quote:

his decision to destroy a cell phone that likely implicated him in a low-rent scheme with two team flunkies doesn't destroy his legacy as a four-time champ.

But it does make Brady look like a liar. A liar in this case, anyway. In announcing his ruling to uphold Brady's four-game suspension, Goodell said the quarterback had his personal assistant do an end zone dance on his phone on or around the same March day Brady met with the investigators who already had asked to see relevant texts and emails on that phone.

Brady didn't reveal he'd effectively deleted nearly 10,000 texts over a four-month period until days before his 10-hour appeal hearing on June 23. According to the NFL ruling, he said the destruction of old cell phones was merely a part of his normal routine, like warming up with Julian Edelman and Gronk. But on page 12 of Goodell's 20-page decision, the commissioner points out that the phone Brady used before the one in question was intact and available for a forensic expert to review. "No explanation was provided for this anomaly," Goodell wrote.

Goodell cited Brady's quarterback-room meeting and numerous cell phone conversations with John Jastremski after the allegations surfaced; the quarterback had no such meeting or conversations with the equipment assistant during the regular season. Jim McNally, the officials' locker room attendant and the man believed to have taken a 100-second bathroom break with New England's AFC Championship Game balls, also makes a return appearance in the commissioner's decision as the self-described "Deflator."

Only here's the problem for Brady: Even if he wins, he loses. People who weren't convinced of his role in Deflategate by Ted Wells, or by McNally's reference to himself as "The Deflator," or by the notion that no underlings would alter game balls sans Brady's approval with a Super Bowl trip on the line, have to be sold by the story of the cell phone that went poof in the night.

So the quarterback has lost in the court of public opinion, and it didn't have to be that way. He should have copped to his mistake months ago. He should've realized that one stain wouldn't ruin an otherwise spotless career. He should've apologized for seeking that extra competitive edge, if only to prove one more time that 198 players shouldn't have been picked ahead of him in the 2000 NFL draft.

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ORIGINAL: JC2015

His wife being a super model is the moot point

Her personal information is no more important than the cashier at Kroger

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ORIGINAL: JC2015

Public opinion doesn't work like that

To most non-Pats fans he is guilty and it WILL tarnish his legacy

All he had to do was turn his phone over

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ORIGINAL: djskillz

[&:][&:]

Goodell/the NFL is the real scumbag in this. Especially Vincent and the 'investigator'.

Again, if you've already decided you won't give up your phone, and you get a new phone, what would you do with your old phone? This whole thing aside, if you're someone like Tom Brady, or a musician, actor, etc. in the public eye and you get a new phone, what do you do with the old one? You destroy it, right? That's certainly what I would do.

quote:

ORIGINAL: djskillz

[&:][&:]

Goodell/the NFL is the real scumbag in this. Especially Vincent and the 'investigator'.

Again, if you've already decided you won't give up your phone, and you get a new phone, what would you do with your old phone? This whole thing aside, if you're someone like Tom Brady, or a musician, actor, etc. in the public eye and you get a new phone, what do you do with the old one? You destroy it, right? That's certainly what I would do.

quote:

ORIGINAL: JC2015

quote:

ORIGINAL: djskillz

[&:][&:]

Goodell/the NFL is the real scumbag in this. Especially Vincent and the 'investigator'.

Again, if you've already decided you won't give up your phone, and you get a new phone, what would you do with your old phone? This whole thing aside, if you're someone like Tom Brady, or a musician, actor, etc. in the public eye and you get a new phone, what do you do with the old one? You destroy it, right? That's certainly what I would do.

Except that he did NOT destroy his previous phone so that argument has no merit

Brady cheated - it is pretty clear.

However, it is very insignificant and I bet most QBs have done it

Where he looks bad is with his denial and lies.

That is what is tarnishing his legacy, not the deflated balls

Any man who has been married knows that deflated balls are part of the package

quote:

ORIGINAL: djskillz

quote:

ORIGINAL: JC2015

His wife being a super model is the moot point

Her personal information is no more important than the cashier at Kroger

Sure it is. Because the public doesn't care about naked photos, personal information, etc. from the cashier at Kroger. They absolutely care about it with Gisele. And Tom.

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ORIGINAL: JC2015

the golden boy image is gone

I really liked Brady until he became Bill Belichick II

Really liked his first chick much better - only reason I watch that cop show on Fridays!

Giselle does nothing for me

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ORIGINAL: JC2015

All that said, I can see the Pats right back in the AFC CG battling the Colts

This time I think Luck prevails

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ORIGINAL: JC2015

Brady's decision to destroy his phone will forever cloud him as a cheater.

Most reasonable fans believe if he was innocent he would have turned his phone over. There were numerous safeguards to protect personal information.

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ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: djskillz

[&:][&:]

Goodell/the NFL is the real scumbag in this. Especially Vincent and the 'investigator'.

Again, if you've already decided you won't give up your phone, and you get a new phone, what would you do with your old phone? This whole thing aside, if you're someone like Tom Brady, or a musician, actor, etc. in the public eye and you get a new phone, what do you do with the old one? You destroy it, right? That's certainly what I would do.

When people are investigating you and requesting your phone as part of that investigation...you don't think it would looks even a little bit suspicious if you decline them the opportunity to look at it and then happily destroy it? BIG RED FLAG here. Something appears amiss when you destroy something that many believe contains evidence against you.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: JC2015

the golden boy image is gone

I really liked Brady until he became Bill Belichick II

Really liked his first chick much better - only reason I watch that cop show on Fridays!

Giselle does nothing for me

You know, if he'd have just come right out and admitted that he likes his balls a little softer and the equipment guys did know this... it probably just blows over in a couple months and the world keeps turning.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: JC2015

All that said, I can see the Pats right back in the AFC CG battling the Colts

This time I think Luck prevails

Yep. I can agree with that.

If Jimmy Garapolo can win half of the games he has to start. Pats will be the team to beat in the AFC.

quote:

ORIGINAL: djskillz

Kraft comes out firing:

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/13336829/robert-kraft-calls-tom-brady-four-game-suspension-unfathomable-apologizes-new-england-patriots-fans-accepting-league-penalties

Love it. He's dead-on. They never should have accepted any penalties. But he was being a bigger man.

And he's also spot-on that a lot of public perception has been shaped by the erroneous reports from the league about the "11 of 12 footballs" crap from the beginning. People are dumb; no one wants to actually look at the science and math and instead they'll just read headlines and say "they cheated!"

quote:

ORIGINAL: Trekgeekscott

quote:

ORIGINAL: JC2015

the golden boy image is gone

I really liked Brady until he became Bill Belichick II

Really liked his first chick much better - only reason I watch that cop show on Fridays!

Giselle does nothing for me

You know, if he'd have just come right out and admitted that he likes his balls a little softer and the equipment guys did know this... it probably just blows over in a couple months and the world keeps turning.