(P - shoulder)
More Probable Than Not
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Ok, I having been saying for a while that I would do this, so time to live up to that. Below is the letter I have written for Kraft. I haven't mailed it yet (I'm still at work), but will do so later. I encourage anyone else that wants to be heard to use my letter, either verbatim, or with your own details added in. Just copy/paste and print it out and sign your name at the bottom.
Please feel free to distribute this far and wide. Post it to other boards if you think it appropriate. LURKERS, you can get in on this too. In fact, it only makes a difference if lots of people are sending these in.
The address again is: Mr. Robert Kraft at One Patriot Place Foxboro, MA 02035
Please feel free to distribute this far and wide. Post it to other boards if you think it appropriate. LURKERS, you can get in on this too. In fact, it only makes a difference if lots of people are sending these in.
The address again is: Mr. Robert Kraft at One Patriot Place Foxboro, MA 02035
Dear Mr. Kraft,
The New England Patriots take their name from a group of courageous individuals who once stood for fairness, independence, morality, and personal pride at any cost, and without compromise. In fully capitulating to a corrupt league office and a bloodthirsty media, you have failed to live up to the standards set by the organization's namesake, and in so doing have allowed the reputations and legacies of your greatest leaders to be irreparably tarnished.
As sports fans, and especially fans of the New England Patriots, our value proposition is very simple. We give our money, whether it be via game tickets, merchandise purchases, tv packages, etc, and in return we are given a world class spectacle, and the privilege of projecting our own regional pride, emotional commitment, and personal desire for greatness and achievement onto the group of athletes who give their all on the field for us every week, and we live their yearly journey with them from the draft and opening of camp all the way to the big event in February. We receive no benefit whatsoever from "growing the game", or "protecting the shield", or "keeping the peace" in regards to the team's relationship to a capricious governance. In fact, many fans believe that the league is getting too big for its britches anyway, after the fashion of the now famous criticisms Mark Cuban made against the NFL. Many of the more cynical fans believe that, while you and your family do, in fact, care about the team and its fans, you have come to care more about the returns of your business relationship with the league, returns which benefit no one outside of One Patriot Place.
In regards to the value proposition of which I made mention, by capitulating to the league in the recent matter, you have undermined the world class spectacle by making it apparent that the actions of the players on the field are less important than the political games that take place in the league office, and in owners' offices around the country. You have also undermined our emotional commitment to the team by letting us know that ultimately the pride and reputations of our players are secondary to the business concerns of the league. You are also sending the message to our children that one should not, or cannot, stand firm in the face of adversity when one is morally in the right, and should instead capitulate to lies, treachery, jealousy, and vengefulness from those in power.
We know that you do ultimately care about this team, its players, and its fans, but we hope you understand what the product actually is that you are providing, and who consumes it. We have supported you for many years as the owner of this team, but we hope you do not take that support for granted. During your recent remarks, you said that you know the fans will be disappointed, but you hope we respect the choice you are making. This letter is to make it clear that we do not respect that choice. When you "measured nine times and cut once", it is us that you have cut.
Sincerely,