Let's begin with the standard disclaimer that the judge who made Thursday’s ruling in the Tom Brady “Deflategate” case obviously knows way more about the law than I do, but that doesn’t mean that his decision to vacate Brady’s four-game suspension doesn’t strain conventional logic.
The NFL and the players union have agreed to a collectively bargained contract that allows the NFL commissioner to mete out discipline to players who violate rules and engage in other behavior that might damage the integrity of the sport. That process is spelled out pretty specifically and it allows for commissioner Roger Goodell to be the judge and jury in those cases.