Judge: Goodell went too far

"In a major setback for the N.F.L., New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady prevailed in his battle to have his four-game suspension overturned on Thursday..."

Judge Richard M. Berman of Federal District Court in Manhattan did not rule on whether Brady tampered with the footballs in a bid for competitive advantage. Instead, he focused on the narrower question of whether the collective bargaining agreement between the N.F.L. and the players union gave Goodell the authority to carry out the suspension. Judge Berman ruled that it did not. 

The 40-page decision picked apart the N.F.L.’s case, finding a number of “significant legal deficiencies” that reflected Berman’s skepticism in recent court hearings.

Berman said Brady could not be suspended for “general awareness” of others’ conduct, as an N.F.L. investigative report determined.

“The court finds that Brady had no notice that he could receive a four-game suspension for general awareness of ball deflation by others or participation in any scheme to deflate footballs, and noncooperation with the ensuing investigation,’’ Berman wrote.

“No N.F.L. policy or precedent notifies players that they may be disciplined (much less suspended) for general awareness of misconduct by others,’’ he added.

The NFL is expected to appeal.

"In upholding Brady suspension, NFL says coverup attempted"

"Tom Brady not only violated his sport’s integrity by participating in a scheme to tamper with the inflation levels of footballs but actively tried to cover up the conspiracy, National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell ruled Tuesday, upholding the Patriot quarterback’s four-game suspension."

In a stunning statement, Goodell alleged that Brady’s “very troubling’’ coverup effort involved instructing his assistant to destroy his cellphone less than 24 hours before he was interviewed by Ted Wells, the NFL’s special investigator in Deflategate.

The scandal rose from the charge that Patriots equipment attendants improperly deflated footballs below the league standard before Brady led the team to a 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18 in the American Football Conference Championship game.

Where did Brady got the idea to destroy his server, I mean his phone?

"Biggest fan of Obama's speech? Roger Goodell, hands down"

@EdMorrissey @Matthops82 One ignored direct evidence of horrific acts that happened on his watch, and the other, of course, is the POTUS.
— KevinC (@ExurbanKevin) September 11, 2014

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Obama: The Islamic State is neither Islamic nor a state. Discuss. pic.twitter.com/VwW89Tm9D2
— Brett LoGiurato (@BrettLoGiurato) September 11, 2014