#DFG: Canceling the Noise

[ALiveH]

The only penalty that really hurts is the picks.  The Brady suspension can be spun as a positive (JG to be traded for a 2017 1st & 2018 4th based on 4 games of killing it), and the monetary fine doesn't affect the team's performance.
 
Ted Wells taking questions from the media has a ton of potential for lolzz.  I'm frankly surprised he'd willingly subject himself to that given how flimsy the case is.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Trade for Adrian Peterson & win another SB. Best revenge is to win, no, humiliate these petty Jets/Colts/Ravens footards.

 

[DJnVa]

 
People are reading too deep into shit? No wayyyz...

 

Yes, that's the point. They may have done it so the fans can go "Fuck yeah!" but it's being interpreted by some as a shot at the NFL.
 
The nothing is too small to not blow up into a big deal, never holding a grudge NFL.

 

[DJnVa]

The only penalty that really hurts is the picks.  The Brady suspension can be spun as a positive

 

It's not a positive if at the end of the year, Jimmy G went 2-2 in games we'd bet Brady would go 3-1 in and we have to travel to Indy or Denver in January.

 

[dylanmarsh]

The Pats' twitter feed retweeted this article: http://www.patriots.com/news/2015/05/12/view-above-its-more-probable-not-brady-patriots-fans-have-adjustment-coming
 
I liked this portion of the article:
 

 
Where does this place the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers from this past season, as both were found to be illegally heating footballs on their sidelines?  Where does this put the Atlanta Falcons for pumping extra crowd sound into their stadium?  Where does this put the Cleveland Browns for sending and exchanging text messages to coaches on the sideline - all violations of rules put in place?  Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and New York's Eli Manning have also gone on record as to their preference for preparing footballs to their liking, regardless of rulebook specs.  ESPNBoston's Mike Reiss brought up a great point recently - none of these other transgressions brought about full-fledged investigations costing millions of dollars

 

[tims4wins]

Need to get Reiss or Curran to ask a good question, if possible

 

[Bleedred]

This will be good.

Actually, Wells is about a billion times smarter and more intellectually deft than anyone in the media.  It's like bringing a rubber knife (media) to a fight with an armed to the teeth Navy Seal (Wells).   It's going to be awful.  

 

[Stitch01]

Trade for Adrian Peterson & win another SB. Best revenge is to win, no, humiliate these petty Jets/Colts/Ravens footards.

Lets not burn more draft picks trading for a old running back

 

[Yaz4Ever]

Anyone who wants to be offended will find offense in anything. No matter what image the Pats use on social media, it's bound to elicit a comment today. Any other day, the change would likely go unnoticed.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

Actually, Wells is about a billion times smarter and more intellectually deft than anyone in the media.  It's like bringing a rubber knife (media) to a fight with an armed to the teeth Navy Seal (Wells).   It's going to be awful.  

I agree with you about the media's incompetence, but I cannot fathom why Wells/the NFL would do this. Right now, Brady and the Pats are on defense. Why take the chance of an unforced error when 90% of the football world is behind you?

 

[ifmanis5]

Jesus. Can we try not to sink to this level?

What level is that? The league is a joke and the biggest joke are the people who scream the loudest about the "Integrity Of The Game."
Same league wit a racist slur for a team name and covers up traumatic brain injuries but their going to make a stand on Ballghazi Hill.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

Actually, Wells is about a billion times smarter and more intellectually deft than anyone in the media.  It's like bringing a rubber knife (media) to a fight with an armed to the teeth Navy Seal (Wells).   It's going to be awful.  

 
Agreed...there is no chance he slips up at least until and unless he's deposed by a similarly talented litigator, at which point the crappy facts Wells was stuck with by his client likely will make it difficult for him.
 
I can't think of a single journalist who can do anything useful with Wells, especially since Wells controls the flow of questions (e.g. he can simply ignore then or refuse follow-ups)

 

[ivanvamp]

Brady's suspension will almost certainly be reduced to 2 games at most.  Perhaps it will get reduced all the way to zero.  But no way all 4 games holds up.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I agree with you about the media's incompetence, but I cannot fathom why Wells/the NFL would do this. Right now, Brady and the Pats are on defense. Why take the chance of an unforced error when 90% of the football world is behind you?

 
Because Wells is vastly more credible and better able to defend this than anyone employed by the NFL.    They need to control a narrative which, right now, is primarily about the punishment being harsher than expected at the national level.  Many think it is warranted, but i would guess the NFL is not entirely comfortable with the discussion and thus, is sending him out to try and paint a picture of why this was just.  I'd expect Wells to allude to 'other information' suggesting Pats/Brady did wrong and to say something along the lines of "I would stake my reputation/experience/house on Brady having been a bad actor here"

 

[Hoya81]

 
Agreed...there is no chance he slips up at least until and unless he's deposed by a similarly talented litigator, at which point the crappy facts Wells was stuck with by his client likely will make it difficult for him.
 
