2 Part Question: What, if anything, could Kraft have done?

[RayClay]

Asking a billionaire to hang a man who is perceived to make him money is like asking a crack addict to give up their dealer. Kraft chose his side.

How many people do you think want to side with irsay when the sh*t comes down. Just because a handful are loud does not mean they are representative.

Unless you think most owners think goodell is doing a great job, I don't. they can't all be that stupid. You could appoint a gerbil commissioner and they'd still be raking in trillions, it's a great sport.

 

[reflexblue]

Davis was prevented from moving his team. He filed an antitrust suit and won. He lost others. The point being, he had billions of dollars on the line, damages.

I'm not a lawyer, but i imagine if you filed an antitrust suit based on the imaginary damages you could prove by losing a low first round pick, you'd put the antitrust exemption, shared revenues and salary cap at risk.

I know we have a lot of lawyers here and i would be curious on what basis Kraft could sue the league, even if it doesn't have much chance of success. Defamation? Weasel mouth never says anything that i would consider defamation about owners.

Although from what ive witnessed over the last twenty or thirty years in which anyone can sue over anything (even if they've signed a waiver) The suit would be a bluff. Like the motto of the SAS says...."Those who dare win"

 

[patfanken]

The tricky part of all this is that NFL v Brady is not about the Patriot QB or PSI; it is all about the league (and Goodell) wanting to gain more power over the players and NFLPA. Goodell has publicly admitted this.

I don't think its about getting MORE power, but rather keeping the power he already has. If Brady win is upheld, there will be a lot of pressure to change the process of determining how to handle player misconduct.

If Kraft pushes his (rightful) agenda then that weakens the case that all 32 owners are attempting to win.

That is a REAL problem for Kraft. At one point doing what was best for the league rather than your individual team was a key reason for the success of the league as a whole. Bob Kraft embraced that ethos of the found fathers of the league wholeheartedly. But not all his compatriots do. A few have directly attacked HIS team and Kraft has let is slide because of his commitment to concept of "doing what is best for the league". And for that I can understand his inaction after spygate

On the other hand Kraft and his team are being wrongfully and royally hosed. His priorities are all screwed up; his franchise, his team, should mean more to him than the collective potential benefit of 32 owners.

AMEN jm, and I think Kraft understands that NOW. It's something he SHOULD have understood before he took ANOTHER one for the league back in May when "accepted" the league's punishment. THAT was the unforgivable mistake that will forever tarnish his legacy. The adage, fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice and shame on ME, never fit so well.

Without a doubt Kraft should have maintained the offensive that he began, and demanded the draft picks be returned when Berman made his decision. Middle school science has proven that the air pressure in those footballs was right where it should be - something that virtually nobody outside of New England will talk about or acknowledge to this day.

Spot on. Whenever you bring that up to a hater, they immediately fall back on their old standby, "Well if it wasn't that, they were doing something else. They are proven cheaters."

Kraft allowed a reputation to stain the Pats forever. Even 8 years after the fact, even after several teams have been caught ACTUALLY cheating; the Pats are viewed as the league's ONLY cheating franchise. And it's that reputation that allows these frivolous attacks to have legs among the bottom feed media

If Goodell can use the media to his benefit to sway public opinion, why don't the Patriots do the same? Even though the NFL has more powerful business partners (ESPN, SI) on their side, the Pats have a distinct advantage of their own: the truth.

I've called for this strategy before the season. It is one of the 2 phases I'd use now. Never let a single implication that the Pats are cheaters go unanswered, whether it's direct or indirect...,.not one. The second is make it public that a defamation suit is under consideration after the season. That should quiet the mob considerably. Then when the season is over.....FILE IT

 

[reflexblue]

Asking a billionaire to hang a man who is perceived to make him money is like asking a crack addict to give up their dealer. Kraft chose his side.

No Sir, he does it for the fans.,

 

[Off The Grid]

I don't have an answer for your questions, but DAMN that was well-written.

Ive been thinking this for years......
If he isn't already Grid should be a professional writer, hes very intertaining. And he can spell beter than me.

Thank you kindly, too, Brother Blue, as I also have an high opinion of you!!

I have my Blog, of course, and that's probably as far as I'll ever take it: Controlling my own Content is too precious to me to cede it to another...But your the praise of the likes of you and Brother Clay who I admire are ~ quite seriously ~ all the Reward I need!! Thank you kindly!!

 

[Hammer of Thor]

In case anyone's interested -- here is the league constitution, all 292 pages of it. http://www.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf

Despite being called a Kraft apologist for my interpretation of the current situation (which is funny to me because that's the furthest from the truth), the option I would be most interested in is Section 3.6B. If I were Kraft, I'd be focusing on getting 7-8 large market owners who are also sick of Goodell, and exercise the league withdrawal option in February 2016. Then I'd form a new league with those teams and take the NFL head-on. Obviously Kraft won't do that, but that's what I would do.....

