What does the future hold for Robert Kraft (poll included)

[mgteich]

If he caves in now then I'm done with his organization.

I suggest that you all leave now and find a better sports organization to give your loyalty to, perhaps CLE or the jets.

I'm serious. If Kraft's running of the team isn't good enough, than leave.

 

[mgteich]

Why accept ANY punishment just to make it go away if you're innocent of any wrongdoing? I wouldn't.

Perhaps Kraft is a better businessman than you are,

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I suggest that you all leave now and find a better sports organization to give your loyalty to, perhaps CLE or the jets.

I'm serious. If Kraft's running of the team isn't good enough, than leave.

How far do you think he should go?

 

[Tunescribe]

Perhaps Kraft is a better businessman than you are,

Snide comments aside, admitting guilt when innocent brings its own price to pay.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Not sure long term but as of now if he walked on the field at Fenway they'd give him 5 minute standing ovation.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I have no idea if Kraft's resolve will last, but I'm not sure that it has to. Worst case scenario, it doesn't and Brady is left on his own. Brady will still do just fine.

 

[VectorPrime]

I have no idea if Kraft's resolve will last, but I'm not sure that it has to. Worst case scenario, it doesn't and Brady is left on his own. Brady will still do just fine.

And the draft picks remain forever gone.

Not acceptable.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

And the draft picks remain forever gone.

Not acceptable.

Not to mention everything he's ever worked to accomplish for this franchise will always be questioned and perhaps even dismissed....and I'm certainly not okay with that

 

[Jimke]

Kraft has until next Thursday to file an appeal. Roger Goodell would hear the appeal.
I don't think Kraft has the stomach to get crapped on again. He will clean himself up and
hope he has not lost too much respect among his fellow owners for making a little noise.
With regard to the fans, he will leave it up to Tom Brady to entertain them by battling
Roger Goodell and his fellow cohorts in Federal Court.

 

[Jimke]

The danger with doing nothing is that the next time the Patriots commit a tiny infraction,
the penalty will increase exponentially. Perhaps a year long suspension fot Kraft himself and
loss of multiyear #1 picks.

 

[juny]

Kraft needs to fight/appeal/sue for the reversal of the draft picks. Anything less is not acceptable.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-03-05/local/me-394_1_antitrust-suit

The more I read up on Al Davis, the more I respect his legendary courage to stand up to the League! I have to admit, I've enjoyed reading about this man

 

[everlong]

I think it depends on if the league is willing to give a little to avoid this going on for........who knows now long.......so both parties can save some face. Just admit the Wells report was flawed. Take away Brady's suspension. Then say you're going to keep the 500K fine for not being helpful but kill the other 500k for "cheating". Change the first and a forth to something like a 3rd for failure to cooperate to the fullest extent at well.

The problem is I doubt the league wants to compromise. Roger wants to be the all mighty. So now it comes down to when will Bob blink. His only true recourse is to either take the league to court or try to garner support to have Goodell booted. I don't think he'll take it to court because he's pretty much ostracized the franchise to the point of no return. With Jones already coming Roger's defense he'll never get the votes. He could call for a vote just to embarrass Goodell but if he can't get at least half the votes it backfires. Also we all know Goodell both predetermined the outcome of the Wells report and the Vincent verdict. So why would he overturn his own report and punishment?

For things he can do going forward I would push the owners to vote and make a set of hard parameters on punishments going forward so there can't be these outrageous penalties and witch hunts. If the owners don't go along I'd accuse a team of cheating every week.

Second I'd probably try to get some of my own people inside the league office. As it stands now the office is just stacked against them. In that same line I'd use all my push to get guys like Kensil removed. Perhaps the owners won't go after Goodell but maybe they'll agree to Kensil to keep Kraft from going to the nuclear option.

So I think Bob is going to have to take the long view. I just wish he started that vision in 07 and we might not be where we are now.

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

I see Kraft in a chess game.

Think years - not weeks.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I see Kraft in a chess game.

Think years - not weeks.

Sorry, but the Patriots don't have the luxury of waiting years. The window of time is in the days, not years. Just consider the gravity of the situation right now....as we speak, Roger Goodell is taking unprecedented steps to consolidate power at the expense of the Patriots. He's completely upended the League's judicial process (making himself judge, jury, and executioner); he's just handed down a radically harsh punishment against the beloved Robert Kraft -- a fixture of the NFL and a franchise owner universally respected by his peers; and he has tarnished and suspended one of the world's most high profile athletes in all professional sports- the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Tom Brady. When all is said and done, this could very well be the largest power grab in NFL history.... and the only man that can keep it from happening is Robert "Bob" Kraft.

These are some dark days in Foxborough... I can't think of a situation more urgent than the one we are faced with now...Kraft has to act fast, before it's too late

 

[everlong]

Sorry, but the Patriots don't have the luxury of waiting years. The window of time is in the days, not years. Just consider the gravity of the situation right now....as we speak, Roger Goodell is taking unprecedented steps to consolidate power at the expense of the Patriots. He's completely upended the League's judicial process (making himself judge, jury, and executioner); he's just handed down a radically harsh punishment against the beloved Robert Kraft -- a fixture of the NFL and a franchise owner universally respected by his peers; and he has tarnished and suspended one of the world's most high profile athletes in all professional sports- the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Tom Brady. When all is said and done, this could very well be the largest power grab in NFL history.... and the only man that can keep it from happening is Robert "Bob" Kraft.

These are some dark days in Foxborough... I can't think of a situation more urgent than the one we are faced with now...Kraft has to act fast, before it's too late

Except none of his "allies" have come to his aid. Maybe he'll call in some markers at the owners meetings but to his point he's Al Davis without the resolve to take on the league and the rest of the owners. I still have hope things are going to end well for Brady and that he'll end up with no suspension once he takes it outside the league but I believe the picks and the million are gone. At this point Bob is going to have to look at the long term solution.

 

[flasox27]

Goodell's power will last until the next CBA. Then everything will break down. I expect a fight between the big market teams lead by the no longer conciliatory Pats and the small market teams like Cincinnati and Indy (LOL). The imbecile Goodell will be exposed for the incompetent he is. If Kraft's so-called friends in the ownership fraternity ask him for assistance, it will come at a high price.

 

[everlong]

Bob will be 79 when the CBA expires. They will probably be dealing with Jonathan by then and he's not nearly of the diplomat his dad is. He will be more than willing to go to over over past slights.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Except none of his "allies" have come to his aid. Maybe he'll call in some markers at the owners meetings but to his point he's Al Davis without the resolve to take on the league and the rest of the owners. I still have hope things are going to end well for Brady and that he'll end up with no suspension once he takes it outside the league but I believe the picks and the million are gone. At this point Bob is going to have to look at the long term solution.

Kraft still has many friends....they just don't want to publicly take sides.The situation is quickly escalating and no one knows quite where it's heading. It doesn't surprise me in the least bit, that there are some who want to wait and see how everything unfolds. We could hear stirrings of discord as early as next week, at the Owner's meeting. But it's anyone's guess what's happening behind-the-scenes.

I can't speak for Kraft's resolve, but the door is still wide open for an appeal. Like I mentioned, he has until next Thursday to file an official appeal. So there's still time to contest the loss of draft picks and the million dollar fine.

 

[VectorPrime]

If Kraft thinks for one moment that it is acceptable to take a long term approach regarding this issue, and, and that the fans will put up with it, he is an incompetent buffoon. The window for any type of exoneration is rapidly closing. Kraft didn't fight Spygate, nor the baseless claims that the Patriots were taping other teams pactices, and now in the public eye the issues are one in the same.