Tom Brady, seen here against the Minnesota Vikings in September of last year, gears up for a fight with the NFL. Photograph by Andrew Campbell.

From the spongy balls that the gentle American Pharoah wears as earplugs to race (poor baby) to the fuzzy tennis balls of the Italian and French opens, we turn our attention back to the squishy balls of Deflategate – a subject that is a writer’s dream, because it just keeps on giving.

The latest is that New England Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft won’t appeal the $1 million fine and loss of two draft picks that resulted from the Pats’ more probably than not deflating their footballs before the A.F.C. Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.

"Although I might disagree what is decided, I do have respect for [commissioner Roger Goodell] and believe that he's doing what he perceives to be in the best interests of [all 32 teams]," Kraft said, while speaking to the media at the NFL owners meetings. "So in that spirit, I don't want to continue the rhetoric that's gone on for the last four months.”

Translation: The NFL has got us by the squishy balls, and the jig is up.

Of course, there is also the possibility that Kraft’s cooperation might lessen quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension, which the signal caller is still appealing, although that now appears unlikely.

The NFL Players Association has asked Goodell to recuse himself from hearing Brady’s case as he may be called as a witness.

Yep, a gift that keeps on giving.