Through his stupidity and smugness, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady unwittingly did a solid for his old friend Peyton Manning.
What I’m trying to say is: The best thing to happen lately on behalf of the Broncos’ quest to win the Super Bowl was not drafting pass-rusher Shane Ray or acquiring free-agent tight end Owen Daniels. It was standing back to watch Brady’s hanky-panky with the air pressure in his footballs result in a four-game suspension.
By getting busted for cheating, then doubling down on his arrogance by stupidly challenging the NFL’s integrity in penalizing him, Brady increased the chances Manning will claim another ring before the 39-year-old quarterback leaves Denver. Within 24 hours of Brady’s suspension, the Broncos’ odds of winning the Super Bowl improved from 14:1 to 11:1, according to online bookmaker Bovada.
When the scandal that rocked the league broke, Manning practiced the political art that will one day serve him well when campaigning for governor of Tennessee. He told reporters in Indianapolis that Brady is “my friend, he’ll always be my friend.”
As the air slowly seeped from Brady’s puffed-up reputation, he gave a boost to Manning’s championship aspirations.
That’s what friends are for.
If the four-game suspension stands, it would not be a shock if the Patriots started with a 2-2 record, then took out their frustration on the Indianapolis Colts, also considered a top contender in the AFC, during Brady’s first game back in action. Yes, New England was 2-2 after four games last season, and the slow start did not prevent the Pats from winning the Super Bowl. It’s never wise to bury Brady until after the fat lady sings.
But, in the race for home-field advantage during the playoffs, which has proved valuable in the Denver-New England rivalry, any little edge as result of Brady’s suspension could be a significant help to the Broncos.
Brady is in a heap of trouble with the NFL, for reasons beyond cheating and lying during a Deflategate operation carried out by two New England knuckleheads who rank as the most hilarious minions this side of those simple-minded, little, yellow fellows in the movie “Despicable Me.”
The real costly mistake? Brady sent agent Don Yee to do his dirty work and pick a fight with commissioner Roger Goodell, accusing the league of a sting operation to entrap America’s favorite quarterback.
“The NFL, based on my view of the world, certainly wasn’t hoping that I would come back with a report that would find that something happened wrong with Tom Brady or the Patriots. They wanted me to get to the bottom of the facts,” said attorney Ted Wells, lead investigator in the 243-page report that led to Brady’s suspension, as well as a $1 million fine for New England and forfeiture of two draft choices.
“All this discussion that in some way people at the league office wanted to put some type of hit on the most popular, iconic player in the league, the real face of the league, it just doesn’t make any sense,” Wells said. “It’s really a ridiculous allegation. What drove the decision in this report was one thing: It was the evidence.”
As I listened with slack-jawed amazement Tuesday as Wells swung his sword during a conference call, it finally occurred to me what might be the most pertinent frame of reference for Brady’s suspension. It’s not the league’s mishandling of the ugly domestic-violence issue involving Ray Rice or the embarrassing penalties levied years ago against Denver for salary cap violations.
Remember when Broncos linebacker Von Miller got busted for trying to cheat a drug test in 2013, and as he planned an appeal to the league office, he confidently declared: “I know I did nothing wrong.” In Miller’s case, the report of a four-game suspension that irked the players union ended up being a six-game suspension, as details of an attempted coverup came to light.
Miller fought the law at the NFL office. And the law won. Fair or not, the cover-up is often viewed as more dishonest than the crime.
It might be wise for Brady to back away from the football needle and use contrition as his tool now. But that’s not his style.
“Absolutely not,” said Brady, playing to a cheering, pro-Patriots crowd at Salem State when asked by Jim Gray if Deflategate had tainted New England’s victory at the Super Bowl. “Because we earned and achieved everything we got this year as a team. I’m proud of that, and the fans should be, too.”
When a cheater gets called into the principal’s office by Goodell, hubris is a very bad look, whether your name is Miller or Brady.
Mark Kiszla: mkiszla@denverpost.com or
