In Boston, Ben Volin notes NFLPA outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler yesterday "fired back" at the NFL, writing a letter to U.S. District Judge Richard Berman "contesting the points made by NFL attorney Daniel Nash in a letter to the court on Monday" over Deflategate. The back-and-forth is "over a list of cases submitted last week by Kessler of arbitration awards that have been overturned in the Southern District of New York or the Second Circuit of Appeals, the court system that is hearing Tom Brady’s lawsuit." Nash and the NFL argue that none of the 19 cases submitted "applies to Brady’s lawsuit." Kessler yesterday responded by stating that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "overstepped his boundaries as a fundamentally biased arbitrator when he heard Brady’s appeal on June 23" (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/26).
SAFETY DONE RIGHT: IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves said of making safety improvements in open-wheel, open-cockpit racing, “We are trying to make sure that when we do it, we do it the right way." He added, "I’m sure the community and FIA will be able to find something, and hopefully … we can make improvements.” IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan said, “It’s always been time to talk about safety, and I want people to be aware that we are not talking about closing cockpits now. … We have been working with the Drivers’ Association of Formula One as well to make a solution, but things take time” (“NASCAR America,” NBCSN, 8/26).
LESS IS MORE: Clippers F Blake Griffin said of what he thinks the ideal length of the NBA season would be if money were no object, "Sixty-six, spread over the same amount of time (as the current 82-game season). Fatigue and injuries, and better product. If you have less games, less back-to-backs, the product's better. The fans will appreciate it more. You see those college guys playing so hard, but they play 36 games in the same amount of time we play 82 almost. I just think it would be a better product" (CBSSPORTS.com, 8/20).
