Truth Versus Power: Free Brady!

Power wins.

Tom Brady's 4-game suspension was upheld earlier today by a Federal Appeals Court in New York.

This really comes as no surprise.  The appeals court proceedings seem to favor the NFL and observers felt that the suspension could very well be over-turned because virtually all of this brouhaha wasn't about truth, guilt or innocence.  It was about labor law and collective bargaining.

Ultimately a Federal court was not going to overturn what was collectively bargained by the players. I know that there are fans all over the country right now cheering and jeering at the Pats and their fans (like myself, I admit it) but they should think twice.

Through all the craziness over the last year over this debacle, a few things have been determined:

The NFL really botched things.  There were holes so big in the Wells report you could drive a truck through and inconsistencies in the way the League handled the measuring of footballs in the first place.  And you'd think after all the bad press and inconsistencies they would have been dogged and forth-coming when the 2015 season rolled around: measuring the inflation of the balls before games as well as at half time and after the game and tracking the results so they could prove their case.

But they did no such thing. 

Maybe it started that way but when the data didn't support the conclusion they jumped to they stopped?  They sure as hell didn't publicize any findings.  I'm not sure, but I would have expected, if the data supported Goodell and his minions they would have shouted it from the mountain tops.

They did not.

Instead they relied on labor law and, perhaps, they were correct. The majority, though not all, of the appellate court thought so. The collectively bargained power given to the Commissioner by the players allows him to punish as he sees fit.  Proof be damned.  Ultimately, though, the players did this to themselves. 

The problem is that the test case involves arguably the greatest quarterback who ever played on a team that has enjoyed one of the longest runs of continued success in NFL history and is nearly universally despised by anyone west of the Hudson.  Fans can't rally around Brady or the Pats.

But beware fans of other teams who are smugly self-satisfied right now.  The next time Goodell acts like this - and he will - and nails your player to the wall THIS will be the precedent he will point to when tells you, "though shit, I can because I can".

And I shall sit...smugly self-satisfied.

Pats' Fan For Peyton

I really don't like the Broncos. Their fans are holier than thou, though they've certainly been embroiled in their own cheating scandals that they don't want to talk about; Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, an absolute manimal on the field who completely deserved the award, has had his own issues with PED use and attempting to dodge the testing process. But all I hear from their fans is "we don't cheat"...uh-huh.

And the play of Aqib Talib was disgraceful in the first half.  He actually ADMITTED that his face mask penalty was on-purpose.  Ripping a wide out down by the face mask is a great way to cause a neck injury which is why it is a personal foul and a 15-yard penalty.  But our players are beyond reproach.  You betcha.

There is, however, one reason I'm glad they won.

Peyton Manning.

Though he's been a longtime rival of my Patriots and Tom Brady, I can't help but like the guy.

His Saturday Night Live appearances are legendary.  His United Way parody skit is one of the greatest of all time.

He's a pitchman extraordinaire and completely makes selling out look fun!  And I mean that sincerely and in the very best of ways.  Chris and I have talked repeatedly about selling out - "early and often" is our motto!  Make your money when you can.  Your critics don't pay your bills and won't support your family.  Laugh, or in Peyton's case - sing - all the way to the bank.  "Cashing checks I love you sooooo."

You can never know the guy personally from the perspective of a fan, of course, but he comes across warm and open.  I love me my Tom Brady (he's awfully dreamy) but Tom just doesn't pull off warm and open.  Peyton you'd like to sit and have a beer with.  A Budweiser apparently.  I'd feel like if I sat at a bar with Tom I'd be nervous about ordering the wrong wine, spirit or craft beer!

Sure, Peyton isn't without his clouds (are any of us?).  Right now he has a mighty big one floating around on alleged HGH use.  He has admitted that it was delivered to his house.  And it sure was suspiciously close to his recovery from a neck injury.  But the claim is that it was for his wife. 

Naysayers are saying "sure...his wife..." and winking mightily.  What if it actually WAS for his wife?  He doesn't need to prove that to us - mostly because it would be an intense violation of her privacy.  Proving it to league investigators, in private and under non-disclosure, would be enough. 

And no I'm not going to get into comparing and contrasting the presumption of innocence by parties on the Pat's alleged deflation of footballs and this issue.  That's been done ad nauseum and Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have done a good job of looking like morons all on their own.  Brady's treatment was shameful given the "evidence" and that's that.

I like the guy. 

I can't help it.  I'm not turning in my Tom Brady fan club membership card or my Tedy Bruschi jersey, but I do like and respect him.  I hope he does retire.  It would be great for him to go out on top.  His performance has slid and with his nagging injuries and advancing football years (40 before the start of next season) it would be the best way for him to retire. 

I'd rather he hang 'em up now rather than hang around and play one year too long.  For one, that's sad to see and secondly, one hit in just the right spot in the neck could cripple him.  That's no way for a legend to have to go.

Now should it end up that he goes all Rafael Palmero on us: forget what I said.