New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is appealing his four-game suspension in connection with the "deflategate" scandal.

The NFL Players Association filed the appeal today on Brady's saying:

"Given the NFL's history of inconsistency and arbitrary decisions in disciplinary matters, it is only fair that a neutral arbitrator hear this appeal.

"If Ted Wells and the NFL believe, as their public comments stated, that the evidence in their report is "direct" and "inculpatory," then they should be confident enough to present their case before someone who is truly independent."

The National Football League suspended Brady on Monday for four games and fined the Patriots $1 million after a report found it was "more probable than not" that the quarterback knew of what has come to be known as "deflategate," in which he was accused of using underinflated footballs during last season's AFC Championship Game. The Patriots won that game and went on to win the Super Bowl.

Brady's agent called the suspension "ridiculous."

As Bill reported today, the Patriots have published their own findings on the controversy. That report, as Bill points out, "puts forth the idea that when two members of the Patriots' stadium staff used the term 'deflate,' they were talking about losing weight — not about breaking the NFL's rules on football inflation, as the league says."

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