Robert Kraft should sell the team.

[DarrylS]

None of this has anything to do with his inaction during SpyFlateGate. That's akin to saying that a guy that has committed numerous charitable acts for the city that he lives in and has done a lot to enrich the lives of the people there should be forgiven for a night where he drank a fifth of Jack, got behind the wheel, and mowed down a pedestrian. Each act is separate. Yes, Kraft has done a lot of good for the franchise in the past. But this is a completely separate transgression and it shall be judged on it's own merits.

You could have just stopped here.

There is zero evidence of that happening. Actually, most of the evidence is on the fact that he's siding with the rest of the owners and Goodell on this one. Not surprising, though, considering this is a guy that kisses Goodell's cheek and gives him a big hug when he sees him in the Big Apple.

Whatever way you want to slice it, if you're going to lay any blame at Goodell's feet for this mess, blame should also be laid at Kraft's. He had numerous chances to come down on Goodell publicly for NFL publicity nightmares (like Rice, Peterson, Hardy, etc.) and supported him EACH and every single time by telling the world what a "great job" Roger was doing.

What evidence do you speak that he "siding with other owners" kimosabe???

Any evidence of how Kraft responded to a "great job Roger", after each and every time of the nightmares Rice, Peterson, Hardy etc??

I am not convinced that it is Kraft's style to do as you suggest..

I think people have a need to just be angry, and in that effort will rely on a whole lot of hearsay and conjecture to maintain that state..

 

[Clonamery]

What people don't get is that BB is in charge of all football operations.

BB never says anything that says anything

he's likely asking Kraft to do the same

About time.

 

[flasox27]

What evidence do you speak that he "siding with other owners" kimosabe???

Any evidence of how Kraft responded to a "great job Roger", after each and every time of the nightmares Rice, Peterson, Hardy etc??

I am not convinced that it is Kraft's style to do as you suggest..

I think people have a need to just be angry, and in that effort will rely on a whole lot of hearsay and conjecture to maintain that state..

I have to assume that what Kraft says and does in public which is captured on film reflects his actual feelings or he is extremely stupid to present views that are the antithesis of the feelings of his teams fans. I do not think Kraft is stupid. I think the myth of his influence behind the scenes or any secret plans has been fully exposed.

 

[DarrylS]

. I think the myth of his influence behind the scenes or any secret plans has been fully exposed.

How so?? Any evidence???

 

[Clonamery]

What evidence do you speak that he "siding with other owners" kimosabe???

Any evidence of how Kraft responded to a "great job Roger", after each and every time of the nightmares Rice, Peterson, Hardy etc??

I am not convinced that it is Kraft's style to do as you suggest..

I think people have a need to just be angry, and in that effort will rely on a whole lot of hearsay and conjecture to maintain that state..

Here's what I could find....random selections. I'll keep looking because I know you want proof that he supported Goodell after every drama.

“I think it’s good that every mother in America knows that the N.F.L. is more concerned about the health and welfare and safety of our players,” the Patriots owner Robert K. Kraft said. “You can’t get around that it’s a physical, tough game, but there is a way to play.”

“To be honest, I really don’t focus on how players view the commissioner,” Kraft said. “All I know is he’s very tough but very fair, and he’s doing a job, and it’s not going to help him win popularity contests. I want him to do things just the way he’s doing them.”

“The way he’s handled this situation himself, coming out with the mea culpa in his statement a couple of weeks ago, or 10 days ago, and setting a very clear policy how we conduct ourselves in the NFL, I thought was excellent,” Kraft said to CBS’s Charlie Rose. “Anyone who’s second-guessing that doesn’t know him.”

“Well, putting personal situations aside, I think he has done a very good job,” Kraft said to reporters. “He’s worked hard. The health of the league has not been better. We have our issue that we don’t think has been handled well. It is what it is.”

Yeah the last quote is from this past March at the Owners Meetings.

I'm glad he's finally silent.

 

[archstanton543]

You know how people go to Jets or Bills forums and post "Haw-haw, look at these losers self-destructing" with a link to some hysterical thread? Well, we should eliminate threads like this one because they're just turning around and saying the same things about us. And we're better than that....at least I hope we are.

 

[IllegalContact]

You know how people go to Jets or Bills forums and post "Haw-haw, look at these losers self-destructing" with a link to some hysterical thread? Well, we should eliminate threads like this one because they're just turning around and saying the same things about us. And we're better than that....at least I hope we are.

fans are no better in one place or another........their self-perceived superiority stems from the success of their teams

many here have the bottom bar set at winning the division because its all they've ever seen

 

[Ring 6]

Kraft is in a tough spot.

