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

[RayClay]

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.....

Assigning all players contract and the stadium lease to the league? Ami I misinterpreting thar [from your section, wouldn't let me copy/paste.

 

[RayClay]

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

He said it was unfair multiple times. He said he's lost faith in the league. Not accept it? He doesn't have that option. He knows the league rules as well as anybody.

 

[flasox27]

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

Then we are royally screwed. Goodell is not going anywhere and anyone that fantasizes that is dreaming. He has the support of the Kraft's backstabbing fellow owners and maybe even Kraft unbelievably himself. When Goodell was vulnerable , Kraft protected him and now the POS is more popular than ever regardless of his incompetence. I feel sorry for Kraft but more sorry for the team and its fans.

 

[Off The Grid]

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.

I hate to break your heart, pal, but I've been enjoying the answers a great deal in this Thread, one that has been rendered excellent by those who've chosen to join it. You, in fact, are the only one who I've been disagreeing with, it's quite obvious that it is you and you alone who's gotten into a twist.

Apparently it's beyond your capacities to understand that a Public Campaign can effect enormous Changes in The Land of the Free, as has been proven thousands and thousands of times.

And yet it's you that's throwing a temper tantrum and claiming that it's me that can't handle the Truth!!

You clearly wouldn't know Truth if it bit you on the Ass, pal.

It's called a Difference of Opinion. And it's pathetic that you can't have one without a Temper Tantrum.

Try acting like an Adult for a change, instead of lashing out like a 2 Year old with a Diaper full'f hot, steaming Poo every time someone has the temerity to disagree with you.

 

[RayClay]

Then we are royally screwed. Goodell is not going anywhere and anyone that fantasizes that is dreaming. He has the support of the Kraft's backstabbing fellow owners and maybe even Kraft unbelievably himself. When Goodell was vulnerable , Kraft protected him and now the POS is more popular than ever regardless of his incompetence. I feel sorry for Kraft but more sorry for the team and its fans.

How many owners does he have the support of?

 

[ausbacker]

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.

You could replace Mein Fuhrer with a pet rock and the NFL would still make billions. Thats why I used the word perceived.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Assigning all players contract and the stadium lease to the league? Ami I misinterpreting thar [from your section, wouldn't let me copy/paste.

The lease is the big thing - but in the Patriots' instance (and Kroenke with the Rams in LA, for example) it doesn't exist. Most other teams lease their stadiums so that would be a problem, I agree.

As far as the player contracts is concerned, I think it's not a big deal because I'd be forming a competitor league. It would be like the early 60s again - the new league wouldn't have to honor NFL contracts. It would all wind up in court eventually and maybe I'd lose, but it's a short term issue. In fact, my workaround for this would be to "cut" all players from the team the day before withdrawing from the league, and then signing them to new contracts with the new League thereafter.

Obviously there's risk here, but it's a risk I'd take to salvage the good parts of the current NFL from its rotten core. That's why it needs to be big market teams, and I think the Redskins and Cowboys need to be involved (so we'd need to repair our relationship with Jerrah, which I think can be done; I feel he's more pissed at Kraft for not backing him earlier with the salary cap issue than any sort of long term rift).

 

[Off The Grid]

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

And it's a perfectly reasonable Plan.

It's just too bad you can't face other's Ideas without throwing a Temper Tantrum and insulting them.

You're carrying on multiple Arguments right now and your Sarcasm is obvious.

In fact, you're the only one in this Thread attacking rather than debating.

You might want to work on that.

 

[Off The Grid]

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.

All too true, Brother ReLo.

Winners understand and appreciate Success, but all too many others actually resent it, and seem to want to persuade themselves that it's the result of anything other than fanatical Preparation and Hard Work.

 

[RayClay]

I hate to break your heart, pal, but I've been enjoying the answers a great deal in this Thread, one that has been rendered excellent by those who've chosen to join it. You, in fact, are the only one who I've been disagreeing with, it's quite obvious that it is you and you alone who's gotten into a twist.

Apparently it's beyond your capacities to understand that a Public Campaign can effect enormous Changes in The Land of the Free, as has been proven thousands and thousands of times.

And yet it's you that's throwing a temper tantrum and claiming that it's me that can't handle the Truth!!

You clearly wouldn't know Truth if it bit you on the Ass, pal.

It's called a Difference of Opinion. And it's pathetic that you can't have one without a Temper Tantrum.

Try acting like an Adult when somebody disagrees with you, instead of lashing out like a 2 Year old with a Diaper of hot, steaming Poo.

A good PR plan can do some things, bur Kraft doesn't own the league and he is bound by the consensus of 32 others and the mistake they created.

If the patriots choose to stay in the league they are currently dominating [best plan, in my opinion] then they are still inextricably bound to the bylaws and agreements, mostly financial, that their fellow owners and the mistake they appointed administrate.

If your plan is that our owner spit in the eye of the corruptioner and any other owners he dislikes, that leaves us with few options, seeing that the revenue sharing, media contracts, salary cap are still jointly held by the league.

There's starting our own league or trying to bring the league down in a lawsuit.

