Patriots Fans Sue NFL For 2016 Draft Picks

[BigKen]

In a last ditch effort to get New England's 2016 first-round draft pick returned to the team, several Patriots fans have come up with a drastic plan: suing the NFL.

You know what they say: If you can't beat them, sue them.

OK, so no one says that, but this lawsuit is actually happening.

The suit was filed in Boston federal court on Tuesday, according to Reuters. Patriots fans allege that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell "acted unlawfully" when he handed down New England's punishment for Deflategate.

That punishment included two lost draft picks, a Tom Brady suspension and a $1 million fine. This group of fans is hoping to see both picks -- a first-rounder in 2016 and a fourth-rounder in 2017 -- returned to the Patriots.

Seth Carey, an attorney in Maine who's one of seven people involved in the lawsuit, explained why he felt it was necessary to file it.

"This case is brought by New England Patriots fans on behalf of all Patriots fans who believe the New England Patriots professional football team were harmed by the defendants' arbitrary and capricious decision to revoke the Patriots' first-round draft choice in the April 28, 2016 NFL Draft," the suit states, via the Boston Herald.

Goodell and the NFL are both named as defendants.

Carey might've been watching The Dark Knight before filing the lawsuit, because the suit alleges that Goodell and the league both violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. That's straight out of Harvey Dent's playbook.

The lawsuit also accuses Goodell and the NFL of "fraud, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and racketeering."

Goodell wasn't the only NFL-related person named in the lawsuit, either.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is also named in the suit, which is somewhat surprising since this thing was filed by Patriots fans. The suit alleges that Kraft sided with fellow owners over Patriots fans when he accepted the Patriots' punishment.

"Defendant Robert Kraft had remedies to attempt to get plaintiffs' draft pick back, but he chose his fellow billionaire owners above the plaintiffs and fellow fans," Carey wrote.

According to Carey, another fan involved in the lawsuit, Todd Orsatti, believes the NFL's Deflategate punishment has caused emotional distress for his family.

"Orsatti attends games with his 7-year-old daughter. She will no longer go to games with him because she thinks the games are fixed by the NFL after her team was punished based merely on conjecture," Carey wrote in the suit, via the Herald. "She is talking about finding another team, which has left Orsatti 'devastated.'"

If she's smart, she'll jump ship and go with the Broncos. Just kidding -- they don't have a quarterback, so that'd be a horrible team to start cheering for in 2016.

Anyway, if this lawsuit ends up failing -- and it likely will -- at least Patriots fans will have a boycott to fall back on, because yes, Patriots fans have also planned a boycott for the first round of the draft on April 28.

 

[cezero]

i think this is a great idea

 

[Rex Racer]

Unless they named @HammerDown as a co-conspirator I cannot get behind this frivolous lawsuit.

 

[HammerDown]

The best part?

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is also named in the suit, which is somewhat surprising since this thing was filed by Patriots fans. The suit alleges that Kraft sided with fellow owners over Patriots fans when he accepted the Patriots' punishment.

I bet @BigKen would rather not discuss that part.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

waste of time. I am over it...Pink hat fans running this lawsuit...

 

[BigKen]

Just reporting what's published...........

Again, the NFL will have to pony a couple of million dollars to defend a frivolous lawsuit. If by some weird alignment of the stars and planets and this thing moves forward, the NFL Draft could be put on hold.

Now the NFL has a problem.......if the court should allow a stay until a decision is reached, a court date wouldn't take place until late May at the earliest, there would be a probable cause hearing that would take a week. If the judge decided to hear the case it would be June or July before a jury could be notified and selected. Trial starts what? Maybe late September OR October??

After a couple of weeks of testimony the jury gets the case...........it's been filed in Boston. How do you think that turns out? What if the jury comes back in favor of the Plaintiff? Does the NFL appeal?? That wipes out the draft for 2016 because by the time an appeals court would schedule a hearing, it would be January 2017.

It may be frivolous, but it could wreck the NFL draft for years to come. The NFL cannot declare draft eligible players as free agents because they could never re-institute the draft once that was allowed. Kids graduating from college would want the same advantage. Again, it may be frivolous, but it could create a shit storm that could effect all professional sports drafts.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Just reporting what's published...........

Again, the NFL will have to pony a couple of million dollars to defend a frivolous lawsuit. If by some weird alignment of the stars and planets and this thing moves forward, the NFL Draft could be put on hold.

Now the NFL has a problem.......if the court should allow a stay until a decision is reached, a court date wouldn't take place until late May at the earliest, there would be a probable cause hearing that would take a week. If the judge decided to hear the case it would be June or July before a jury could be notified and selected. Trial starts what? Maybe late September OR October??

After a couple of weeks of testimony the jury gets the case...........it's been filed in Boston. How do you think that turns out? What if the jury comes back in favor of the Plaintiff? Does the NFL appeal?? That wipes out the draft for 2016 because by the time an appeals court would schedule a hearing, it would be January 2017.

