Patriots Fans' "DeflateGate" Lawsuit Proves They're the Best/Worst

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

So, I know this story is a few days old, but you'll have to excuse me, because I've been on my Central Mass lacrosse grind for a few weeks now.

That said, I'd like to take time away from the cutthroat world of local high school sports to focus on something less serious: The NFL.

More specifically, a hilariously oblivious lawsuit filed by a few New England Patriots fans against the NFL, apparently attempting to get their favorite team's first round draft pick back, but probably just to get attention.

The suit, filed in Federal Court in Boston earlier this week, cites "emotional distress," and accuses the league and commissioner Roger Goodell of fraud and negligence.

Let's begin to unpack this ground-breaking case, with some quotes pulled from the suit by CBS Boston.

Bob Lobel: Those Sports Stories That Never Die

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

Sometimes you just sit in front of this computer and nothing comes out. 

Empty. 

I plead guilty. 

The Appropriate Time to Run This Play

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Why do NFL coaches and executives lose their damn minds whenever they deal with Bill Belichick?

Whether it's John Harbaugh forgetting what constitutes an eligible receiver, the Seahawks operating under the paranoid suspicion that Belichick was perpetually on the verge of taping their practices during last year's Super Bowl week, or GMs sending away king's ransoms to New England to move up on draft day, some of the smartest people in football seem to make the dumbest decisions around the four-time Super Bowl champion coach.

Last night was no different, as the Colts, who had played far better than anyone predicted and trailed by just a single score, ran one of the worst plays in NFL history (pictured above) on fourth down.

Do You Care if Your Team Cheats?

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

After an NFL offseason dominated by "DeflateGate" stories, Tom Brady's appeal of his four-game suspension in federal court, and an ESPN report linking the NFL's handling of Brady's alleged wrong doing with New England's "SpyGate" controversy from 2007, we opened the NFL season with (surprise, surprise) more cheating talk!

That's right, the Pittsburgh Steelers not only began the season accusing the Patriots of tampering with their coach-to-coach radio communications, they also complained about a tactic New England used when they had the ball down by Patriot the goal line.

With coach Mike Tomlin claiming that it's "always the case" that Pittsburgh struggles with radio communications in Gillette Stadium, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger saying he thought New England's last-second defensive line shift that drew the left side of the Steelers' offensive line into a false start penalty was either against the rules, or an "unwritten rule," we can pretty much assume that any time the Patriots do anything on the edge of the rules this year, we're going to label them "cheaters."

For the record, the league exonerated New England of any wrongdoing in regards to "HeadsetGate," and the line shift probably wasn't against the rules. Though the rule is very vague, it generally applies to defensive players simulating a quarterback's snap count, and is rarely called when players make abrupt movements right before the snap.

But it's not like this "New England cheats" narrative came out of thin air.

Bob Lobel: Do the Patriots Cheat?

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

This is going to be one of the most challenging and difficult columns I will ever have to write.

It's not fair, not at all, but I did volunteer to be the one to speak for many who, for one reason or another, could never talk to as many people as this is going require. 

The True Victims of "DeflateGate"

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

It's over.

Brady is free, Goodell is embarrassed, and all of New England is tasting sweet redemption for its Golden Boy and prized franchise.

Lost in all of this are the real victims of "DeflateGate:" Fans of every other team.

Not because Tom Brady will be allowed to play on opening night. That should have never been in question. Plus, did anyone really think Brady's suspension would affect New England's season in a real way? The Patriots were going to win at least two of those games he was out, then win 11 or 12 to take home that garbage division, and enter the playoffs with business running as usual.

Bob Lobel: Brady Wins Another Big One

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

"Go ahead, make my day.” 

There are many ways to describe the anguish fans have been put through during the last seven months, which I believe is the gestation period for an ostrich. You know, the one that puts its head in the sand. Heads have been in the sand for a long time on this story, which wasn’t a story, but became one when nobody had a clue as to why it took seven months to talk about and decide it. 

Call it a storybook ending. 

Troy Brown Talks Brady, DeflateGate and the Snazzy New Comcast Sports App

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

New England Patriots Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Brown was at the Xfinity store in Newton Wednesday, talking up a new Comcast sports app, and giving his thoughts on Tom Brady and the Patriots' upcoming season.

Lobel's Question of the Week: The NFL or NESN?

Legendary sportscaster Bob Lobel wants to hear from you in his poll of the week.

This week, Lobel's question centers around two organizations that have taken their share of lumps over the past few weeks.

Bob Lobel: I Don't Even Care About the Brady Decision Anymore

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

There comes a point when news becomes old and part of the “who cares” trash. That is where the Brady Ball is for me. 

It just hit me today that I really don’t care anymore what happens. Four games, one fourth of a game, 104 games: It's no longer my problem. Or, I should say, I have reached the point where I have become unattached to whatever the outcome turns out to be. 

