".....a league office drunk on power, overwhelmed by prejudice......"

[RhodyPatriot]

WOW!!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/patriots--fight-with-nfl-gets-nastier-with-release-of-emails-005610492.html

It's game on Rog and your former friend now sworn enemy Robert is leading the charge.

Lovin' it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[juny]

First PFT, now yahoo. Nice to see national outlets shame the NFL for their behavior.

Here's hoping to a good outcome in court

 

[Hoodie]

Kraft came out fighting before the Super Bowl and promptly backed down after chatting amiably with Goodell as several parties. I'm going to withhold judgement about his willingness for confrontation until I see that it's sustained. But it sure is good to see some writers exposing the truth about the NFL for a change.

 

[ChoWZa]

It begs the question, why wouldn't the NFL office just comply with the Patriots' perfectly reasonable request (which they shouldn't have had to make in the first place). This is looking really, really bad for the NFL.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Excellent article, I really hope this gains traction. Unfortunately, I fear Wetzel is right in stating that the "Pats exonerated" ship has sailed, but if Kraft is willing to go scorched earth here and do everything in his power to take Goodell down, he'll gain back some of the credibility that he lost in letting this mess get to where it is today.

Just imagine how differently this might have gone if, instead of throwing Goodell a lifeline during the Rice investigation, Kraft had worked toward getting him removed.

 

[Fencer]

I suspect Wetzel feels PERSONALLY burned by the recent period when he thought the "destroyed cell phone" was actually a fair description of events.

Unlike his other recent columns on PSIgate, this one makes no effort to avoid choosing sides.

If so, I can identify personally. One of the surest ways to make me into a PR catastrophe for you is to successfully fool me into believing something false. When I realize I was hoodwinked, I go on a mission to help other people avoid my mistake.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I like this part

Robert Kraft really isn't someone to be trifled with.

Roger Goodell trifled with him though

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Kraft came out fighting before the Super Bowl and promptly backed down after chatting amiably with Goodell as several parties. I'm going to withhold judgement about his willingness for confrontation until I see that it's sustained. But it sure is good to see some writers exposing the truth about the NFL for a change.

I believe Robert when he says he stood down because he thought that would get Brady a good deal with the league. WE were all telling him not to trust Goodell because he's a snake but Robert trusted Goodell and in the end looked like a weak fool with egg on his face.
Smart businessmen like Robert Kraft do not like it when they are make to look like weak ineffectual fools. And nobody likes it when the person who put that egg on your face is the same one whose professional ass you've saved over and over again.
I have NO doubt the Kraft/Goodell relationship is over.

 

[flasox27]

I believe Robert when he says he stood down because he thought that would get Brady a good deal with the league. WE were all telling him not to trust Goodell because he's a snake but Robert trusted Goodell and in the end looked like a weak fool with egg on his face.
Smart businessmen like Robert Kraft do not like it when they are make to look like weak ineffectual fools. And nobody likes it when the person who put that egg on your face is the same one whose professional ass you've saved over and over again.
I have NO doubt the Kraft/Goodell relationship is over.

Don't be too sure. Until Kraft comes out and burns the bridge with Goodell which he has not done thus far in his generic condemnation of the League office, I remain to be convinced. Has everybody forgotten Kraft's statement prior to the last owners meeting and what happened next. Let's see if he can survive the pressure of an owners meeting before putting back on the pedestal.

 

[hambone1818]

Here's what I don't get: these e-mails exist, they happened in real life. Pats council was getting repeatedly stonewalled by the league, they were told it wasn't in anyones best interest to release the correct numbers (huh?) and they let the Patriots get absolute annihilated by the press...based on FALSE DATA THE LEAGUE LEAKED!

I will never, ever understand how or why Kraft trusted Goodell after the real numbers were published. I just can't get by that fact...three months of hysteria caused by his office leaking bad info to the media and he trusts the man after having a sit-down or two with him? I just don't get it and likely never will.

Seeing the little that we have of the inner workings of this investigation and what the Patriots were going through, I can't comprehend why Kraft didn't go scorched earth on these assholes once he saw the real numbers in the Wells report.

EDIT: that said, I do have faith now that FINALLY Kraft has seen the light, that his relationship with Goodell is over. I can only hope his influence among owners is strong enough, and this evidence is presented to owners in such a way to convince them that Goodell is a train wreck and can annihilate any franchise on a whim; the Saints will certainly be able to back up Kraft's claims. Kraft, PLEASE get a strong contingent of owners to burn Goodell and his Jets buddies to the ground!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Don't be too sure. Until Kraft comes out and burns the bridge with Goodell which he has not done thus far in his generic condemnation of the League office, I remain to be convinced. Has everybody forgotten Kraft's statement prior to the last owners meeting and what happened next. Let's see if he can survive the pressure of an owners meeting before putting back on the pedestal.

