As I detailed this morning, Tom Brady‘s appeal hearing finally got underway today, with Roger Goodell acting as arbitrator while Brady and the NFLPA make the case for the quarterback’s suspension to be reduced or removed. A handful of updates have trickled out in the hours since then, so let’s check in on the latest….
- After ten hours, Brady hearing has drawn to a close, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. No further hearings are scheduled.
- Brady’s appeal is ongoing and Ben Volin of The Boston Globe (on Twitter) guesses that both sides want to wrap things up today rather than have it drag into Thursday.
- The NFLPA called upon Troy Vincent, Ted Wells, and a scientific expert as witnesses, Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports tweets.
- Schefter clarifies his earlier report (outlined below), noting that a June 15 letter from Levy referenced a four-hour time limit for Brady’s defense team. However, in a June 22 letter, Levy added that if “good cause” was shown, he’d grant up to one additional hour for the defense. In a tweet, Schefter provides a copy of that June 15 letter.
- According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (via Twitter), the NFL will get about two hours to give its own testimony, with today’s proceedings expected to end around 5:30pm eastern time.
Earlier updates:
- Brady is testifying under oath during today’s session, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). That’s the sort of thing you generally hear in actual court cases, but as former Packers executive Andrew Brandt notes (via Twitter), Goodell – as the arbitrator – sets the rules for the hearing, and Ray Rice‘s appeal also featured sworn testimony.
- Patriots owner Robert Kraft was unable to testify on behalf of Brady over the phone, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Instead, per Schefter (Twitter link), Kraft wrote an affidavit to be introduced during the appeal, supporting Brady’s character.
- According to Schefter (via Twitter), Brady’s defense team was given four hours today to present its case, and the hearing is expected to wrap up today rather than continuing on Thursday. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello countered Schefter’s report, tweeting that there’s no strict four-hour time limit for Brady’s team, and their presentation is expected to go longer than that.
- Alongside Goodell, CBA expert and outside counsel Gregg Levy is heavily involved in overseeing Brady’s hearing, tweets Rapoport.
CONGRATULATION TO ALL OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE BRADY IS GUILTY AS SIN! My list of questions below is addressed to all of those who think Mr. Brady did not know his “Balls” were deflated. (Please forgive the PUN) Notwithstanding how ridiculous some of those CBA by rules are and how miniscule of a violation the deflated footballs were or might have been, Brady should have known and KNEW his “Balls” were deflated, (again, please forgive the PUN):
• Would Ji m McNally and John Jastremski have arbitrarily deflated those ‘footballs’?
• Who benefited by deflated those footballs?
• More importantly, who instructed them to deflate footballs?
• Was the deflation of footballs a unilateral or by-lateral contract between the “ball boys” in concert with someone or may more than someone?
• Knowing how fussy Brady has been with the footballs pressure, would they arbitrarily deflate the footballs without someone’s consent?
• McNally, someone whom Brady claimed not having known would have received all of those gifts?
• Were those gifts given to McNally gratuitously or as payments for continually doing a good job?
• Did not Jastremski mentioned speaking to Brady the previous night, of a particular game, saying the quarterback knew McNally was STRESSED out by needing to deflate the footfalls?
• Why McNally referred to himself as “the Deflator”?
Wells in his report specifically mentioned two series of text exchanges between officials’ locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski. In one of thetex, McNally referred to himself as “the Deflator” and joked about going to ESPN. In another, Jastremski mentioned speaking to Brady the previous night, saying the quarterback knew McNally was stressed out by needing to deflate the balls.
TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE BRADY’S FANS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WERE TEXING ABOUT? MY BALLS OR BRADY’S BALLS? …Sorry for the Pun……
OK, Brady, now be a man, face the music and pay the piper for your misdeeds………..Romulus