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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Judge In Brady's Deflategate Case Hopes Transcript Will Lead To Settlement

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman on Tuesday refused to let either the NFL or NFLPA submit its evidence in the Deflategate case "under seal, as a way to pressure both sides to settle outside of court," according to Ben Volin of the BOSTON GLOBE. The result is that 1,408 pages of Patriots QB Tom Brady’s e-mails from his Patriots account, from last September through March, "were entered into evidence and made available to anyone with a PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) account." There is "nothing too embarrassing or incriminating" in the e-mails -- Brady "doesn’t provide a smoking gun as far as having any knowledge of a scheme to deflate footballs, and all sensitive information was redacted" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/6). The BOSTON GLOBE offers excerpts from select Brady e-mails.

GOODELL PAINTED IN BAD LIGHT? Reax continued to the unsealed e-mails in the Goodell-Brady lawsuit filed Tuesday. THE MMQB's Andrew Brandt noted the transcripts "did not have many new revelations, but a few things did not present a great look for the NFL." Because NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "is not a lawyer, NFL outside counsel Gregg Levy "curiously seemed to be running point during the proceedings, even speaking for Goodell in certain situations." Also, NFL VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent "spoke of protocols and processes that did not seem completely buttoned up" (MMQB.SI.com, 8/5). In Boston, Jeff Howe writes the unsealed transcripts "further compromised the integrity" of Goodell and investigator Ted Wells. Brady to this point "has been painted as the villainous liar." But "start with Goodell, who blatantly lied in the 20-page letter that explained his reason to uphold" Brady's four-game suspension. While "tripping over themselves with the goal of assassinating Brady's integrity, the NFL's cast of puppeteers have unveiled plenty of warts of their own" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/6). ESPN's Jason Whitlock said, "Goodell being the discipline czar has led the NFL to a really bad place" ("PTI," ESPN, 8/5). Fox Sports’ John Lynch said, “The more people are hearing, reading the transcripts, the black eye is really shifting towards the NFL. And this is a couple offseasons in a row where it’s been essentially things other than football dominating the news about the NFL” (“America’s Pregame,” FS1, 8/5). ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan said, “This long ago was not about the deflation of footballs. It stopped being that quite a long time ago. It's all about the league and trying to restore credibility, a commissioner who was in really serious trouble after he bungled all of the domestic violence cases that came before him” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 8/5). ESPN’s Michael Smith said the released transcript “makes the NFL look like it doesn’t have much of a case to stand on” (“His & Hers,” ESPN2, 8/5).

WHERE TO NEXT? In N.Y., Gary Myers writes the "compromise" in the case should be a $500,000 fine for Brady for "not cooperating with Wells." Myers: "Eliminate the suspension. The punishment wouldn’t fit even if Wells proved there was a crime." Goodell can "explain that Brady hurt his case by not being transparent, but there is not clear evidence that he ordered or knew about the deflation of footballs." Berman "clearly wants them to settle and unsealing the transcript of the hearing -- the NFLPA wanted it, the NFL didn’t -- was a forceful push in that direction." Berman "surely will warn Brady and Goodell they are much better off settling because neither side is going to like what he comes up with on his own" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/6). In Boston, Steve Buckley writes, "I don't believe anybody in this case. I don't believe Brady, and I don't believe the NFL. But I don't believe the NFL more, or something like that, because it's supposed to be searching for truth, not trying to 'win.' And so we have a witch hunt" (BOSTON HERALD, 8/6). ESPN’s Dan Le Batard said Brady “didn’t seem to think that there were any consequences whatsoever to not handing over his phone and they used that against him and they used it against him harshly” (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 8/5). ESPN’s Adam Schefter: “At this point in time peoples' heads are spinning. They don't even know what to believe any more and frankly, I think everybody just wants a decision from Judge Berman so everybody can turn the page” (“NFL Insiders,” ESPN, 8/5).

BRADY'S APPEAL TAKES A HIT: In N.Y., Vanessa Friedman writes Brady's image has "taken something of a tumble" during the case. According to Repucom's Celebrity DBI, Brady’s trust score "has sunk from a ranking of 863rd (out of 3,579) after the Super Bowl in February to 3,097th (out of 3,755)." His appeal ranking also is "down to 3,635th, from 2,748th." That puts him "on the same level as Macaulay Culkin and Britney Spears." Repucom Exec VP Peter Laatz said, “We’ve seen a degree of falloff of his appeal and trust level. Negative sentiment spiked when the Wells report was issued, and it had plateaued a bit, but then it increased again last week" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/6). FS1’s Peter Schrager said of Brady, “He’s become an absolute joke. ... Brady is going to fight to the finish to protect his legacy." But FS1’s Petros Papadakis said, “I’m starting to believe Tom Brady more and more as this situation unfolds. And then I start to believe the conspiracy theories that Tom Brady is kind of a piñata for the NFL” (“FOX Sports Live: Countdown,” FS1, 8/6). ESPN’s Schefter said, “In the end, there’s been damage done to the NFL, to Tom Brady, to the New England Patriots. Nobody has come out of this unscathed” (“NFL Live,” ESPN, 8/5). ESPN’s Jemele Hill said Brady “can’t stop until this is zero games” (“His & Hers,” ESPN2, 8/5).

RAVENS CONTINUE DENIALS: Ravens coach John Harbaugh and his organization "steadfastly denied having any role in warning the Colts to beware of the Patriots’ football inflation levels prior to the AFC Championship game in a lengthy statement" released yesterday morning. Harbaugh: "I'll say it again -- we didn't. We knew nothing about deflated footballs" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/6). In Baltimore, Jeff Zrebiec writes the Ravens have "once again been thrust into the middle of it." Harbaugh said, "We've answered questions directly and honestly and straightforward from the start" (Baltimore SUN, 8/6). Also in Baltimore, Peter Schmuck wrote, "Great. This is just what the Ravens needed at the end of a refreshingly uneventful offseason -- another reason to wonder about their integrity." The "problem for the Ravens is that they worked so hard to distance themselves from the scandal that it looks like they were not being truthful when speculation surfaced that they were involved in unmasking it." Whatever "actually happened, they played it all wrong" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 8/5). Meanwhile, Colts GM Ryan Grigson said, "We've done our part and we're moving on ... every little snippet turns into an atomic bomb" (ESPN.com, 8/5). USA Today’s Jarrett Bell said, "It is rather interesting that now this has spread a bit to another team being forced to defend themselves" (“NFL Insiders,” ESPN, 8/5).

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