Re: Sports: NFL
Based on the report, let's assume some level of culpability on the part of Tom Brady, plausibly deniable or not. I wonder what the response would look like if he made a statement that looked something like this:
"I just want to come right out and say it, I screwed up, and I apologize. Worse, my actions are in all likelihood going to cause two men whose primary sin was helping me to lose their livelihoods. I could stand here all day and say that I never asked for the footballs to be underinflated - and that would be true, I never did. But I left no doubt in the mind of my equipment manager that I preferred them that way, and I rewarded him when they were to my liking. I suppose I tried to convince myself that it was okay as long as I didn't 'know' they were illegal. But it wasn't, and now I need to face the consequences of my actions.
First, I apologize to football fans and to Patriots fans in particular. You should be able to enjoy watching the Patriots play football free of scandal. Second, I apologize to my fellow players, to the league and especially to my teammates, by my actions I have tarnished you and made your accomplishments seem less than they deserve. Finally, I apologize to Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft who were not aware of my actions, but were organizationally responsible for them, and therefore are likely to suffer because of them.
I would ask that the NFL restrict punishment to only myself. Whatever punishment they believe appropriate I will accept with good grace, holding no ill will. Further, to the two equipment men who will likely lose their jobs over this, I give the sum of $1 million dollars. This is not in payment for services rendered, but a debt I owe them for making them complicit in my crime.
I ask for and hope for all of your forgiveness, and I stand ready to accept whatever punishment is deemed appropriate."
~Aldin, preferring clean slates
He either fears his fate too much
or his desserts are small
That dares not put it to the touch
to gain or lose it all
~James Graham
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