of a settlement. The NFL had lots of opportunities to tuck tail if they thought they were going to get beat. This is one of the highest profile players in the league. Everybody's watching this one. Do you think the NFL is going to go all in, and risk a huge public black eye, if they weren't confident they'd win?
- Mar 27, 2006
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I think you're missing the point of the cell phone. No, he was not required to provide the cell phone. And if he would have continued to say, "nope, you can't have it" he'd be a lot better off. But, because the standard of proof is lower than reasonable doubt, and the league only needs to meet the greater than 50% likelihood that he was involved standard, destroying a phone that the league had asked for, on the day of his Wells interview, even though he wasn't required to produce it, is a bad, bad look for Tom. It makes the league's argument that it's reasonable to assume that there was data on the phone that would have affected Tom Brady's case, that much stronger. And combined with the evidence they do have: the texts, the video, the "deflator," etc. it becomes much, much easier for the league to say that there is a greater than 50% likelihood that Brady was involved.
I guess color me unconvinced that the league saying that Brady destroying the phone looks bad gets anywhere near 51% sure. I think at the end of the day they don't have any actual evidence connecting him to the deflating and the punishment handed out is in no way consistent with previous punishments for similar behavior as far as not cooperating with an investigation.
But I do think the point of the NFL being able to demand anything of it's players, including searching their private property illegally, is somewhat important going forward.
Same could be said for the player's union and Brady. Both sides obviously think they can win and have the same risk with public opinion.
After Ray Rice, Adrain Peterson, and now Brady, I don't think the NFL eye could get any more black.
I think Robert Kraft just confirmed that he and Goodell reached a wink wink deal when Kraft accepted the Patriots penalties that he'd reduce Brady's suspension.
I think the league wanted to reduce the suspension, they just weren't willing to eliminate the suspension.
I think the league wanted to reduce the suspension, they just weren't willing to eliminate the suspension.
The NFL is winning the PR battle and but now I think all bets are off. Sounds like both Kraft and Brady have had enough. Kraft has to be fuming he accepted the penalty thinking it would help Brady and then it doesn't one bit. The penalty was ridiculous enough but now not reducing the penalty seems like they are trying to set an example bc of all the bad press the received for the punishment of and how they handed Rice. The NFL wants to be the one in control and Goodel likes power.
Who knows how long this will drag out in court.
The union has to be fuming as well. Goodell is the worst commissioner in major sports. His ego gets in the way.
Who knows how long this will drag out in court.
The union has to be fuming as well. Goodell is the worst commissioner in major sports. His ego gets in the way.
No they don't. The public perception of Brady is already one that portrays him as a cheater. Losing a court battle doesn't make that worse, it just confirms what most people already believe. Brady doesn't stand to lose anything by challenging this, but he stands to gain a helluva lot. The NFL is in the exact opposite position.
Gary Bettman is right there with him. He's overseen three lockouts and there is another one looming on the horizon for the NHL. That's insane.
The NFL will lose this one in court. They have provided no evidence other than "well we think Brady might have or probably knew something about it but we don't have actual evidence of it" as their reason behind the suspension and they are going to need a lot more than that to win a case in court. Just like Barry Bonds having his criminal prosecution case dropped by the US Dept. of Justice recently while I do believe there is a good chance Brady knew something just like Bonds probably took steroids unless you can provide some actual proof you have no case just like with Bonds who never failed a test so how can you punish a guy when you can't prove anything? It doesn't mean they didn't do anything and the public opinions may not change but in a court of law without evidence that proves without a doubt there is guilt the NFL is just fighting a losing case on this one and Goodell is going to look like an idiot once again when it's all over.
