The NFL handed down punishment to the New England Patriots for “deflate-gate”. Quarterback Tom Brady is suspended for the first four regular season games. The Patriots were fined $1 million and lost two draft picks, a first-round pick next year and a fourth-round pick in 2017. New England also suspended locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski indefinitely. They can only be reinstated with the approval of the NFL. Was this the right punishment?
Jim McNally and John Jastremski didn’t deflate the balls on their own. They were the ones responsible for letting the air out of the footballs. Tom Brady must have told them how he liked the footballs. The NFL allows football air pressure to be between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch. In the past Brady said he likes the football at the lower end, which would be 12.5 psi. McNally and Jastremski knew this and they wanted to please the quarterback.
Brady received a 4 game suspension. He was said to be generally aware of the inappropriate activities going on with the footballs. The NFL asked Brady for his cell phone during the investigation. He refused. It’s his right not turn it over. If Brady had nothing to do with this, why didn’t he surrender his cell phone? By keeping his phone it shows that he was possibly hiding something or he was involved. He should have come clean. He may have been suspended for fewer games.
He deserved a harsher punishment. It was the integrity of the game that was being messed with. Brady will appeal this decision because that’s part of the process. If the appeal is successful it could go two ways. He could only miss two or three games, which is more likely. The worst case for Brady is that he could be suspended more than 4 games.
The Patriots franchise was also penalized. It’s a lot to fine a team $1 million but this is their second violation of NFL rules. The Patriots were caught in 2007 for videotaping the New York Jets defensive coaches’ signals during a regular season game. They were fined $250,000 and docked a first-round pick that year. This was a lot harsher since it was their second violation. They also lost a first-round draft pick next year who could have been a potential starter on this team. The $1 million fine will hopefully tell the Patriots never to break the NFL rules again.
The one question that lingers is how long has this been going on? We know the Colts suspected this in week 11 when the Patriots won 42-20. New England has to do a better job of enforcing the NFL rules otherwise it will happen again. Hopefully this will be the last time we hear of New England breaking the rules.
How do you think the appeal process will play out for Tom Brady?
Hard to say and hard to think the NFL has to come up with a mandatory sentencing book to punish their members as new and different violations occur from time to time. In a league where players behave so outlandishly and coaches and owners are just as bad, what is fair.? Next time someone will get a 6 game suspension for a similar BUT different infraction of an unwritten rule and later another player will get a lesser penalty. The entire situation stinks to high heaven and I can only wonder what it is teaching youngsters about cheating and ethics. Sad, sad, sad… National Fools League?.