Category Archives: NFL

New England Patriots, NFL

NFL-New England Patriots: Will Brady Retire Before Deflategate Is Resolved?

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I have just about convinced myself that neither the NFL (Roger Goodell) or the NFLPA (Tom Brady) are willing to move enough to settle their differences. At this stage it really doesn’t help either side to settle.

  • The NFL would look stupid (gee whiz, ya’ think?), after fighting for this long, to suddenly acknowledge the flawed Wells’ report was…well, flawed!
  • The NFLPA (aka Tom Brady) would have to admit guilt if they accepted any penalty other than a fine, and Mr. Brady has stated from the beginning he “did nothing wrong.”

GUNS A BLAZIN”

Guns A Blazing (photo: genius.com)
Guns A Blazing (photo: genius.com)

Both sides came out firing and emptied their weapons Friday, leaving little doubt they are still at war. When you read their filings you get the definite impression Judge Richard Berman is not going to get what he’s looking for when they gather again in his war room…oops, courthouse. The rhetoric is strong and if you haven’t seen it, here are a few excerpts from the filings.

  • NFLPA: “At every turn, the NFL misstates the record-from the discipline that was actually imposed”… “…to the Award that was actually rendered (which ignores-not “distinguishes” – settled law of the shop and the binding Peterson decision), to undisputed arbitration evidence (even the NFL does not deny Brady’s lack of notice – the League merely tries to explain it away). “
That was just the beginning, the filing also stated:
  • “The NFL’s seismic shifts are nothing short of breathtaking, “
  • “…the “independent” (Wells’) Report has now been relegated to “thorough,” the “independent” law firm has been relegated to “experienced and highly respected professionals,” and the whole façade of “independence” has been relabeled as “irrelevant.”

I won’t bore you with a lot of the legal language of the filing, but thought this one summed up the NFLPA’s stance in a nutshell

  • (The Award) is more a smear campaign than reasoned decision-a propaganda piece written for public consumption, at a time when the NFL believed the transcript would be sealed from public view, to validate a multi-million-dollar “independent” investigation”

In other words, liar, liar, pants on fire. I don’t know about you, but where I come from those are fightin’ words pardner and, if nothing else, Commissioner Goodell has always been ready to fight, despite his losing record and no matter how much it costs.

Not to be outdone, the NFL lawyers retaliated with a bombshell of their own when they filed later that day. How’s this for headline news:

Well now, we have definitely escalated from “generally aware” to actual pay-off huh? That doesn’t sound much like settling language to me. Of course, there’s still no direct evidence of this, but so what? As the old Wendy’s commercial asked “Where’s The Beef?”

Asking the NFL to play Where's The Beef?
Asking the NFL to play “Where’s The Beef?”

HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON?

If (and they will) the losing party appeals whatever the judge’s decision is we are talking years, not months. Tom Brady has stated he wants to play for 7 or 8 more years (good luck on that Tom), but what happens if he retires before all the appeals are heard and ruled on?  Think about this:

  1. Would all this have been for nothing?
  2. Could the courts, the NFLPA, the NFL and all the football fans in the world finally relax and forget about this much-ado-about-nothing case?
  3. Will Roger Goodell continue as NFL Commissioner at a multi-million $$$ salary (sorry Pats fans, but the answer to that is yes)

Is anyone really optimistic that a settlement will happen after reading this? You have to believe even Judge Berman is doubtful. He once again grilled the NFL Wednesday yet they are sticking to their guns on four games. No room to negotiate when one side is ignoring the Judge!  A roomful of lawyers and a judge, sounds like a new TV series to me!

To read both filings, click on the green highlighted text, go to your favorite reading room (in my case the bathroom) and set aside a few hours. It took me about that long to read/re-read it all and I still don’t get all the legalize.

As I acknowledged in my ” The Judge Doesn’t Buy It” column, this was written with my own bias as a lifelong Patriots fan, so please hold off on the hate comments. Thanks.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots Player Profiles: Is Danny Amendola Set For a Career Season?

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In March of 2013, the New England Patriots acquired Danny Amendola via free agency after the departure of long-time, and extremely productive receiver Wes Welker. Patriots fans were irate with the decision, seeing how Welker had fought through injury throughout his six-year Patriots career and hardly missed any time.

On the other hand, Amendola had missed a total of twenty-two games in four seasons with the St. Louis Rams for various injuries, including a serious collar bone injury that could have taken his life. Amendola entered Foxborough the same way he entered Texas Tech, taking over for a record breaking Wes Welker at slot receiver.

