Let’s be honest about something.
If this past NFL season were not filled with so much off the field garbage (Ray Rice incident, other players beating the hell out of their women), this whole “Deflategate” nonsense would have been swept under the rug. I mean, what QB doesn’t want his balls at certain weights and textures (snicker)?
As far as I am concerned, QBs toying with the amount of air in footballs are as common as offensive lineman holding on every play. It’s part of the game, no big deal.
However, when you are Tom Brady and the QB of one of the most polarizing organizations in all of sports, you are treated differently. Of course with that comes the good and the bad.
The “good” should be obvious.
Brady gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes to overall treatment from the NFL. You could pass gas in his direction and draw a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Hell the NFL made a rule in how defenders should hit the QB thanks to an early season-ending injury he suffered vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
We have never really seen the “bad” in all this, until now.
Brady has been getting all sorts of attention over his role in Deflategate since Super Bowl week. He didn’t help himself in being evasive in answering any Deflategate questions. And now there is talk over how this will affect his legacy as a future potential first-ballot Hall of Famer.
And this is all without any smoking guns from the Wells Report. It’s almost as if folks were like “now we’ve got this sonofabtich on SOMETHING! Let’s get him!”
Let me disclose something for y’all: I hate the New England Patriots.
To me, they are the Dallas Cowboys of this generation. Their organization thrives off of living in the grey area, fudging with the rules JUST ENOUGH to give them at edge that keeps them near the top.
So this Pittsburgh Steelers fan would LOVE it if Brady’s ass is suspended at least for our opening Thursday night game.
The impending punishment Brady (and perhaps other Patriots personnel) will receive is almost like a cumulative dubious lifetime achievement award in cheating. The illegal taping of opponents the Patriots performed seasons ago is much more egregious than deflating footballs.
Simply put, the Patriots have given us the perception that they are nothing but bonafide cheaters who have gotten away with it and have the Super Bowl titles to show for it.
Again, I think Deflategate is much ado about nothing. But the combination of the Patriots past history of getting over and Brady not cooperating and being forthcoming with the investigators will be Brady’s undoing.
And this Patriots hater will enjoy every minute of it.
Categories: NFL
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