Posted on 09/05/2015 12:50:07 PM PDT by big'ol_freeper
"The regular season starts tomorrow morning and I can't wait to fully commit my energy and emotion to focus on the challenges of the 2015 NFL season," Brady said in the statement. "I want to thank my family, my friends, all of the fans, past and current players and my teammates for the support they have given me throughout this challenging experience. I also want to thank Judge Berman and his staff for their efforts to resolve this matter over the past five weeks. I am very grateful. My thanks also to the union's legal team who has fought so hard right along with me. "While I am pleased to be eligible to play, I am sorry our league had to endure this. I don't think it has been good for our sport to a large degree, we have all lost. I am also sorry to anyone whose feelings I may have hurt as I have tried to work to resolve this situation. I love the NFL. It is a privilege to be a member of the NFL community and I will always try to do my best in representing my team and the league in a way that would make all members of this community proud. "I look forward to the competition on the playing field and I hope the attention of NFL fans can return to where it belongs on the many great players and coaches who work so hard every week, and sacrifice so much, to make this game great. Most importantly, I look forward to representing the New England Patriots on Thursday night in our season opener. I hope to make all of our fans proud this year ... and beyond!"
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
I had a conversation with a Colts fan the other day. He was insisting that other teams were going to do everything they could to give Brady a career ending hit.
It’s one of the stupidest comments I’ve ever heard - and I called him on it. I also gave him my condolences for being part of the Dolts fandumb.
I doubt they can do it to every team - but I expect that the Jets and Colts are going to get a world class thumping when they see the Pats this year.
It’s really something seeing NE fans state here there was “no evidence”.
They’re like rabid Democrats circa 1991 defending Slick Willie.
The ball deflation was the only thing the Patriots have been caught doing. Well, besides sending their spies to other teams’ training camps.
And whatever else they did that they knew was wrong, but did any way to get an edge.
Try and rationalize it any way you like, it’s called “cheating” sports fan(atic)s.
I don’t believe Brady did that.
Lol, if Brady ever came out for Trump every NE State would go Republican if Trump were the nominee.
give it a rest...
Not sure why a federal judge is interfering in a private business matter when there were no federal laws involved. Can anyone who gets disciplined by an employer now run to federal court?
This likely gets overturned on appeal on the grounds that the judge has no authority over private business matters, regardless of the merits.
Many are not aware that Roger Goodell also has the authority if he wants to re-issue the suspension at any time.
Spies to training camp? You mean no NFL team has scouts?
She pled out on Thursday and got a slap on the wrist. However, the residents of Guadalupe are telling her to resign or face recall. Arpaio has to be busting a gut. His number one “brave latina” antagonist is a convicted welfare cheat. She’s going to have to pay over ten grand back to the state. LOL!
If he hadn't cheated, he wouldn't have had to make this Facebook post in the first place.
On the other hand, if he had cheated, he would have plenty of time to post on Facebook because he wouldn’t be getting ready to play on Thursday.
Tom is always a gracious winner.
I’m assuming you read the judge’s opinion. If you did, it’s pretty clear you didn’t understand it.
The judge said nothing about guilt, which the league determined. The issue was with the method of punishment.
No cheat = no issue. Pretty simple.
No doubt. He's had plenty of practice at it.
It was a good statement. That said, calling anything about the patriots high class is a joke. They had a multiple person conspiracy to alter the ball after the refs checked it. there was ample evidence. They filmed opponents. They got way beyond pushing the envelope. And those are the examples we know about. Beyond that they have a great coach and talent on the field. It’s a shame they have to do what they do to try to get more of an. edge.
But weeknights are tough because I have to be up at 4:30 in the morning to catch the train to Manhattan.
But I will try to make it to BWW at the Danbury, CT location. If so, you'll see me at the bar drinking a Sam Adams Octoberfest with a plate of Desert Heat wings in front of me. I like the dry rub on my wings because those wet sauces get all over my fingers and I don't like that much.
Btw, did you read the Judge’s decision to overturn suspension? Do you know he actually agreed Brady knew of equipment tampering but claimed simply “knowing about the tampering was not a violation of the rules because he was never notified simply having knowledge and not reporting it was punishable.
Is it possible anyone REALLY believes these two low level equipment guys took it on them selves to reduce pressure on these balls? I mean there is video evidence of one of them carrying 12 footballs into the bathroom AFTER they were checked and approved by officials.
Then thrre is the quid pro quo. Brady went from never communicating with these guys before deflategate to hundreds of texts and having these guys visit him in clubhouse AND giving them personally autographed game worn jerseys, etc.
Brady innocent? You GOTTA be kiddin’ me!!
I blame the NFL for this mess. They establish some sort of vague inflating guidelines and then put the teams in charge of the balls. How dumb is that?
The NFL decided to try and make their star QB a scapegoat instead of accepting responsibility. They should simply have stated that starting this season, their referees will accept responsibility for the balls and be held accountable for their inflation. Not that it's going to make any difference at all in the outcome of the games.
The whole thing boils down to the league not reacting according to their own rules. Rather than putting up some half-assed sting they should have just adjusted ball procedure (which they’ve done for this season) and made the whole thing not happen. And if they just HAD to catch Brady at it then they should have just fined him the $25k listed in the rule book and been done with it. The minute they decided they needed an “independent investigation” they were on a doomed path.
Brady was instrumental in getting responsibility for ball control returned to the clubs where before it was in fact handled by the officials.
Keep in mind the punishment was actually for how the actions of the Pats hurt the integrity of the game. No one who has actually read the Wells report, the appeal denial report and Bermen’s decision to overturn the suspension(only) can doubt Brady was directing those two hapless equipment guys.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.