Amendola’s first year and a half in Foxborough was tough and frustrating for himself and the fans. Not only did he struggle to stay healthy, which was his biggest question mark heading in, he also could not get on the same page as Tom Brady. He was the polar opposite of Wes Welker at the beginning.

Amendola’s career really jump started in week seven of last season against the New York Jets on a rainy Thursday night at Gillette Stadium. The score was 20-19 in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots were hanging on to the lead by the skin of their teeth. On a third and nineteen play, Tom Brady rolled out of the pocket to his left side and looked as if he was just firing the ball into the back of the end zone, when out of nowhere Amendola snagged the ball out of the air while getting hit by Jets safety Antonio Allen, for a touchdown. The Patriots prevailed in the end with a 27-25 victory.

musketfire.com
musketfire.com

That single play helped carry Amendola throughout the season, and particularly into the postseason. In three playoff games Amendola finished with eleven receptions, for 137 yards, and three touchdowns. The divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens is where Amendola contributed the most.

In the fourth quarter the Patriots faced a huge third down play while trailing 31-28. Brady fired a quick out-route to Amendola, and he then shook off Baltimore defenders to dive over the first-down marker, setting up a fresh set of downs. The Patriots would later score on a touchdown reception from Brandon LaFell, which gave the team the lead 35-31, the score they would win by.

 Of course Amendola’s most notable moments came in the end zone. His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight.His second touchdown of the Baltimore game from Julian Edelman which tied the game up at twenty-eight. Then about three weeks later, Amendola helped bring the Patriots back into Super Bowl XLIX, finding the end zone to narrow the Seattle lead to 24-21 in the fourth quarter.

bostonglobe.com
bostonglobe.com

Going into the 2015 season, Amendola looked set to be the number three receiver on the Patriots roster. However, with Brandon LaFell still on the physically unable to perform list, and Julian Edelman fighting injuries, Amendola has received more first team reps and targets from Tom Brady than any other Patriots wide receiver.

This increased amount of reps and comfort with the starting quarterback could very well lead to Danny Amendola’s first full season where he is a productive player on the Patriots roster. He brings a lot to the table. He has the ability to play in the slot, and also at times catch the ball outside of the numbers. In addition, his most underrated trait is his ability to run block. Last season, Josh McDaniels called a lot of sweep plays to the outside where Amendola would come down and stalk block on a defensive back.

Furthermore, Amendola was without a doubt the Patriots best kick returner in 2014. He came onto the scene in week twelve against Detroit where he had two very solid returns that helped jump start the Patriots offense.

In conclusion, now that Danny Amendola is a, “made-man” in the Patriots offense, he can now be apart of a plethora of targets that should be one of the league’s best offenses. With the contributions of All-Pro Rob Gronkowski, and the reliable Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell, and now you can throw in Amendola who could bring in about sixty receptions, the Patriots offense should be lethal.

AFC, NFL, San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers: Phillip Rivers Staying Put For Awhile

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One of the big rumors of the 2015 NFL offseason revolved around Phillip Rivers. The 33-year old Chargers quarterback was said to be on the trade block leading up to the NFL draft. While his future was in question, Rivers finally decided his future Saturday night, as he signed a 4-year $83 million extension, with $65 million guaranteed. The contract makes it likely Rivers will retire a Charger. Despite rumors of the team moving to Los Angeles, Rivers decided this team is built to be a Super Bowl contender during the rest of his career, and he won’t have to move his family. In case you didn’t know, Rivers is the anti-Antonio Cromartie, as he has seven kids with his one wife.

As is the norm when a quarterback signs a new contract, everybody freaks out when they see the numbers. The same thing happened with Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, the list goes on. This is a simple supply and demand problem. The supply of capable quarterbacks in the National Football League is limited, while the demand is through the roof. If you can get a good quarterback, you’ve rebuilt your team. The Bills and Texans have great rosters, but they don’t have quarterbacks, and therefore they can’t make the playoffs. The Colts and Patriots have more limited rosters, but they have Tom Brady and Andrew Luck, so they’re contenders every year.

And if you’re really concerned about how much Phillip Rivers is going to make, let’s look at his standing amongst other NFL quarterbacks. Time for a quick tier ranking.