I suspect I'm not alone. 

Bob Lobel: Making Sense of the Red Sox Shakeup

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

One of the fascinating things about hanging around the Boston sports universe is that things seem to happen all at once.

It can be dead quiet and then, BOOM, the world as we know it changes in ways we never thought possible. Larry leaves, Ben leaves without a gorilla suit and here comes Dave. Just when you try to grasp all the machinations and who is the real front office power now, the Brady feud looks closer to resolution than ever before.

Bob Lobel: Just Get This Brady Decision Over With

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

Pick a side… You're going to lose.

Pick the other side… You're going to lose. 

And so the most ridiculous argument ever forced onto sports fans is nearing an end.  A little longer and the NFL dream comes true. They don’t care about the W and L. They have already hit the jackpot. 

Fans won't remember what this was about because the games are starting. 

Really!

Podcast: Bob Lobel and Joe Parello on the NFL vs Tom Brady

Join legendary sportscaster Bob Lobel and SuiteSports editor Joe Parello as they break down the aftermath of the NFL's decision to deny Tom Brady's appeal of his four-game suspension.

What happens now as Brady takes the league to court? Was Brady's statement on social media convincing? What is to be made of this alleged cell phone destruction? How will it affect Brady's legacy, and much more.

Listen in below.

Bob Lobel: Pats Fans Still Await Brady's Fate

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

Just how long should it take to get a Brady decision from the NFL?  

Not this long. OK, Tom, go to federal court. Get an injunction, play when the season starts and let the court process work itself out. I find it hard to believe that the NFL has an appetite for public litigation involving one of, if not the, biggest face of the league.  

Public relations is a huge part of the league's presentation. 

Bob Lobel: The Insanity and Stupidity of "DeflateGate"

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

There is a great temptation to try to define exactly what we have been foaming about for the past 10 days. 

Cheating is a brutal and unfortunate description of letting air out of a football. Is counting cards at a Vegas table labeled as cheating? The frustrating part of this argument is the attempt to change an opinion or two about an emotionally charged subject that has seemingly polarized the outside sporting world from our little corner of the world. What ever happened to "Boston Strong" and the soothing feelings it seemed to have in moments of crisis? 

Trust me, Tom Brady and the two guys in the clubhouse that were supposed to be doing his bidding are not exactly the Jesse James gang. Bonnie and Clyde are not walking through that door.

How about this? Let's write down a few comparable crimes against humanity that are about the level of emptying a football of the air that keeps it a viable part of this game. Actually, this seems to be a game no longer. It’s a soap opera, turned CSI: Foxboro. 

Nobody Wins in the NFL's Handling of "DeflateGate"

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

By now you've probably heard that the NFL absolutely hammered the New England Patriots and star quarterback Tom Brady for the alleged intentional deflating of game footballs during last January's AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts.

For Brady and the Patriots' role in "DeflateGate" (or, as I prefer to call it, Ballghazi), the quarterback was suspended four games and the organization was docked both a 1st and 4th round draft pick, along with a $1 million fine.

That is insane.

Bob Lobel: The NFL to Blame for "DeflateGate"

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

Now that we know the punishment, the appeal becomes anti-climatic. The Patriots have surrendered draft picks before. A million dollar fine might knock off at least one trip to some Hollywood award night for the owner, but that's about it.

Doesn't look like an apology is on the way any time soon. But, honestly, this has been an emotionally unsettling week. Don't mistake these feelings for the Bill Simmons fiasco. While I have my own feelings about the Massachusetts native, I really could care less at the moment. The only thing I will say has the word "narcissistic" in it. 

The Brady damage has been my damage. That's my problem. When the Brady championships were there, they were my championships. I guess that's the definition of a fan. It's supposed to work that way. The whole structure of professional sports is built on that relationship. 

They win, I win. They lose, and it's a bad emotional ride.

Bob Lobel: The NFL Gives Ammo to Patriots Haters Everywhere

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

First it was the winter from hell. Plenty and plenty of snow… It never seemed to end. But now we go from the snow to the snow job. Not at all surprised how the league, AKA the dog and pony show, reacted, along with the millions of crazies who hate us. 

All across this land on this planet, they are celebrating The Wells Report as if their home team won the Super Bowl. Keep an eye out for victory parades springing up all over, probably starting with Indianapolis. 

Bob Lobel: My Theory on "Deflategate"

By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)

What is the truth? What really happened? Will we ever get past this stage of guessing and accusing?

Accusing has become close to being the national pastime. It's almost impossible to stay away from the speculation and not have an opinion on this story that is, literally, full of hot air. Well, maybe that's the issue… More like not quite full enough of hot air. 

I have a theory, and if you don’t want to hear it, stop reading.