I can't think of a single journalist who can do anything useful with Wells, especially since Wells controls the flow of questions (e.g. he can simply ignore then or refuse follow-ups)

I imagine Wells would be a witness in any future litigation, for him to make any public statements seems odd.

 

[Dropkick Izzy]

What level is that?

I'd say about six feet deep.

 

[Bleedred]

I agree with you about the media's incompetence, but I cannot fathom why Wells/the NFL would do this. Right now, Brady and the Pats are on defense. Why take the chance of an unforced error when 90% of the football world is behind you?

Wells doesn't make unforced errors, not with this group

 

[Reardon's Beard]

Jonathan Kraft is the Sonny Corleone of the New England Patriots.

 

[Gambler7]

Per a league source, McNally was willing to be questioned again by phone, but the NFL declined the offer. For a variety of reasons — including the fact that he’d been ambushed at his home by ESPN’s Kelly Naqi based on a perceived leak from her husband, a former league-office employee who now works for the Jaguars — McNally didn’t want to submit to yet another face-to-face interview.
 

This just boggles my mind. The corruption is insane. 

 

[goSox04]

The Wells Press Conference reports looks like a fake twitter. Rapsheet didnt tweet that.

 

[Leather]

The same Wells that's too proud and honorable to create a biased report at the behest of a client, right?

 

[Average Reds]

Anyone who wants to be offended will find offense in anything. No matter what image the Pats use on social media, it's bound to elicit a comment today. Any other day, the change would likely go unnoticed.

 
Any other day would not be the day after the NFL suspended the QB, took away draft picks and fined the organization for this faux-scandal.  I mean, this is circular logic at it's best.
 
Look, I get that a lot of you think that changing a social media avatar to be Brady's shirt is nothing, and in the abstract I agree.  But I'm also telling you that under these circumstances, the CEOs I have worked for would not only want to know about something like this, they would take firm control over all corporate communication platforms that have anything to do with the controversial topic.

 

[RIFan]

Actually, Wells is about a billion times smarter and more intellectually deft than anyone in the media.  It's like bringing a rubber knife (media) to a fight with an armed to the teeth Navy Seal (Wells).   It's going to be awful.  

True, but if the Patriot's are all in against the league office, they could leak some previously unpublicized detail that Wells knows about to someone like Curran who could pose a question that could ultimately come back and bite him.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Why is Wells talking at all? All I can think of is to shut down that McNally report.

 

[Stitch01]

No way Wells is going to put his reputation on the line that Brady was a bad actor here.  He'll defend the integrity of his firm and the report and the process, and do it well most likely, but no way he puts his firm on the line so strongly. 

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I imagine Wells would be a witness in any future litigation, for him to make any public statements seems odd.

 
As alluded to, I do think that's possible.  However, 1) the PR issue is here today and the future litigation is a risk heavily discounted and 2) Wells is sharp enough to protect himself pretty effectively, especially since it's predictable media asking questions.
 
One interesting thing:  if you were Kraft and decided you were going to war, you might get your lawyer to feed Reiss and or Curran a question.

 

[jsinger121]

Jonathan Kraft is the Sonny Corleone of the New England Patriots.

 
lol

 

[lambeau]

Schefter on ESPN: Don Yee is being joined by Jeffrey Kessler of Winston and Strawn in leading the team preparing Brady's appeal, as suggested by this board.
(Steve Dubin, Yee's partner, also an attorney, was with Yee at Brady's testimony, along with a Patriots lawyer.)

 

[jsinger121]

Schefter on ESPN: Don Yee is being joined by Jeffrey Kessler of Winston and Strawn in leading the team preparing Brady's appeal, as suggested by this board.
(Steve Dubin, Yee's partner, also an attorney, was with Yee at Brady's testimony, along with a Patriots lawyer.)

 
Kessler has great track record of winning against the NFL.

 

[soxhop411]

The Wells Press Conference reports looks like a fake twitter. Rapsheet didnt tweet that.

He did but deleted it

 

[Comfortably Lomb]

Why is Wells talking at all? All I can think of is to shut down that McNally report.

Because going to the media and claiming you're not a liar ever works out?

 

[soxhop411]

This just boggles my mind. The corruption is insane. 

I'm not shocked

 

[Yaz4Ever]

 
Any other day would not be the day after the NFL suspended the QB, took away draft picks and fined the organization for this faux-scandal.  I mean, this is circular logic at it's best.
 
Look, I get that a lot of you think this is nothing, and in the abstract I agree.  But I'm also telling you that under these circumstances, the CEOs I have worked for would not only want to know about something like this, they would take firm control over all corporate communication platforms that have anything to do with the controversial topic.

