The Patriots are an awesome team, but fans know it is not all peaches and cream in Patriot land. Kraft's management of the team's reputation has been less than impressive. And it is not merely because of the success of the team, because the NFL has had other successful franchises that have not suffered the way the Patriots have. One other big reason is the idiot on Park Avenue. Kraft's sycophantic appeasement to Goodell for Brady's sake or the team's sake has not only cost the team multiple draft picks that--despite the team's success--have affected and will continue to affect the team adversely on the field, but also further tarnished the reputations of both one of the greatest teams and one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. It has been Chamberlain redux.
Goodell is transparently after power for himself and the NFL, but he is neither smart nor skilled. If Kraft truly appreciated the effect of his actions, he would start acting in the interests of his team, and not Goodell. That would mean stop being a doormat by letting Goodell know that further actions against the Patriots will be met with aggressive defense and pursuit of all available remedies permitted by law. As others have pointed out ad nauseum, if you don't stand up to the bully, he will keep stealing your lunch money. So far, Kraft gave us Spygate which begat Deflategate. How many more Gates can we tolerate? The way to stop it is to make it clear to Goodell and his entitled owners that trumped up charges against his team are will from this moment on be more trouble for the league than they are worth. To date, Kraft's actions have clearly fallen short of that standard and we, the fans, continue to bear the brunt of Goodell's narcissism and the owners blind lust for power. Kraft needs to be a thorn in the side of the league, but thus far, he doesn't have it in him.