Robert Kraft-Patriots won't appeal ruling

[MADem]

11. Brady has a lawyer and he's moving forward with his action.

It's only "The Patriots" who are just going to pay the fine. Brady isn't accepting suspension.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/2015/05/18/meet-jeffrey-kessler-the-lawyer-backing-tom-brady/jjQpuIa1pFFvVe0YEvG1BL/story.html

With Brady’s appeal filed, the league announced that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will hear the case. That’s obviously a tough sell for those hoping for a more “neutral” arbiter.

McCann said a pair of notable neutral options would have been former NFL labor attorney Harold Henderson, who heard Peterson’s appeal, or retired federal judge Barbara Jones, who heard Rice’s.

Should Goodell rule against Brady, it will be up to Brady to decide whether to drop his fight or file a lawsuit under the International Labor Relations Act or could pursue a defamation case. Whichever avenue Brady chooses, McCann said his hiring Kessler makes court a likely scenario.

“(Kessler’s) real strength would be if Brady later on sues,” McCann said. “We don’t know if it’s going to happen, but if it does, I think Kessler would be a very intimidating lawyer...Brady retaining Kessler has a signaling effect to the NFL.”

Big finish, here:

“I do think there’s at least a reasonable chance this winds up in court,” McCann said. “The most likely outcome is the suspension is reduced or overturned, and Brady is playing either in week 1 or week 3.”

Time, as it always does, will tell.