Tom Brady’s charmed life continues.
Thanks to a hack of a federal judge, Brady’s four-game suspension was nullified on Wednesday. Hence, the New England quarterback, with tons of cash, a model wife and four Super Bowl rings, will get to play at the start of the season.
The NFL, however, was expected to appeal the decision by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman.
Berman tried to get the two sides to reach a settlement after the punishment was levied on Brady after the Ted Wells investigation revealed that the Patriot’s QB had a role in the conspiracy to deflate footballs below the allowable limit during last season’s AFC Championship Game.
Berman blew it.
He missed an opportunity to hammer home that no one, not even the Golden Boy, is above the game.
Sadly, most fans – even with Berman’s dumb decision – believe Brady had something to do with this latest Pats’ cheating scandal.
Many will argue all day as to whether the penalty fit the crime. But few – only true blue Brady are in denial – believe that the NFL is railroading Brady into a crime he didn’t commit.
That would make sense for Brady, one of the faces of the league.
Clearly, the ball boys didn’t do this on their own. Any honest former NFL QB great would acknowledge that it could not have happened without Brady asking for it. Even Joe Montana – Brady’s childhood idol – fingered Brady.
Former NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden said Brady had to be involved as well.
Yet Brady and the already-convicted Patriots get to laugh at the NFL – again. They got to keep their Super Bowls despite allegations of cheating in Super Bowl XXXVI against the Rams and Spygate. Though the Pats were cleared in the former charge, they were actually found guilty in the latter which resulted in the loss of a first round draft pick and fines of $750,000 in total.
Now they get to chuckle at Goodell, who has officially turned into the worst commissioner in pro sports.
Goodell was nullified by this ruling. He has lost case after case and none of his high-profile penalties have stuck – Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy.
Hardy – who was actually convicted by a judge of domestic violence and later had the case dismissed on appeal – was given a 10-game suspension by Goodell. An arbiter reduced it to four games.
Now with Goodell weak and powerless, Hardy is thinking about going to court and trying to get it reduced even more.
It speak volumes.
Goodell’s legacy is shot. NFL owners should fire Goodell. He has not led and protected the shield. Instead, the NFL has been dragged through the mud by its players and been made out to be the clear losers.
And before some of you think Brady is free and clear, just remember that Ryan Braun won a PED case against MLB. Later, he was caught and suspended.
Lance Armstrong challenged many in court, too. Armstrong even won settlements in cases where people said he was doping. Later, Armstrong’s world of lies came crashing down as well.
Most honest football fans know Brady had a hand in this. It still hurts his character and tells you a lot about him.
In Goodell’s defense, at least he tried to put up a fight for the game’s integrity. He couldn’t look the other way or go soft on Brady.
Brady hasn’t been honest from the start. In fact, it appears that Brady did everything he could to cover himself- lie, alter and hinder the investigation about the air pressure of footballs.
By instructing ball boys to under inflate balls for that game against the Colts – 11 of the 12 game balls in the first half were found not to be up to league standards – Brady messed with the integrity of the game.
And the game can’t be compromised. Ever.
On this day, while Brady may have won in federal court, he won’t win in the court of public opinion.
Once in the same class as Derek Jeter for their squeaky-clean careers both on and off the field, Brady is no longer there. His resume is dirty. His image tainted.
There are many in the NFL who won’t view Brady the same away going forward. Hard to respect a cheater or, better yet, a man who won’t own up to his mistakes and simply ask for forgiveness.
No one man should think he’s privileged and deserves to be treated better than his follow man.
That’s where Brady sits with this ruling. He thinks he won.
He didn’t.
Long term, Brady will wind up the loser.
