Just heard on the radio that the date for Tom Brady's appeal to be heard by Roger the Dodger on June 23.
Goodell's problem is this. The three possible rulings are...
1. He upholds the previous ruling of a four game suspension.
2. He reduces the suspension to, say, two games.
3. He overturns Troy Vincent's ruling and throws the whole thing out.
If he does 1., Brady will take his case to District Court, as per the CBA, and the District Court will overturn his suspension, making him look like a fool and weakling.
If he does 2., the same thing happens as 1., with the same result.
If he does the smart thing, number 3., and overturns it himself, announcing that the case is a tempest in a teapot, but to satisfy the haters new protocals will be put in place to make sure the air pressure in the balls never becomes an issue again. That way he rescues the reputation of the league's premier player and the reputation of the NFL for being big boys who handle their dirty laundry in a way that doesn't smear the whole league.
The downside of that, of course, is that millions and millions of non-Pats fans and SOME of the other owners will be OUTRAGED, to say the least.
So, what does he do?
Does he continue this farce and wind up looking like a nincompoop, but with the haters' support or does he end it and wind up being hated by the majority of the fan base?
Either way, not a pleasant prospect.
But there is only ONE way he can look strong, but will he have the courage to stand up to the lynch mob?
We'll see....
Goodell's problem is this. The three possible rulings are...
1. He upholds the previous ruling of a four game suspension.
2. He reduces the suspension to, say, two games.
3. He overturns Troy Vincent's ruling and throws the whole thing out.
If he does 1., Brady will take his case to District Court, as per the CBA, and the District Court will overturn his suspension, making him look like a fool and weakling.
If he does 2., the same thing happens as 1., with the same result.
If he does the smart thing, number 3., and overturns it himself, announcing that the case is a tempest in a teapot, but to satisfy the haters new protocals will be put in place to make sure the air pressure in the balls never becomes an issue again. That way he rescues the reputation of the league's premier player and the reputation of the NFL for being big boys who handle their dirty laundry in a way that doesn't smear the whole league.
The downside of that, of course, is that millions and millions of non-Pats fans and SOME of the other owners will be OUTRAGED, to say the least.
So, what does he do?
Does he continue this farce and wind up looking like a nincompoop, but with the haters' support or does he end it and wind up being hated by the majority of the fan base?
Either way, not a pleasant prospect.
But there is only ONE way he can look strong, but will he have the courage to stand up to the lynch mob?
We'll see....
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