Not disputing that at all. In fact, I'm certain that the change came from above - not Bob Kraft calling the social media team directly, of course. My point is that no matter what someone will make a comment (if they didn't change it, it would be "why aren't they supporting Brady? They must know something else!"). Any changes will be perverted to suit the viewers POV whether that's "yes, love the show of support" or "fuck them for flipping off the league office. They think they're bigger than the game."

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

 
Any other day would not be the day after the NFL suspended the QB, took away draft picks and fined the organization for this faux-scandal.  I mean, this is circular logic at it's best.
 
Look, I get that a lot of you think that changing a social media avatar to be Brady's shirt is nothing, and in the abstract I agree.  But I'm also telling you that under these circumstances, the CEOs I have worked for would not only want to know about something like this, they would take firm control over all corporate communication platforms that have anything to do with the controversial topic.

 
That's some micromanaging shit, right there. I've been a social media manager, I've been a digital manager, and I've been doing marketing for a spell. I was at companies much smaller than ones your alluding to ($140mm revenue), and even on that stage the CEO's aren't more than generally aware (see what I did there?) of social media strategy. Chalk it up to different experiences, but I'd be shocked if Bob Kraft was even aware the patriots twitter/facebook profiles have changed a few hours after the fact.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

No way Wells is going to put his reputation on the line that Brady was a bad actor here.  He'll defend the integrity of his firm and the report and the process, and do it well most likely, but no way he puts his firm on the line so strongly. 

 
He already has---that's the reality of a report like this.  Just ask Ken Starr.  Thus, part of the gig is being willing to play the role.

 

[SoxVindaloo]

Stich01 wrote above that the Pats handled this whole thing fine.  I strongly disagree.
 
Tom denied knowing McNally.  Tom was in full denial mode when that was neither necessary nor advisable.
 
Had Tom said something along the lines of "damn right I ask the ball guys to adjust the balls...I ask them to get them to 12.5, which is where I like them.  They are not infallible and if balls were mistakenly adjusted below 12.5 or had readings below that after being exposed to rain and the elements, then that's on me, I guess."
 
Something like that would have gone a long way to making him less of a target.
 
As to Kraft, I enjoyed the crap out of the "we will be owed an apology" speech but at the end of the day, I don't think that helped.  I don't know how much it hurt, but it could not have helped.  It made me feel better at the time but my feelings are irrelevant.
 
I'm not blaming the victim but I think had Tom come out with something along the lines of the above and Kraft not thrown down that gauntlet, that things would have been less severe.

I wish I agreed with this. When the Commissioner off your sport delays the verdict a week to see which way the wind is blowing then it seems unlikely that contrition or acting demure would appease the howling lynch mobs. Unfortunately Goodell listened to those lynch mobs.

 

[Stitch01]

He put out a report saying its more probable than not Brady was generally aware of footballs being deflated.  That's different from getting up in a press conference and saying he would stake his personal reputation that Brady is a bad actor.

 

[Leather]

Jesus, at most there was probably a staff meeting of department heads to get briefed on what the hell is going on, and someone said that, for now, "We are 100% supporting Brady, so make sure to message that when appropriate."
 
The Marketing guy went back and briefed his Directors, one of whom said or thought "Ok, on that 'support Brady' thing, I'll change the social media tags to Brady."

 

[GBrushTWood]

This will be good.

 
Only if the media members present on the call ask questions pertinent to the investigation. At minimum:
 
1) Why was no gauge R&R completed on the measurement instruments?
2) How can they be sure the Patriots changed the ball pressure if no measurements prior to the game are available?

 

[JimBoSox9]

Jesus, at most there was probably a staff meeting of department heads to get briefed on what the hell is going on, and someone said that, for now, "We are 100% supporting Brady, so make sure to message that when appropriate."
 
The Marketing guy went back and briefed his Directors, one of whom said or thought "Ok, on that 'support Brady' thing, I'll change the social media tags to Brady."

 
It's almost like Kraft exerts influence on the decisions without direct interactions or even knowledge.  Is THAT how organizations work?  Wowee!  I dunno what this tangent is even disagreeing over.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

He put out a report saying its more probable than not Brady was generally aware of footballs being deflated.  That's different from getting up in a press conference and saying he would stake his personal reputation that Brady is a bad actor.

 
Bad actor in this situation was what I suggested, apologies if not clear.   I think you are trying to draw a lawyerly distinction that the public will not see or believe.   Whether Wells chooses to say any of the options I suggested we obviously don't know, but in my experience the people who do these kinds of cases do not see or believe the distinctions you are suggesting.

