To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

[Patsrock]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

He is an owner, he and the other owners chose to lock out refs. He does deserve some blame for it. If people are going to give him credit for helping to end the lockout, then he needs some blame for it getting to that point.

 

[Patsrock]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Woody Johnson is a real-life Little Lord Fauntleroy. Look him up, he has never accomplished anything on his own. Just 3 years after Kraft bought the Patriots for $172 million, Fauntleroy bought the Jets for $635 million. According to the 2012 Forbes list, the Patriots are now worth over $350 million more than the Jets. The Jets play in the most populous and wealthiest metroplis in the nation in a stadium within eyesight of Manhattan. The Patriots play in a highway wasteland somewhere near the Rhode Island border.

Doesn't shock me that the Pats are worth a lot more.

1. Pats own 100% of the their stadium.
2. Don't share the NFL market with anyone.

Those are the 2 major reasons why.

 

[shmessy]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

well stated. the nfl is fortunate to have a critical mass of owners in key markets who are smart business folks along with another critical mass of long time owners who value the game like the Mara's and Rooney's. It might be messy, as in the recent CBA and the Officials' lockout, but in the end they prevail on most important issues.

while, like many people, I wish that the city of Boston had had the political will and class to figure out how to build a stadium for the Pats, I take exception to your comment on the Foxboro area. It's very close to some of the best towns and school districts in the Country (I used to live in one of them). It means that players and coaches who aren't earning mega bucks can live in nice houses in good school districts without paying Boston area prices and get to the "office" in 15 or 20 minutes (except, of course, on game day when they had better leave early).

You're 100% right - mea culpa. My words about Foxboro were poorly expressed. Foxboro and the towns around it are wonderful places. However, it is a small town far away from any major city (and route1 IS a highway wasteland) It isn't a metropolis with the economic firepower of a Manhattan. How Kraft managed to build the Pats empire and leapfrog teams like the Jets, Giants, Eagles and Bears given their advantageous markets, locations, PSL's and stadium deals is truly incredible.

 

[shmessy]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Doesn't shock me that the Pats are worth a lot more.

1. Pats own 100% of the their stadium.
2. Don't share the NFL market with anyone.

Those are the 2 major reasons why.

Using that reasoning, the Sullivans must have owned one of the top valued franchises, then back in the 1970's and '80's.

 

[ATippett56]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Which is precisely why I find it amusing that Goodell is being singled out as the villain.

When in doubt, blame Goodell.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

I think you misunderstood op. Many of us were stating that blaming Ahole, I mean goodell, was wrong. The blame should be aimed at the owners. I don't think anyone specifically called out Kraft. Though some of us did say, that we wish Kraft would step in, and clean up this mess.

I think its safe to say, Mr. Kraft has a "get out of jail free card" for life. Without him, we're the St. Louis Patriots

 

[ctpatsfan77]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Woody Johnson is a real-life Little Lord Fauntleroy. Look him up, he has never accomplished anything on his own. Just 3 years after Kraft bought the Patriots for $172 million, Fauntleroy bought the Jets for $635 million. According to the 2012 Forbes list, the Patriots are now worth over $350 million more than the Jets. The Jets play in the most populous and wealthiest metroplis in the nation in a stadium within eyesight of Manhattan. The Patriots play in a highway wasteland somewhere near the Rhode Island border.

Jerry Richardson is a TRUE penny pincher who is hated by his fan base. He was the pre-eminent anti-player owner during the 2011 crisis.

Every crisis in the NFL for the past decade plus has seen the Fauntleroys and Richardsons on one side and the Maras, Krafts and Rooneys on the other.

And nearly every one of them has had the Krafts playing major roles in the solution.

 

[Patsrock]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Using that reasoning, the Sullivans must have owned one of the top valued franchises, then back in the 1970's and '80's.

Terrible analogy. You do know there is a huge difference between 70/80's football and now? And that Foxboro Stadium was one of, if not the worst pro stadium in the country. And that the Sullivan were in debt 100% of the time they owned they team.

 

[Reckedtrek]

re: To those blaming Kraft for ref lockout:holdouts were Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson

Doesn't shock me that the Pats are worth a lot more.

1. Pats own 100% of the their stadium.
2. Don't share the NFL market with anyone.

Those are the 2 major reasons why.

Want another reason? How about the Pats don't suck?