If Tom Brady woke up Saturday morning in desperate need of good news, this bulletin might qualify: His big-game loss to Roger Goodell wont dramatically impact his historical standing in pro football any more than his two big-game losses to Eli Manning did.Brady can still go down as the greatest quarterback -- maybe the greatest player -- in NFL history. His Deflategate sin belongs in the venial basket, at a safe distance from the mortal sports sins committed by the likes of Pete Rose, Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong.In other words, his Friday surrender wont make it into the first paragraph of his obituary decades down the road. That obit will surely include Bradys four-game suspension for his alleged involvement in the deflation of footballs the New England Patriots used in the AFC Championship Game victory over the Indianapolis Colts two seasons ago, but the misdemeanor crime and punishment wont shape the story of Bradys football life. This weekend, it only seems that way.Though coaches often say there are no losers in tight, hard-fought games, there were clearly no winners in this one, Goodell included. The commissioner mightve had his near-absolute authority notarized, but he cant possibly believe this 18-month debacle served what hes highly paid to protect -- the best interests of his league. Deflategate was a four-ring circus that effectively and mercifully ended when Brady decided his pursuit of a record fifth Super Bowl ring could be compromised if he won a temporary stay of his suspension while trying to take his case to the Supreme Court.The timing was too perilous to mess with. Understanding that his backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, can go 2-2 or 3-1 for a man, Bill Belichick, who once coached Matt Cassel to an 11-5 season, Brady made like Belichick at the coin toss and deferred. He was on to Cleveland, Week 5. Patriots owner Robert Kraft blasted the NFLs investigation, again, and those voices subscribing to the Ideal Gas Law reminded all that the leagues conclusions had crumbled under the weight of scientific scrutiny.But if the NFLs science really was junk, the circumstantial evidence was not. Most agenda-free observers thought it wouldve been wise long ago for Brady to make an admission of some kind and accept a lesser punishment, but the quarterback refused to take that snap and drop to a knee. He raged against Goodells system for as long as he could stomach the fight, then took the loss. Brady thanked every supporter in his Facebook concession speech except Richard M. Berman, the U.S. District Court judge who tried and failed to free him.The 2016 Patriots will be fine because the Patriots are always fine in the AFC East of the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills?and?New York Jets. Ever since Brady became a starter early in the 2001 season, one quarterback other than Brady -- one -- has managed to win an AFC East title (Chad Pennington did it for the 2002 Jets, and for the 2008 Dolphins, who won after Brady went down for the season in Week 1). Go ahead and look around the division. Nothing much has changed. Ryan Tannehill, Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick/Geno Smith for 16 games still isnt nearly as good as Tom Brady for 12.So the short-term damage will be minimal. Garoppolo looks pretty good for a backup, and now the Patriots will get a valuable four-game look at Bradys potential successor after the benched franchise player turns 39 (on Aug. 3).Long term? Now were talking about the L-word -- legacy -- and whether Deflategate will stick to Bradys. The quarterback didnt get caught using performance-enhancing drugs, and didnt get busted for gambling on his sport. He did allegedly know his equipment guys were tampering with those game balls, and he did ditch a cell phone that investigators wanted to view. One of the two 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges who would overturn Bermans ruling and uphold Bradys suspension, Denny Chin, said there was compelling evidence that the quarterback knew about [improper ball deflation], consented to it, encouraged it. The other judge, Barrington Parker, said Bradys explanation for why he destroyed his phone made no sense whatsoever.Brady badly hurt his own cause, and so this dark Deflategate comedy will forever remain a part of his career. But on truth serum, even the most narrow-minded Jets fans would admit that Brady became the dominant player of his generation by outplaying, outworking and outsmarting opponents, and not by cheating. Of course, the second half of that AFC Championship Game would be their Exhibit A.In the end, Brady can surpass Joe Montana (and Johnny Unitas and Peyton Manning) as the presumed greatest quarterback ever, and compete with Jim Brown, Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor for the unofficial title of greatest all-time player. One more championship, as Brady closes hard on his 40th birthday, would make for a stronger oral argument than any made on his behalf in the courtroom.Meanwhile, as Goodell does his end zone dance, Brady can find some comfort in the notion that he will recover from Deflategate, just as he recovered from those deflating Super Bowl losses to Eli and the Giants. Hell just need a little time to heal, a little room to breathe. This surreal case hurt him, no question, but it didnt destroy him or severely diminish him.More than anything, it reminded starstruck fans that nobody is perfect, not even a dimpled four-time champ with a supermodel wife. Adidas NMD R2 Outlet . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Wholesale Adidas Nmd r1 Uk . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. http://www.nmdukonlinestore.com/ . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Adidas Nmd r1 Ebay Uk . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Ultra Boost Wholesale .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. WASHINGTON -- Pinch-hitter Stephen Drew hit a game-ending RBI triple in the ninth inning to give the Washington Nationals a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.Anthony Rendon opened the bottom off the ninth with a single off reliever Kevin Quackenbush (6-4). Drew entered with one out and drove a pitch off the center-field scoreboard, and Rendon raced around the bases for the winning run.Jonathan Papelbon (2-2) allowed a leadoff double in the ninth before retiring three straight batters. San Diego left runners in scoring position in each of the last two innings.Max Scherzer struck out 10 over seven innings. Washingtons starter surrendered two runs and four hits, including a two-run homer to Ryan Schimpf.Edwin Jackson allowed two runs and six hits over six innings for the Padres.San Diego fell to 1-5 on its 10-game road trip. The Padres snapped a four-game skid with a 5-3 win Friday.Scherzer struck out three of the first five batters, but Schimpf struck back for the Padres in the second, turning on a 2-0 fastball for a towering drive deep over the right-field wall for a 2-0 lead. The homer was the 22nd allowed this season by Scherzer, most in the NL.The All-Star recovered and retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced. Since June 1, Scherzer is 5-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 10 starts.He struck out at least 10 batters for the eighth time this season and 44th over his career. Scherzer allowed one run over six innings with 10 strikeouts in a no-deccision at San Diego on June 18.ddddddddddddNL batting leader Daniel Murphys third-inning sacrifice fly cut San Diegos lead in half.Washington tied the score 2-2 in the fifth with a pair of doubles. Ben Revere stepped into the batters box 2 for 20 on the homestand before stroking the ball into the right-field corner, scoring Danny Espinosa.Travis Jankowski tripled with two outs in the eighth, but Nationals reliever Shawn Kelley ended the threat by striking out Wil Myers looking.TRAINERS ROOMPadres: RHP Tyson Ross (right shoulder inflammation), out since Opening Day, recently threw from 250 feet. His arm feels really good, Padres manager Andy Green said. Its still just taking time.Nationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left ribcage strain) went 2 for 3 with a three-run homer Saturday for Class A Potomac in his third rehab game. Placed on the DL retroactive to July 7, Zimmerman is expected to rejoin Washingtons lineup Tuesday at Cleveland.UP NEXTPadres: LHP Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.55) lost his fourth straight decision in his previous start, allowing four runs -- three earned -- over 5 1/3 innings during a 10-2 setback at St. Louis Monday.Nationals: RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 4.70), Washingtons top prospect, will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse for Sundays start. The 22-year-old was demoted on July 8 following his first two ML starts. ' ' '