 

[RedOctober3829]

“This is cheating, flat out,” Simms told WFAN’s Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on Tuesday afternoon. “Cheating in the NFL. No quarterbacks take out less air than what is mandated by the NFL. Nobody. I’ve never heard of anybody (doing) it. Plain and [SIZE=inherit]simple[/SIZE], I put it up there with PEDs, corking your bat, any of that.”
 

“I look at this simply as, ‘No, not the Patriots are cheaters, but Tom Brady is a cheater,'” Simms told Joe & Evan. “I don’t have a lot of sports memorabilia in my [SIZE=inherit]house[/SIZE]. I have a Tom Brady autographed helmet. Tom Brady was one of my favorite quarterbacks of all time, but I’m not so sure he is anymore now after all this.
“I don’t play that game. I really don’t. I’m very ethical … When I say my top three from now on, I probably will not put Tom Brady in that list anymore. I don’t know anymore. We know this went on more than one game.”
 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/05/12/deflategate-chris-simms-tom-brady/
 
Chris Simms on WFAN today.

 

[NYCSox]

NYC, I said this was on the list of motivations.  Obviously the NFL wasn't going to punish the Pats for Hernandez in and of itself.  But when it came time to punish based on the ball nonsense, past indiscretions (including how they handled Hernandez) were included in the thought process.  The Pats are looked at as bad citizens with many things playing a part of that.  At least, that is what I was told by someone close to both the Krafts and the NFL office. 
 
Given how out of proportion this penalty is to the actual "crime," it doesn't take a lot to convince me that the NFL had more than a few axes to grind when it meted out "justice" here.

 
Nah, I was just having fun with Ravens bashing. But it will be interesting to see if the punishment for their next rules violation will account for their long and sordid history of criminal actors.

 

[Stitch01]

No, I don't think he'll say something anywhere near as strong as "I'll stake my reputation Brady was a bad actor here" if he speaks publicly.  He'll defend how the process went and the more probably than not conclusion, but he wont stake his reputation on a definitive statement.

 

[jsinger121]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/05/12/deflategate-chris-simms-tom-brady/
 
Chris Simms on WFAN today.

Chris Simms is still irrelevant. 

 

[Stitch01]

Chris Simms, who didn't have Brady as a top five QB last year, is going to downgrade his opinion of Brady?  Good for him.

 

[DJnVa]

No, I don't think he'll say something anywhere near as strong as "I'll stake my reputation Brady was a bad actor here" if he speaks publicly.  He'll defend how the process went and the more probably than not conclusion, but he wont stake his reputation on a definitive statement.

Rapoport has deleted the tweet talking about this call. Is it showing up anywhere else?

 

[Ralphwiggum]

I find it hard to believe that Florio story about it being McNally who didn't want the fourth interview face-to-face, but he was willing to submit to a phone interview.  Wells had to know that the league would hang a significant amount of any team discipline on the "failure to fully cooperate" piece of things.  If he intentionally mischaracterized this as the Pats failing to make McNally available for an interview, rather than McNally indicating that he didn't want to be interviewed, for a fourth time, in person, but was willing to be interviewed on the phone, that's, well, that's just sort of unbelievable.
 
The Wells report is garbage but not in such an overt manner (except maybe the science piece, but nobody gives a shit about the science).  This would be a key fact that was intentionally mischaracterized to make the Pats look culpable.  I just find it hard to believe that Wells would be complicit in that sort of thing, which goes a lot farther than just producing a slanted investigation report.

 

[PedroKsBambino]

I find it hard to believe that Florio story about it being McNally who didn't want the fourth interview face-to-face, but he was willing to submit to a phone interview.  Wells had to know that the league would hang a significant amount of any team discipline on the "failure to fully cooperate" piece of things.  If he intentionally mischaracterized this as the Pats failing to make McNally available for an interview, rather than McNally indicating that he didn't want to be interviewed, for a fourth time, in person, but was willing to be interviewed on the phone, that's, well, that's just sort of unbelievable.
 
The Wells report is garbage but not in such an overt manner (except maybe the science piece, but nobody gives a shit about the science).  This would be a key fact that was intentionally mischaracterized to make the Pats look culpable.  I just find it hard to believe that Wells would be complicit in that sort of thing, which goes a lot farther than just producing a slanted investigation report.

 
I mostly agree; however, if the Wells plan was to spring a lot of evidence on McNally in the final meeting and try to get him to flip (which it has been reported was a tactic used in Bountygate), it is much different to have the witness in person than it is on the phone....you can't 'hang up' a meeting like you can a phone call.

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

Chris Simms, who didn't have Brady as a top five QB last year, is going to downgrade his opinion of Brady?  Good for him.

 
Right. 
 
The only time I've heard Chris Simms in the past five years has been when he's trashing the Patriots or Tom Brady. It's literally his only niche.