ESPN's Uncomfortable, Unnerving Relationship with the NFL: How ESPN Is Just a Mouthpiece for the NFL

[BradPittsEvilTwin]

Well how many Pat fans kept insisting Goodell case was being harshly questioned by Berman?

The judge made it quite clear that Goodell's case was full of shit. The only question was, did it matter given the CBA? Goodell's arrogance let him believe that it didn't matter if Brady got a fair hearing or not, he had the CBA and would win regardless of the complete incompetence and outright falsification of the Wells Report. He was wrong.

 

[flyerhawk]

No way. If the premise is that ESPN is the NFL's bitch, then Goodell would hold this back unless it was needed. Why release the story if he won? But, by holding it back in case things didn't go how he wanted them, he has this "ace" up his sleeve to misinform and mold public opinion once again. Releasing it early would not likely effect a judge at all.

People won't care if it's true or not, just like they didn't care that the balls weren't 2lbs under, Brady didn't refuse his phone or records, he didn't destroy the phone because it was called for, etc... People believe what they want to believe and Goodell is playing that angle exceptionally well. This story is intended to sway public opinion, which is easily manipulated.

I will once again ask the same question that Patriot fans continue to avoid.

What is the end objective for the NFL or Roger Goodell? What do they expect to achieve by releasing this story? Give some sort of concrete argument of how releasing this story is beneficial to the league or Goodell.

 

[flyerhawk]

What is your logical explanation for the following intentional lies put out by the NFL in the last 7 months:

11 of the 12 balls were 2+ lbs underinflated
Wells is independent
Brady refused to turn over his phone
Brady refused to turn over his phone records
Brady destroyed the phone instead of turning it over to Wells

This is just a small sample, but an important one. What possible reason could the NFL have for putting out these lies other than to turn public opinion against Brady and the Patriots?

Well ignoring the fact that the NFL didn't actually make those claims, the NFL was in a VERY bad publicity situation last year. Ray Rice upended their entire punishment system. Not only that but they were losing the court cases because the CBA wasn't built to handle these really bad situations.

Along comes Tom Brady and the Patriots, the team everyone loves to hate. And they become an easy scapegoat. Except they didn't expect Brady to take it to federal court and they look terrible. BUT the end result is the same. People are no longer talking about football players beating the shit out of their family members and are now talking about some nonsense story about PSI.

I realize you guys REALLY REALLY want to be the victim and don't want to accept even the possibility that maybe you guys do things a little unethically. But that doesn't change the fact that you do.

 

[NinerSickness]

The premise of this thread couldn't be more wrong. ESPN is 100% in the tank for the player's union. They think the players union should get whatever they want, and they help circle the wagons when the players screw up. When a liberal judge sides against a corporation (like they almost always do), they trash Goodell as if it's his fault.

 

[redseat]

I'm not sure who's pulling the strings here..

Both are "pulling" something

 

[PatsFan2003]

No way. If the premise is that ESPN is the NFL's bitch, then Goodell would hold this back unless it was needed. Why release the story if he won? But, by holding it back in case things didn't go how he wanted them, he has this "ace" up his sleeve to misinform and mold public opinion once again. Releasing it early would not likely effect a judge at all.

People won't care if it's true or not, just like they didn't care that the balls weren't 2lbs under, Brady didn't refuse his phone or records, he didn't destroy the phone because it was called for, etc... People believe what they want to believe and Goodell is playing that angle exceptionally well. This story is intended to sway public opinion, which is easily manipulated.

I think the ESPN has a lot of pull of their own. Deflategate has been sports news gold for the entire summer and I'm sure ESPN wanted just another little taste before the season starts.