Bob Kraft where are you???????

I am sure Mr. Kraft gave BB the o.k to do the presser today. Also, I bet Mr. Kraft isn't to happy that his head coach has been spending time checking air pressure in footballs instead of preparing his team for the super bowl. I have no doubt that Mr. Kraft will be having a few words with Roger The Rabbit about how he handled ball gate.

NYCPatsFan said:

I was among those who wanted Mr. Kraft to speak and save this team when the NFL kept quiet for three days.

But i am shocked to read comments here mocking Kraft now.

Did you consider for a second that it could be a good cop/bad cop show for the outside? BB takes the heat and comes out firing (and he has done an excellent job in it that possibly saved this from going down further). Mr. Kraft on the other hand takes the high road and acts polite like he usually does.

It is foolish to think that he (Kraft) did not speak to BB and TB about how they were handling this. Plus, he is the friggin owner and one of the most respected guys in the league. So, he must have a reason to tread carefully (especially after the fiasco the FO did when it came to handling camera-gate).

If this is how the Pats fans react based on assumptions, what right they have to expect BSPN and the media to wait for facts to come out??

Sad to see such negative - and worse, personal hits - by fans against the owner who made the right moves for us to enjoy the glorious Pats for more than a decade; someone both BB and TB clearly cherish.

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Don't be too sure that Kraft cherishes BB and Brady or vice versa. I think he feels his position in the league and buddying up with Goodell are more important to him than the team. This is how cameragate went down and we will see what happens now.

The Gr8est said:

This HAD to be done, the hater attacks had taken their toll and this Pats franchise was in serious jeopardy of collapsing.

BB did what needed to be done, and that includes addressing Spygate.

I still fear the NFL won't let the Pats win because of how much egg this puts on their face and Goodell may find it intolerable handing the Lombardi to BB, but make no mistake, BB saved the Pats franchise today.

Finally I can drum up enough enthusiasm to get interested and psyched for the Superbowl appearance the players, and we fans, have richly earned.

Now, where is my Tom Brady jersey, I've got to go out and run some errands!

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The league hasn't said anything. The media beats this to the ground and incites hate. And ex players and analysts really made some very damaging remarks that will be unforgivable by Pats players, owners, fans...This could work out very good for us if we are vindicated. And I have been in full Pats regalia for days, which I usually save for Sundays. I live in Jets, Giants territory. I invite the hate. My girlfriend thinks I'm nuts. I'm ready for the fight

grux said:

I am sure Mr. Kraft gave BB the o.k to do the presser today. Also, I bet Mr. Kraft isn't to happy that his head coach has been spending time checking air pressure in footballs instead of preparing his team for the super bowl. I have no doubt that Mr. Kraft will be having a few words with Roger The Rabbit about how he handled ball gate.

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I think you have it backwards. I am not sure that Kraft knew the extent of the BB's response especially to cameragate beforehand. As for the conversation, I expect that POS commissioner will be crying to Kraft to muzzle BB because he is undermining the authority of the League.

There are a ton of fans who think Kraft has Goodell in his back pocket ...

I think Kraft is following a good strategy ... the less Bob Kraft the better.

Putting Belichick and Brady out there to face the music/hate is the right strategy IMO.

I can get it that Kraft doesnt come out in support of BB, but you have to support your players. Especially after that mob scene we saw at Brady PC .

IcyPatriot said:

There are a ton of fans who think Kraft has Goodell in his back pocket ...

I think Kraft is following a good strategy ... the less Bob Kraft the better.

Putting Belichick and Brady out there to face the music/hate is the right strategy IMO.

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Those people are the mediots and the people that believe them. The facts show that Goodell has Kraft in his pocket and his unequivocal support of him in Ricegate proves it

I would like to have seen him out there with Bill today. I think a unified front would be the best strategy.Goodell is doing his usual horrendous job of handling situations that arise in NFL, having Kraft out there would send a message to Goodell that the bs has gone way overboard and he is backing his coach.

PatsPride11 said:

I would like to have seen him out there with Bill today. I think a unified front would be the best strategy.Goodell is doing his usual horrendous job of handling situations that arise in NFL, having Kraft out there would send a message to Goodell that the bs has gone way overboard and he is backing his coach.