Given that removing him is an actual option, I don't think you've addressed what intentionally pissing off all the people you would need politically to do that, accomplishes.

 

[RayClay]

You could replace Mein Fuhrer with a pet rock and the NFL would still make billions. Thats why I used the word perceived.

Well, I said gerbil, but i obviously agree. It's all politics and, unfortunately, it's politics involving a dictator, rather than someone accountable [except to 20-24 owners].

 

[flasox27]

How many owners does he have the support of?

If you are referring to Goodell, against the fair treatment of the Pats at least 31. Maybe 32 depending on which of Kraft's statements you believe. If you are referring to Kraft, maybe one.

 

[RayClay]

Against the fair treatment of the Pats at least 31.

Seriously. you understand that the only real recourse is the owners voting him out. Fair, actually a standard for a player. for a team? it isn't. People don't like it, but that's the truth. Teams don't even control their own revenues, it's socialism.

 

[Tony2046]

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.

You're killing me Grid.

Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, two of the all time greats, will have to live with underserved tarnished legacies because this f***ing coward can't stand up and fight or do the right thing.

I previously tried to understand his position but the bottom line is that he always ends up shlob knobbing good ole goodell at the owner's meetings. Did he have to accept the punishment? No. Did he try to appeal it? No. Did he show up at Brady's appeal? No. etc,,,etc,,, He has left the two greatest pillars of an organization basically stand on their own island to fend for themselves with the exception of a few morsels of goodwill used for his own PR lifevest after the fanbase backlash.

What father or architect or creator would allow some asinine power hungry mongrel shyt all over his beloved creation and those who have made it shine as bright as it does?

Do I hate him? No. Does he deserve credit for all the good things he has done? Sure.

Do I forgive him? No.

I ask you, where would the reputation of this franchise be now if Brady had not stood up against the tyrannical landslide of PR hits, legal battles, lies and personal attacks created by Roger himself?

To feed off of your avatar .....Brady is William Wallace and Kraft is Robert the Bruce (prior to the final scene that is)

 

[Observer]

He said it was unfair multiple times. He said he's lost faith in the league. Not accept it? He doesn't have that option. He knows the league rules as well as anybody.

Rules? Really?

 

[flasox27]

Seriously. you understand that the only real recourse is the owners voting him out. Fair, actually a standard for a player. for a team? it isn't. People don't like it, but that's the truth. Teams don't even control their own revenues, it's socialism.

By fair I mean treating all teams equal in the assignment of punishment. Apparently, punishment is doled out like "Animal Farm" all teams are treated equally but some are more equal than others based on the whims of the POS and his henchmen.

 

[rochrist]

I don't understand why Kraft couldn't have simply put in a "piggyback" appeal with Brady's appeal. For all its flaws, the Wells report did find that Belichick and the Patriots organization itself committed no wrongdoing so the entire basis for the draft pick penalty was Brady's conduct. Kraft's position should have been, "Brady's my trusted employee; he's maintained his innocence; there's no real proof to the contrary; there's no basis to take away picks. I appeal concurrently with Brady and if/when he's clear, the draft pick forfeiture should be vacated as well."

The only reason not to do this would be political and I don't fully understand the politics behind it.

He could have appealed. To Goodell. How far do you think that would get?

 

[VrabelJr]

Hey! You can't make a thread like this! We already had our bye week this year!

 

[rochrist]

Sue ESPN, that would be a good start. Refuse to hand over the draft pick, that would be a good second step. Demand that the ball pressures be released and the Mort report be corrected before taking the field for the superbowl would be a good third. There are a vast number of things you can do other than act like a helpless victim if you have the truth on your side.

Refuse to hand over the draft pick? You /can't/ refuse to hand over the draft pick. What, you envision Kraft charging up on stage, elbowing whoever is picking in the spot the Pats ought to have, seizing the mic and announcing a pick the league isn't going to let you sign?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Sue ESPN, that would be a good start. Refuse to hand over the draft pick, that would be a good second step. Demand that the ball pressures be released and the Mort report be corrected before taking the field for the superbowl would be a good third. There are a vast number of things you can do other than act like a helpless victim if you have the truth on your side.

Kraft can't "refuse to hand over the draft pick". The NFL would simply refuse to accept any choice handed in by NE.

Suing ESPN probably wouldn't survive summary judgement. ESPN based its reporting on an NFL document (the one that falsely said the balls were 10.1 PSI). That gives them a very strong defense on both prongs of the public figure libel standard. They would very likely be able to successfully argue in a summary judgement hearing that they did not know what they were claiming was false -- after all, it came from an official NFL letter. And for the same reason they would very likely be able to successfully claim they weren't showing a reckless disregard for the potential falsity of their claim.

Demanding the ball pressures be released will be pointless because the NFL's announced protocol makes it trivial for the NFL to not show any depressurization if they don't want to. It's easily fudgeably and I'm sure it's intentionally so.

All that said, Kraft shouldn't sit there with his thumb up his azz and take PR hit after PR hit. He should have been MUCH more active in terms of challenging league narratives.