Goodell did to the Patriots what the Patriots did to footballs …took some air out of them. Brady was suspended for 4 games the Patriots were fined 1 million dollars and stripped of two draft picks, including a first-round selection in 2016. Some think this was too steep of a punishment for simple gamesmanship or thought this was too heavy handed and that this ties in to the Ray Rice punishment. It is neither of those, it is about the mindset and the intent of a star player on the league’s top team and a Super Bowl Champion. This was about circumventing the rules and what’s the big deal about taking the air of a football? Everything when it happens all the time and when you thumb your noise at everyone else.Hence the following statement by Troy Vincent: “Each player, no matter how accomplished and otherwise respected, has an obligation to comply with the rules and must be held accountable for his actions when those rules are violated and the public’s confidence in the game is called into question,” NFL Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent said in a letter to Brady. Game, set match.
Brady will appeal the suspension which is his right, the Patriots especially Owner Robert Kraft are red faced. It is known that Kraft and NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell are close friends and his friend came down harder on him than expected. Goodell must have been under alot of pressure to make an example of the Patriots. Don’t forget Goodell works for all the Owners not just Robert Kraft. During the Patriots run with Kraft, Belechick and Brady they have made alot of enemies and created alot of hard feelings on how the Patriots play fast and loose with the rules. Think Spy Gate. Hard feelings. The Colts were among those with hard feelings who like the Jets reported the Patriots to the league. This time circumventing the rules as petty as it is in terms of deflating footballs…it caught up with them. Brady knew about it, encouraged it and now has to deal with his punishment. It isn’t about the crime as much as it is intent, to make fools of the officials make fools of the other team.
Vincent said in a letter to the Patriots that the team’s prior record was one of several factors considered when assessing discipline. The NFL also considered the cooperation by the team and “relevant individuals” with the investigation, citing a failure to make McNally available for an additional interview and Brady’s refusal to share e-mails and text messages.
“Although we do not hold the club directly responsible for Mr. Brady’s refusal to cooperate,” Vincent said, “it remains significant that the quarterback of the team failed to cooperate fully with the investigation.”
This scandal is another hit on the NFL Shield and one wonders if the NFL is self destructing right before our very eyes, a league that is a 9 billion dollar business looks more and more like a runaway train 
wreck with each passing scandal with each passing of judgement. The Patriots just made this come to reality that much more. The money isn’t the big deal to Kraft or the Patriots but lose of draft picks presents a problem even for a team like the Patriots who seem to manage getting players no matter where they draft, but even the Patriots at some point draft a bust or two, even the Patriots can’t be without draft picks. Being without the league’s golden boy and on field leader Tom Brady for a 4th of the season hurts alot like an injury, that is if the 4 game suspension stands after Brady’s appeal. If the appeal is reduced to two games, it still hurts them. Brady is the one that makes everything they do click. If he is missing, the jets , Bills , and Dolphins are going to be looking to take full advantage of that. But what this ruling really did was put the patriots and Brady on notice that enough is enough…so Goodell took alittle air out of the Patriots to make his point.
smallthoughtsinasportsworld 