Off Topic Lounge

[Sharkinva]

Honestly, no. I think a lot of factors went into this becoming a completely overblown sideshow. Inflating balls is hardly a serious offense as every QB and kicker treats balls to their specific liking. In this case, the ball inflation had zero to do with the outcome. What the NFL should've done was to conduct its own short internal investigation, conclude that a minor violation occurred, and then proceeded to slap Brady on the wrist. What they did instead was to make Ted Wells into another Archibald Cox. By doing that, they allowed what was at most an infraction to become something like a capital offense. They could've easily have won the PR battle by selling a dignitary penalty based on the fact that the Pats destroyed the Colts in the second half with properly inflated balls. If anything, the Colts should've wanted more of those deflated balls. One big reason for the big to-do was because the Pats were serial offenders. Yet, that still didn't warrant this huge circus of a PR disaster.

Have to disagree. It is as bad as a pitcher using sand papered balls to change his grip. Or a pro paintball player cranking up the pressure on his gun after its been chrono'ed. The whole point in Bradys case was to make the ball easier to grip, thus making his ability to throw on target better, AND make it easier for his WRs to catch. That would be like me going into world cup, and then cranking my gun to 340 fps basically extending the range and making it more likely that any hits I do get will break at a farther range. Mind you cup limits are 280-300 max. So if I basically added another 30 yards to my range, and 30% chance of any hit breaking.... Did I mildly cheat??

Bottom line he was cheating intentionally. 4 games is a slap on the wrist.

 

[redskinsfan]

Have to disagree. It is as bad as a pitcher using sand papered balls to change his grip. Or a pro paintball player cranking up the pressure on his gun after its been chrono'ed. The whole point in Bradys case was to make the ball easier to grip, thus making his ability to throw on target better, AND make it easier for his WRs to catch. That would be like me going into world cup, and then cranking my gun to 340 fps basically extending the range and making it more likely that any hits I do get will break at a farther range. Mind you cup limits are 280-300 max. So if I basically added another 30 yards to my range, and 30% chance of any hit breaking.... Did I mildly cheat??

Bottom line he was cheating intentionally. 4 games is a slap on the wrist.

But that happens with every QB and kicker in the league. If that's cheating, everyone does it. And irrespective of what Brady did, it had zero impact on the AFC Championship game. All around, this is about as ticky-tack as you can get. Yet, Goodell turned what should've been a small, isolated investigation into a Grand Inquisition.

 

[Stymietee]

This was all about a feckless commissioner. The non-story broke, was exacerbated by the media and went publicly viral. Not wanting to risk further backlash by the paying customer, the jellyfish is not punishing the team nor Brady for anything that either might have done. Nope, he's simply reacting to a popular albeit negative story related to the shield.

Don't believe me?........ ask yourself this one question. Based on a rule that has been extremely loosely enforced for generations, what will the punishment be for the other 31 teams and their starting QB's?

 

[Stymietee]

RW is a far better qb then RG3 and the stats back that up 1000 times over

RG3 has done nothing since his rookie year

Again, RGIII came to DC and saw exactly what SM has seen, tried it the Shanahan way got ripped physically then decided, " No more of that shit!" Enter Gruden, who wanted to institute has pass happy game plan, despite the neon sign flashing in his face that said, "that BS won't work with the team that you have! !!!" FINALLY and I mean F.I.N.A.L.L.Y in comes SM who not only has the task of building a team around his QB that can succeed, but also teach his HC what wins in the NFL.

This last point cannot be overlooked or devalued, Gruden is a novice at the position that he holds. His learning curve is arguably greater than any of his QB's.

 

[Stymietee]

Guys, let me ask the hypothetical question that looms large here.

If Wilson was here and RGIII there from the beginning of their respective careers, would the outcomes be roughly the same? (I'll wait to give my response)

**remember it's a hypothetical, there are no wrong answers, just something fun to do. Thanks!!!

 

[Buffalo_Nickel_1]

they will trade somebody for a first rd pick boooooooooook it

 

[Buffalo_Nickel_1]

hell i bet next march pats will somehow make a trade and will have the first pick in draft

 

[j_y19]

Guys, let me ask the hypothetical question that looms large here.

If Wilson was here and RGIII there from the beginning of their respective careers, would the outcomes be roughly the same? (I'll wait to give my response)

**remember it's a hypothetical, there are no wrong answers, just something fun to do. Thanks!!!

Interesting question, Sty, but in reality, who the hell knows. I agree with some others on here that Wilson has done well primarily due to the team he is on and the system he is in. Take away their running game, and he may struggle mightily. But what he has done is learn the system and learn his role in the offense. RG3 has never done that. He has resisted all coaching to date in the NFL. Maybe he just needed to hit rock bottom before he realized that he needed to change. As fro your comment about Shanahan's offense tearing him to shreds, that's just not accurate. RG3's bravado that first year tore him to shreds. I don't think it would have mattered what offense he was running. He refused to slide. He refused to throw the ball away. Thats what got him hurt. Not the scheme he was running.

As far as pure skill sets, I put Robert ahead of Wilson. As far as willingness to learn and do what is asked, Wilson is ahead of RG3. My concern is that RG3 has still shown no sign, outwardly, that he is part of the problem and that he needs to change. His success in the NFL does not lie in him being the best athlete on the field. It will only come by him realizing that he must be the best prepared on the field. At his position, that is much more mental than physical.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Dad My bad on the Cousins vs. Griffin stats, I thought you had said it was Cousins who had better stats. Damn I went to all that trouble to find and post those stats for nothing.

