Tom Brady to learn fate soon

Berman said there is legal precedent for overturning the NFL’s four-game suspension and asked lawyers for the league why deflating footballs and lack of cooperation was punishable on the same terms as drug use. Goodell, who by contract with the players’ union can act as an arbitrator for labor disputes, upheld the suspension, touching off the legal battle.

Neither Brady nor Goodell was present Wednesday. Berman said, via CSN New England.

“A settlement seems like a logical and rational option”, he said, echoing language that he used a week ago.

A recent report suggests that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won’t accept any suspension and that the NFL’s owners are itching to see the entire Deflategate saga put to rest. Berman said.

“It isn’t broken down that way”, said Nash. This time, Berman went farther than he did in the initial hearing, questioning the “basic fairness” of how the NFL went about suspending Brady.

Brady didn’t attend the Patriots’ practice on Tuesday, though the team didn’t say why he was excused.

Berman warned the NFL that an arbitration decision could be set aside if a key witness didn’t appear at an arbitration hearing, McCann and other media outlets reported. NFL lead council, Daniel Nash was grilled for an entire hour yesterday. Brady also destroyed a cell phone, obstructing the league’s investigation, the NFL claimed.

Richard Sherman and Tom Brady have never been the best of buds, dating from that whole “You mad, bro?” moment in 2012, but the Seattle Seahawks quarterback is on Brady’s side in the little matter of DeflateGate and questions NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s imposition of discipline.

“That quantum leap exceeded (Goodell’s) authority”, Kessler said.

Berman also noted that the NFL’s refusal to allow general counsel Jeff Pash to be questioned by union attorneys during a June appeal hearing is the kind of move that has been grounds for dismissal in other cases. If there’s no agreement between now and the end of the month, they will be required to be a part of a meeting with Berman on August. 31 at 11 a.m., a session that reportedly will include Brady and Goodell.

Berman wants both parties to reach a settlement, but the sides remain ocean apart regarding any sort of punishment for Brady for his alleged participation in deflating footballs.

“How is that equal to steroid use?”