Step Back From The Ledge.

The last few months have been a roller coaster but when things seemed to be going against us we had Brady and Kraft showing resolve and determination to protect the team from the onslaught of hate. In my view, Kraft has abandoned us. I wish he had done it in March, it might have saved me a lot of money that I send him for my season tickets but now they're paid for. So I have some time to figure out if I use them and if I feel at all like I do today then I probably won't. If Brady's suspension holds I certainly won't be there for opening night. Maybe I'll change my mind but in my view Kraft sold us all out today so even if I do go to the games it can't be the same as it was, he sold us out.
Maybe if had gone on local TV yesterday and addressed the fan base and given some reasons it would have seemed less like a sellout but he didn't; he allowed himself to be used by the billionaires club to bail them out of their dilemma and kicked us to the curb. I don't even feel like a fan today.

BUSTAMOVE said:

Been a season ticket holder for 21 years. I go for the team not the owner
Big difference from an owner and a fan
Kraft proved today what I always suspected of him
Owners bleed green, fans bleed their team colors
I will not penalize Belichick/ Brady because their owner is a greedy spineless coward
Go Pats Forever

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Fixed it for you.

Kraft did what he thought was best for his bottom line. He doesn't care about you or me. He is a businessman. I don't begrudge him for that. He makes decisions on what makes him the most money. He is all in with the NFL machine. What I am surprised by is that he doesn't seem to understand the locals, even though he professes to be one. When the Marathon trial started, I told friends that death penalty was going to happen - don't care about perception of Boston and New England liberalism. I grew up in the area and know my people. Although this is a much different situation, I still know my people. Kraft just destroyed his trust with the Patriots fans. He aligned with the NFL over his fans because he thinks in the long-run, this is the better business decisions. I say he is a fool because he doesn't understand the people. The New England Patriots franchise just reached its peak value and won't get any higher. It may not be apparent in the next year or two, but he just alienated a large portion of his passionate fanbase because he thinks the NFL machine is more valuable. Maybe he is right. But, I am one fan that is done with his product. In the end, what difference does it matter to him though? He will flip the team, make hundreds of millions of dollars off of it, and move on to something else. Meanwhile, we are the fan base for a product he really doesn't care about.

I will still be a fan. I just enjoy watching football. That being said, it will never be the same after this. I don't think I can have the same sense of pride in being a fan of this team. On one hand that is very sad considering how much they have accomplished over the past 15 years. On the other hand, maybe this has taught me once and for all, that I shouldn't take pride in things that I have no control over.

Goodells been changing the game since he was elected, its becoming more like arena ball every year. Its looking less and less like the game i grew up with, Kraft caving in was the final straw. What happened over the last three months has left me with a sense that the game is tainted, its been corrupted. I couldn't watch it and not think that its lost its integrity, that i'm now watching a bigger version of the WWE, or roller derby. So to me its not about finding another team, its not watching any longer. Because the stench from what was done to the patriots permieats the whole league.

PatsFanInVa said:

7. Anybody else going to stay with this team? Just curious.

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I'm with ya, PatsFanInVa....from a "PatsFanInMd". We're all upset, disillusioned, and disenfranchised to varying degrees (to the point where some are ready to "frag" their fellow fan soldiers). But the best way to win this in the end is to deal with each hand as they're dealt, and play the odds. Eventually the outcome will come back in our favor. I wonder how many will make good on their threat to walk away from the Team...and the League?? That's not staying in the game to win. And I think the most compelling hand to be played is the one on behalf of Tom Brady by the NFLPA. Goodell isn't out of the woods yet.

ChesBay said:

I'm with ya, PatsFanInVa....from a "PatsFanInMd". We're all upset, disillusioned, and disenfranchised to varying degrees (to the point where some are ready to "frag" their fellow fan soldiers). But the best way to win this in the end is to deal with each hand as they're dealt, and play the odds. Eventually the outcome will come back in our favor. I wonder how many will make good on their threat to walk away from the Team...and the League?? That's not staying in the game to win. And I think the most compelling hand to be played is the one on behalf of Tom Brady by the NFLPA. Goodell isn't out of the woods yet.

