Now that the dust has settled over Brady and “Deflategate,” let’s look at the real issues: integrity and intent. We, as fans, believe a sport is a contest of great athletes that play the game fairly. What Tom Brady did or did not do shook this belief.
I am not a particular fan of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, but when he spoke about the integrity of the game, he hit the nail on the head. Goodell imposed a four-game suspension on New England Patriot quarterback Tom Brady and a one-million-dollar fine on the Patriots’ organization that should have stuck. But a federal court nullified Brady’s suspension.
The NFL Players Union took charge and sued the NFL, and specifically Roger Goodell, in court. Regardless of the outcome, Goodell was right integrity is the basis on which sport fans operate. We have to believe that the game is fair.
NFL independent investigator Ted Wells wrote, “It is highly probable that Tom Brady was ‘at least generally aware that balls were underinflated.’” Ten out of the 12 balls were underinflated to 11.5 PSI, about two pounds under regulation. The Patriots ended up winning the game 45-7, but that is not important; it is the intent. The intent was to make the balls easier to grip, and in cold weather an underinflated ball is easier to hang on to, both for a quarterback or a receiver. True, the Patriots didn’t need the aid of underinflated balls, but again, that is not the point. It is kind of like a kid having a “cheat sheet” and then claiming he did not need it.
Now, let’s examine the cell phone issue. The NFL had requested Brady’s phone, and Brady destroyed his phone, claiming that he always destroys his phones when he gets a new one. An NFL investigator debunked the claim when his previous phone was not destroyed. Brady also claimed his phone contained too many personal text messages. The NFL countered that he could delete any personal information, and still Brady opted to destroy his phone. Apparently, Brady did not fully cooperate. Again, what was his intent?
Then there is the tiny incident of Robert Kraft and the Federal Judge Richard Berman showing up at the same party over the Labor Day weekend. The “party” included guests such as Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric, team owners and one federal judge. The Patriots’ spokesperson claims it was a “chance encounter.” Maybe, maybe not.
The only real effect of this silly “deflation” is a drastic drop in Tom Brady’s reputation. Brady has dropped to the lower 20 percent in the popularity polls among celebrities. He is ranked at 18 percent, next to conservative talk show host Bill O’Reilly, in least trusted people polls. Whether Brady cheated or not, the Patriots and Brady have paid a price. Perhaps the only people blind enough to ignore the intent of deflating 10 footballs are hanging on the rocks of New England.
Football fans have the right to believe that the games are played fairly and with good sportsmanship. That is essentially the integrity of the game. It does not matter much that Brady’s suspension was nullified; the Patriots’ organization did not respect the game enough to play honestly. It’s not about Brady or the Patriots or the Super Bowl; it’s all about integrity and intent.