Tier 1 (Can Carry a Weak Roster to the Super Bowl): In no particular order, this tier consists of Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, and Tom Brady

Tier 2 (Can Win a Super Bowl With a Decent Roster, Can Win Games With Bad Teams): Mostly In order, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Rivers, Eli Manning, Tony Romo, and Drew Brees. Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, and Cam Newton might be there, but they have more to prove.

So there you go, Rivers is in a pretty elite class of quarterbacks. It’s hard to argue he’s not at least a top ten quarterback. And by the way, because I know everyone’s going to be outraged by this, Peyton Manning can’t win a Super Bowl anymore. You could see it in the playoff loss last year. His body is too beaten down to play at an elite level for an entire season, and in cold weather he doesn’t have a prayer.

The Chargers could be a sleeper this year. They’re talented offensively, and have a decent defense as well. In a division where the Broncos have taken some hits this offseason, they are a legitimate threat to win the AFC West. The team had a chance to throw it in. They could’ve traded Rivers for a high pick and taken Marcus Mariota and announced to the world they were rebuilding. But they didn’t. And now they’ve signed Rivers for the next four years, and told everybody that they are in it to win it for the next few years.

AFC, NFC, NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

NFL: Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota preseason debut breakdown

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Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, quarterbacks taken first and second in the 2015 NFL Draft debuted for their respective teams in their preseason openers.

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Jameis Winston, drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, had his debut on Aug. 15, and struggled in the game against the Minnesota Vikings.  Winston finished the day throwing 9-for-19 for 131 yards. He also threw an interception. Winston’s day was off to a bad start, as he kept missing receivers, usually overthrowing them, or throwing too high, like his interception.  He also got hit often and sacked twice. Jameis also fumbled a snap. Though there were many negatives, Jameis did show off his talent and why the Bucs chose him first. He led two scoring drives, one ending in a field goal, one ending with a touchdown. His touchdown drive was impressive, as on the nine-play 76 yard drive, he completed five straight passes. He then capped it off by running in a touchdown from eight yards out.

Though Winston had a shaky and troubling debut, there should not be anything to worry about. It was the first preseason game, and there’s three more to go. Even though Winston has lots of expectations, he is a rookie and will have speed bumps. He has the talent to be great, and should progress through the preseason.

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Marcus Mariota, drafted second overall by the Tennessee Titans, debuted on Aug 14. against the Atlanta Falcons. Overall, Mariota played great in his debut, even though he  struggled and got off to a bad start. His first two possessions ended in turnovers, one being an interception, and one being a fumble returned for a touchdown. When his first ever NFL play led to being sacked, Mariota threw an interception after he failed to see Falcons linebacker Justin Durant sprinting to make a play and stopping the screen. On the fumble, guard Chance Warmack blew the protection, letting Jonathan Babineaux strip the ball as Maritota stepped up to pass. However, after those two mishaps, it was smooth sailing as we saw Mariota show off his talent and accuracy we had been accustomed to seeing when he was an Oregon Duck.  Mariota led a scoring drive where he threw for four straight completions, and was capped off by a Dexter McCluster rushing touchdown. At the end of the night, Mariota finished seven-for-eight for 94 yards, with the interception being his lone incompletion.

Even with Mariota heading out of the gate struggling, he surged and finished strong. Marcus looked comfortable in Ken Whisenhunt’s offense, silencing some questions on whether he would be able to adjust to an pro-style offense. However, Mariota did seem more comfortable taking snaps from shotgun instead of under center.

Both Winston and Mariota had bad starts, but showed their toughness and mentality by being able to power through and finish strong. Though it is only one preseason game and that we should take this with a grain of salt, the future looks bright for the Buccaneers and Titans, and their franchise quarterbacks.

AFC, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFC, NFL

New England Patriots: Thoughts from the Packers game and Moving Forward

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Often times, we rush to conclusions after a loss and think Armageddon is coming and how this is going to be a bad year. To remember that so many people didn’t play against Green Bay, especially starters, is key. We have to take it for what it was and go forward. With New Orleans coming up, here are some things to watch for.

via boston.cbslocal.com
via boston.cbslocal.com

Jimmy Garrapolo had a decent 2nd half after he settled down and was better. I think he showed more good than bad. He wasn’t helped by his WR corps and offensive line (that in a minute), but he showed poise and made some great throws. He has a lot of work to do, but if he has to play, I’m sure McDaniels will do enough to get him ready. Seeing how he plays against an aggressive blitzing package that Rob Ryan likes to employ should see if he learned from the Packers game.

csnne.com
csnne.com

To say that Josh Boyce’s game was a nightmare is an understatement. He seemed disconnected and didn’t fight for any balls. It’s a mild surprise he hasn’t been released yet, but his deep speed might keep him around for a few more weeks. Chris Harper and Jonathan Krause were by far the most impressive WR’s in the game and along with Brandon Gibson, will be vying for that 5th WR spot on the roster behind Edelman, LaFell, Amendola and Dobson. Either way, their presense on the practice squad is almost assured.