He saved the franchise and has been to more SBs than you can count on one hand, winning four of them.

If there was something he could do to help the situation, he'd do it. If all you want is for him to come out kicking and screaming, I get it, but that's just the anger inside of you. It helps nothing

The issue is that as patriot fans many here feel there should be at least some instances where Kraft puts the good of his team ahead of doing what he is told by other owners.
If this is not one of those cases there never will be one.
I have no idea what Kraft could have accomplished but feel in a situation this blatantly wrong and damaging he should have aligned with his franchise against the commissioner and other owners. He could have done many things from formal appeal to pressuring other owners to possible legal action (let's not forget his own commissioners office withheld the measurements from his franchise for months and then only released them on the condition they were not made public. Where was he then?)(where is he now demanding this years measurements are released? How does he allow his employee to lie that they weren't taken without challenging that)
The worst part of all of this is Kraft publicly chose what is best for 31 other owners over what is best for his franchise when the other 31 had absolutely nothing to gain or lose and continues to publicly commend the man who is destroying the franchise he is supposed to protect because, in his own words, the fans are what it's all about.

 

[Ring 6]

You know how people go to Jets or Bills forums and post "Haw-haw, look at these losers self-destructing" with a link to some hysterical thread? Well, we should eliminate threads like this one because they're just turning around and saying the same things about us. And we're better than that....at least I hope we are.

Do we care?

 

[archstanton543]

Do we care?

If you don't care about looking like a fool, then I guess not.

 

[archstanton543]

How does he allow his employee to lie that they weren't taken without challenging that?

Goodell is more of an elected monarch than an employee. Oh sure, he was put into power by the owners and to some degree has to answer to them but really, at the end of the day, he's his own autonomous entity.

 

[Kontradiction]

What evidence do you speak that he "siding with other owners" kimosabe???

Have you followed this at all? There's plenty of it. Laying down "for the good of the other 31" by itself indicates just that. Has he released a statement at all following the suspension being reinstated?

Any evidence of how Kraft responded to a "great job Roger", after each and every time of the nightmares Rice, Peterson, Hardy etc??

Robert Kraft praises Goodell, says Ray Rice won't play in NFL again

There's at least one person in Roger Goodell's corner.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft praised the NFL commissioner on Tuesday morning, saying the decisions the latter has made regarding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice have been exemplary.

"The way he handled this situation himself, coming out with the mea culpa in his statement a couple weeks ago, or 10 days ago, and setting a very clear policy of how we conduct ourselves in the NFL, I thought was excellent," Kraft said on "CBS This Morning." "Anyone who is second-guessing him that doesn't know him."

He also backed Goodell when the NFL railroaded the Cowboys and the Redskins during the uncapped year. Finally, and most importantly, he said that Goodell was "doing a great job" AMIDST this entire mess just a few weeks before Brady's suspension was reinstated. Again, have you followed this at all?

He's had numerous chances to come out publicly against a guy who, by your own admission, is doing a god awful job in his post and, instead of coming out against him, has repeatedly praised him. Kraft is one of the foremost reasons Goodell is making the money he's making today, and Kraft is one of the foremost reasons why Goodell just got away with being the judge, jury, and executioner and will until the current CBA expires. One way or another, Kraft is responsible here no matter which way you cut it. So if you're going to lay any of the blame for this at the feet of Goodell, you have to do it with Kraft as well.

I am not convinced that it is Kraft's style to do as you suggest..

No, it's not. He cares more about lining his pockets than he does going to bat for the guy who played a big hand in making his franchise as successful as it is today. He doesn't want to lose his seat at the table by rocking the boat.

I think people have a need to just be angry, and in that effort will rely on a whole lot of hearsay and conjecture to maintain that state..

You should probably stick to politics, kimosabe. None of what I just said is hearsay.

 

[DarrylS]

Have you followed this at all? There's plenty of it. Laying down "for the good of the other 31" by itself indicates just that. Has he released a statement at all following the suspension being reinstated?

Robert Kraft praises Goodell, says Ray Rice won't play in NFL again

He also backed Goodell when the NFL railroaded the Cowboys and the Redskins during the uncapped year. Finally, and most importantly, he said that Goodell was "doing a great job" AMIDST this entire mess just a few weeks before Brady's suspension was reinstated. Again, have you followed this at all?

