Deflategate - The Appeal

[MikeO]

So the Pats announce they won't appeal. Interesting, so that is an admission of guilt in my book. Hurts Brady's appeal if you ask me. I''m sure they have a different spin on it!

[Spider-Dan]

Goodell and Kraft got together over the weekend and hugged it out (literally).

The going theory I've heard is that the Pats will accept the punishment, and in exchange Goodell will have an epiphany and decide that The Golden Boy's punishment was excessive and should be reduced.  Is he not merciful?

This sham would be a lot easier to believe if Goodell had appointed someone else as the arbitrator.

[fyo]

^ Looks like that might be what happens, but it just doesn't make any sense. The Wells Report is the basis for the punishment and it calls Brady a lying cheat while exonerating the coaching staff and team as a whole.

[Dave Gray]

My gut say this is either one of two things:

Gentleman's agreement for Goodell to reduce Brady's sentence to 2 (which I've thought is likely all along)

or

That the Pats have enough dirty laundry that even if they were in a position to benefit from gaining money/picks back, that airing out the laundry would tarnish their brand or the image of Brady by making him look like a douche.

[CF DolFan]

I heard that several of the other owners persuaded Kraft to drop it. If things stay the same then it would appear that they were right.

[fyo]

I think there's a very real chance that Kraft is doing it "for the good of the league".