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I don't have much faith or hope. Part of me wants there to be a "secret deal" where the picks punishment gets reduced and Tom doesn't get suspended etc etc etc, but that's not the real game. That's the WWE part of it... and the league would act like it's this big gift, when (1) they couldn't prove **** in the first place and (2) we're still talking about something nobody ever gave a **** about until it was the Pats. And in any event, I've hoped for too many things in this whole cycle. Best to just stop hoping and "on to Pittsburgh."

The single worst penalty in the history of the NFL... for an unproven allegation of letting some air out of the balls? Crikee. Even fans of other teams are saying it's bullsh1t down here.

Bob Kraft told me today that he doesn't want me as a fan of the Patriots.
He told me that he wants fans that care about all 32 teams and will be happy for the Patriots to be screwed because talking about more than 4 months is bad for the other 31 teams and it's better to give up.
He told me that the fans he wants shouldn't care about the character or integrity of the players, employees or owner. He told me he wants fans that root for Roger Goodell.
Mostly he told me that he wants fans who will trust him that quitting the fight when you are right is the best thing to do.
I do not agree with any of those things, so it appears Kraft fired me as a fan.

PatsFanInVa said:

I don't have much faith or hope. Part of me wants there to be a "secret deal" where the picks punishment gets reduced and Tom doesn't get suspended etc etc etc, but that's not the real game. That's the WWE part of it... and the league would act like it's this big gift, when (1) they couldn't prove **** in the first place and (2) we're still talking about something nobody ever gave a **** about until it was the Pats. And in any event, I've hoped for too many things in this whole cycle. Best to just stop hoping and "on to Pittsburgh."

The single worst penalty in the history of the NFL... for an unproven allegation of letting some air out of the balls? Crikee. Even fans of other teams are saying it's bullsh1t down here.

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I feel your pain...and certainly don't want to kid myself either. But it's interesting to me that many of us have theorized that ultimately Kraft would be able to convince the minimum # of owners to oust Goodell. Well, might the path to such an outcome be paved through the very decision that Kraft made today? Suing the NFL doesn't take money out of Roger Goodell's pocket (or Kensil, Blandino, Vincent, etc) it takes money out of his partners' pockets, and you can be sure they see it that way as well. How could he mobilize a coalition for Goodell's ouster while a lawsuit is ongoing against the League? And if there's a new Commissioner by 1 April 2016, can't a punishment be modified/rescinded by her?

ChesBay said:

I feel your pain...and certainly don't want to kid myself either. But it's interesting to me that many of us have theorized that ultimately Kraft would be able to convince the minimum # of owners to oust Goodell. Well, might the path to such an outcome be paved through the very decision that Kraft made today? Suing the NFL doesn't take money out of Roger Goodell's pocket (or Kensil, Blandino, Vincent, etc) it takes money out of his partners' pockets, and you can be sure they see it that way as well. How could he mobilize a coalition for Goodell's ouster while a lawsuit is ongoing against the League? And if there's a new Commissioner by 1 April 2016, can't a punishment be modified/rescinded by her?

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Kraft chose Goodell today over his fans and Tom Brady He isn't trying to get Goodell fired, he is protecting him.
He praised Goodell today, and didn't mention Brady.

ChesBay said:

I feel your pain...and certainly don't want to kid myself either. But it's interesting to me that many of us have theorized that ultimately Kraft would be able to convince the minimum # of owners to oust Goodell. Well, might the path to such an outcome be paved through the very decision that Kraft made today? Suing the NFL doesn't take money out of Roger Goodell's pocket (or Kensil, Blandino, Vincent, etc) it takes money out of his partners' pockets, and you can be sure they see it that way as well. How could he mobilize a coalition for Goodell's ouster while a lawsuit is ongoing against the League? And if there's a new Commissioner by 1 April 2016, can't a punishment be modified/rescinded by her?

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LOL, just stop... this is like watching the Tyree catch over and over again hoping the next time he'll drop it...

I'll throw this in the "fun theory" pile and hope that Brady rips a hole in the fabric of space-time when he comes back, whether it's game 1 or game 5.