It may be frivolous, but it could wreck the NFL draft for years to come. The NFL cannot declare draft eligible players as free agents because they could never re-institute the draft once that was allowed. Kids graduating from college would want the same advantage. Again, it may be frivolous, but it could create a shit storm that could effect all professional sports drafts.

This ain't going nowhere. Truly...love the passion, but these are silly people with too much time and money on their hands.

 

[BigKen]

This ain't going nowhere. Truly...love the passion, but these are silly people with too much time and money on their hands

Sort a like those colonists in the New World when they threw all that tea in Boston Harbor dressed like Indians.....

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Sort a like those colonists in the New World when they threw all that tea in Boston Harbor dressed like Indians.....

I hear ya...At least they had a worthwhile agenda. This one...imo, not so much...even if they never get the two picks back, the damage is not that significant.

 

[cdumler7]

Just reporting what's published...........

Again, the NFL will have to pony a couple of million dollars to defend a frivolous lawsuit. If by some weird alignment of the stars and planets and this thing moves forward, the NFL Draft could be put on hold.

Now the NFL has a problem.......if the court should allow a stay until a decision is reached, a court date wouldn't take place until late May at the earliest, there would be a probable cause hearing that would take a week. If the judge decided to hear the case it would be June or July before a jury could be notified and selected. Trial starts what? Maybe late September OR October??

After a couple of weeks of testimony the jury gets the case...........it's been filed in Boston. How do you think that turns out? What if the jury comes back in favor of the Plaintiff? Does the NFL appeal?? That wipes out the draft for 2016 because by the time an appeals court would schedule a hearing, it would be January 2017.

It may be frivolous, but it could wreck the NFL draft for years to come. The NFL cannot declare draft eligible players as free agents because they could never re-institute the draft once that was allowed. Kids graduating from college would want the same advantage. Again, it may be frivolous, but it could create a shit storm that could effect all professional sports drafts.

Good chance it doesn't even cost the NFL a dime. Judges do have the right to throw out any lawsuit they deem ridiculous. So whatever judge gets this could view it that way and not even come close to letting this go to trial. That is my guess of what actually happens.

Also they would not put the NFL draft on hold. Come on BigKen I know you want that 1st round pick back but lets view this with some kind of reality to the actual situation. Every year different fanbases have something like this happen and it goes nowhere. I mean last year a guy filed an $88 billion lawsuit for not ruling Bryan'ts catch in the playoffs a catch. This will just get thrown out and be something fans laugh about for a couple of weeks before they move onto the next thing.

 

[Dolemite censored]

This lawsuit will get thrown out. I don't see where the fans have standing to sue.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

What... just... what.... if the Boston judge wants to hear this case just to stick it to Goodell and co? Kind of like the NFL filing their law suit in NYC? Stranger things have happened.

For the record I think this is stupid and not going anywhere.

 

[BigKen]

I agree that it is a bit frivolous. BUT ........ While some people are giddy about the Patriots being severely punished for doing absolutely nothing, there are other who are equally pissed off.

The one issue that can turn this from frivolous to a an actual lawsuit that has some teeth, is if the Plaintiffs can get a judge to listen to the argument that the Patriots were penalized without a single formal charge being brought against them. I was listening to a lawyer speak about this on the radio and he made a ton of sense. He said that Kraft actually believed that the Patriots would be fined maybe $100,000 or even $500,000 and that would be it. He never expected that other owners would pressure Goodell to really hit Kraft with a penalty as severe as $1M and two draft picks. Not only did Goodell blindside Kraft, he made points with some of the owners who thought he was a bit too friendly with Kraft.

If these guys who've filed the suit can get the judge who's assigned the case to listen to their point of view AND if he feels that they have a valid point of law..........

 

[Southieinnc]

This lawsuit will get thrown out. I don't see where the fans have standing to sue.

Precisely. No standing - no court......

 

[Dolemite censored]

Precisely. No standing - no court......

Its a publicity stunt. Pay a filing fee, release it to the press, Court throws it out.

 

[Southieinnc]

Its a publicity stunt. Pay a filing fee, release it to the press, Court throws it out.

Another embarrassment to Goodell and Patriots fans.
Interestingly, neither will be bothered by it......

 

[cdumler7]

The case was thrown out by the judge today so nothing will come of this. Sorry @BigKen

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Outrageous, what's a law abiding tax payer need to do to have their day in court? When did Stalin start running this country? I'm shocked and terribly disappointed.

 

[Southieinnc]

Its a publicity stunt. Pay a filing fee, release it to the press, Court throws it out.

Free beer in Boston for life......

 

[GNG]

This lawsuit will get thrown out. I don't see where the fans have standing to sue.

How about that bitch that sued McDonalds for spilling hot coffee on herself. The jury awarded her millions of dollars for pain and suffering.