Tom Brady has presumably had enough time to digest the Wells Report, which has placed New England’s gridiron glamour god in jeopardy of not being the Patriots’ starting quarterback in a season opener.
That hasn't been the case in 14 years.
The report, overseen by Holy Cross graduate Ted Wells, addresses allegations that Brady and two low-level employees conspired to gain a competitive edge by under-inflating footballs used in the Patriots’ 45-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the Jan. 18 AFC Championship.
Here’s a look at the most prominent points of pontificating by the pigskin public while we await a ruling on Deflategate, which the NFL should announce this week.
•Ironically, Brady’s only public comment on the Wells Report since its release last Wednesday was at a previously-agreed-to speaking engagement the next day in Salem, Mass. The seaside community was the site of the infamous witch trials in the late 1600s, and the Fickle Foxboro Faithful fervently believe this a witch hunt designed to get back at the jealousy-inducing Patriots by bringing down the franchise's face.
Don Yee, Brady’s agent/lawyer, incited conspiracy theorists by saying the league attempted to set up the Patriots by orchestrating a “sting operation.”
Get real.
Are there teams in the league that are envious of or dislike the Patriots because of the overwhelmingly successful way they operate their organization?
Of course.
But the other 31 mostly billionaire-owned teams also understand the Patriots being on top is good for the overall bottom line. Love them or hate them, they generate ratings and, thus, revenue.
The NFL kicks off the 2015 season Sept. 10 with the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. Suspending Brady for one of the most hyped games of the regular season is not a shrewd business move.
•According to The New York Daily News, the decision to suspend Brady has already been made, as commissioner Roger Goodell believes the game's integrity has been violated. The NFL disputed the report on Saturday.
What’s unknown is for how long, but one or, at most, two games would seem appropriate if a suspension is indeed coming.
What the league is initially unlikely to do is give Brady a one-game suspension. Brady and Yee will undoubtedly appeal any suspension. And if they won their appeal on a one-game suspension, there would be no suspension.
So it goes back to Brady getting a minimum of two games to start, even if the league believes one is all that’s warranted.
•Yee was all over the news — both the sporting and real worlds — starting Thursday night and heading into the weekend. His defense of his client has been to discredit the Wells Report, which he termed a “significant and terrible disappointment.”
This strategy dates to Ancient Greece and is based on not proving innocence of the accused but creating doubt in the accusers. And since it’s still being used in modern America, you know it’s proven to be more successful than not.
Still, it would have been more reassuring if Yee had just once unequivocally proclaimed Brady’s innocence rather than offering a cautious, “In my opinion, yes.” Those words sounded a lot like Brady four days after the AFC Championship when he responded to a query of being a cheater by saying, “I don’t believe so.”
That ambiguity was deflating to those still uncertain as to the extent of Brady’s knowledge of or participation in Deflategate.
•Owner Robert Kraft and Coach Bill Belichick were exonerated of any wrongdoing in the report. However, there’s a growing sentiment that either or both of the Patriot power brokers will be penalized, as they’re ultimately responsible for what goes on in Foxboro.
Fines, the forfeiture of a draft pick or suspensions are possible punishments. The fact that Belichick is a micromanager doesn’t weigh in his favor. Ignorance doesn’t always equal innocence.
But it says here only Brady is disciplined.
Coming down on his bosses, too, would make it look like the league was on a, yup, witch hunt.
Contact The Telegram & Gazette columnist Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com.
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: GARVEN: ‘Deflategate’ report nothing more than a witch hunt