Great history refresher, especially for the younger crowd

[dryheat44]

Kraft parlays parking lots into thriving franchise - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

 

[Patspsycho]

Interesting read. Thanks for posting.

 

[DarrylS]

Good read, Mr. Kraft deserves major props from me.

 

[Michael]

Kraft parlays parking lots into thriving franchise - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

They tore down a parking lot to put up paradise.

 

[shmessy]

They tore down a parking lot to put up paradise.

Ahhh.... well played sir!

 

[reflexblue]

Bob's The MAN!

 

[Gwedd]

Bob's The MAN!

Indeed. He's a man who understood potential, looked at the hands he was dealt, and knew he could win. Thanks the Gods he bought the team!

V/R

 

[Fencer]

Good read, Mr. Kraft deserves major props from me.

And Mrs. Kraft. He married into the base of his fortune through her, and she obviously hasn't shared his Patriots obsession, but she never really stood in his way.

 

[scout]

Good read. Didn't know he started out with the parking lots. Remember the Ct. proposal, was pretty pissed at the time. Hopefully, he's a healthy 69, want to see this guy around for a long time.............He just might be Boston's all-time owner. The only one I can think of who would give him a run would be Walter Brown.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Terrific article. The stuff about the negotiations with Orthwein was really impressive.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Good read. Didn't know he started out with the parking lots. Remember the Ct. proposal, was pretty pissed at the time. Hopefully, he's a healthy 69, want to see this guy around for a long time.............He just might be Boston's all-time owner. The only one I can think of who would give him a run would be Walter Brown.

Kraft held the upper hand because he approached it from the real estate angle. As I recall he was partners with a guy named Karp and they went by the name "K & K". I remember being really annoyed that these yahoos that owned the parking lots were calling all the shots. And when they got the stadium it looked even worse, like a real amatuer hour. Little did I know. And wasn't Eddie Andelman also involved with the real estate somehow?

Nice of the Yahoo writer to add a whole gratuitous paragraph on Spygate, which had nothing at all to do with the main point of the article. Jerk.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Kraft held the upper hand because he approached it from the real estate angle. As I recall he was partners with a guy named Karp and they went by the name "K & K". I remember being really annoyed that these yahoos that owned the parking lots were calling all the shots. And when they got the stadium it looked even worse, like a real amatuer hour. Little did I know. And wasn't Eddie Andelman also involved with the real estate somehow?

Nice of the Yahoo writer to add a whole gratuitous paragraph on Spygate, which had nothing at all to do with the main point of the article. Jerk.

I remember K & K too and also thought they were some rinky dink outfit, glad things worked out the way they did.
Seems Eddie Andleman was always involed with these things.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Great article, thanks for sharing.

It's easy to credit BB and Tom Brady for the team's success, but having a great owner also makes a big difference. Just ask the Cowboys and Redskins how much ownership can matter.

 

[scout]

I remember K & K too and also thought they were some rinky dink outfit, glad things worked out the way they did.
Seems Eddie Andleman was always involed with these things.

I remember reading another article, some anniversary or maybe the demolition of the old stadium (great article). Anyway, there was a story in there about Andleman owning property next to the stadium and the ownership wanted permission to move something onto the stadium property and the only possible way was through his land. Of course, he denied them access.

 

[shmessy]

I remember reading another article, some anniversary or maybe the demolition of the old stadium (great article). Anyway, there was a story in there about Andleman owning property next to the stadium and the ownership wanted permission to move something onto the stadium property and the only possible way was through his land. Of course, he denied them access.

Eddie owned the old Foxboro Raceway, and yes, he was very recalcitrant towards the Pats' requests.

 

[RayClay]

In 1985, the Patriots and their stadium were owned by a businessman and promoter named Billy Sullivan who was beginning to struggle financially.

I did a spit take on this one. Billy Sullivan was starting to struggle financially in 1985?

 

[WhiZa]

So if I want to own the Patriots all I need to do is buy every parking lot in a 3 mile radius? I'm on it

 

[cmasspatsfan]

So if I want to own the Patriots all I need to do is buy every parking lot in a 3 mile radius? I'm on it

LOL, that was such a unique situation that will probably never happen again in this region for a major sport. The Patriots used to be a second rate organization for years under the Sullivans the few good teams notwithstanding.
Remember Matt Millen taking a shot at the younger Sullivan? I saw the game against Oakland while I was visiting family in Florida and picked up a copy of USA Today on the flight home and the front page of the sports section had the pic of Millen taking a shot at Sullivan.
I thought for sure they were gone, its a miracle that there was someone like Bob Kraft to engineer the situation the way he did and keep the team here, anyone else would have taken the easy money and ran.
I used to dream about a good owner taking over and turning us into a class A org and it happened. Thats why I find it absurd when these younger fans ***** and moan because we won but didnt look good. They dont know how good it is here.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Nice of the Yahoo writer to add a whole gratuitous paragraph on Spygate, which had nothing at all to do with the main point of the article. Jerk.

Yep. For a change someone was writing a nice article, and then BAM. He just had to throw in sh*tgate.

 

[Off The Grid]

They tore down a parking lot to put up paradise.

Oh, that was POETRY. :rocker: