I'm no Brady apologist, and I don't like the New England Patriots...but for the life of me - I don't understand the four game suspension, the $1 million fine, and the loss of draft picks.
Yes - I'm aware of the fact that he lied. Yes - I'm aware of the fact that his actions may have provided him (and his team) an unfair advantage. Furthermore, I'm aware of the fact that he deserves to be punished. He broke a rule, and for that - there are consequences.
You may ask, "What's your problem, Jay? Dude got what he deserved!"
Well...no - he didn't.
According to the NFL rule book, the penalty for tampering with a football is a $25,000 fine. There's no fine print underneath that provides stiffer punishment for playoff games, or high profile players. There's no addendum with a $1 million fine if there's suspicion of prior ball tampering. None of this penalty is in the rule book. It's arbitrary, and nonsensical.
I'm just glad the NFL's jurisdiction starts and end with the NFL. Can you imagine if Roger Goodell was a police chief? He'd be like, "Yes, Mr. Brady. It appears you were speeding...32 in a 25. Now the normal fine for that is $115 plus court fees - but since it's you, we'll just make the fine $1,750. Have a nice day, Mr. Brady.
