Tom Brady's four-game suspension nullified

[Steviek]

It sure sounds like the dam in Foxboro is beginning to break...

http://deadspin.com/bombshell-espn-repo ... 1729286402

[conace21]

It sure sounds like the dam in Foxboro is beginning to break...

http://deadspin.com/bombshell-espn-repo ... 1729286402

I remember a 1995 MNF game between the Browns and Bills. Buffalo was running their no huddle offense, and several times during the game, Cleveland defenders would lay injured in the field, but recovered in time for the next series. Dan Dierdorf, Al Michaels, and Frank Gifford all commented on the number of injuries Cleveland was suffering. Even as a naive 13 year old, I could still figure out that the defenders were taking their injuries in order to allow their defenders to catch a breath and slow down the no huddle.
It wasn't quite as obvious as the Seattle defensive linemen in the 1988 playoffs against Cincinnati
Belichick has always looked for an edge, and has been willing to walk a fine line. I'm not about to chastise him for the stunt he pulled in 1995, considering that Marv Levy had publicly threatened to do the same thing before the AFC Championship Game in Cincinnati

Also, for what it's worth, the stunt backfired on him. Starting CB Antonio Langham left with an injury, and Frank Gifford talked about his green replacement, Tim Jacobs. On the very next play, Andre Reed burned Jacobs for a 41 yard TD catch that gave the Bills the lead. Buffalo won 22-19, and this actually started the Browns slide. They were 3-1 coming into the game, and I believe they had dropped to 4-4 by the time their move to Baltimore was announced.

[Reaser]

It wasn't quite as obvious as the Seattle defensive linemen in the 1988 playoffs against Cincinnati

It's still an embarrassment.

[rhickok1109]

As many of you probably know by now, I'm a Packer fan but I live in New England, so I know a lot of Patriot fans. I also read their comments in various places, including the Boston Globe's website, and the mood is not good. Somewhere close to 100%--let us say Ivory soap's 99.44%--feel that Roger Goodell, the NFL, and all the other football fans in the country hate their team.

If the Patriots lose just one game because of a questionable call, the meme will be that Goodell ordered it to happen that way.

If that doesn't damage the perception of "the integrity of the game," I don't know what does.

[BD Sullivan]

As many of you probably know by now, I'm a Packer fan but I live in New England, so I know a lot of Patriot fans. I also read their comments in various places, including the Boston Globe's website, and the mood is not good. Somewhere close to 100%--let us say Ivory soap's 99.44%--feel that Roger Goodell, the NFL, and all the other football fans in the country hate their team.

If the Patriots lose just one game because of a questionable call, the meme will be that Goodell ordered it to happen that way.

If that doesn't damage the perception of "the integrity of the game," I don't know what does.

Ironically, getting screwed on a call was what Tim Brown said would officially make the Patriots the new Raiders--i.e. the most despised team that the league "plots against":

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nf ... /71924154/

[oldecapecod11]

Once upon a time in Fakesborough...

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/up ... rson_d.gif

http://www.2ndyellow.com/wp-content/upl ... d-goal.jpg

[Gary Najman]

Once upon a time in Fakesborough...

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/up ... rson_d.gif

http://www.2ndyellow.com/wp-content/upl ... d-goal.jpg

The referee in the picture, Bob Frederic no. 71, was a crew chief for 17 seasons from 1971-1987, yet he only worked three playoff games as a referee (a divisional playoff in 1976, then two wild cards in 1981 and 1982).

[Jeremy Crowhurst]

It sure sounds like the dam in Foxboro is beginning to break...

http://deadspin.com/bombshell-espn-repo ... 1729286402

So now you're quoting a blogger's version of a story that's already been trashed for it's shoddy sourcing and multitude of inaccuracies?

My favorite part was Mike Martz's whole "THEY REWROTE MY STATEMENT! I DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE THAT STUFF!"

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... t-changed/

[Steviek]

It sure sounds like the dam in Foxboro is beginning to break...

http://deadspin.com/bombshell-espn-repo ... 1729286402

So now you're quoting a blogger's version of a story that's already been trashed for it's shoddy sourcing and multitude of inaccuracies?

Yes I'm certain it's being trashed all over New England. The Ashley Madison's of the NFL.

[rhickok1109]

The very troubling thing to me about this story is the lack of named sources.

I worked for five newspapers in three states and not a single one of them would have run a story like this. To a journalst, anonymous sources are (or should be) like stool pigeons are to cops: You don't quote them but you don't implicity believe them. You put it in a lot of work corroborating what they tell you and somewhere around 90% of the time you can't corroborate because they didn't tell you the truth.

It says a lot more about ESPN than it does about the Patriots.