The Future of the Patriots

[Big/Sky/Fly]

I'm not sure how many people have to say it how many times, but, no, he could not appeal. He could not appeal. Nope. Couldn't happen.

So, that should clear that up.

He did not throw Brady under the bus. He stood up for him, said he believed him, and after knowing him for fifteen years knew he was telling him the truth.

Wilts from what? He didn't wilt. He took the only course of action he could take. He said what he had to say in support of his player and team, opposed what the league and their puppet, Wells, said, condemned Exponent, and moved on. BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THAT HE COULD DO.

Spygate was a whole different ball of wax. They were guilty. They broke the rule. They took their punishment and moved on.

You can stomp and whine and cry and call Kraft all kinds of names, but it's unwarranted. You might think you know what he shoulda, coulda, woulda done, but you would likely be wrong. And that's why Mr. Kraft is a billionaire businesman and you're not.

He married into it...
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[mikiemo83]

I'm not sure how many people have to say it how many times, but, no, he could not appeal. He could not appeal. Nope. Couldn't happen.

So, that should clear that up.

He did not throw Brady under the bus. He stood up for him, said he believed him, and after knowing him for fifteen years knew he was telling him the truth.

Wilts from what? He didn't wilt. He took the only course of action he could take. He said what he had to say in support of his player and team, opposed what the league and their puppet, Wells, said, condemned Exponent, and moved on. BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THAT HE COULD DO.

Spygate was a whole different ball of wax. They were guilty. They broke the rule. They took their punishment and moved on.

You can stomp and whine and cry and call Kraft all kinds of names, but it's unwarranted. You might think you know what he shoulda, coulda, woulda done, but you would likely be wrong. And that's why Mr. Kraft is a billionaire businesman and you're not.

He couldn't appeal? Really? Then why was it reported he could?

And if he couldn't appeal why the big announcement he was going to accept the penalty?

If he really couldn't appeal none of the showboating would be necessary.

Kraft could have appealed by last thursday, he could have followed up the Brady appeal and accepted a date after Tom's appeal and WHEN (not if) Tom wins,his hearing could have reduced the fine but more so the picks.

He backed down, no back room agreement, no reduce Tom's penalty (wink, wink).

And as i said earlier, if Sterling gets 2 billion for the worthless Clippers, what would a developer of the new LA stadium pay for the superbowl champions?
3 billion? Then get a casino in foxboro.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

If you believe a punishment is unjust and/or unwarranted, you appeal it. Even if you're not going to win, you appeal it anyway.
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[PatsFanLisa]

He married into it...
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You're really bordering on obnoxious.

He married a woman whose family had money. He worked for his father-in-law, worked hard and tirelessly, learned and studied, and built an empire.

On his own.

 

[PatsFanLisa]

Whatever. I'm done here anyway. You can b*tch and moan and crybaby it up all you want. You can call Kraft every name in the book, but I know where you're coming from, trust me.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

You're really bordering on obnoxious.

He married a woman whose family had money. He worked for his father-in-law, worked hard and tirelessly, learned and studied, and built an empire.

On his own.

Nothing what I said was obnoxious...or wrong.

Yes, he built the cardboard business up. Yes, he made the Patriots the best team in the NFL (my opinion).
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[PatsFanLisa]

He couldn't appeal? Really? Then why was it reported he could?

And if he couldn't appeal why the big announcement he was going to accept the penalty?

If he really couldn't appeal none of the showboating would be necessary.

Kraft could have appealed by last thursday, he could have followed up the Brady appeal and accepted a date after Tom's appeal and WHEN (not if) Tom wins,his hearing could have reduced the fine but more so the picks.

He backed down, no back room agreement, no reduce Tom's penalty (wink, wink).

And as i said earlier, if Sterling gets 2 billion for the worthless Clippers, what would a developer of the new LA stadium pay for the superbowl champions?
3 billion? Then get a casino in foxboro.

And what makes you think he wants this team to be sold? This team, this stadium, the shrine surrounding it is his legacy to pass on to his sons and grandsons.

Every analyst, legal, not sports, has said an appeal would be not only an exercise in futility but the demise of any good will he has acquired from whatever other owners side with him. He would have become a leper.

Business-wise, he did exactly what he should have done.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

And what makes you think he wants this team to be sold? This team, this stadium, the shrine surrounding it is his legacy to pass on to his sons and grandsons.

Every analyst, legal, not sports, has said an appeal would be not only an exercise in futility but the demise of any good will he has acquired from whatever other owners side with him. He would have become a leper.

Business-wise, he did exactly what he should have done.

I thought he was the most powerful owner in the NFL? Guess not...
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[mikiemo83]

And what makes you think he wants this team to be sold? This team, this stadium, the shrine surrounding it is his legacy to pass on to his sons and grandsons.

