Brain Believes Brady and the Patriots Got What They Deserved

I don't feel sorry for Tom Brady. I don't feel sorry for the New England Patriots. Brady was suspended four games for his part in 'Deflategate'. The Patriots were fined $1 million dollars and a first and fourth round draft choice. They got what they had coming to them. Not because deflated footballs are the most evil thing in the NFL. But because they broke the rules, and then tried to cover it up by lying and being uncooperative with the league. It's true what they say. Sometimes the cover up is worse than the crime.

Tom Brady was hit with a 4 game suspension. That's the same number of games a PED user would get. I don't believe what Brady did is nearly as bad as using drugs to boost your performance. But what Brady and the Patriots did was against league rules. They broke the rules. If they would have come out and got in front of this scandal after it broke late last year, I don't believe we'd be having this conversation. But instead, they lied. Brady refused to turn over emails and his cell records to investigators. Not exactly the actions of an innocent man. Then, The Well's Report came out. It presented probable cause that Brady and two other Patriot's employees were involved with the deflating of the footballs before the AFC Championship game. The evidence, while circumstantial, was particularly damning to Brady. Now he's out the first 4 games of the season.

Every player and every team is trying to gain a competitive edge. They push the envelope. They go right up to the line of right and wrong. It's not just sports. The same can be said of any business model. To gain an advantage over your competitor, you push it. But decent and fair people know where the line is at. They don't cross it. If they do and get caught, they pay the price. Tom Brady is a fierce competitor. And slightly deflated footballs are one way he pushed the limits of the laws of the NFL. He got caught, and now must pay the price. No, they aren't taking away one of his 4 Super Bowl titles. But it sure feels like part of his legacy has been taken away. That's the biggest punishment of all.