Irrelevant. The Patriots balls were deflated to less than regulation pressure, and that was no accident.
As far as the "rules of evidence", they were followed in this case. This is not a criminal proceeding so there doesn't need to be proof beyond a reasonable doubt. There just needs to be a preponderance of the evidence...in other words, more likely than not.
In addition, the NFL is a private organization bound by the CBA and not by some otherwise accepted due process. If your boss believes you are stealing from the company, he can fire you without having to prove it, unless you have a contract that specifies the rules of termination.
More than anything, Brady got hammered because he refused to cooperate with the investigation, which players are required to do in the CBA. If the NFL allowed that to slide, it would result in a huge mess any time henceforth they need to investigate something.
Was the incident catastrophic like someone shaving points? No, but if the integrity of the game comes into doubt, the fan base will dry up in a hurry. Look what happened to boxing in a very short time. Worst of all is the lack of institutional control in New England. You'd think the owner would make damned sure he wasn't up for having the reputation of his franchise repeatedly hit by these kinds of scandals, but apparently Bob Kraft isn't the pillar of integrity he's portrayed to be.
Originally Posted by: OlHoss1884