The offensive line was a sieve, allowing 7 sacks and countless pressures. Moving Chris Barker to LT made little sense as he was consistently dominated. Like Garrapolo’s play, you can’t judge the whole line by its backups. Shaq Mason had a great block on a pull that sprung Jonas Gray’s 55 yard TD run, but he struggled in pass blocking. David Andrews was surprisingly solid at C and G and could be a keeper going forward. I remember when Ryan Wendell was stuck on the inactive list/practice squad for a few years before he was ready to contribute. Andrews could be a similar story.

Even with the injuries to Rufus Johnson and Trey Flowers being unknown at this point, their play is indicative of how the defense will be this year. They are taking a similar modus operandi of the Giants and having an incredibly aggressive pass rush to make up for an average secondary. Even though the secondary played very well at times, there is a lot of inexperience there. Knowing that Belichick and Patricia will coach them up eases the worry.

The negative of the defense was their run defense, but seeing that Branch and Siliga didn’t play in the middle might be responsible for that. But the missed tackles, especially by Cameron Gordon on the edge was frustrating. Jonathan Freeny had a rough first quarter but seemed to settle down. Seeing how well the DT’s and the LB’s hold up against the new aggressive Saints O Line and running attack could be indicative of how well the Pats can be run on. In spite of all the questions, this defense will be much more aggressive this year than last year and that could be a very good thing.

To remember that the preseason are glorified practices is very important. This is the team figuring out roster moves and experimenting with different plays on both sides of the ball. The game showed that the Pats are going to be chippy and aggressive and won’t back down from a fight. With most people signaling the end of the Pats dominance of the AFC East with the moves the Jets, Bills and Dolphins made, this shows that they aren’t going down without a fight.

NFL

Patriots vs. Packers – Second Quarter Review

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Let’s just hope Jonas Gray sets his alarm clock on Monday.  The guy who single handily murdered the Colts scampered for a fifty-five yard run down the sidelines to put the Patriots up 8-3.   Gray ran in the ensuing two point conversion. The second string Green Bay offense struggled and wasn’t able to produce more than a first down or two, handing the ball back over to the Patriots.   With Jimmy G at the helm, the Patriot’s drive stalled deep in their own territory with a breakdown on the offensive line allowing a sack on Jimmy G.  The Packers dinked and dunked downfield setting up a third and eight just over midfield.  Green Bay seems to have left their punter at the airport and made Logan Ryan look like Meg Ryan, getting beat on the go route for a Green Bay touchdown.  Green Bay missed the two point conversion, taking a 9-8 lead.  Jimmy G hit James White on a nice little screen pass, but almost coughed the ball up with a poorly under-thrown pass.  This forced the Patriots to punt, pinning the Packers at their twenty.  The Packers seemed to continue treating this like a Madden game going for it yet again on fourth down, this time failing to convert.  This put the Patriots in decent field position at the tail end of the first half, setting up perfectly for the two-minute offense.  Jimmy G under-threw Boyce for the third time, barely avoiding an interception, causing the Patriots to settle for a 56 yard field goal attempt.   Gostkowski smashed the field goal through the uprights, giving the Patriots an 11-9 lead at the half.

NFL

Patriots vs. Packers – First Quarter Review

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The opening quarter of the preseason is always is filled with anticipation after being away from the game for over six months.  Tom Brady and the New England Patriots took the field at Gillette Stadium about an hour ago to take on the Aaron Rodgers lead Green Bay Packers.  The first quarter opened with Chandler Jones putting pressure on Aaron Rodgers and forcing the Packers to a third and long.  An offside penalty negated a three and out allowing Rodgers to lead the Packers down the field.  Rodgers being the best in the game with the back shoulder fade hit a few clutch passes bringing the Packers into the red zone.  A great fourth down stop deep in Patriots territory led to a turnover on downs handing the ball over to the Patriots.  Brady led the offense onto the field with second and third string offensive linemen and skill players against the Packers defense with about nine minutes to go in the quarter.  The Patriots were three and out bringing the Packers offense back out onto the field in decent field position.  Green Bay came back onto the field and decided to go for it on fourth and short and was stuffed deep in their own territory.  In a surprising move, Brady came back onto the field for another drive hitting newcomer Brandon Gibson on a slant route to open the drive, but didn’t progress much from there.  The Green Bay offense policed by Rodgers came on for a third drive. Trey Flowers made a great move around the tackle to sack Rodgers but Green Bay converted on fourth down extending the drive.  Randall Cobb then made a great grab on a slant route bringing the Pack deep into Patriots territory.  The first quarter wound down with the Packers settling for a field goal due to great New England defense in the red zone.

