Patriots QB Tom Brady will "exhaust every legal avenue before accepting his four-game suspension" stemming from Deflategate, according to Ben Volin of the BOSTON GLOBE. Brady on Friday added former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson, who also "successfully represented George W. Bush in Bush v. Gore" in '00, as his "lead attorney." Olson also "represented the NFLPA" in the '11 lockout, and currently works for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in DC. A case that "at its core is about deflated footballs now includes two of the biggest attorneys in the country." The NFL is "represented by Olson’s successor as Solicitor General, Paul Clement." Olson in his first move as Brady's lead attorney "filed for a time extension of two weeks, to May 23, noting that Brady is still making up his mind and the NFLPA needs to confer with its player representatives" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/30).In Boston, Ron Borges writes Brady's hiring of Olson "continues to raise the stakes in what long ago became an absurdity." There is "something troubling about the fact such a trivial matter has consumed so much time and money" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/2). In N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote, "Brady ought to fight all the way to the Supreme Court" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/1).
STICKING BY BRADY: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft on Friday said, "I want to make two things crystal clear about the ongoing situation with the NFL. Number one: There is no finer ambassador for the game of football and the New England Patriots than Tom Brady. We always have had, and will continue to have, Tom’s back. Especially when he’s being treated unfairly. Number two: I have been in constant communication with Tom over the past 16 months, and we’ve had numerous conversations this past week. We are both on the same page, and he knows exactly where my allegiances and the team’s are relative to the extremely unfair discipline that he has been subjected to. I share in our fans’ anger and frustration with the penalties the league has levied, and the entire process and how it was conducted." In Boston, Michael Whitmer noted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was "booed lustily every time he took the stage by the crowd in Chicago" at the NFL Draft (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/30). Boston-based WEEI-AM's Ryan Hannable wrote Kraft's backing of Brady for the first time since last Monday's ruling "shows no matter how long Deflategate goes, it still remains relevant" (WEEI.com, 4/30).
MAKING A STATEMENT: ESPN BOSTON's Mike Reiss noted former NFLer Kevin Faulk, a "close friend of Brady," chose to "make a statement" when he announced the Patriots' third-round pick Friday. He wore a Brady jersey "under his sport coat, and then when he stepped to the microphone, he said, 'The New England Patriots AND Tom Brady select...'" Patriots Dir of Player Personnel Nick Caserio said, "We all love Kevin Faulk ... one of the best Patriots on a multitude of levels and I'd say he certainly showed that tonight" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 4/29). In Boston, Karen Guregian wrote Faulk’s fashion statement was the "latest and most public display in support of Brady." The team "made waves on social media Thursday, posting a photo of Brady’s jersey on its official Instagram account the first day of the draft." NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent, who "came out with Faulk, didn’t look all that pleased by the move." But Faulk said that he "wasn’t asked to remove the jersey" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/1).
