Cheater Cheater

[KUGRDON]

 

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks at a news conference in Foxborough, Mass., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 as he addresses DeflateGate. (Elise Amendola/AP Photo)

NFL investigator Ted Wells concluded it is “more probable than not†that the New England Patriots violated league rules by deliberately using under-inflated footballs during the AFC title game.

Wells also wrote that investigators concluded “it is more probable than not that [Patriots quarterback] Tom Brady was at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities of [New England team equipment handlers Jim] McNally and [John] Jastremski involving the release of air from Patriots game balls.â€

“Based on the evidence developed in connection with the investigation and summarized in this Report, we have concluded that it is more probable than not that New England Patriots personnel participated in violations of the NFL Playing Rules and were involved in a deliberate attempt to circumvent those rules,†Wells, the attorney appointed by the NFL to investigate the “DeflateGate†controversy, wrote in his report that was released Wednesday.

[Read the full report]

“In particular, we conclude that it is more probable than not that Jim McNally and John Jastremski participated in a deliberate plan to circumvent the rules by releasing air from Patriots game balls after the examination of the footballs by NFL game officials at the AFC Championship Game.â€

Jastremski is a Patriots’ equipment assistant. McNally is the team’s employee in charge of delivering the footballs used on offense by the Patriots to the game officials.

The NFL did not announce any disciplinary action.

“As with other recent matters involving violations of competitive rules, Troy Vincent [the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations] and his team will consider what steps to take in light of the report, both with respect to possible disciplinary action and to any changes in protocols that are necessary to avoid future incidents of this type,†Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a written statement released by the league. “At the same time, we will continue our efforts vigorously to protect the integrity of the game and promote fair play at all times.â€

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/05/06/deflategate-wells-report-concludes-more-probable-than-not-patriots-violated-league-rules-tom-brady-aware-of-activities/?hpid=z1

[All Hail]

I accidentlly put this in the NFL Draft thread.  Whoops.

 

Anyhow, I'm surprised the NFL admitted that the Patriots cheated, or "probably" cheated although I guess controversy is good for the product. 

[KUGRDON]

Saw your post after I made mine.  Mine should have probably been in the NFL thread.  Oh well. 

[glduck]

they have also mastered mind control, the only feasible explanation for darrell bevell.

 

bastards.

[All Hail]

I started reading through the report and it doesn't waste much time pointing out how Tom Brady "probably" lied.

 

 

 

On May 9, 2014, McNally and Jastremski exchanged the following text messages:

McNally: You working

Jastremski: Yup

McNally: Nice dude....jimmy needs some kicks....lets make a deal.....come on help the deflator

McNally: Chill buddy im just fuckin with you ....im not going to espn........yet

[All Hail]

"Counsel for the Patriots, however, refused to make Jim McNally available for a follow-up interview requested by our investigative team on what we believed were important topics, despite our offer to meet at any time and location that would be convenient for McNally. Counsel for the Patriots apparently refused even to inform McNally of our request. We believe the failure by the Patriots and its counsel to produce McNally for the requested follow-up interview violated the club‟s obligations to cooperate with the investigation under the Policy on Integrity of the Game & Enforcement of League Rules and was inconsistent with public statements made by the Patriots pledging full cooperation with the investigation." 

 

"Similarly, although Tom Brady appeared for a requested interview and answered questions voluntarily, he declined to make available any documents or electronic information (including text messages and emails) that we requested, even though those requests were limited to the subject matter of our investigation (such as messages concerning the preparation of game balls, air pressure of balls, inflation of balls or deflation of balls) and we offered to allow Brady‟s counsel to screen and control the production so that it would be limited strictly to responsive materials and would not involve our taking possession of Brady‟s telephone or other electronic devices. Our inability to review contemporaneous communications and other documents in Brady‟s possession and control related to the matters under review potentially limited the discovery of relevant evidence and was not helpful to the investigation." (Pages 20-21.)

 

 

The security footage collected from inside Gillette Stadium proved helpful in establishing the timing of certain events on the day of the AFC Championship Game. Our ability to rely on this footage, however, was limited in a number of ways. First, because the footage was recorded by a camera that rotates among different angles, certain events were not recorded or were only partially captured on video. Second, the security cameras trained on the field were located at a distance that made it difficult to ascertain various events taking place on the field. Finally, Patriots personnel explained that the footage captured by security cameras in Gillette Stadium is overwritten every 10 days as a regular practice. We were, therefore, unable to review footage filmed during prior Patriots home games, which may have proved useful. 

[PAC MAN]

Can't trust the Pats with video cameras.  Perhaps that will be the way Brady goes out...a cheater?

