Deflategate

Media Role in Deflategate and Beyond

This piece began as discussion assignment for UNH law professor Michael McCann’s Deflategate class. Professor McCann instructed the class to evaluate the role of the media in the public’s perception of the Deflategate scandal. Today, I had a discussion with free-lance journalist and NFL Spin Zone and Fansided contributor Russell Baxter regarding the challenges journalists face in grabbing the public’s attention when trying to write factual and not necessarily sensational stories. We agreed that people tend to respond most strongly to emotionally charged content, and I believe the perpetuation of false news throughout the election cycle reinforces what I’m about to say. Even though this is a bit lengthy, I think it’s important for the public to understand the struggles journalists face and also how the media can manipulate those willing to react without thinking, so even though this is lengthy, I hope you’ll give it a whirl. While I’m writing through the lens of Deflategate, it’s applicable to just about any subject

A Mother, a Son, and a Telephone

For those who would discount science and cling to the fact that Tom Brady destroyed his cell phone as evidence of a nefarious cover-up, I believe recent revelations should finally erase any shade of doubt for all but those who must for some emotional reason, cling to a myth.

Deflategate began when someone within NFL offices erroneously leaked PSI results to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen who promptly announced them to the world via his Twitter account

Impact: Peterson, Brady, and the Future of the CBA

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, impartiality and fairness were considered an integral part of the judiciary. Perhaps this is still true in the criminal justice system, but apparently not so in the alternative universe of labor, collective bargaining and subsequent arbitrations.

The Demise of Deflategate?

Why it may be too early for a eulogy… by Sheilla Dingus July 18, 2016 “As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment.
And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment.”
– John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men Thus was …

Silence Broken

By Sheilla Dingus July 14, 2016 Last week, as Patriots fans grew more and more anxious about the silence in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Tom Brady’s request for an en banc hearing, I began digging around in the dockets of the Court and discovered that 32 en banc petitions had …

Second Circuit Update 7/11/16

By Sheilla Dingus July 11, 2016 Last week I decided to do a bit of looking into the current case load of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and published my findings in a short article, Sound of Silence from the Second Circuit. In summary this is the info I mined as I …

Sound of Silence

by Sheilla Dingus July 6, 2016 As we listen to the sound of silence from the Second Circuit I decided to do a bit of digging in the court dockets to see if I could find a plausible reason.  My first thought was perhaps the circuit is overloaded with cases, and while they are busy, …

Arbitration on Trial

Will justice or technicalities prevail? by Sheilla Dingus June 8, 2016 “Fair process before a fair tribunal cannot be an aspiration;
it is an unwaivable, inviolable necessity.” – Kenneth Feinberg As the Deflategate saga rages on, lines are being drawn in the sand with the matter of fair and impartial arbitration the key issue …

Amicus Briefs: Questions & Answers

by Sheilla Dingus June 15, 2016 Amicus curiae, or “friend of the court” is a Latin term that has been highlighted recently in the press because of the submission of five amicus briefs in the Tom Brady / Deflategate case. While the term may be a new one for those outside the legal profession, the …

Why Labor Unions Should Care About Deflategate

The Second Circuit Ruling Impacts Everyone By Sheilla Dingus June 1, 2016 Deflategate is back in the news again!  Patriots fans, dismayed and disappointed by the April 25 split ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, are once again holding their breaths as they await a decision of the Second Circuit …

Article 46: Burning Down the House

by Sheilla Dingus
May 17, 2016 There’s an enormous fire raging within the NFL, one that threatens to burn its foundation to the core. Though the flames have dwindled to embers at times, they continue to spontaneously reignite. The source of this fire? Well actually there are many sources, faulty research, cover-ups and much …