Who Thinks A Deal Has Already Been Cut Between The Patriots & The NFL To Sanction Them After....

[global1]

the SuperBowl?

There is too much money at stake for the NFL to come to some results on their investigation of Inflate-Gate before the SuperBowl.

I'm thinking that they already know what happened but will wait until after the SuperBowl to provide the results of their investigation and any sanctions on the team, the coach and the quarterback.

If they made their results public before the game their would be too much pressure on the NFL to do something before the SuperBowl and that is just too costly to all involved - the NFL, the teams, the advertisers, etc.

I'm thinking that right after the SuperBowl - the NFL will announce sanctions - such as fines, loss of draft pics, suspensions, etc.

Anybody else have those suspicions?

[trumad]

1. Who thinks Global1 has posted way to many Ops

About this subject?

[FSogol]

5. Raises hand. n/t

[global1]

13. Why Are You Picking On Me....

I'm not the only one posting on this?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

2. I hate the cheating scumbum Patriots and distrust the NFL as much as anyone

But this investigation isn't going to be carried out properly in a few days during the league's showcase week.

I do think Belichick and Brady's pressers were basically pleading the fifth and just trying to get to next Sunday at 6 but knowing what may come a few months from now.

[MohRokTah]

3. There will be a $275K fine. The MIGHT be a loss of a first round draft pick. Nothing more than that.

The punishment will not be handed down until late February.

[FSogol]

4. The NFL doesn't have to cut a deal, they don't plan on any actions until after the Super Bowl.

They don't care about player injuries, they don't care about domestic violence, why should they care when a star player on a championship team cheats?

[99Forever]

6. Don't. Give. A. Shit.

[BillZBubb]

7. Give it up. This is BS.

[hughee99]

8. I don't think there's a "deal" to be cut. I'm not sure why the Patriots would have any input

into what the NFL's actions would be. They don't have any leverage. I think the thing the NFL most wants to avoid is announcing a penalty, then afterwords, getting more information and realizing that the penalty wasn't enough (like with Ray Rice). They had to bring in a former FBI director to investigate their investigation, and I'm sure Goodell wants to avoid that again.

I predict a $100K fine, a loss of a draft pick 3rd round or better, and if they can prove that Brady was actively involved in this, a 2 game suspension next season.

My hunch is that this will be all thrown on the "overzealous staffer". Brady will say he told the ball boy how he likes the balls, that he believed the balls all passed inspection, and didn't know anything was illegal about them. The NFL will probably need to be able to prove that he knowingly had the balls illegally doctored to suspend him, and I'm not sure they're going to get that admission from Brady or the ball boy.

The league will change it's policy in the off season and have all footballs handled by an NFL employee from now on.

[caraher]

9. Suspicions?

It's just what's going to happen; no need to postulate shady deals.

Yeah, they probably cheated; no, it didn't get them into the Super Bowl. Unless you think the league should send the Colts to get crushed by Seattle I'm not sure what you want from the NFL?

And really, I'd rather have them take some time to sort out who did what and knew what and work out an appropriate sanction than just do something for the sake of appearances before the game.

[oberliner]

10. There was never going to be anything done before the Super Bowl

Whatever punishment is to be meted out will be done so next season.

[hughee99]

11. It will probably come AFTER the owners meeting.

This will allow them to announce some new policy that the owners agreed to that will prevent this in the future. It will also happen before the draft so they can take a draft pick, which they surely will.

[Hari Seldon]

12. Pats will lose a first round draft pick