From the "No Duh?" Dept in Missoula, MT..........

[Guest]

Brady should be suspended two games, tops. The closest comparison is doctoring a baseball in MLB. Pitchers throughout the years, including some in the HOF, have used foreign substances like Vaseline, pine tar and even spit to make the ball easier for them to grip. This is essentially what Tom Brady did.

If you listen to the number of former NFL QBs who have come out and said that this practice is very common, and has been common since last decade at least, then it's an unwritten rule that teams do this until they get caught. Again, just like doctoring a baseball.

Look at Michael Pineda, who was suspended 10 games last year for having pine tar on his neck. In baseball, 10 games is two starts, so that's why it should be only one or two games for Brady.

People are making a much bigger deal out of this than they should be. Some people are trying to be the moral police for a sport where people make millions of dollars, and the commissioner makes more money in one season than any other player.

[JMocks]

People are making a much bigger deal out of this than they should be.

Its the Patriots. And with their track record, obviously this was going to become a big deal.

[SethMode]

Brady should be suspended two games, tops. The closest comparison is doctoring a baseball in MLB. Pitchers throughout the years, including some in the HOF, have used foreign substances like Vaseline, pine tar and even spit to make the ball easier for them to grip. This is essentially what Tom Brady did.

If you listen to the number of former NFL QBs who have come out and said that this practice is very common, and has been common since last decade at least, then it's an unwritten rule that teams do this until they get caught. Again, just like doctoring a baseball.

Look at Michael Pineda, who was suspended 10 games last year for having pine tar on his neck. In baseball, 10 games is two starts, so that's why it should be only one or two games for Brady.

People are making a much bigger deal out of this than they should be. Some people are trying to be the moral police for a sport where people make millions of dollars, and the commissioner makes more money in one season than any other player.

The statement in bold makes no sense. Doing something until you get caught is neither some crazy "unwritten rule" nor is it saying "it's cool to do this as long as you don't get caught". It's a rule, you break it and get caught, you get punished. That's why they exist. To quasi-quote Walter from the Big Lebowski: "This is not 'nam Thomas, this is football, there are rules." There is very little grey area required here, outside of those that seem to want to look for it (the NFL included).

The comparison to baseball is completely irrelevant. Especially with the amount of nonsense that goes on in baseball under this "unwritten rule" guise.

To me, this is nothing about being a moral policeman, it's the fact that the Pats have been caught TWICE now doing things that are against the rules. The impact at this point is, and should be, unimportant. It's the fact that they will willfully break the rules that should be the problem, and the overarching concern for the NFL.

What makes it even WORSE in my opinion is that I fully believe that the Pats are a good enough team to win without cheating. Yet whomever truly is the mastermind(s) of all of this are so insecure or whatver it is, that they still go about breaking the rules for every advantage they can conceivably get.

[the Brain]

Brady should be suspended two games, tops.

Wow. That'll learn him not to do that again.

[Houston]

Some people are trying to be the moral police for a sport where people make millions of dollars, and the commissioner makes more money in one season than any other player.

Is this a ram29jackson post...what does this have to do with anything?

[BookerT316]

Seth, when your a fan of certain players it is easy to see, because most people don't know how to be fair and equal in their views on their favorite player's, I for one look at the facts and then form a opinion. Now when Barry Bonds was accused of talking steroids he was charged by the United States Govement for telling a lie, that we all believe to be that. Now what is the difference between Tom Brady doing the same thing, I understand that this isn't in front of congress. But come on man let it go, you won your forth super bowl, but how did you do it?

[the Brain]

Seth, when your a fan of certain players it is easy to see, because most people don't know how to be fair and equal in their views on their favorite player's, I for one look at the facts and then form a opinion. Now when Barry Bonds was accused of talking steroids he was charged by the United States Govement for telling a lie, that we all believe to be that. Now what is the difference between Tom Brady doing the same thing, I understand that this isn't in front of congress. But come on man let it go, you won your forth super bowl, but how did you do it?

I'd understand you better if you just said "I am Groot."

[BookerT316]

I understand that your a dumb ass.

[Guest]

The statement in bold makes no sense. Doing something until you get caught is neither some crazy "unwritten rule" nor is it saying "it's cool to do this as long as you don't get caught". It's a rule, you break it and get caught, you get punished. That's why they exist. To quasi-quote Walter from the Big Lebowski: "This is not 'nam Thomas, this is football, there are rules." There is very little grey area required here, outside of those that seem to want to look for it (the NFL included).

The comparison to baseball is completely irrelevant. Especially with the amount of nonsense that goes on in baseball under this "unwritten rule" guise.

To me, this is nothing about being a moral policeman, it's the fact that the Pats have been caught TWICE now doing things that are against the rules. The impact at this point is, and should be, unimportant. It's the fact that they will willfully break the rules that should be the problem, and the overarching concern for the NFL.

What makes it even WORSE in my opinion is that I fully believe that the Pats are a good enough team to win without cheating. Yet whomever truly is the mastermind(s) of all of this are so insecure or whatver it is, that they still go about breaking the rules for every advantage they can conceivably get.