He's had numerous chances to come out publicly against a guy who, by your own admission, is doing a god awful job in his post and, instead of coming out against him, has repeatedly praised him. Kraft is one of the foremost reasons Goodell is making the money he's making today, and Kraft is one of the foremost reasons why Goodell just got away with being the judge, jury, and executioner and will until the current CBA expires. One way or another, Kraft is responsible here no matter which way you cut it. So if you're going to lay any of the blame for this at the feet of Goodell, you have to do it with Kraft as well.

No, it's not. He cares more about lining his pockets than he does going to bat for the guy who played a big hand in making his franchise as successful as it is today. He doesn't want to lose his seat at the table by rocking the boat.

You should probably stick to politics, kimosabe. None of what I just said is hearsay.

Sorry Charlie, but Patriots are my passion.. politics are secondary.. did not think I needed your permission to post here, you seem easily confused.

If you read the quote on Rice, he was not praising Rice he was praising Goodell for taking a stand.. later Goodell lost.

Guess the business world in not within your wheelhouse.. do you want him to act like Al Davis or some other loud mouth?? The reality most of this stuff takes place behind closed doors and none of us have a clue to the inner machinations of how all this works..

Does any NFL business owner care more about the game than bottom line?? I await with bated breath your informed response... we are lucky to have Mr. Kraft as an owner, and he made a mistake time to move on. The blame game proves nothing..

 

[Kontradiction]

Sorry Charlie, but Patriots are my passion.. politics are secondary.. did not think I needed your permission to post here, you seem easily confused.

If you read the quote on Rice, he was not praising Rice he was praising Goodell for taking a stand.. later Goodell lost.

If the Patriots are your passion, you should follow them more. The only person easily confused here is you. See below...

Praising Goodell should have been what Kraft WASN'T doing during that time. Praising Goodell should have been what Kraft WASN'T doing after other scandals. Backing Goodell against Jones and Snyder should have been what Kraft WASN'T doing. Praising Goodell after he railroaded Brady should have been what Kraft WASN'T doing. Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Kraft has had numerous opportunities to mount an offensive and turn the perception of other owners against Goodell. He hasn't. As a matter of fact, all he's said is that "Roger is doing a great job". Let that sink in.

Guess the business world in not within your wheelhouse.. do you want him to act like Al Davis or some other loud mouth?? The reality most of this stuff takes place behind closed doors and none of us have a clue to the inner machinations of how all this works..

I'm currently in grad school for business management and I work full time in a leadership role. I know how the inner machinations of business works. They are irrelevant here unless you can produce some shred of evidence that something is going on behind the scenes. The reason you can't do that is because the CBA that Kraft was instrumental in forcing through has granted Goodell all but absolute power in deciding situations like this. Read that again: Kraft was instrumental in that. This is what he wanted and what he agreed to. After that, Kraft has done nothing but heap praise upon Goodell when it was totally unnecessary to do so. And, even if we were looking at this from a business relationship standpoint, I've done business with a lot of people I don't particularly care for. The most the get is a cold handshake. They don't get a tight embrace and a kiss on the sidelines of Met Life. The sheep are easily fooled. Kraft isn't doing a damn thing behind the scenes because he likes things the way they are... even at the expense of his franchise quarterback's name getting dragged through the mud in the process.

Does any NFL business owner care more about the game than bottom line?? I await with bated breath your informed response...

They should. Because not caring about the game will eventually hurt the bottom line. We've seen examples of this time and time again.

we are lucky to have Mr. Kraft as an owner,

To not be able to (or to downright refuse) to separate the good he's done and the mistakes he's made is a failure in logic and critical thinking. The only question is whether you actually realize that you're doing just that and doing it on purpose or not. I always thought you were smarter than this, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

and he made a mistake time to move on. The blame game proves nothing..

You could have just left it at the bolded. He's made quite a few of them since 2007. You can move on, though. It's a free country.

 

[IllegalContact]

No, it's not. He cares more about lining his pockets than he does going to bat for the guy who played a big hand in making his franchise as successful as it is today. He doesn't want to lose his seat at the table by rocking the boat.

This made me laugh.......

Brady doesn't need you to tell Kraft to go to bat for him.......I think their relationship is rock solid unless becoming a next door neighbor to the person you hate and taking less to play for the person you hate somehow makes sense to you.

As for lining his pockets, it's exactly what I would be doing........sounds like you prefer the Sullivan/Kiam/Orthwein way of running a team.....Foxboro was sold out for the 5 years consecutive before Brady/Belichik showed up, so the success was already on its way....yes, Brady helped as did countless other players

I laugh at anyone who at any time believed that Kraft did it for them

 

[Kontradiction]

This made me laugh.......

