Kraft's response

[Jackson 2]

Your job isn't to cater to football players.

That said, are you a fisherman? Do you work in goods transportation (IE, trucking)?

O **** (GASP!), maybe you aren't supposed to swear!

Cmon now...your job I'm sure is different than a long time ball "man."

You don't have any idea what my job is, so STFU, how's that language, jerkoff?

 

[Jackson 2]

The fact that the NY Post isn't regarded on the same level as the National Enquirier by the general public is a never ending source of depression.

Insulting to the Enquirer...

 

[turkeyneck]

Keep in mind when reading this: Kraft/the Patriots have no recourse on penalties levied against them. The picks, the money, that's gone, there's no fight there..

If the sanctions against the Patriots were put in place by a cabal of ex-Jet conspirators and their hater allies who worked backwards from the penalty they wanted to apply to the offense they could gin up then I think a suit by the Pats against the NFL could break any bylaw restrictions.

And I do think this is how it worked - the crowd of usual suspects knew beforehand that they were going to nail the Pats for draft choices. It was just a matter of finding an offense, any offense, to justify the action. This has been a Soviet-style show trial from the get-go. (Who will write the NFL's Darkness at Noon?)

 

[turkeyneck]

I'm glad this made it into Kraft's statement. Maybe the media, or someone else will pick up on it.

They won't. For a journalist, numbers are hard. That's why they gravitate to gossip-mongering. When the talk turns to science and engineering, all they hear is the "wa-wa-wa" of Charlie Brown's grownups then they go on with their gossip-mongering as if nothing was said. It's as if you explained the IGL to your dog while he was busy 'grooming'.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Nothing wrong with what he said. He's probably exhausting all avenues through back channels before getting nasty and public, which has never been Kraft's M.O. We may see another side of Kraft in the upcoming week, I really hope.

We'll see. People are really p.o.'d at his style; his style might not change, but this response clearly signals his intent to take what actions he can take.

I'll add this (and the "Kraft-is-gutless" folks will be happy): He'll weigh cost and risk versus benefit in any action he does pursue.

What he's signaled here is that he's examining actions he can take in response.

He could have written "We will fight the NFL on the beaches, we will fight them in the fields, we will fight them in the streets" or he could have written a stream of angry invective, if you're more a WWE guy than a Churchill guy... but for all you "weak sauce" folks who simultaneously are saying "words words words we want action..."

What he's doing seems to be to allow him to take actions he deems appropriate and for the good of the team.

Whether it makes us angry, happy, whatever is one part of the calculation. But if he sees nothing in acting other than further future downside, he ain't doin' it. If there's a good shot of getting results, he will. That's how I read this guy.

 

[Bruins29]

Guilty? Of what? If you want to call them "guilty" of misinterpreting a league directive for camera placement, perhaps so. But that also was a farce.

I agree. That was a witch hunt as well but in that case at least the Pats did something. This is a set up and the only reason it worked is because some text messages were able to be taken out of context to fit a narrative.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I think the League has overreached with the fine and Draft Picks and thereby made a strategic error. No one was reasonably expecting anything more than a suspension for Brady that would be overturned or reduced on appeal.

It will be interesting to see what Kraft does, as I am certain he is both aware of the depth and range of fan anger as well as the the range of options as to what he can and cannot do.

Kraft's statement last night was a carefully worded declaration of war; now, he's assessing the cards that he holds.

Most of what people are asking for or doing out here is purely symbolic..."pissing into the wind."

But, I think that Bob Kraft understands, in the immortal screen words of Sean Connery, that "you don't bring a knife to a gunfight."

My advice to those of you who are calling for a strong response from Kraft is to be careful what you wish for, as you might get it.

I think it is possible that he will play every card in the deck, including Antisemitism (the NFL is the only Professional US Sports League still dominated by old guard owners and leaders) and right up to threatening to forfeit the opening game. He has spread a lot of money around to charities and causes in New York and DC and he has many chits among activists, particularly in the Jewish community, that he can call in. Blood is thicker than water.

In other words, if you aren't ready for the heat and for Kraft to do some things that make you squirm, you might want to get out of the kitchen, as I think it will get very hot and ugly. I hope it does.

I also think that those who are advocating an extreme response need to be ready for Tom Brady to announce his retirement if a single game remains on his suspension after the appeals process.

 

[PatriotsReign]

We'll see. People are really p.o.'d at his style; his style might not change, but this response clearly signals his intent to take what actions he can take.

I'll add this (and the "Kraft-is-gutless" folks will be happy): He'll weigh cost and risk versus benefit in any action he does pursue.

What he's signaled here is that he's examining actions he can take in response.

He could have written "We will fight the NFL on the beaches, we will fight them in the fields, we will fight them in the streets" or he could have written a stream of angry invective, if you're more a WWE guy than a Churchill guy... but for all you "weak sauce" folks who simultaneously are saying "words words words we want action..."

What he's doing seems to be to allow him to take actions he deems appropriate and for the good of the team.

Whether it makes us angry, happy, whatever is one part of the calculation. But if he sees nothing in acting other than further future downside, he ain't doin' it. If there's a good shot of getting results, he will. That's how I read this guy.

I agree 100%. Kraft can't act like an angry fan. He's the owner of the Patriots and he has to think and act clearly and decisively...and that means he must put his emotions aside. There's an old saying that states, "always keep the "I" over the "E""....or "Intellect over Emotion". And I really hope he's able to do that.

Because if he decides to react, it must succeed without damage to the Patriots or the NFL.

From where we sit, that may seem frustrating, but it's the right way for Kraft to approach this.

 

[Love The Drake]

Eli's response makes me dislike him even more.
No rule was broken Eli!
We need to go on a FU campaign again this season!

 

[RobertWeathers]

"It is time for Herem"

-Robert K. Kraft.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Eli's response makes me dislike him even more.
No rule was broken Eli!
We need to go on a FU campaign again this season!

Hes such a weenie.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Kraft's idea of defense has been to tongue Goodell's brown eye weekly. His idea of fight is probably to reduce that to monthly. Oh, and fire two innocent people.

 

[hypotherion]

Peter King: Robert Kraft ‘Will Go Rogue On This’ And Take NFL To Court

“My bet is that he will go rogue on this and my bet is that he will try to appeal this penalty in a court of law. There’s no way that he can appeal this as an owner, because owners just have to take the sanctions that the league sends down. He’d have to go outside the league.”

 

[Love The Drake]

The question is can we get the picks back?
Would a outside court have that power?

 

[Haley]

I'm a little confused by the reaction to Kraft's statement represented in this thread. Kraft rejected the penalty and supported Brady. He crossed the league and said he will not accept the penalty that he is contractually obligated to accept. This is a pretty strong statement to me, coming from an owner. I wouldn't take this lightly.

If you expected a declaration of war from Kraft, this is pretty much it. He is an owner, after all. His team is inextricably tied to the welfare of the league. Tearing down the league is not something he has any interest in doing because he is 1/32 of that league. But he is making it clear that he won't take this lying down either. I'm sure he plans to shake hands and slap backs until this gets fixed, as usually happens in these circles. And if that fails, he is making it clear he will be forced into court, as an option he'd rather not take.

 

[BSR]

There is one glaring weakness in any direct attack by Kraft and that is McNally. The guy clearly has acted like a buffoon by text and obviously didn't present well to Wells either. Kraft and Brady have so far made many missteps during this whole ridiculous farce, so if they do go with a direct attack they better have their **** together. And they better make sure Jim "The Deflator" McNally is properly put in check.

 

[Jimke]

The battle will commence in three days. This is when Brady has to ask for an appeal. The
NFLPA will ask Goodell to recuse himself from hearing the appeal and appoint an independent
arbitrator agreed upon by both sides. Kraft, himself, may also ask for the neutral person. Goodell
will turn down the request because he wants to retain his absolute power and fears being chided
again by the arbitrator. Last time, he was told Ray Rice's statements were more credibkle than his.
At this point, Kraft will go to court to force neutral arbitration.

 

[Jimke]

There is one glaring weakness in any direct attack by Kraft and that is McNally. The guy clearly has acted like a buffoon by text and obviously didn't present well to Wells either. Kraft and Brady have so far made many missteps during this whole ridiculous farce, so if they do go with a direct attack they better have their **** together. And they better make sure Jim "The Deflator" McNally is properly put in check.

They can't suspend McNally without pay as they have been directed. Along with Brady, they have to
fight for his job. He did nothing wrong and should not be suspended.

 

[BSR]

They can't suspend McNally without pay as they have been directed. Along with Brady, they have to
fight for his job. He did nothing wrong and should not be suspended.

Nothing wrong? If it wasn't for that jackass we wouldn't be talking about this right now. I cringe when I think that any hope of salvation rests on what this guy says and does.

 

[Dr Pain]

The battle will commence in three days. This is when Brady has to ask for an appeal. The
NFLPA will ask Goodell to recuse himself from hearing the appeal and appoint an independent
arbitrator agreed upon by both sides. Kraft, himself, may also ask for the neutral person. Goodell
will turn down the request because he wants to retain his absolute power and fears being chided
again by the arbitrator. Last time, he was told Ray Rice's statements were more credibkle than his.
At this point, Kraft will go to court to force neutral arbitration.

If Goodell has brains he will go straight to a neutral arbitrator. He can at this point say Troy Vincent made the punishment and Wells and Pash made the report. He won't though.