[KUGRDON]

"Counsel for the Patriots, however, refused to make Jim McNally available for a follow-up interview requested by our investigative team on what we believed were important topics, despite our offer to meet at any time and location that would be convenient for McNally. Counsel for the Patriots apparently refused even to inform McNally of our request. We believe the failure by the Patriots and its counsel to produce McNally for the requested follow-up interview violated the club‟s obligations to cooperate with the investigation under the Policy on Integrity of the Game & Enforcement of League Rules and was inconsistent with public statements made by the Patriots pledging full cooperation with the investigation." 

 

"Similarly, although Tom Brady appeared for a requested interview and answered questions voluntarily, he declined to make available any documents or electronic information (including text messages and emails) that we requested, even though those requests were limited to the subject matter of our investigation (such as messages concerning the preparation of game balls, air pressure of balls, inflation of balls or deflation of balls) and we offered to allow Brady‟s counsel to screen and control the production so that it would be limited strictly to responsive materials and would not involve our taking possession of Brady‟s telephone or other electronic devices. Our inability to review contemporaneous communications and other documents in Brady‟s possession and control related to the matters under review potentially limited the discovery of relevant evidence and was not helpful to the investigation." (Pages 20-21.)

 

 

The security footage collected from inside Gillette Stadium proved helpful in establishing the timing of certain events on the day of the AFC Championship Game. Our ability to rely on this footage, however, was limited in a number of ways. First, because the footage was recorded by a camera that rotates among different angles, certain events were not recorded or were only partially captured on video. Second, the security cameras trained on the field were located at a distance that made it difficult to ascertain various events taking place on the field. Finally, Patriots personnel explained that the footage captured by security cameras in Gillette Stadium is overwritten every 10 days as a regular practice. We were, therefore, unable to review footage filmed during prior Patriots home games, which may have proved useful.

 

I remember that day when the press was after Belichik and he said something like "ask Brady." You knew Brady directed the cheating and Belichick was pissed and not going to cover for him.

 

“Tom’s personal preference on his footballs are something he can talk about in much better detail than I can possibly provide.â€

[PAC MAN]

Sounds like the NFL is going to hammer Brady.  The question is how many games should Brady miss?  Given that cheating helped lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl win, it has to be a big time punishment.  Half season or the entire NFL season?  Is there any precedent in any US pro sports league?

[KUGRDON]

2 games

[All Hail]

2 games

 

I agree.  The NFL will probably give him 4 and it will be reduced to 2 via the NFLPA. 

[KUGRDON]

Hey, he's as trustworthy as Hillary Clinton. 

[All Hail]

Hey, he's as trustworthy as Hillary Clinton. 

 

Or Chris Christie, or any politician.  I can't think of a single politician I trust. 

[KUGRDON]

Or Chris Christie, or any politician.  I can't think of a single politician I trust. 

 

I was just thinking of the email parallel.

[All Hail]

I was just thinking of the email parallel.

 

Got it. 

[Quack 12]

He should get four games. The NFL regularly hands down four-game suspensions to players who test positive for ephedra. They use it because they believe it provides them with a competitive advantage, even though the evidence of that is slim. I see no difference here. 

[Orange]

I was just thinking of the email parallel.

 

Indeed, the biggest politician lie of the past half-century, at least.

[KUGRDON]

Anybody tuned into the Brady "interview" about deflate gate?  In his intro, they listed about 20 charities Brady donates to and the environment is that of a Patriots pep rally.  The analogy to politicians is ever more apt.

[KUGRDON]

Four game suspension for Brady.

Deflate-Gate: Tom Brady Suspended Four Games

Tom Brady, the star quarterback of the New England Patriots, was suspended for four games after an investigator concluded he was probably aware that team personnel let air out of footballs for a playoff game.

"Quarterback Tom Brady will be suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL." the league said in a statement Monday afternoon. "Brady may participate in all off-season, training camp and pre-season activities, including pre-season games."

 

The investigator's report on the scandal known as Deflate-Gate, issued last week, faulted two Patriots employees in what it described as a probable scheme to deflate footballs for the AFC championship game, making them easier to grip.

Brady mostly sidestepped questions about the report in a public appearance last week. At a news conference in January, he denied wrongdoing: "I would never do anything to break the rules."

Brady, 37, has led the Patriots to six Super Bowls and four championships.

 

In a letter to the quarterback, Vincent wrote that the investigation "established that there is substantial and credible evidence to conclude you were at least generally aware of the actions of the Patriots' employees involved in the deflation of the footballs and that it was unlikely that their actions were done without your knowledge."

"Your actions as set forth in the report clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the game of professional football," he added.

 

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/deflate-gate-tom-brady-suspended-four-games-n357076

[All Hail]

Wow, a 1st rounder in 2016 and a 4th rounder in 2017.  Ouch!  It's clear the NFL is far more agitated with the Patriots and their systematic attempts to cheat than they are with Tom Brady.  

 

 

 

The Patriots will also lose a first-round pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017 and have been fined $1 million.