Mr. Scot

Where should we send your flowers and get well cards? On a more serious note, their contracts might prohibit them from stuff like that due to the injury risk.

From the Observer (link) I'd expect due diligence, but they may decide he's not worth claiming. But even if they put one in, they're 25th in line, so...

Not this time on the media. Hell, even the Boston media is leading with this story. The New York media is acting like it's Christmas morning.

Given the Dante Fowler - and now Justin Blackmon - stories, looks like the Jags might be making a late push.

I swear, you cannot make this stuff up. Don Yee (you know, the guy who's been running around screaming everything short of saying that the NFL assassinated John F Kennedy) is of course, Tom Brady's agent. Guess who else he represents? Yep :lol:

The wording is what it is for legal reasons. The only 'action' Brady's not being accused of is actually deflating the balls. He certainly didn't do that himself, but the 'generally aware' phrase is a nice legal way of saying "you were in on it". And seriously, how could he not be. Heck, even I can tell an underinflated football, and I'm not a quarterback. You think a guy who's probably handled a football every day of his life since high school doesn't know what a deflated one feels like? Bottom Line: The League doesn't suspend players to punish teams. If you get suspended, it's because of something you did. So yes, he is a cheater, and that stain doesn't generally go away so easily (especially for arrogant pricks like Brady).

That's big, but I doubt it's that alone. Betting there was a lot more 'headcase' type stuff leading up to this that just isn't known to the public.

That's something you'd definitely want to know before bringing him in to your locker room, don't you think?

I'd say the Patriots now have a case too

He's actually correct. The suspension is a punishment of Brady himself, not the team. The league punished Brady for both taking part in the deflation and non-cooperation with the investigation. So yes, they view him as a cheater The loss of draft picks and the fine are levied against the organization because two of its employees took part in the act.

The NFL did indeed conclude that he knew, and participated. And really? What's the alternative? "Hey, this football seems a little underinflated. I wonder if somebody did that deliberately. Hmmmmm..." "Oh well, it's easier to grip so I won't say anything. Guess it's just my lucky day."

Oh, right. How could I forget?

One thing I'm surprised nobody's mentioned yet: Brandon LaFell's hands sure did get a lot better when he went to New England, didn't they? (must have been superior coaching)

Funny thing about that... Florio pointed out that when Sean Payton was suspended, "ignorance was no excuse". Apparently it is now

Different sources. Brady is being punished by the NFL, while the suspensions of McNally and Jastremski were initiated by the Patriots organization. And realistically, who would you expect them to punish? It's clear to the Pats - and probably their fans too - that Brady was just an innocent victim in all this. McNally and Jastremski must have plotted the whole thing without his knowledge. That neither he nor anyone else happened to notice the difference? Well...that's just unfortunate But it's not his fault!

Memo from the League Office..

Two words: Ball security. Pats have been very good at holding on to the ball for a very long time. And yes, a deflated ball does make that easier. Anyone who's ever handled a football knows it's true. And let's be real. They didn't just start doing this on last year's playoffs. God knows how long this has actually been going on. I'd be willing to bet if the full scope were known, we'd learn they're probably deserving of a lot more than what they got.

And let's not minimize the fact that this means Brady will now and forever be indelibly branded as a cheater. This will never go away. Patriot haters won't let it.

Good penalty. Now pardon me while I laugh at screaming Patriot fans everywhere

They signed somebody the writer had heard of. (that's usually how it works)

The 49ers have had an offseason straight out of the Ninth Circle of Hell. How could anybody be worse than that?

Oh hell, no.

Wasn't he still on his rookie contract? So, a team releases a talented player that's still on a rookie contract and thus not making all that much money... This doesn't scream "red flag" to everybody?

And there's this from Mike Lupica (link)... Brady was never convincing in his Deflategate defense Lupica brings up a good point. Brady's arrogance is legendary. It wouldn't be at all surprising to find that he never took this investigation seriously; figuring instead, "I'm Tom Brady. No one can touch me." Seeing as we're talking about a guy who, when someone gets penalized for hitting him low, likes to get in their face and say "They made that rule for me, " its not much of a stretch. We all know the proverb that pride goes before a fall. For those who are watching when it happens, laughter comes after one.

Albert BreerVerified account ‏@AlbertBreer .@Tmoney1197 I don't think the Patriots' 4-month whisper campaign implicating other teams and the league thru certain media helps them here.