AFC, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, NFC, NFL

Preseason LIVE from Nix’s Mate in Boston

Image: Packers.com
Image: Packers.com

After talk of deflated footballs and TB12 being generally aware of something that may or may not have happened seven months ago, the time for football is finally upon us.  The defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, kick off their 2015 preseason tonight at Gillette Stadium. Even though there will be no Tom Brady, we’ll get our first glimpse of the rookie class, veterans trying to make the roster, and Jimmy G running the first team offense. A few things to watch for

  • Can the patch work offensive line give Jimmy Garoppolo enough time to throw?
  • How will the rookie class react to their first game on the big stage?
  • Will guys like Josh Boyce and Tavon Wilson prove they deserve a roster spot?

Goalline Gazette will be writing content with analysis at the completion of each quarter. Mike Procopio will be broadcasting live from Nix’s Mate in downtown Boston in conjunction with Frankie Says Relax, MVP, Boston Brothers, JM & ODogg.

New England Patriots, NFL

New England Patriots: Judge Berman Doesn’t Buy It

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Let me start by saying I was (gulp) wrong. Now if only NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would just say the same thing and Tom Brady would apologize for not being “cooperative” we could all start talking about football instead of the legal garbage. Unfortunately, that’s too simplistic at this stage.

In my recent article on “Deflategate”, published before Wednesday’s conference between Judge Richard Berman, the NFL legal team and Tom Brady’s attorneys I mistakenly said this isn’t about whether Brady knew about the deflation of the NFL’s balls.  

The inaccurate Chris Mortenson NFL
The inaccurate Chris Mortenson NFL “leak” that drove football fans to a frenzy

Judge Berman, to the NFL’s chagrin, quickly dispelled that notion when he grilled NFL Attorney Daniel Nash about the proof of Tom Brady’s involvement in a conspiracy. And, (use your Gomer Pyle voice please) “sur-prise, sur-prise” …the Judge doesn’t understand how the NFL made their case in “Deflategate.” Here’s what he asked Nash:

“What is (the) evidence of scheme or conspiracy that covers the January 18 game? I’m having trouble with that.”

The NFL’s “So What” Defense

Yup, he went down that road despite everyone’s understanding that the legal issue was whether due process was given properly. And guess what the NFL Legal Team’s answer to just about every question was? You got it, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed off on by the players, including Mr. Brady, states the Commissioner can make the decision based upon his judgement…in other words the nah, nah, it doesn’t matter whether he is proven guilty or not defense.

I acknowledge I may have (OK, did) made the NFL look guilty of any real conspiracy by highlighting the most explosive part of the hearings. Judge Berman did state he still hadn’t made any decision on the case, so not to read too much into the questions he asked…but c’mon. “I’m having trouble with that“ sure sounds like he isn’t buying into why this has arrived in his court.

The judge questioned both sides and asked most of the questions fans, both pro and con Brady, have asked for going on seven months now.

  • Is there a solid link between Brady and any “direct evidence” connecting Tom Brady to the balls being tampered with?
  • Is there an e-mail tie between John Jastremski, the equipment assistant, and Jim McNally, the officials’ locker room attendant on that infamous day.

Dash’s reply, “no,” but (to paraphrase the rest) there’s enough circumstantial evidence to link Brady. Also see the “So What” defense above. At the meeting Brady’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, acknowledged that the Patriots’ QB wasn’t completely innocent in the Deflategate fiasco by not fully cooperating with the investigation on the advice of his agent Don Yee. That seemed like a first step in the right direction.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Now that we have the sensational headline out-of-the-way, the question becomes what went on behind closed doors? No matter what you see, hear or read…don’t believe it until a final agreement is reached or (oh no) it goes to court. Everyone (except me, of course) has highly informed secret sources who can’t be revealed because of privacy agreements (you know, freedom of the press) and “leaks” will occur…but until it comes from the horse’s mouth (sorry Judge Berman, didn’t mean to call you a horse) don’t buy into anything!