 

[neuronet]

Great thread, and I love OTG, only he has a thread titled "Two Part Question" and can't help but have it spill into a three-part question

 

[Observer]

"Refuse to hand over the draft pick"?? How on earth would they do that?

When Goodell steps to the podium to announce the first pick of the second round, what do the Patriots do, jump in and say, wait a minute, we are taking player X so nobody else can have him!!! ???

Simply saying that it was completely unfair and he does not accept that punishment would be a good starting point. But that requires spine.

 

[Tony2046]

By my Reckoning, he's up about 63-17

63* - 17.

 

[RayClay]

Really?? That makes perfect sense...And it's a very intriguing Notion, actually...

I answered the perhaps rhetorical question "When is this BS going to stop??" in another Thread:

It will stop the very moment ~ should it ever transpire, as I pray it will and soon ~ that Robert Kraft finally looks himself in the mirror, admits to'mself that that sick feeling in'is gut is because he knows that he's been acting the Coward for Years, admits that the Peace that he imagines that he's bought is merely Servitude and Slavery in another form...and decides that feeling like a Man again is worth every bit of Trouble and Turmoil that will ensue when he finally stands up to his Enemies and goes to War with them.

Should Kraft indeed defy the Odds and answer our Prayers and experience such an Epiphany, there is the Possibility ~ if your are correct regarding Goodel's Authority to reverse himself, and I have no reason to think you're wrong ~ that Kraft could simply pound away in front of the Cameras, relentlessly roasting Goodel while pursuing any legal recourse he might have to humiliate Goodel and get his outrageously lucrative Job taken away from'm...until Goodel caves in and negotiates Peace...A Peace that of course consists of Goodel rescinding the Penalty and admitting that the Evidence didn't warrant it.

Hell...Even the Threat of all that might do it, if Goodel looks Kraft in the eye and realizes he means it.

It's a Million to One against Kraft experiencing such an Epiphany ~ the older one gets, the less likely it is for Courage to return, once it's fled ~ but he'd have a damned good Chance of Success.

Life really isn't that dramatic.

Go to a real court room after watching a Law and Order marathon. Makes for great tv, but it's all bulls*t. Everything you deal with in your everyday lives is done behind closed doors and I'm not a conspiracy nut.

George HW Bush [1st one]. Was a fighter pilot who got shot down in WWII and was still sky diving at 90 years old. The press told "you" he was a wimp and you bought it.

What was done to Kraft and the patriots is not normal and needs to be attacked on legal and political fronts, because they are still going to have to deal with some powerful owners, even if they disagree on a vote. We haven't heard from 20-25 owners and that would actually be enough to can him, but trying to evict him and losing would likely be more of a mess.

Those arsewipes could kill the golden goose, they've got huge egos.

Goodell must go and there can be no doubt.

 

[Off The Grid]

I don't think, like some, that a public name calling match and PR campaign is going to go very far.

Perhaps you misunderstood. I'm not talking about "name calling match".

Those are your words, not mine.

I'm talking about exposing The Truth.

Loudly.

Relentlessly.

And as Truth happens to be our Best Ally on this matter, it seems a pretty damned smart way to go, to me.

Daily Public Humiliation would be sort of a tough burden for Goodel to stand up to, don't you think?

I would think that that would be obvious...yes?

 

[RayClay]

Really?? That makes perfect sense...And it's a very intriguing Notion, actually...

I answered the perhaps rhetorical question "When is this BS going to stop??" in another Thread:

It will stop the very moment ~ should it ever transpire, as I pray it will and soon ~ that Robert Kraft finally looks himself in the mirror, admits to'mself that that sick feeling in'is gut is because he knows that he's been acting the Coward for Years, admits that the Peace that he imagines that he's bought is merely Servitude and Slavery in another form...and decides that feeling like a Man again is worth every bit of Trouble and Turmoil that will ensue when he finally stands up to his Enemies and goes to War with them.

Should Kraft indeed defy the Odds and answer our Prayers and experience such an Epiphany, there is the Possibility ~ if your are correct regarding Goodel's Authority to reverse himself, and I have no reason to think you're wrong ~ that Kraft could simply pound away in front of the Cameras, relentlessly roasting Goodel while pursuing any legal recourse he might have to humiliate Goodel and get his outrageously lucrative Job taken away from'm...until Goodel caves in and negotiates Peace...A Peace that of course consists of Goodel rescinding the Penalty and admitting that the Evidence didn't warrant it.

Hell...Even the Threat of all that might do it, if Goodel looks Kraft in the eye and realizes he means it.

It's a Million to One against Kraft experiencing such an Epiphany ~ the older one gets, the less likely it is for Courage to return, once it's fled ~ but he'd have a damned good Chance of Success.

