SI ranks NFL Owners - Kraft #1

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Silver starts out with what seems like it's going to be another Meion hatchet-job, but ends up ranking New England's ownership Number 1.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/michael_silver/06/27/ownerrankings/index.html

1. Robert Kraft (Jonathan Kraft), Patriots

First of all -- and this is an entire column topic for the future -- can we all raise our hands and agree that the switch from Paul Tagliabue to Roger Goodell has been one of the better things to happen to the league in recent memory? Most owners and league insiders would endorse that statement, and Kraft has long been one of the new commissioner's most trusted advisors on big-picture matters ranging from television to labor negotiations.

As for on-the-field matters, even if you believe that Randy Moss is the exact type of player you wouldn't want in a team atmosphere -- as I do -- you have to concede that Kraft got a ton of potential value for relatively little financial risk, even if Moss acts like a jerk and the Patriots cut him. Assuming Brady and coach Bill Belichick hang around for the next five to 10 years, Kraft has a chance to score a record number of Lombardi Trophies for a franchise that barely sniffed a title before he took over. Perhaps even more improbably, he and Jonathan are in the process of making Foxborough, Mass., a nice place to visit, thanks to the $350 million that will build Patriot Place, a retail and entertainment complex in the shadow of Gillette Stadium.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Not even one mention of macaroni and cheese, what a throwaway column.

 

[stinkypete]

How does Huizenga get #8? He has practcally run that franchise into the ground.

 

[Danny Boy®]

How does Huizenga get #8? He has practcally run that franchise into the ground.

I think that tells all that we need to know.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Maybe Delaware North should re-examine their options and sell the Bruins to the Kraft family.

 

[JoeSixPat]

My beef with the column is how they look at the Branch situation - seem to blame Kraft for that (hey - he's the #1 owner because he doesn't get in the way of his coach and GM folks!!!) and fail to illustrate the alternative.

I too believe that the lack of a deep WR threat and better WR options last year cost us the SB ring - but I'm also smart enough to know that the alternative wasn't necessarilly any better.

If we DIDN'T trade Branch and allowed him to hold out til game 10 and be a major divisive distraction, how many more or less games do we win?

Impossible to say, but winning less games is was a definate possibility.

So BB (and I suppose Kraft, though again, he lets BB make football decisions) made a judgement call to trade Branch for some value. Tough to argue with that decision knowing that he doesn't have the benefit of hindsight when making those decisions.

Fault BB for not being prepared for that possibility by having more quality WRs signed if you want but there's no need to blame Kraft

 

[PromisedLand]

How does Huizenga get #8? He has practcally run that franchise into the ground.

The same way Dan Snyder gets #5?

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

The same way Dan Snyder gets #5?

They got it right with #32, Mike Brown of the Bengals.....

>>>what Brown did in front of more than 50 of his peers at last March's owners' meetings. In the midst of a complaint about the current stadium-building plan that is part of the league's revenue-sharing arrangement, Brown was reminded by a fellow owner that he had taken advantage of the same plan (and a provision that allowed him to waive the club-seat premiums that normally go to visiting teams) upon opening Paul Brown Stadium several years earlier. According to a witness, Brown replied, "Look, it seemed like a good thing in the beginning. A lot of people think a lot of things are good in the beginning. A lot of people thought Hitler was good in the beginning.">>>>>

Is there something in the water in Cincy or is it a case of the players taking a cue from management wrt how to act or think???

 

[signbabybrady]

3 Cheers for Bob Kraft....He is in my opinion the best owner in all of sports....and Thank You for that Mr. Kraft.