Not sure why I'm dipping a toe in water here, but I've been following the thread for days and now finally the penalty has been dished.
First, I am anything but a Patriot hater. They are my favorite AFC team and 2nd favorite team (but a long way back from my beloved Cardinals) and if my team can't win the Super Bowl (and they can't) then my next choice is always the Pats.
Anyone who thinks that Brady did not actively try to have the balls manipulated outside the rules is simply not being open minded. It's quite obvious. When you have an equipment manager nicknamed the Deflater, you are obviously manipulating balls and over a long period of time. The arguments against this being wrong are as ridiculous as well.
1) Just because everyone else does it doesn't mean you don't get punished when you get caught. If you don't think so, go faster than the speed limit and then tell the judge you shouldn't have to pay for the ticket because many other drivers go over the speed limit.
1a) The Patriots got caught because they are under the microscope and it's not fair. Well, perhaps you should realize you've been caught before so people are going to have a closer eye on you and you win a lot so people are going to be watching even more so make sure you keep things squeaky clean. How many of you here want no reaches on recruiting for possible problem kids just to make sure we don't get caught again. It's the same thing for the Patriots. Of course you're being watched - you're winning.
2) The gas law numbers don't show conclusive proof that they did anything. WTF cares about that. If you are right and they were within tolerance that only means they failed at cheating well. They intended to manipulate the balls and didn't do it well enough to have conclusive evidence but they obviously tried. Not much more stupid than failing at cheating. If you looked at another persons paper during a test and read the answer for a different question and therefore got your question wrong, it doesn't mean you didn't cheat. It just means you're stupid.
That being said, I definitely expected a 4 game suspension and I think on appeal it will be reduced to 2. I was shocked at the draft picks being taken away particularly the 1st rounder. The money doesn't matter one way or another. The two picks are pretty big. They may take back the 4th round pick removal on appeal, but I bet the 1st round take away will stand. They are sending a message.
The flat out denial and subsequent failure to cooperate and sudden phone calls and texts are the reason it's so harsh.
I have no problem with it.