But I stand by my comment about Griffin vs. Joe Webb. Griffin's problems can be worked out. Not saying they will but it's possible. Joe Webb could not hit what he was throwing at. Period. And he never will be able to do that. Griffin on the other hand is very very good at delivering the ball and that will never change

2 totally different problems. One is fixable, the other is not. So 2 totally different QBs.

 

[obibyn]

Even if the suspension was longer...I highly doubt they would have made a trade for a QB with draft picks...considering they were just tapped for a 1st and 4th over the next 2 years.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

So if the 4 games are upheld, TB is out for
1) Steelers
2) Bills
3) Jags
4) Cowboys

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Curious stat. Numbers certainly can be manipulated but it makes one wonder.

 

[skinsdad62]

i dont want to hear about potential, upside and any other excuse about the previous regimes blah blah blah

show me on the field period . he hasnt and until then he is joe webb / kordell stewart /tavaris jackson and there is no sense in trying to change my mind . show me on the field redskinsfan and DGF dont blow smoke up my ass

by the way SM thought alex smith was better then rodgers , just saying he isnt perfect

as for stats

RW 48 starts 36-12 record 2 superbowls 1 win 63.4% 9950 yds 72 tds 26 ints

RG3 35 starts 14-21 record no playoff wins 63.9% 8097 yds 40 tds 23 ints

 

[SoCalWizFan]

How in the world did this thread morph from a thread asking about who the Pats might trade for if Brady is suspended (assuming it was referring to Cousins) to a thread pretty much devoted to RG3? Jeez - don't we have enough of those threads? LOL. You gotta love it.

 

[skinsdad62]

But that happens with every QB and kicker in the league. If that's cheating, everyone does it. And irrespective of what Brady did, it had zero impact on the AFC Championship game. All around, this is about as ticky-tack as you can get. Yet, Goodell turned what should've been a small, isolated investigation into a Grand Inquisition.

this is the defense a child makes when he is caught doing something wrong . well peggy sue did it too blah blah blah .

as a lawyer its your job to uphold laws and rules isnt it counselor ? and yet you justify one persons bad behavior by pointing to someones else's . ? is that how you do your job in real life ? i doubt it , i bet you are a good lawyer

if you didnt get an advantage doing it then why have the damn rule ? why worry about it ? there is no way to know how that game was impacted (although i doubt much ) but that isnt the point . the point is they broke the rules on purpose to gain an advantage whether actual or perceived

people the penalty isnt being dished out for the crime . that could be covered with the $25000 fine .

3 things had a bearing on the punishment and its harshness. 1) brady , the pats organization and the ball boys didnt cooperate and werent forth coming in the investigation 2) the history of the organization cheating 3) the closeness of the kraft family and goodell . if the other teams believe you favor one guy over the other it hurts the integrity of the game

i predict the fine will stay , the loss of draft picks will stay , and the suspension will be whittled down to perhaps 2 games on appeal

if a baseball pithcher gets caught doctoring a ball he is tossed , fined and even suspended brady got caught

 

[Lonewate44]

Agree with dad for the reasons he said for harsness of the punishment...Especially #2

My question though is....Sean Peyton got a yr ban becasue as the commish said....ignornace of what is happening to your team is NOT a viable excuse...he was in charge of the entire team......

So.....Why is it that Belacheat didn't get the same punishment??? Even though he had no knowledge (which I seriously doubt) it happened on hsi team and as coach (like Peyton) he is responsible....

 

[reptec101]

So let me understand. If you get caught tarnishing the integrity of the league that said player gets 4 games. Get caught with a doobie... get a year. Again let me understand. Being a coach who didn't have a clue in New England get's you no penalty. Being a coach in New Orleans who didn't have a clue gets you a year. Nothing is fair in the world I get, but being somewhat consistent if you're the commish making 44 large a year seems hardly asking a lot. Ignorance is not an excuse unless you're buddy-buddy or the commish himself. IMO, Brady should have been given the year off as most others would have gotten. This is such a biased league it turns me off. If only the Skins didn't have me by the nuts Id be done with this BS league.

 

[Stymietee]

this is the defense a child makes when he is caught doing something wrong . well peggy sue did it too blah blah blah .

as a lawyer its your job to uphold laws and rules isnt it counselor ? and yet you justify one persons bad behavior by pointing to someones else's . ? is that how you do your job in real life ? i doubt it , i bet you are a good lawyer

if you didnt get an advantage doing it then why have the damn rule ? why worry about it ? there is no way to know how that game was impacted (although i doubt much ) but that isnt the point . the point is they broke the rules on purpose to gain an advantage whether actual or perceived

people the penalty isnt being dished out for the crime . that could be covered with the $25000 fine .

3 things had a bearing on the punishment and its harshness. 1) brady , the pats organization and the ball boys didnt cooperate and werent forth coming in the investigation 2) the history of the organization cheating 3) the closeness of the kraft family and goodell . if the other teams believe you favor one guy over the other it hurts the integrity of the game

i predict the fine will stay , the loss of draft picks will stay , and the suspension will be whittled down to perhaps 2 games on appeal

if a baseball pithcher gets caught doctoring a ball he is tossed , fined and even suspended brady got caught

While I don't disagree with you, I do have a question. Beyond Spygate, what was the history of cheating comprised of? Thanks.