Opinion: Jonathan Kraft not representing the Krafts well during labor battle

[PatsWickedPissah]

Bob Kraft is credited with brokering the CBA last time, avoiding a lost season or whatever. But given the opinions oft cited here about how it was a stopgap agreement of last resort, Bob Kraft has not done much over the last year or so to fix the bad deal. He's been MIA for the most part, long distance phone calls notwithstanding. Now with J Kraft taking a strong public ownership position against the NFLPA*, it indicates that the Kraft's agree that the past deal was so bad that the owners could not go forward with it even to the point of risking this season's $9B revenue and maybe even the future growth and success of the league. If conversely the Krafts felt that the root problem was a few owners not pulling their weight, there would be no need for JK to trash the NFLPA* so openly.

 

[Rob0729]

Stories have been that Jonathan is a lot more confrontational than his father and doesn't have the people savvy his dad has. There has been stories that Jonathan has had confrontations with Belichick too. Now these are all just rumors, but it is seems that although he isn't just a sibling of an owner who just goes to work and collects a seven figure paycheck for doing nothing like some other owners' kids, he isn't quite the businessman his father is either.

 

[townes]

Bob Kraft is credited with brokering the CBA last time, avoiding a lost season or whatever. But given the opinions oft cited here about how it was a stopgap agreement of last resort, Bob Kraft has not done much over the last year or so to fix the bad deal. He's been MIA for the most part, long distance phone calls notwithstanding. Now with J Kraft taking a strong public ownership position against the NFLPA*, it indicates that the Kraft's agree that the past deal was so bad that the owners could not go forward with it even to the point of risking this season's $9B revenue and maybe even the future growth and success of the league. If conversely the Krafts felt that the root problem was a few owners not pulling their weight, there would be no need for JK to trash the NFLPA* so openly.

Jon Kraft was intimately involved in crafting the last CBA and was actually the one in the room during the work on it, not his father, and it was clear then that the dispute was between the owners and not with the players. He can try and deflect that all he wants but he still needs to explain why the deal was so bad and as yet has done nothing to address it.

 

[townes]

Basically the Kraft's are saying they made a lousy deal and that is the player's fault.

 

[mgcolby]

Basically the Kraft's are saying they made a lousy deal and that is the player's fault.

The owners knowingly made a bad deal to keep the peace and the gravy train rolling. But they left themselves options in case the economy didn't come back, that sounds like sound business to me.

As to the original post: Is any one on either side representing themselves well in this?

 

[Synovia]

Basically the Kraft's are saying they made a lousy deal and that is the player's fault.

No, thats not what they're saying. The deal they made with the players had an opt out clause for a reason.


What they're saying is that its the players fault that there's no negotiations going on right now.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

If the owners wanted the players to negotiate, they should have offered a deal that wasn't an insult.

 

[Patstopia]

The only side that I see as right in this case is the fans, the other 2 sides are by no means the great arbiters of truth and justice. And to assume because two judges make a ruling it indicates that either side is right may be our biggest mistake of all. Hopefully they can all get their head out of their butts and get a CBA done before they ruin football forever!

 

[Patspsycho]

I would argue that Jonathon craft knows EXACTLY what the consequences of his statements will be.

How crafty!

 

[townes]

The owners knowingly made a bad deal to keep the peace and the gravy train rolling. But they left themselves options in case the economy didn't come back, that sounds like sound business to me.

As to the original post: Is any one on either side representing themselves well in this?

The NFL economy is only getting better and has suffered no setbacks whatsoever, all they had to do to "keep the gravy train rolling" was continue on, and they have not shown any compelling reason not to do so.

 

[mgteich]

We seem to arguing about the reasonability of the public positions of parties in labor negotiations and in a court case or two.

Why should we expect truth or reasonableness from any public statements in this situation?

To me, the real events or news involve the court decisions, actions made in compliance with those decisions, and the final deal.

 

[mgcolby]

The NFL economy is only getting better and has suffered no setbacks whatsoever, all they had to do to "keep the gravy train rolling" was continue on, and they have not shown any compelling reason not to do so.

Interesting statement. And you know this how? It would appear that the people who actually know if it is getting better or not disagree with you.

