Brady's triumphant return home

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Several hours before game time ou

tside Gillette Stadium Thursday, the tailgate parties were in full swing. After all, Patriots fans had something to celebrate besides the last preseason game.

Lisa Alley of North Attleborough, Mass., was among the legion of Patriots fans who were cheering the decision by federal judge Richard M. Berman earlier in the day to rescind quarterback Tom Brady's four-game suspension.

"I thought it was going to end up this way anyway," said Alley. "So I was excited. But like I told (my husband), 'It's over.' We're sick of hearing it. That's what it comes down to. We're just tired of it. It was silly to begin with. The whole thing was silly. And that's what happens with the Patriots because if you're winning, they want to tear you down."

Of course, when it comes to Deflategate, the end isn't really the end. In a statement released by the NFL shortly after the decision was announced, commissioner Roger Goodell vowed to "appeal today's ruling in order to uphold the collectively bargained responsibility to protect the integrity of the game."

Brady was not seen on the field before or during the game, prompting occasional chants of "Where is Brady?" And with the Patriots trailing the Giants throughout the game (save for a couple of tied scores) on the way to a 12-9 loss in which neither team scored a touchdown, one of the biggest ovations of the night came in the second quarter when the huge end zone video boards showed a fan holding a sign that read: "Judge Berman President 2016."

The Patriots -- to a man -- have remained virtually mum on the subject since it began back in January. Throughout offseason workouts, minicamps, OTAs, and preseason, the party line on the subject of Deflategate was something along the lines of: "I'm just worrying about myself and trying to get ready for the season."

Brady has not spoken publicly about the controversy since a paid appearance in May at Salem State University, the day after Goodell announced his original findings.

The first question to Pats head coach Bill Belichick in his postgame press conference was to ask him how relieved he was to have the uncertainty over.

"I'll just talk about the game," Belichick said. "Any questions about the game."

Which prompted a few reporters to depart the conference room and head to the locker room. But the responses there weren't much different.

Quarterback Ryan Lindley started the game in his Patriots debut, which may also be his swan song. Lindley said he didn't hear the news until he got to the stadium at about 4 or 5 Thursday afternoon -- a much later timetable than the rest of the world. Perhaps, though, he didn't want to hear the news since he will likely be cut with Brady available.

"I made it a habit to make sure I wasn't checking anything," Lindley said. "I wasn't looking at anything. Someone else told me when we got in the locker room. But for me, it was all about you want to just put something out there for a resume and I knew I'd get 60 minutes of good football. It was up to me to see how good that would be and I feel comfortable with the way I played. Hopefully somebody will feel the same way about it."

Those who are likely staying with the team profess the Giants were their focus -- not the season-changing news.

"I don't know," said cornerback Logan Ryan. "Me personally, I was just trying to get ready for the game. I knew I had a game to play and wanted to make the most of my opportunity."

But he is happy to have Brady back.

"It helps," Ryan said. "So, I would say yes."

"We ain't really been focused on that, you know," said running back LeGarrette Blount. "We've been focused on getting ready for the Giants and playing this game today, you know, and trying to do things right."

Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, who joined the Patriots late in August, was happy to hear the news.

"I'm excited," said Wayne, in what may have been the closest any member of the team came to acknowledging the news.

Then he remembered where he was.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/147286442/deflategate-tom-brady-suspension-overruled

"But Reggie's has got to take care of what Reggie's got to take care of."