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Won't happen. the message will come from Goodell to Kraft to muzzle BB like in cameragate.

PATSNUTme said:

I don't care what the Ravens people did or did not do.

Would it be so difficult for Kraft to issue a statement of support for BB & TFB after what they have gone through this week? It's his team.

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YES. Especially since the league hasn't issued it's report of the investigation yet. Or did you miss what happened with Aaron Hernandez?

Again, if Kraft did more than the statement he made yesterday, then the mediots would take it as him circling the wagons and the Patriots hiding something. Clearly that's something you don't see.

everlong said:

Actually a lot of people did call out Newsome and Bisciotti for making Harbaugh go out and not doing it themselves. I hate whiny Harbaugh and defended him on that. I feel the same way about Kraft now. Making statements about Rice and Peterson was more analogous to Kraft making a comment on Hernandez.

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I don't care about other people.. I asked PNM particularly since he was the one who started the thread..

He sucks. He has completely abandoned his roots and has become a butt buddy for the establishment. Congrats, Bobby. You've managed to accomplish the unthinkable. You helped bring 3 Super Bowl titles to a region while alienating your paying customers.

PATSNUTme said:

I think Bob Kraft is a great owner. But he caved in to the NFL on the taping and he's AWOL on this thing.

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He's not AWOL.

Just because he's not out there holding press conferences doesn't mean he's not pulling levers.

Let me ask you this: What good would it have done for Kraft to go out there and hold a clenched fist press conference?

Would it have been ANYWHERE near as effective as what BB did today?

Maybe a Jim Irsay can learn that sometimes working BEHIND the scenes instead of slurring your words in public is more effective.

Look, I was the first person to upload a thread venting my frustration about the possibility of this thing turning into another Spygate debacle. There were some here who were upset at me for coming down on Kraft on Monday night. I felt it was necessary to write what i wrote.

I am very pleased to see that the entire organization went directly into action on this - - when BB talked about the internal testing, education and briefings that have taken place over the past few days who do you think has bankrolled and put that together? How do you not know that Kraft didn't get on the phone and get the very best forensics specialists, security specialists, etc. to investigate, coordinate and put into place this response.

DaBruinz said:

YES. Especially since the league hasn't issued it's report of the investigation yet. Or did you miss what happened with Aaron Hernandez?

Again, if Kraft did more than the statement he made yesterday, then the mediots would take it as him circling the wagons and the Patriots hiding something. Clearly that's something you don't see.

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The passive strategy sure worked well in 2007.

shmessy said:

He's not AWOL.

Just because he's not out there holding press conferences doesn't mean he's not pulling levers.

Let me ask you this: What good would it have done for Kraft to go out there and hold a clenched fist press conference?

Would it have been ANYWHERE near as effective as what BB did today?

Maybe a Jim Irsay can learn that sometimes working BEHIND the scenes instead of slurring your words in public is more effective.

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OK shmessy weren't you one of the people calling for BK to come out and be more forceful and fight this, to stick up for his team, players, and fans. So are you now saying you, me and a few others were out of line, that BK staying silent is now the right thing to do?

shmessy said:

He's not AWOL.

Just because he's not out there holding press conferences doesn't mean he's not pulling levers.

Let me ask you this: What good would it have done for Kraft to go out there and hold a clenched fist press conference?

Would it have been ANYWHERE near as effective as what BB did today?

Maybe a Jim Irsay can learn that sometimes working BEHIND the scenes instead of slurring your words in public is more effective.

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Irsay did work behind the scenes and completely trashed this organization.

If Kraft or anyone else wants to sell me some ******** about working hard behind the scenes I'd like to know on what? Preventing media leaks- nope. Preventing the lynch mob from working into a frenzy-nope. Getting the NFL to wrap this up quickly- nope. He's done jack.

The only thing that came out was reality, and nobody needed Kraft to bend reality. They found nothing because there was nothing to find. And at that it sounds like BB had to go do the investigation himself because the NFL either couldn't be bothered or couldn't figure out how.