Listen to the number of QBs who said that they've known and overseen footballs being deflated. Jeff Blake watched people do it for multiple teams. Brad Johnson admitted to doing it in the Super Bowl- where is the outcry against him? Teams have done this for years whether you want to believe it or not. It may not be an "unwritten rule" but it certainly is everything like it except in name only.

Sure, nonsense goes on in baseball, you and I can agree on that. But where does this comparison fall short? It's doctoring a baseball to grip it easier, vs doctoring a football to make it grip easier. Where is the difference?

The NFL should have a league official/employee who is in charge of footballs now, and keeps them in their possession until the game starts, and is responsible for testing and recording the weight of the football. That gets rid of this problem, that the NFL has turned a blind eye towards despite having a rule against it. It will be interesting to see if that is what they do.

[Guest]

Wow. That'll learn him not to do that again.

Michael Pineda doctors a baseball with pine tar so he can grip the ball better, suspended for two starts. Tom Brady did the same thing by allegedly conspiring to deflate footballs- I still don't believe the hard evidence is there, but I digress- so he should face roughly the same penalty.

Again, this is a rule that has been ignored. Many QBs have said it goes on, and they've done it for multiple teams, and one admitted to doing it in the Super Bowl. Why are we all bent out of shape now? And personally, I'd rather fix the problem so it doesn't happen again instead of dwelling on the past.

[Guest]

Is this a ram29jackson post...what does this have to do with anything?

Because people are turning a blind eye to the fact that this has been done for years, that a QB admitted to using a deflated ball in a Super Bowl victory. Why are we all of the sudden pissed off about this, and only pissed off at Tom Brady and the Patriots?

[SethMode]

Listen to the number of QBs who said that they've known and overseen footballs being deflated. Jeff Blake watched people do it for multiple teams. Brad Johnson admitted to doing it in the Super Bowl- where is the outcry against him? Teams have done this for years whether you want to believe it or not. It may not be an "unwritten rule" but it certainly is everything like it except in name only.

Sure, nonsense goes on in baseball, you and I can agree on that. But where does this comparison fall short? It's doctoring a baseball to grip it easier, vs doctoring a football to make it grip easier. Where is the difference?

The NFL should have a league official/employee who is in charge of footballs now, and keeps them in their possession until the game starts, and is responsible for testing and recording the weight of the football. That gets rid of this problem, that the NFL has turned a blind eye towards despite having a rule against it. It will be interesting to see if that is what they do.

I still stand by my idea that if it's a rule and you get caught breaking it, you should be punished. The volume of people that got away with it shouldn't matter. The outcry doesn't exist for those guys because they came out years after the fact and admitted it, so they can't be punished.

I don't want to keep repeating the same concept, so I'm backing out now.

[Houston]

Because people are turning a blind eye to the fact that this has been done for years, that a QB admitted to using a deflated ball in a Super Bowl victory. Why are we all of the sudden pissed off about this, and only pissed off at Tom Brady and the Patriots?

Wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that he lied to everyone about doing it, and oh yeah, still hasn't come clean about it.

[the Brain]

Michael Pineda doctors a baseball with pine tar so he can grip the ball better, suspended for two starts. Tom Brady did the same thing by allegedly conspiring to deflate footballs- I still don't believe the hard evidence is there, but I digress- so he should face roughly the same penalty.

Again, this is a rule that has been ignored. Many QBs have said it goes on, and they've done it for multiple teams, and one admitted to doing it in the Super Bowl. Why are we all bent out of shape now?

Because he was caught doing it. You can't make a rule then ignore it when it is transgressed. Then it becomes, which rule is a real rule? Which one is an iffy rule? You can't do that and expect the rule book to be more than a bunch of worthless pieces of paper.

Its the same as I tell my fellow Tar Heel fans. They complain what they got in trouble for everybody in football is doing. True. I've from the start said the NCAA needs to be disbanded & their rules are unfair, immoral & plain stupid. But UNC agreed to follow the rules set by the NCAA. And they got caught. So they deserved sentencing. And if they don't receive a harsh sentence, then everyone will risk breaking the rules cause the reward is worth the risk.

Belicheat taped opposing sidelines. But he got his rings. Sean Payton encouraged injuries. But he got his ring. Brady deflated footballs. But he got his ring. The reward has yet to be eclipsed by the risk. You can't stop cheating until the risk is greater than the reward.

[the Brain]

Because people are turning a blind eye to the fact that this has been done for years, that a QB admitted to using a deflated ball in a Super Bowl victory. Why are we all of the sudden pissed off about this, and only pissed off at Tom Brady and the Patriots?

No body turned a blind eye to it. No body even thought about it. No one knew it was a factor except football people in the know. The fact that it is Brady & the Pats, yeah, I'll grant you people would be more emotional about it. I'll put myself in that category. It doesn't change my position one iota. Whether is it my beloved Tar Heels or my disliked Pats. The business of sports is about fair competition. The rule book is to assure fair competition. When one party knowingly, blatantly, publicly, doesn't follow it & goes virtually unpunished, the business of sports becomes the WWE. It loses its credibility. It provides an inferior, diluted, fraudulent product.