Every analyst, legal, not sports, has said an appeal would be not only an exercise in futility but the demise of any good will he has acquired from whatever other owners side with him. He would have become a leper.

Business-wise, he did exactly what he should have done.

You need to protect the brand at some point or you devalue it. Kraft standing up to the collection of owner rolling in the slop known as the Wells Report would send a message of "we are innocent".

Why would he want to sell? He doesn't but if forced to sell he can over value the worth like Sterling did so he can call the other 24 pudhing the sales bluff.

His roughly 500 million investment of stadium, team,new stadium, is now worth triple but if the brand takes the hit Tom recently took, then that value will not continue to grow.

My point is he could have appealed, drawn it out and dropped the appeal at a later date but instead we got Kraft endorsing the buffoon Roger while sheepishly accepting the penalty. In a sport of warriors and tough guys, one sport all fans love the violence of, Bob looked like the kid being bullied.

Edit... if cowering to the masses saves good will then hope you do not need to stand firm anytime soon because those same 32 other owners will remember your act of balling up to the masses.

 

[Big/Sky/Fly]

Had he just said I have no choice but to end this...nothing positive can be gained it would have still sucked. I would still see him as weak but it would at least not have felt like he slapped me right in the face.

His "delivery" was absolutely white flag.
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[Big/Sky/Fly]

My point is he could have appealed, drawn it out and dropped the appeal at a later date but instead we got Kraft endorsing the buffoon Roger while sheepishly accepting the penalty. In a sport of warriors and tough guys, one sport all fans love the violence of, Bob looked like the kid being bullied.

This
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[PatsFanLisa]

Had he just said I have no choice but to end this...nothing positive can be gained it would have still sucked. I would still see him as weak but it would at least not have felt like he slapped me right in the face.

His "delivery" was absolutely white flag.
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Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what he said.

 

[Alco]

I don't think Kraft could have done much beyond what he did either. I am hoping that he never votes for a raise for Goodell again and that the next time there's a Ray Rice type scandal he hangs Roger out to dry.

 

[bideau]

And what makes you think he wants this team to be sold? This team, this stadium, the shrine surrounding it is his legacy to pass on to his sons and grandsons.

Every analyst, legal, not sports, has said an appeal would be not only an exercise in futility but the demise of any good will he has acquired from whatever other owners side with him. He would have become a leper.

Business-wise, he did exactly what he should have done.

Yes, he could have appealed, whether futile or not. That was within his rights. IMO, he had an obligation to do that both for the fans and for his QB. Going to court would have been a far more drastic action and likely wouldn't have even gotten very far. We all understand how an appeal would have ended.

What "good will" has he acquired? At the first opportunity, the other 31 threw him under the bus. As others (and myself) have stated, the tone and message is what's really pissed people off. He completely capitulated with barely a whimper. No anger, no defiance, just a broken down old man who threw a bouquet at the Sheriff who's trying to destroy his QB and his team.

He wanted so desperately to be part of the 32, that he was willing to look like a scolded child. The other 31 and the Sheriff just patted him on the head and told him to go back to Foxboro and be a good little boy. If Brady is not at Gillette opening night and Kraft allows the NFL to hold it's little party, then we'll know he completely capitulated and I truly hope the fans are pissed enough to keep the stadium empty for the night.

Sorry, I expected more than that. And BTW, there is no other deal in place, none. Brady is on his own, no Super Bowl is coming to Gillette, nothing!! If there was any "deal", it was the other 31 allowing him to stay on the TV committee. And if that's the case, it was even worse because he did it for himself.

Rant over

 

[BostonTim]

Concerning Kraft:

Is it possible he said to hell with the fans, I don't have the stones, I'm a coward and a traitor and I'm just gonna have to stick it up the fans' Butts, while the league sticks it up mine? (I doubt it, but) I suppose so.

OTOH, is it also possible he thought it through, got the best advice he could find and concluded that the best route to insure the long term well being of the franchise and the fan base would be to do just as he decided to do? And might he not have decided that the survival of the franchise is more important than flyinfthesky's opinion? Oh my yes, I do suppose that too.

And isn't it possible that either of those choices would be a poor or incorrect choice. Yes I imagine so.

Do I have any actual knowledge of how or why he arrived at the decision he arrived at? No. I don't (but personally I choose to believe he intended to do what was right).

Does flyintheskye know Kraft's thought process or his actual motivation? He sure he is acting like he does (but I'm not buying it). I mean isn't it possible (maybe even more probable than not) that Kraft knows more about the implications of all the possible decisions and just disagrees with flyintheskye as to what's best? IMO, very possible amd imo highly likely.

And finally if I (or. say, flyintheskye) condemned him as a traitor without knowing the reasoning and thought process that informed the decision, wouldn't I (or. say, flyintheskye) just be a big old asshole, no better than the angry, ignorant, uninformed lynch mob that's trying to bring down TFB and the Pats with no supportable evidence??