Bobsyouruncle said:

Irsay did work behind the scenes and completely trashed this organization.

If Kraft or anyone else wants to sell me some ******** about working hard behind the scenes I'd like to know on what? Preventing media leaks- nope. Preventing the lynch mob from working into a frenzy-nope. Getting the NFL to wrap this up quickly- nope. He's done jack.

The only thing that came out was reality, and nobody needed Kraft to bend reality. They found nothing because there was nothing to find. And at that it sounds like BB had to go do the investigation himself because the NFL either couldn't be bothered or couldn't figure out how.

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1) No. Irsay DIDN'T work behind the scenes - - the problem is he took it public - -he went right to Bob Kravitz within minutes of the AFCCG and then he sent out a trolling tweet a couple of nights later right before a major leak to the press from a "source" (Irsay?). In fact, Uncle, Irsay broke the golden rule of the owners' club by doing what he at least did with kravitz - - he is going to be COOKED in the eyes of the commish and his fellow owners. They don't like whistleblowers in that club.

2) "If Kraft or anyone else wants to sell me some ******** about working hard behind the scenes I'd like to know on what?"
- - if he took to the airways to let you know what he's doing then it wouldn't be "behind the scenes"!

3) "The only thing that came out was reality, and nobody needed Kraft to bend reality."
---- so what's your beef?

4) "And at that it sounds like BB had to go do the investigation himself...."
----how do you know he did it himself? How do you know Kraft didn't put together a security and forensics team to test, investigate and then educate BB so that he could go out in public today and hold a physics symposium on national television? You bet BB did an amzing job, but I guarantee you he didn't pull it all together himself. And I guarantee you Kraft made it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to stonewall the press this time around.

DaBruinz said:

YES. Especially since the league hasn't issued it's report of the investigation yet. Or did you miss what happened with Aaron Hernandez?

Again, if Kraft did more than the statement he made yesterday, then the mediots would take it as him circling the wagons and the Patriots hiding something. Clearly that's something you don't see.

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Once again I DON'T CARE about the Ravens. They are not my team. I don't know know why you are even bringing them up.

As far as the mediots are concerned. Have you not heard some saying that Bob Kraft must be really pissed at BB for this? I have. A statement of support would shoot them down. Just a statement - not a big presser- just a statement of support.

reflexblue said:

OK shmessy weren't you one of the people calling for BK to come out and be more forceful and fight this, to stick up for his team, players, and fans. So are you now saying you, me and a few others were out of line, that BK staying silent is now the right thing to do?

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Yes, but NOT in a public press conference.

Read carefully what I wrote in that thread opening. It came from the heart, but it wasn't a plea for a public soliloquy from Kraft.

I wrote that he should be doing everything possible - - which for him means leaning on the commish, getting every expert possible to help the Pats case, get the best and most aggressive shark lawyers and DON'T cede the argument this time.

Most importantly - - don't allow BB to stonewall. THAT was the biggest takeawy from 2007.

So let me state right here as someone who was THIS close to being fed up with our ownership on Monday and quite simply was not going to take another Cameragate another time:

Standing Freaking O for Mr. Kraft on this!!!!

Do you think BB changed his ways on his own, or by the owner who wasn't going to let the "schmuck" hide in his cave this time?

After seeing that magnum opus today, does anyone think Kraft would have been a better choice to be up there? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want him up there shaking his fists and slurring his words at the press. Let the Irsays and Woody Johnsons of the world clown themselves doing that.

Serious question: Who would YOU rather have seen up there lecturing about game day preparation and physics?

Two points:

- Like it or not, as owner Kraft has no choice but to take the long view. The repercussions of taking a fight with the league public would be severe and long-lasting, no matter how right his position may be. It would very likely be more damaging to the Pats as a franchise than any punishment (short of banishment of BB) for the current contretemps. It may make him feel good to rage to the media and would make a lot of Pats fans feel better for a very short time (until the media haters eviscerated him for it) but it would be a lousy stratagem for an owner.

- Speaking of lousy, his ability to perform well in public speaking would likely turn the press questions portion to an epic failure. Is that what we want to see right now?