The parties continued to meet in private until after 7PM Wednesday. That’s a long time to not do anything, provided nothing was accomplished. Now it’s my turn to speculate that, if the NFL insists on Brady accepting the accuracy of the Wells report (as rumored) this case has a long, long way to go.  If however the NFL is willing to exclude that caveat there is some wiggle room.

The problem remains that no matter how many people poke holes in the report the NFL adamantly refuses to budge. Why, oh why, would Tom Brady now say he’d accept the report and acknowledge he lied under oath and set himself up for even more ridicule? It’s not going to happen…in my humble opinion.

SO WHAT NOW

Although both Brady and Goodell were present, they both let their legal counsel do all the talking after introducing themselves to the court. What happens next is up to the NFL (Goodell) and NFLPA (Brady) while Judge Berman awaits for the next get together, scheduled for August 19. He has flatly told them that they must have meaningful settlement discussions and wants them to make progress between now and that conference. Will that occur? Both sides will have to make some major concessions if a settlement is arrived at…and dammit, that’s highly unlikely.

Who Me? (Photo from youtube.com)
Who Me? (Photo from youtube.com)

All the opinions in this article are mine and have been influenced by my skewed look at things through the eyes of a lifelong Patriot fan. I admit it, so please, hold back on the hate comments.

Follow me on Twitter @SnowdonBob

AFC, Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, NFL

Peyton Manning Speaks About Tom Brady

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Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. The two have been linked for seemingly their entire careers. Not only are they the two best quarterbacks of their generation, they’re likely the two best of all time (sorry Joe Montana). It’s been a fun debate. How often do you have the two best at their position playing at the same time? They’re the same age (Manning is 39, Brady 38), and they meet just about every season. The only other time it’s happened in sports is in the NBA, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson battled it out for an NBA championship every year.

Everybody debates which quarterback is better, it’s an American pastime. Add Tom Brady to those who are a part o the debate. When Brady and the NFLPA filed suit against the NFL for their ruling in deflategate, some of the documents filed were some of Brady’s personal emails. One of the emails leaked was between Brady and a personal friend during the week of the Patriot’s matchup with the Broncos. They were discussing the same thing every football fan loves to debate, Brady vs. Manning. Tom said the difference is going to be that, “[Brady’s] got another 7 or 8 years. [Manning] has 2. That’s the final chapter.”

Yesterday Peyton Manning spoke about it for the first time at Broncos training camp. Manning said, “Hey, Tom sent me an apology text that was unnecessary. The fact his emails got revealed, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.” Manning went on to say, “No harm, no foul, I didn’t think a lot of it. Somebody said I was roasted, I’ve been roasted before and that is not roasted. I haven’t been on a Comedy Central roast, but I’ve been to a couple private dinners and banquets where I didn’t know it was going to turn into a roast of me, but it did. I can promise you that email was amateur night compared to some of the things that were said about me.”

The two are nothing but respectful of each other. Both are ultra-competitive, and you can see here that includes individual competition. If someone were to go into Peyton Manning’s private emails, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to find something similar. That’s not the main takeaway from this instance. The main story is that this should never go public. That’s why people settle cases. When the NFL and NFLPA were first negotiating a settlement, Brady said while he wouldn’t accept any suspension, he would consider accepting a fine. Why would Brady accept a fine if he believed he wasn’t guilty? Isn’t accepting a fine an admittance of guilt? This is why. Paying a fine is getting rid of a headache. It’s getting rid of a long court case. It’s protecting your own privacy.

Here’s the other takeaway most Patriot haters will never admit and don’t want to hear. This is why you destroy your cell phone. What person that’s paid attention to how Roger Goodell has handled his business in recent years would trust the NFL with their private cell phone? Does it look bad that Brady destroyed it? Yes. Is it really an obstruction of evidence? Not really. Brady and his attorneys provided Ted Wells and the NFL with all of the necessary cell phone records. Can you blame him for not wanting his private cell phone to end up in the NFL’s hands? The NFL, who has manipulated the entire deflategate controversy with leaks at calculated times, in order to shape public opinion. While Tom Brady’s personal opinion of Peyton Manning, the real story is the release of personal information, and helps explain some of the actions taken by Brady in his appeal.