Didn't say that. Kraft let the narrative be that the Patriots cheated. You can think of the people in prison who don't accept a deal for leniency(by admitting to a crime) - because well sometimes they didn't do it. They still have to serve the time - but if/when they get out (after say DNA exonerates them) instead of being known as a murder - they get known as someone wrongfully imprisoned.
Because kraft caved the first time - the second time the Patriots were accused - everyone thought they did it - simply because they had done 'something' before. Get convicted for a crime you didn't commit and even if you get out early - if they bring you in for another crime - everyone will think you did that one too.
Don't cave in and admit to something you didn't do. Far to many people in prison can tell you how that works out..Kraft was naïve and just plain stupid. He gained no great 'power' from caving the first time - just like a criminal doesn't really come out ahead when he admits to something he didn't do..
You appeal - you never admit guilt - and you fight it. Just like Brady did.. Brady might be a dumb jock but when it comes to dealing with Bullies - he is a lot smarter then Kraft.
So, he should have refused to acknowledge that the commissioner could impose discipline? What should he have done, specifically?
I haven't studied this, but wasn't Belichick informed before hand that he couldn't do what he did from a certain location, technicality or not?
It's true that some people maintain their innocence right up to the electric chair, while others cut deals. the whole thing is ridiculous, Goodell is a buffoon and the whole NFL front office should be fired and probably brought up on charges but...
You still need 20 sometyhin owners to boot him out and if you are an owner, you agreed to abide by discipline from the league and if you want to appeal it, you're just asking the same a hole who made the punishment to admit he was wrong when there is absolutely no reason he has to do that.
your other option is to sue the league to get rid of the anti-trust exemption and salary cap and hope after you've destroyed the league you can navigate better in a game of unlimited salaries, if the league itself can be resurrected and become as popular as it once was.
Or, you could bide your time, take the criticism, win on the field, and maneuver until you can get the commisioner castrated, losing the battle of public opinion and scare or neutralize idiot owners like drug addict Irsay into realizing goodell is poison for their lucrative product.
In the movies, you'd just gun down all the owners you don't like, say something catchy like "I'll be back" then force the remaining living owners to vote goodel out.
In real life, it will likely take some time, tactics and behind the scenes work.
Kraft made a mistake and didn't realize it until the ridiculous punishment came down. He fully expected an apology from, what he thought was, a yes man, and a yes man who owed him plenty, from the CBA deal to the lucrative contracts, like the one that's going to destroy ESPN.
Maybe he should have realized this buffoon was going to spend multimillions of dollars and a farce of a court case over a spurious charge based on a text in May about deflating footballs in autumn.
Brady was shocked; he laughed at it on air until he realized the bufoonissioner was serious. I almost drove off the road when I heard the punishment on the radio, but I guess you all saw this whole thing as predictable based on something that happened 8 years ago. I didn't. Brady didn't. Kraft didn't.
I think deposing the idiot, flushing his staff and sending Irsay to rehab is more important than some wild public display by the owner, but that's just me.
