Surprise, surprise. Tom Brady's agent Don Yee is none too pleased with the punishment handed down to his client as a result of the findings by attorney Ted Wells in the #DeflateGate report released last week. In addition to the New England Patriots receiving a $1 million fine and losing their 2016 first-round pick and 2017 fourth-rounder, Brady has been hit with a four-game suspension because, according to NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent, his "actions...clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity and public confidence in the game of professional football."
Yee has issued a statement regarding the punishment with what can best be described as the Nas' "Ether" of responses towards the league. And oh yeah, they plan on appealing the suspension.
“The discipline is ridiculous and has no legitimate basis. In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever. There is no evidence that Tom directed footballs be set at pressures below the allowable limits. In fact, the evidence shows Tom clearly emphasized that footballs be set at pressures within the rules. Tom also cooperated with the investigation and answered every question presented to him. The Wells Report presents significant evidence, however, that the NFL lacks standards or protocols with respect to its handling of footballs prior to games; this is not the fault of Tom or the Patriots. The report also presents significant evidence the NFL participated with the Colts in some type of pre-AFC Championship Game planning regarding the footballs. This fact may raise serious questions about the integrity of the games we view on Sundays. We will appeal, and if the hearing officer is completely independent and neutral, I am very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic. The NFL has a well-documented history of making poor disciplinary decisions that often are overturned when truly independent and neutral judges or arbitrators preside, and a former federal judge has found the commissioner has abused his discretion in the past, so this outcome does not surprise me. Sadly, today’s decision diminishes the NFL as it tells its fans, players and coaches that the games on the field don’t count as much as the games played on Park Avenue.”
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[via For The Win]
