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Marvez On 'T*m Br*dy' Column: 'His Name Has Been Tarnished'

After writing a column which said Tom Brady's name will forever have an asterisk attached to it, Fox Sports' Alex Marvez joined Toucher & Rich to discuss the findings and conclusions of the Wells report into DeflateGate.

An excerpt from Marvez's column:

There's a new leader atop the list of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

T*m Br*dy.

...

Yet the asterisk won't be leaving Br*dy's name -- nor should it based upon what was chronicled in the report.

The evidence presented overwhelmingly points to Br*dy conspiring through New England's assistant equipment manager and a locker-room attendant, who dubbed himself "The Deflator." A softened football would give Br*dy a competitive edge because it's easier to grip.

It's not the most egregious of offenses, but it's still cheating.

...

Why would someone so good at his craft resort to an unnecessary shortcut for success at the risk of tarnishing previous accomplishments forever? An explanation and apology for doing just that would go a long way toward helping Br*dy restore what is now a name sullied by symbols.

Rich Shertenlieb asked Marvez what he believed to be the smoking gun, the strongest piece of evidence in the Wells report.

"Oh, gosh, well there's a couple of things. Well I think the guy [Jim McNally] disappearing with the footballs was pretty darn bad, right?" Marvez said. "Referee Walt Anderson said that in 19 years as an NFL official, he's never lost track of the footballs."

Rich then interrupted, noting that Anderson had been informed beforehand by the NFL that he needed to pay special attention to the footballs on the night of the AFC Championship Game.

"You're right -- under that, it sounds a little strange," Marvez admitted. "Of course, look, we're going to pop a million holes into some of this. ... But video shows a guy who is entering this area, right? And he's sitting there, and he comes back out, and it is possible to deflate all of those footballs in the time that was allotted in the restroom -- especially for someone who apparently had some experience with this before. So I think that was there.

"And I think the texts [between McNally and John Jastremski], as well. It's obvious that there was something that was funny going on here. ... Those texts are pretty damning.

"And I want to just say this: I'm a big Tom Brady fan. I love watching this guy play, I love watching the Patriots play. To me, they're the Mike Tyson of football. Every time they step on the field, I think in most cases they're up at least 3-0, if not 7-0, because they're smarter than you, they're better than you, you don't know what to expect from them because the game plan changes week to week. They're so confident -- I love watching this team. And yet Tom Brady's silence right now on this matter is so deafening, and that's what I think is so disappointing.

"That's what's such a bummer about this, that a guy like Tom Brady whose reputation has been so squeaky clean and we consider him such a great competitor, did he have to really resort to this during his career? And how much of his success potentially stemmed from this? It really casts a taint on it, and that's why I put the asterisk in his name."

Marvez concluded: "[That's] while still saying he's the greatest quarterback I've ever seen, I think the greatest in NFL history. And yet because of this, his name has been tarnished."

With regard to potential punishment, Marvez cited a number of examples -- from Rich McKay taking the fall for the piped-in noise in Atlanta, to Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy being placed on "double-secret probation/commissioner's-exempt list" -- for reasons that Brady will get punished by the NFL.

"I'm not saying that it's right. I'm just saying that it's so," Marvez explained. "And I think Brady's going to get smacked with a game or two suspension."

Listen below for the full conversation:

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