From the "Talks too much" studios, so Tom other than that, how was your Monday?
FILE - In a Thursday, May 7, 2015 file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gestures during an event at Salem State University in Salem, Mass. The NFL suspended Brady for the first four games on Monday, May 11, 2015, for his role in a scheme to deflate footballs used in the AFC title game. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool, File) Brady, Patriots hammered
The NFL dropped its fully inflated punishment on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for the DeflateGate mess.
The league suspended Brady for the first four games of the 2016 season and took away a first-round pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017 from the Patriots. The Patriots were also fined $1 million.
The decision drew a tidal wave of reviews on social media. Our favorite was from New York Times writer Richard Deitsch, who tweeted "Man, Roger Goodell really hates Bill Simmons."
Bill Simmons of course the ESPN columnist who called Goodell a liar. Simmons also is an unapologetic Boston sports homer. Well-played Richard.
We are OK with the suspension of Brady.
To think he was not involved neck deep with the entire process is ludicrous. Not saying the practice is not common across the league - it's one of the reasons why so few current quarterbacks are speaking out about this - but Brady got caught.
And the "everyone else's is doing it" defense simply never flies.
We understand the need to punish the Patriots, too, but the loss of a first-round picks seems a little over the top.
Regardless of the penalties, the Patriots were punished because of their past - the much ballyhooed/maligned "Patriots Way" - and for appearances. And the latter should worry every NFL team and fan moving forward in an NFL that seems more image conscience than ever.
And while we're here, the fact that the NFL announced the punishment Monday afternoon after a very interesting story surfaced Monday that 14 NFL teams took more than $5 million total to "honor" our military. Here's more.
FILE - In this March 25, 2015, file photo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses the media at a news conference at the NFL Annual Meeting in Phoenix. The National Football League is giving up its tax-exempt status. In a letter to team owners, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league office and its management council will file tax returns as taxable entities for the 2015 fiscal year. Goodell says the NFL has been tax-exempt since 1942, though all 32 teams pay taxes on their income. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) Before we get back to Brady, those 14 teams should be ashamed of themselves, most notably among them is the Atlanta Falcons, who pocketed more than $1 million.
This is an outrage for a league turning an $8 billion profit to take taxpayers' funds for something they should be falling all over themselves to do out of civic responsibility.
So, and Goodell has done this far too many times for it to be a coincidence, the NFL delivers another rope-a-dope move so the public has another narrative to digest with the suspension of arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.
It's a clear message to every organization to get your house in order. A message made even more clear by the fact that the Wells report found the Patriots top management was not likely involved in deliberately breaking the rules involving how much air the footballs.
Despite that direct link, the organizational penalties levied means the NFL expects the franchise to know what its employees are doing.
The appeals will come for sure - for Brady and for the Patriots - and this is not done.
In fact, we don't really expect a final decision until the next potential NFL scandal is leaked.
Then maybe we can finally let the air out of DeflateGate.
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NBA playoffs
The top seeds in each conference flexed their muscle and reacquired home-court advantage Monday night.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) moves the ball between Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley (11) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Tony Allen (9) in the first half of Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 11, 2015, in Memphis.The Golden State Warriors delivered a must-have performance and MVP Steph Curry looked like the MVP in a crucial 101-84 win that evened the series.
Curry scored 33 points and made four of the Warriors' 14 3s. It was a must-have for the Warriors and he delivered.
Likewise, the Atlanta Hawks snatched Game 4 at Washington 106-101. The Hawks relied on Jeff Teague, who scored 26 and had eight assists, to survive the excellence of Paul Pierce (8-of-13 form the field for 22 points) and Bradley Beal's 34 points.
So three of the semifinals are now the best of three with the higher seed back on serve in regard to home-court advantage. Here's the schedule for the upcoming Game 5s:
Tonight
Chicago at Cleveland; series tied at 2 (TNT)
L.A. at Houston; Clippers lead 3-1 (TNT)
Wednesday night
Washington at Atlanta; series tied at 2 (TNT)
Memphis at Golden State; series tied at 2 (TNT)
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Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Shelby Miller throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, May 11, 2015, in Cincinnati.Shelby the ace
Atlanta right-hander Shelby Miller continued to flash top-of-the-rotation stuff. He went seven innings Monday, allowing one run and three hits. He did not figure in the decision in the Braves' 2-1 win over the Reds.
Miller's command was not his best, but his tenacity was excellent from the start. After walking lead-off hitter Billy Hamilton, who stole second and advanced to third on an errant Miller pick-off attempt, Miller fanned Joey Votto and overpowered Todd Phillips.
Miller's sneaky strong fastball sets up his array of pitches.
Consider us super impressed with this kid, and the parallels of the Braves-Cards trade more than a decade ago that delivered the Cards Adam Wainwright seem very comparable.
Miller's numbers so far this season: 4-1 with a 1.60 ERA, 39 Ks, 15 walks and opponents are hitting .171 against him.
Among the rest of the Braves rotation, the next best ERA belongs to Alex Wood at 4.28, and the batting averages against look like slow-pitch softball numbers. Opponents are hitting .314 vs. Wood, .297 vs. Julio Teheran, .279 vs. Eric Stults and .317 vs. Mike Foltynewicz.
From the team that once fashioned "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain" now we have "Shelby one day, get shelled the rest."
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Cabela'sThis and that
- Like TFP ace columnist Mark Wiedmer's column on Cabela's opening in today's paper.
- From the files of you can't make this stuff up: Here's a groom's cake that has a mini-Nick Saban riding an elephant. Yep.
- Not exactly the best way to start a potential run for the White House. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie spent $82,000 of taxpayer funds on snacks and such at Jets and Giants games in a two-year period.
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Today's questions
OK, what's your view on the Brady suspension, and what do you think the final punishment will be after the appeal?
Also, Yogi Berra turns 90 today. Berra is well-renowned as sports all-time quote machine.
So who joins Yogi on the Rushmore of best sports quotable?