It always amazes me when people make definitive statements about something they know absolutely nothing about other than what has been stated or conjectured in the media.

 

[Deus Irae]

There's a lot of revisionist history about the 2006 deal, but maybe these two articles will give people some answers:

But eventually, the owners found a revenue-sharing plan that met approval. Tagliabue said that the concept for the agreement was devised by the Jets' owner, Woody Johnson, and Jonathan Kraft, president of the New England Patriots; it was modified by Rooney, and **** Cass, president of the Baltimore Ravens; and it was further modified by the Giants' John Mara, Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers and Pat Bowlen of the Denver Broncos, with help from Jones and Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons.

"It was a good compromise, and we're happy with it," Irsay said. "Thirty-two is not a bad vote."

N.F.L. Owners Accept Labor Deal - New York Times

The real debate was between the owners themselves on the important issue of expanded revenue sharing.

Low-income teams say high-revenue teams should contribute proportionately to the player pool because they can earn far more in non-football income from things such as advertising and local radio rights.

USATODAY.com - NFL owners accept player union proposal with 30-2 vote

 

[townes]

Interesting statement. And you know this how? It would appear that the people who actually know if it is getting better or not disagree with you.

It always amazes me when people make definitive statements about something they know absolutely nothing about other than what has been stated or conjectured in the media.

Record ratings, record TV deals, and record revenues, and increasing revenue streams, trying to conflate the NFL economy with the economy as a whole is absurd.

 

[townes]

Interesting statement. And you know this how? It would appear that the people who actually know if it is getting better or not disagree with you.

It always amazes me when people make definitive statements about something they know absolutely nothing about other than what has been stated or conjectured in the media.

Ironic statement given that those defending ownership are claiming they need relief and opted out for it, yet have failed to make any argument at all to support their position. To date the argument has been the owners deserve more because they want more, and that's worth killing the game for, as well as seriously damaging all the communities that have supported them for years.

 

[townes]

To be fair about it I also heard an interview with DeMaurice Smith on Thursday prior to the first round of the draft and he was even more belligerent than Kraft was an equally invested in laying blame over getting anything done.

 

[BradyManny]

To be fair about it I also heard an interview with DeMaurice Smith on Thursday prior to the first round of the draft and he was even more belligerent than Kraft was an equally invested in laying blame over getting anything done.

Fair point. I'm not a fan of some of things coming out of Smith's mouth either.

But Kraft is a Patriot and so I hold him to higher standards, particularly when it comes to media savvy.

 

[mgcolby]

Ironic statement given that those defending ownership are claiming they need relief and opted out for it, yet have failed to make any argument at all to support their position. To date the argument has been the owners deserve more because they want more, and that's worth killing the game for, as well as seriously damaging all the communities that have supported them for years.

I'm not defending anyone. I'm just stating the fact that the people who actually know how much revenue is being generated, don't believe the increase in player salary/benefit costs are comensurate with the current revenue.

And your argument goes both ways, the players deserve more because they want more? But instead of negotiating they go to court. They refused to review the financial information that the owners were willing to provide, they waited to doomsday to provide any real counter offer and even then their efforts seemed half hearted. Both sides are to blame, but if I was forced to pick it a side it wouldn't be in favor of the players.

 

[mgcolby]

To be fair about it I also heard an interview with DeMaurice Smith on Thursday prior to the first round of the draft and he was even more belligerent than Kraft was an equally invested in laying blame over getting anything done.

In my opinion, Smith is the biggest obstacle in this entire process.

 

[townes]

Fair point. I'm not a fan of some of things coming out of Smith's mouth either.

But Kraft is a Patriot and so I hold him to higher standards, particularly when it comes to media savvy.

And Smith, as a lawyer, is going to take the harder line in public but he still sounded like a total **** and was far more belligerent than i thought he should have been. It really sucks that both sides are as dug in as they appear to be. Once the ruling is in on the stay they should have the Players Executive committee sit down with the owners executive committee and they should go long and hard to hammer out a deal that will be fair to all and stand the test of time. I believe many of the owners know they have a good thing and I believe players like Brady and Manning have no desire at all to take down the game as it is generally structured, however the course of events is taking things down an extreme road with serious consequences, and somewhere common sense and the common good should become the determining factor.