Precisely.
Sure Kraft just reloaded and fired at the NYFL but the league has not yet fired back. Last time under the 1st small arms fire Kraft withered, retreated and surrendered. What will he do this time when the NYFL like a wounded animal really returns fire? I remain yet to be convinced of Vichy Bob's steely resolve.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

Don't be too sure. Until Kraft comes out and burns the bridge with Goodell which he has not done thus far in his generic condemnation of the League office, I remain to be convinced. Has everybody forgotten Kraft's statement prior to the last owners meeting and what happened next. Let's see if he can survive the pressure of an owners meeting before putting back on the pedestal.

I have no doubt Kraft has personally addressed his outrage to Goodell over the false psi leaks that put the match to the gasoline and ignited this entire fiasco.
So what happened???
Not only has Goodell never addressed that issue and but they leak "Brady destroyed his cell phone" in the hours leading up to the release of Goodell's decision.
Designed to enflame and besmirch.
HIGHLY unprofessional, HIGHLY unethical behavior continues from this Commish and his minions.
Robert Kraft is all done with this crowd and I believe will work quietly behind the scenes to oust Roger Goodell. Not going to happen overnight but will happen over time.
That league does not make the money they do because of Roger Goodell, they make it despite Roger Goodell.
The man f*&ks up every other day.

 

[Wax Frog]

I like this part

Robert Kraft really isn't someone to be trifled with.

Roger Goodell trifled with him though

I think somebody reads this forum!

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england.../you-can-feel-the-anger.1121719/#post-4266419

 

[1960Pats]

I suspect Wetzel feels PERSONALLY burned by the recent period when he thought the "destroyed cell phone" was actually a fair description of events.

Unlike his other recent columns on PSIgate, this one makes no effort to avoid choosing sides.

If so, I can identify personally. One of the surest ways to make me into a PR catastrophe for you is to successfully fool me into believing something false. When I realize I was hoodwinked, I go on a mission to help other people avoid my mistake.

Mort doesn't agree with that strategy. He chose to stick with Kensil, the Jet who leaked him the fake 11 of 12 report.

 

[Bella*chick]

What I think was at least partly behind Krafts decision to roll over in May was just what he said....punishments are routinely reduced after arbitration and I am sure Kraft thought that taking action would piss off the league enough to sustain the suspension. And of course, it was sustained anyway. But there was never any deal or anything silly like that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

What I think was at least partly behind Krafts decision to roll over in May was just what he said....punishments are routinely reduced after arbitration and I am sure Kraft thought that taking action would piss off the league enough to sustain the suspension. And of course, it was sustained anyway. But there was never any deal or anything silly like that.

Kraft thought he was doing business with a rational human being.

He grossly miscalculated Goody's ego, thirst for power and insecurity.

 

[Silver Blue&Red]

I have no doubt Kraft has personally addressed his outrage to Goodell over the false psi leaks that put the match to the gasoline and ignited this entire fiasco.
So what happened???
Not only has Goodell never addressed that issue and but they leak "Brady destroyed his cell phone" in the hours leading up to the release of Goodell's decision.
Designed to enflame and besmirch.
HIGHLY unprofessional, HIGHLY unethical behavior continues from this Commish and his minions.
Robert Kraft is all done with this crowd and I believe will work quietly behind the scenes to oust Roger Goodell. Not going to happen overnight but will happen over time.
That league does not make the money they do because of Roger Goodell, they make it despite Roger Goodell.
The man f*&ks up every other day.

Exactly. They make their money on guys like Brady.

 

[borg]

The thread title/article quote perfectly sums up this entire witch hunt............

".....a league office drunk on power, overwhelmed by prejudice......"

 

[DaedalusX]

Kraft thought he was doing business with a rational human being.

He grossly miscalculated Goody's ego, thirst for power and insecurity.

That and I think Kraft realized he had less support from other owners than he was expecting. But suspending an innocent Brady is a red line in his mind where going rogue trumps not being "out" of the owners club.

 

[shmessy]

First PFT, now yahoo. Nice to see national outlets shame the NFL for their behavior.

Here's hoping to a good outcome in court

Really? Don't get excited about any movement.. Wetzel has been banging the drum for Brady for months. (Except for the 36 hours after "Destroyed Cell Phone")