jasail said:I think the answer here is obvious. It's been apparent since the moment Brady lawyered up and was obvious today that Brady and the Pats are not stepping down from this and are fully intent on either going to courts or at least making it look that way. Roger/NFL holds all the cards. They have the report, they have the penalties, they have the power of the CBA and they have public opinion in their favor. He holds the high ground and he's not going to cede an inch to the Patriots until he has to. Like it or not, Brady/Pats are the ones that need to gain ground. It would be stupid for Roger to play it any other way and he likely has the support of the owners in this. Both camps are in for the long-haul.
Yes, I think so too. I'm pretty much of the opinion that Kraft has decided he's going to do whatever he can to take Goodell down, and this is all about the long game in that regard. Part of that decision is sacrificing his best chance of getting the team punishment reduced.
The website is the first volley, and as such I'm not as concerned about the "Deflator" ridicule as some here are. It's a great joke today, but those only last so long, and the website and the points it has raised will remain. And even so, it's had a salutary short-term impact--I'll bet it cemented the deal that Roger would hear Brady's appeal, which to my mind can only enhance Brady's chances of getting him into court. Getting Goodell into court is a big part of the long game.
In addition to laying out a set of facts that people will think about and absorb over time, it serves notice to Goodell that Kraft won't be cowed, and reminds him that has tremendous resources that he can call on. It serves the same notice to the other owners, and forces them to contemplate what might happen when a team is at such loggerheads with the Commissioner and feels compelled to respond in any way open to it, and what impact that might have on their business. And that, ultimately, is what I think Kraft is aiming at. He's trying to demonstrate to the other owners that they damn well better think about whether they would want their business sullied in the way that a prolonged war between Kraft and Goodell would engender, or would they rather just get another Commish.