Yeppers.

Cheers, from Virginia

 

[Beaglebay]

We fans have a reputation to keep, and Kraft's decision just makes it so difficult

 

[dchester]

Count me in with those who saw that Kraft couldn't do anything if for no other reason than the franchise forbids it.

Can Not Happen.

Kraft knew it would be up to Brady/NFLPA to see it through. Kraft did at least have the Context report made public. That helped I think but that was all he could do except maybe some private deals/assurances from Roger.

As far as I'm concerned, he ran his mouth like a supposed tough guy, and then rolled over like a beeyitch.

He made his bed, and now he's as loved as Roger Goodell.

 

[Annihilus]

Yes, he could have appealed, whether futile or not. That was within his rights. IMO, he had an obligation to do that both for the fans and for his QB. Going to court would have been a far more drastic action and likely wouldn't have even gotten very far. We all understand how an appeal would have ended.

What "good will" has he acquired? At the first opportunity, the other 31 threw him under the bus. As others (and myself) have stated, the tone and message is what's really pissed people off. He completely capitulated with barely a whimper. No anger, no defiance, just a broken down old man who threw a bouquet at the Sheriff who's trying to destroy his QB and his team.

He wanted so desperately to be part of the 32, that he was willing to look like a scolded child. The other 31 and the Sheriff just patted him on the head and told him to go back to Foxboro and be a good little boy. If Brady is not at Gillette opening night and Kraft allows the NFL to hold it's little party, then we'll know he completely capitulated and I truly hope the fans are pissed enough to keep the stadium empty for the night.

Sorry, I expected more than that. And BTW, there is no other deal in place, none. Brady is on his own, no Super Bowl is coming to Gillette, nothing!! If there was any "deal", it was the other 31 allowing him to stay on the TV committee. And if that's the case, it was even worse because he did it for himself.

Rant over

This x2.

 

[EasyBigFella]

I guess I'll stand alone here and ask you all, what exactly is it that you wanted Kraft to do? He had no choice. He couldn't appeal. If he sued the league, he would be suing 31 owners, 24 of whom easily could hate him, or at least his team, enough to vote him out.

So when everyone is bitching about Kraft bending over and taking it up the ass, please enlighten me as to what you think he could have done about this?

He should have fought. His entire business/franchise's reputation is in the process of circling the bowl. He should have fought it and not just to protect his QB. He needed to fight and protect his brand, not just the league's brand. He can never say "We are all Patriots" ever again because real Patriots don't quit at the first sign of stress. Screw him.

Oh, and I do have to LOL at the complete 180 on this board regarding Kraft. It's actually ok to say he effed this up and the team made a mistake once in a while. It's one thing to be a fan, it's another to be a sheep.

 

[mikiemo83]

Concerning Kraft:

Is it possible he said to hell with the fans, I don't have the stones, I'm a coward and a traitor and I'm just gonna have to stick it up the fans' Butts, while the league sticks it up mine? (I doubt it, but) I suppose so.

OTOH, is it also possible he thought it through, got the best advice he could find and concluded that the best route to insure the long term well being of the franchise and the fan base would be to do just as he decided to do? And might he not have decided that the survival of the franchise is more important than flyinfthesky's opinion? Oh my yes, I do suppose that too.

And isn't it possible that either of those choices would be a poor or incorrect choice. Yes I imagine so.

Do I have any actual knowledge of how or why he arrived at the decision he arrived at? No. I don't (but personally I choose to believe he intended to do what was right).

Does flyintheskye know Kraft's thought process or his actual motivation? He sure he is acting like he does (but I'm not buying it). I mean isn't it possible (maybe even more probable than not) that Kraft knows more about the implications of all the possible decisions and just disagrees with flyintheskye as to what's best? IMO, very possible amd imo highly likely.

And finally if I (or. say, flyintheskye) condemned him as a traitor without knowing the reasoning and thought process that informed the decision, wouldn't I (or. say, flyintheskye) just be a big old asshole, no better than the angry, ignorant, uninformed lynch mob that's trying to bring down TFB and the Pats with no supportable evidence??

Yeppers.

Cheers, from Virginia

sometimes in life you need to stand tall, take on the bully while knowing your ass is going to get kicked because it is the right thing to do.

Kraft had huge nuggets when he came out on that Saturday presser demanding an apology from the league. He worked his minions into a frenzy and we were ready to join forces and fight the fan base of the other 32.

Then suddenly Kraft went into cold water, shrinkaged happened and he started complimenting the very group that he vowed to get an apology from.

As an outsider with no Dog in this fight, I would see the apology and acceptance as an admission of guilt, condemnation of Tom.

Kraft sold out Brady. A man he says is like a son, a man who built the value of the Patriots, The Greatest of All Time at the most high Profile position in sports.


I may be wrong, hell I usually am, but I prefer to fight and lose over a simple cower and assumption of the position.