It's going to stop when goodell is fired. Kraft can pull out his **** in the middle of main street and give the braveheart freedom cheer and it won't stop goodell from ****ing us around whenever he feels like it.

Once he's gone, maybe change some rules regarding commissioner power.

My, Mr. Grid, you are a noble idealist, you should write screenplays.

Of course, in real life, most cowboys were shot in the back, but the showdown at high noon is what sells movie tickets

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I am perfectly fine celebrating Kraft's record of success, while also criticizing him as an individual. He's done everything to earn my undying gratitude, but has done enough to lose my respect.

Nothing will take away from his historic success in building the NFL's premier franchise......and nothing will remove the damage that he has caused, in allowing others to permanently harm the franchise's brand.... nothing except maybe a 5th Lombardi and/or 19-0 season!!!

 

[Off The Grid]

I too have wimped out. I vowed not to watch the Indy game and to boycott Patriots Place. I vowed not to watch any other NFL games and not to spend one dime more on NFL or Pats merchandise. My vows (except for the spending $$ on merchandise, which I have not done, but more because of economics than a boycott) lasted about one minute. I love football too much and something that a poster here said struck a nerve with me - why should I punish myself when it won't make a difference anyway?

So, while I blame Bob Kraft for wimping out and not fighting the NFL machine when he should have, I am not much better. However, him fighting probably could make a difference, where me fighting could not.

And I, for one, applaud your Decision.

Many made such a Vow, but few will admit breaking it, I think.

Kraft deserved our Rage, but also our Forgiveness.

 

[RayClay]

Perhaps you misunderstood. I'm not talking about "name calling match".

Those are your words, not mine.

I'm talking about exposing The Truth.

Loudly.

Relentlessly.

And as Truth happens to be our Best Ally on this matter, it seems a pretty damned smart way to go, to me.

Daily Public Humiliation would be sort of a tough burden for Goodel to stand up to, don't you think?

I would think that that would be obvious...yes?

For all I know, Goodell pays some 6 foot blonde with a whip to humiliate him.

Grid, I hate to say this but

The truth is boring. It's boring men in gray suits, with the old school tie who squeeze the sport for as many dollars as they can.

I guess you're writing to see yourself write at this point, because you asked a question, but you don't like the answer.

Fortunately, unlike other untenable power situations throughout history where people are tortured and abused on a whim, there is an answer to Goodell. vote him out.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Appeal, and make a public stink from the beginning, but he would have lost the appeal. I still think he should have done it.

This is an important distinction though.

The courts didn't rule that Goodell can't run a kangaroo court of justice and get away with it. They ruled that he can't do it to the players because that is not what the players agreed to.

He ran the same process to screw the Patriots and Kraft, but the agreements with owners are fundamentally different than with the players. Goodell theoretically could have had the power over players that he does over owners, but he never got it put in the CBA. Like it or not, this case isn't about what's fair, it's about what's in the contract.

 

[RayClay]

Asking a billionaire to hang a man who is perceived to make him money is like asking a crack addict to give up their dealer. Kraft chose his side.

I'm curious as to, in a league where revenuse are shared and there's a salry cap, what is this other side? Are you suggesting seceding from the league?

 

[Off The Grid]

Great thread, and I love OTG, only he has a thread titled "Two Part Question" and can't help but have it spill into a three-part question

Yeah, Brevity has never been a particular Strength of mine!!

 

[RayClay]

Although from what ive witnessed over the last twenty or thirty years in which anyone can sue over anything (even if they've signed a waiver) The suit would be a bluff. Like the motto of the SAS says...."Those who dare win"

Anyone can sue over just about anything. The question is, does suing the league that your team, maybe the greatest team of all time, is a part of, where they even share revenues, help your situation?

I guess it's supposed to be some noble loss, but it leaves the problem still in power and it possibly leads other owners to back him and rehire him.

I'm missing where it helps us.

Win again, vote him out, hire somebody sane. that's my plan.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

03 ~ DeflateGate, technical Name, thank you Brother Palm: DepressurizationGate. Having learned that he can do anything he wants to to the Patriots without Fear of Kraft visiting Just Wrath and Vengeance upon'm, Goodell rapes our Team again. And Kraft, after huffing and puffing a bit, buckles under again.

I think, missing from this, is that Goodell had been under fire from the public about how he had handled previous issues (Ray Rice, ...) and needed something to distract the public or bring them back to his side. And sadly, it actually worked. Nobody is talking much about how Goodell botched his handlings of Rice and Peterson, but moved onto the more important topic.

Even when he kept moving the goalposts and truth came out, the public still chooses Goodell's version over the truth (mostly because the media quickly buries any topic and allows the NFL to lead with their stories "destroyed phone", ...) Truth is, people don't understand or appreciate success and want everyone to come down to their level rather than rise up and be better.