NFL 2018 Season Thread

[-Jrabbit]

It's now officially a total disaster for both sides. Goodell is proven to be a dictatorial ass (insisting on hearing the appeal personally), and Brady has lost all credibility (by destroying his phone).

The game in question was a 45-7 blowout, so it's pretty safe to say that ball inflation did not significantly affect the outcome. All the NFL had to do was update game ball security procedures, laugh it off, and move on.

My theory is that the league purposely decided to make a big deal out of this to take off-season news focus away from embarrassments like Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and traumatic head injuries.

[rah]

And their first few games do not set up to be pretty.
The only thing that they have going for them is the Packers awful opening day record in the last decade.
But trends are made to be broken.

[-Jrabbit]

It's not their year anyway. If they stay reasonably healthy, Seattle will kick everyone's butt from here to February. Unless Green Bay figures out how to play defense.

BTW, Brady posted about 500 words on his FB page today, basically calling Goodell a lying sack of sh1t regarding the cell phone.

I am very disappointed by the NFL's decision to uphold the 4 game suspension against me. I did nothing wrong, and no one in the Patriots organization did either.

Despite submitting to hours of testimony over the past 6 months, it is disappointing that the Commissioner upheld my suspension based upon a standard that it was "probable" that I was "generally aware" of misconduct. The fact is that neither I, nor any equipment person, did anything of which we have been accused. He dismissed my hours of testimony and it is disappointing that he found it unreliable.

I also disagree with yesterdays narrative surrounding my cellphone. I replaced my broken Samsung phone with a new iPhone 6 AFTER my attorneys made it clear to the NFL that my actual phone device would not be subjected to investigation under ANY circumstances. As a member of a union, I was under no obligation to set a new precedent going forward, nor was I made aware at any time during Mr. Wells investigation, that failing to subject my cell phone to investigation would result in ANY discipline.

Most importantly, I have never written, texted, emailed to anybody at anytime, anything related to football air pressure before this issue was raised at the AFC Championship game in January. To suggest that I destroyed a phone to avoid giving the NFL information it requested is completely wrong.

To try and reconcile the record and fully cooperate with the investigation after I was disciplined in May, we turned over detailed pages of cell phone records and all of the emails that Mr. Wells requested. We even contacted the phone company to see if there was any possible way we could retrieve any/all of the actual text messages from my old phone. In short, we exhausted every possibility to give the NFL everything we could and offered to go thru the identity for every text and phone call during the relevant time. Regardless, the NFL knows that Mr. Wells already had ALL relevant communications with Patriots personnel that either Mr. Wells saw or that I was questioned about in my appeal hearing. There is no "smoking gun" and this controversy is manufactured to distract from the fact they have zero evidence of wrongdoing.

I authorized the NFLPA to make a settlement offer to the NFL so that we could avoid going to court and put this inconsequential issue behind us as we move forward into this season. The discipline was upheld without any counter offer. I respect the Commissioners authority, but he also has to respect the CBA and my rights as a private citizen. I will not allow my unfair discipline to become a precedent for other NFL players without a fight.

Lastly, I am overwhelmed and humbled by the support of family, friends and our fans who have supported me since the false accusations were made after the AFC Championship game. I look forward to the opportunity to resume playing with my teammates and winning more games for the New England Patriots.

[rah]

Anytime the commish uses "integrity of the game" I break out laughing.

[-Jrabbit]

Goodell is quite the douche.

The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that it's all just misdirection to keep the conversation off serious subjects, like the thousands of lives ruined by traumatic brain injury and the league's obvious liability.

[rah]

Think how much good the 5 million that they've already spent and the many more they're going to spend defending it in court could have done if it had been put towards research or compensation instead of this waste.

[Zopperoni]

The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that it's all just misdirection to keep the conversation off serious subjects, like the thousands of lives ruined by traumatic brain injury and the league's obvious liability.

Not to mention the whole domestic violence fall-out from Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Ray McDonald, etc.

Goodell has gone all "Sepp Blatter" here and this isn't an isolated incident. From "Bountygate" to the bizarre Matt Prater suspension, it's questionable how much faith there really is among owners in Goodell to do the right thing.

[MRT144]

Wilson a Seahawk for another few seasons, woot!

[rah]

Quote of the day
Martellus Bennett engaging a young fan who was missing a tooth.

Did the tooth fairy visit

The boy smiled and held up an open palm while answering that he got 5 dollars.

Bennett paused and looked back

That's Nice, but tell her you want $5 million more. Make sure to let her know you feel underpaid

[SlowwHand]

I just read an article from Bleacher Report about the Bears being projected as worst team this year in NFL. Seems a reach.

[-Jrabbit]

Certainly possible, but John Fox's history in his first season with a new club suggests otherwise.

[rah]

At least with the expectations so low, any success will be welcome.
Beats last year, where the expectation was so high that the crash was just brutal.

[Demonbinder]

USA Today had them as worst team at 3-13. If they do, that might be good enough for a top three pick and maybe a franchise QB if there are any good ones coming out next year? But I think they can get to five wins. Whooppee!!

[Ming]

All the betting lines seem to have the Bears at 7 wins for the over/under

[SlowwHand]

No way Bears are last.
What about Oakland? Jacksonville? I could come up with others easily.