ChesBay said:

I feel your pain...and certainly don't want to kid myself either. But it's interesting to me that many of us have theorized that ultimately Kraft would be able to convince the minimum # of owners to oust Goodell. Well, might the path to such an outcome be paved through the very decision that Kraft made today? Suing the NFL doesn't take money out of Roger Goodell's pocket (or Kensil, Blandino, Vincent, etc) it takes money out of his partners' pockets, and you can be sure they see it that way as well. How could he mobilize a coalition for Goodell's ouster while a lawsuit is ongoing against the League? And if there's a new Commissioner by 1 April 2016, can't a punishment be modified/rescinded by her?

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It's more than obvious from the big owners that they support Goodell, and that's not even bringing up the fact that he's increased their profits, improved their year-round attention, made it a global brand, and done an awful lot to make the owners happy.

The FANS of the league may not be happy with the work of Goodell, but the owners are. Either way, there certainly wasn't anything here that would make opposing owners feel that he should've been fired over the (alleged repeat offending) evil Patriots. That day may have eventually come out in court had a bunch of negative stuff come out against the league, but now we'll never know.

AndyJohnson said:

Kraft chose Goodell today over his fans and Tom Brady He isn't trying to get Goodell fired, he is protecting him.
He praised Goodell today, and didn't mention Brady.

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I share your feelings (disenfranchised, disillusioned, ticked off), but I'm focused on playing the next "hand" because I'm not admitting defeat...not now, not ever.

You can see an interesting analogy in ancient history (Julius Caesar's reign to that of Goodell).....ultimately set up and assassinated from within.

I hope the home crowd makes attending games at Gillette completely untenable for Kraft. Make it so painful that the guy has no choice but to sell the team.

ChesBay said:

I share your feelings (disenfranchised, disillusioned, ticked off), but I'm focused on playing the next "hand" because I'm not admitting defeat...not now, not ever.

You can see an interesting analogy in ancient history (Julius Caesar's reign to that of Goodell).....ultimately set up and assassinated from within.

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There is no next hand to play. Kraft quit, he folded, he turned in his cards.
He gave Goodell everything he asked for and got nothing in return, and even chose not to exercise his right to appeal.

supafly said:

It's more than obvious from the big owners that they support Goodell, and that's not even bringing up the fact that he's increased their profits, improved their year-round attention, made it a global brand, and done an awful lot to make the owners happy.

The FANS of the league may not be happy with the work of Goodell, but the owners are. Either way, there certainly wasn't anything here that would make opposing owners feel that he should've been fired over the (alleged repeat offending) evil Patriots. That day may have eventually come out in court had a bunch of negative stuff come out against the league, but now we'll never know.

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Pretty much agree. Court was the nuclear option b/c of the public feces-slinging it would involve. God knows how disillusioned we could be by the end of that, but as you say, we'll never know. (Think of how much you hate both candidates in an election after 6 months of negative campaigning.)

love the pats always will. hate the sackless owner with a passion. its very hard to look forward to next year or any year for that matter when you know the league and gooddell are out to screw the team. and there is no doubt that they are. kraft should have apologized when this whole thing started for the team winning to much. maybe they can hand out trophies to everybody like they do in little league. make everybody happy.

supafly said:

It's more than obvious from the big owners that they support Goodell, and that's not even bringing up the fact that he's increased their profits, improved their year-round attention, made it a global brand, and done an awful lot to make the owners happy.

The FANS of the league may not be happy with the work of Goodell, but the owners are. Either way, there certainly wasn't anything here that would make opposing owners feel that he should've been fired over the (alleged repeat offending) evil Patriots. That day may have eventually come out in court had a bunch of negative stuff come out against the league, but now we'll never know.

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We will know if Brady litigates. Hoping Goodell does not overturn.

PatsFanInVa said:

Pretty much agree. Court was the nuclear option b/c of the public feces-slinging it would involve. God knows how disillusioned we could be by the end of that, but as you say, we'll never know. (Think of how much you hate both candidates in an election after 6 months of negative campaigning.)

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I think you wrap things up very nicely. It was much more likely that we'd have simply made everyone involved look bad on some level, rather than somehow come out looking "good," like many here speculated.

Now...the Brady situation is a bit different, so I'm still holding out hope that can be reduced.

bobbutts said:

I was a fan of the Patriots, I'm not a fan of the Cheaters
If we can go back to the former, I'm still in.

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You are a TROll and not a very good one either. Stick that tail of yours between your legs and get on back to your dark little hole. We are discussing family business and you are not invited.