Brady doesn't need you to tell Kraft to go to bat for him.......I think their relationship is rock solid unless becoming a next door neighbor to the person you hate and taking less to play for the person you hate somehow makes sense to you.

This would make sense if Brady played and dealt directly with Kraft instead of Belichick. The best move Kraft ever made was being hands off when it came to that arena and letting Belichick run things. And no, Brady doesn't need anyone to tell Kraft to go to bat for him. Kraft should have just done it. Luckily for Brady, he still has a legal team to do that. But I do laugh at you saying their relationship is "rock solid" as if you have some sort of insider knowledge. Because Brady hasn't come out publicly against him doesn't mean he's happy with the way Kraft has, or hasn't, done things thus far. Kraft is pretty clearly on the opposite side of Brady in this and his silence since Monday is deafening.

As for lining his pockets, it's exactly what I would be doing........sounds like you prefer the Sullivan/Kiam/Orthwein way of running a team

Actually, if you've read the thread, I've credited Kraft with being an excellent owner when it comes to the actual business aspect of it and clearly stated he shouldn't sell the team. I do prefer to exercise some critical thinking skills from time to time, however, and can separate the good things that he's done from the not so good. You seem to be aware that this is the latter, given your own words.

I laugh at anyone who at any time believed that Kraft did it for them

I get a good laugh when I watch people slam Goodell for this while going out of their way to excuse Kraft. It's as if they completely forget how instrumental Kraft was to Goodell becoming what he is today. Tell me who pushed through the current CBA that we enjoy? The one that granted Goodell power as judge, jury, and executioner? That was Kraft. Kraft was absolutely instrumental in that deal getting done. So no matter what way you want to cut it, Kraft is at fault here.

 

[IllegalContact]

I get a good laugh when I watch people slam Goodell for this while going out of their way to excuse Kraft.

who is doing this?

Nobody's excusing Kraft...........the difference is that a rational person 'yup......Kraft sure screwed up'

then there's the total 'sell the team and he should kill himself' morons and the others who sound offended now saying he's out for the other 31 and not them......the fact is he is out for himself like every other owner and part of that is playing nice with the other owners......everything the knunckleheads suggest would only cost Kraft money.......and why the hell should anyone do that for such a miserable mob? why should he do that for anyone? If things are cool between him and BB and Brady, then its unreasonable for the FOTM to be screaming the way it is

I've always known what he is....a rich guy who is disconnected from the majority.....I'm just not shocked like many of you like this is something that happened in the last year....it didn't

there's nothing to excuse him for .... he is who he is and he's always been that guy

the self-victimization here is insane

 

[Ring 6]

If you don't care about looking like a fool, then I guess not.

I don't think I look like a fool because of something someone who roots for the same team as me says.
I cwrtainly could not care less about the opinion of a jet or bill fan when they read a patriot message board.
Why would I?

 

[Ring 6]

Goodell is more of an elected monarch than an employee. Oh sure, he was put into power by the owners and to some degree has to answer to them but really, at the end of the day, he's his own autonomous entity.

No he is not. He is doing exactly what Robert Kraft and his 31 partners want and when that stops he will be gone.

 

[Kontradiction]

who is doing this?

Nobody's excusing Kraft...........the difference is that a rational person 'yup......Kraft sure screwed up'

You've been going out of your way to excuse him for some time. This statement is a great example. It's not that Kraft screwed up. It's that Kraft screwed up then didn't have the balls to at least back his quarterback and admit his mistake in public. Doing that would have at least been free of charge. That would make him a piece of garbage. I've been in a meeting for the last hour and a half. Did I miss Kraft's statement on the appellate court's ruling and Brady? Nah... didn't think so.

everything the knunckleheads suggest would only cost Kraft money.......and why the hell should anyone do that for such a miserable mob? why should he do that for anyone?

Probably because it would be the right thing to do for a guy who, as you said, has taken pay cut after pay cut to stay with the franchise, bring it four Super Bowl titles, six appearances, and make his organization one of the more profitable in the business? Because removing or turning the tide on the guy dead set on abusing Article 46 would be in the long term best interests in the league? Should I keep going?

I've always known what he is....a rich guy who is disconnected from the majority.....I'm just not shocked like many of you like this is something that happened in the last year....it didn't

I've long known of him being disconnected from reality too. I just didn't think he would leave his franchise quarterback hanging out to dry like that. I figured he'd learned his lesson from Spygate.