Welcome to THEJNSREPORT’S:  The Brady Suspension

As a fan of the NFL and witnessing the year in review for the league I can’t remember a time where there was so much controversy and national debate about the NFL and it’s players headed by the commissioner Roger Goodell.  For all the speculation over the reigning defending SuperBowl Champs nothing will remove their rings or wins.  Not four games suspension, not loss of 1st rd and 4th rd draft picks, and not a one million dollar fine.

It’s not rocket science that this decision comes after the SuperBowl has been played and all the revenue generated is as well.  Tom Brady the beloved QB darling of the NFL is now suspended the first four games of the upcoming season after his 4th SuperBowl win.  The spectre of the label “Cheater” is now attached to his resume maybe not as bad as a P.E.D user for baseball or any other sport but it’s there as principally the same thing.  They call P.E.D users cheats because they are gaining a competitive advantage in order to perform at the highest levels.

Brady and co have done that with the manipulation of footballs or so it seems according to the Wells report.  The reputation of the head coach Bill Belichick as “BeliCheat” videotaping opponents signals and plays is also looming over this decorated and celebrated Patriots franchise.  What have we learned in all of this?  Is it that cheating pays off because at the end of the day all any one will remember is who won and who lost?  Or that the idea is cheat now get punished later.  Much later.

It’s all the more fascinating to think about this when we consider the talents of the team and the ability of Tom Brady, there’s no need to stoop to ball deflation or spying on walk-throughs when the Patriots were good enough to beat almost any team straight up.

All that said.  We have to consider the report and what it means in context of the league and the legal system.  Is it ironclad evidence against Brady?  I don’t think so, circumstantial evidence though does often convict people in the legal system if there’s enough of it.

Case in point Aaron Hernandez.  It’s surprising that this is the conclusion for the league.  I expect that Brady will appeal this ruling and is being advised very carefully how and when he should respond to this decision by the league.  Both will be ready for a fight.  We can’t rule out the possibility of someone other than Brady making the decision to deflate the balls outside of his knowledge.

However, we’re more inclined to believe that he knew if not directed it  and so did Belichik.  Reputation and repeat offender are synonymous with Patriots nation now.  Let’s see how history judges Tom Brady when all the smoke has settled.