I loathe not having that first rounder

[wahwho]

At the very least, trying to get the picks back is a non-starter until after Brady's appeal is resolved. That appeal is important to the league for labor reasons and they can't undermine it by admitting that they screwed up. Yes, technically they're not the same issue, but this is a league that is focused on optics. I somehow doubt the March 3 hearing is going to be the end of this case, and I don't think the prospects for a final decision are any better by the end of April.

The league was never going to give back those picks, it didn't matter what Kraft or anyone else did. I'm as pissed off about it as anyone, but being mad at Kraft is blaming the victim.

 

[fnordcircle]

Still waiting for you guys who have been lambasting Kraft and talking about how he ships the other owners to give a compelling case as to the grounds for his lawsuit.

 

[Off The Grid]

Still waiting for you guys who have been lambasting Kraft and talking about how he ships the other owners to give a compelling case as to the grounds for his lawsuit.

I don't know if I'm included in this or not ~ as I mentioned the Legal Aspects a few Posts ago ~ nor'm I sure what "ships the other owners" means, but I presumably am, so I'll address it...

And I sure hope that you're not somehow twisting my Criticism of Kraft's failure to act this past May ~ either procedurally or publicly ~ into the suggestion that he had then or has now some towering legal Case looming over the League that he's not availing himself of. I can't speak for others, but I have the Impression that his legal wherewithal is pretty weak, more so now than it was then.

If others believe that we have great legal wherewithal, here, I cannot speak to that.

My point has always been that he should have then and should now continue to pursue every means, whether Legal, Procedural, or ~ especially ~ Public to pursue Justice on this matter.

I wouldn't presume to lay Odds on the outcome. My point, to recap:

It's far from certain that Kraft could've won those Picks back, even with the most intense and relentless combination of legal and public campaigning...but why not try, for the love of God??

What'd he have to lose? The Good Opinion of his Rapist??

Why?? Goodell strikes me as the kind of guy who isn't even good for a CRA.

It was a Fail of Epic Proportions.

 

[fnordcircle]

My point has always been that he should have then and should now continue to pursue every means, whether Legal, Procedural, or ~ especially ~ Public to pursue Justice on this matter.

These things don't happen in a vacuum. I put little stock in the silly yet oft-repeated (around here anyways) idea that Kraft loves hobnobbing more than money and draft picks. Rather, I agree with the idea that he believes his position of power within the league can help but the Patriots and the league overall.

A lawsuit against the league that stands little chance of succeeding accomplishes what, exactly, other than making angry Patriots fans feel good that he tried? And after accomplishing that lofty goal Kraft loses his standing as an owner in the league. Do we really want to have an owner with no say in what the NFL does? Things are bad enough with him at the top, I can't even imagine what they would be like without him to stand against the other owners who want to continue their campaign against us because we **** parity in the ass.

It's far from certain that Kraft could've won those Picks back, even with the most intense and relentless combination of legal and public campaigning...but why not try, for the love of God??

Why not try? Well for starters I think that he already gave one answer for that. When Kraft came out and said "I was wrong to put my trust in the league" it was clear to me. He clearly (to me anyways) seemed to think that by the team taking it on the chin the league would go easier on Brady. The players have always had really good things to say about Kraft and I truly believe he was willing to lose money and a draft pick to protect the most important player in the history of the franchise.

Beyond that the question 'Why not try' is a little silly to me. That's not the general approach people take to lawsuits. Certainly not what I'd expect to be the typical approach of counsel either. The questions should be 'what are our legal options' and 'how much will this cost' and, most importantly, 'what are our chances of success'.

Which brings me back, again, to the same question - short of the symbolic and likely Pyrrhic results of a lawsuit, what actual legal avenues were open to Kraft with any likelihood of success? At least a likelihood worth the inevitable cost both in dollars and our owner's ability to exert influence over the league.

Emotionally, I get where you're coming from buddy, I really do. It would have been really fun to root for Kraft against the NFL in a lawsuit. But pragmatically speaking I still haven't read any compelling case that could have been made.

 

[patriotfantyler]

it's just one player at the end of the day

Bill would have probably traded out of the first to get more than one player.

 

[IllegalContact]

Bill would have probably traded out of the first to get more than one player.

we are getting a boatload of comp picks.......it would be nice to have the pick......but at least now I don't have to watch day 1

 

[Huckleberry1]

Losing the pick sucks but when you look at how young this team is and how well they have done with in season pick ups and udfas that they replace it with a significant free agent pick up. I think they are in good cap shape when you consider how much they can reshape through cuts and redos. Like a number of people here I would go after Matt Forte because I think he can give them a 1500 yard. Caliber running back ship can make big plays in the passing game, combined with Lewis they would have a potent run game to go with a really strong passing attack and would do more to upgrade their OL than bringing in OL could. He would be a relatively expensive player to sign but imo would improve them in a number of critical areas.

 

[Huckleberry1]

we are getting a boatload of comp picks.......it would be nice to have the pick......but at least now I don't have to watch day 1

If only ESPN could draw a zero rating in New England for the first night of the draft.

 

[IllegalContact]

If only ESPN could draw a zero rating in New England for the first night of the draft.

who?

there's only one sports channel now.......red bull

 

[vyrago]

For what it's worth:

Why not? Is it impossible to get it back, particularly if Berman's ruling is upheld?

 

[English Patriot]

I need one good reason why that forfeited pick would stand in a court, the league has no leg to stand on. I'd be very very disappointed in a guy who is a top class human being in Kraft if he doesn't challenge this.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Why not? Is it impossible to get it back, particularly if Berman's ruling is upheld?

There is no other avenue for getting the pick back than getting Goodell to go against the other 31 owners and to change his mind and I give that a zero percent chance of success at that.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I need one good reason why that forfeited pick would stand in a court, the league has no leg to stand on. I'd be very very disappointed in a guy who is a top class human being in Kraft if he doesn't challenge this.

They aren't allowed to, the owners signed an agreement not to sue the league and that's what Kraft would have to do. I would love it if there were a mechanism for them to fight it but it doesn't exist.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

My thing is, why roll over like a coward just to avoid problems with the other owners? A lawsuit isn't going to be the downfall of the NFL. America loves football way too much.

F*ck business relationships. Bob's a billionaire, has everything a man could ever want, and is loved in the region.

A lot of die hards are always going to think of him as that kid that got bullied in the schoolyard and was too scared to defend himself now, which is sad honestly, considering that he's been an absolutely ideal owner in every other way.

Inspired by a recent commercial for some movie/show

"What's the point of having FU money if you never say FU?"

Kraft needs to get that pick back.. I get so angry every time I'm reminded that we were robbed of it.. (Thanks op!)

 

[JarOfMayo51]

I remember someone in the media suggesting it was basically a screw job along the lines of "stop fighting this and we'll go easier on Brady,"

Yea, then Kraft backed down and publicly stated that he would bend over and take Goodell's ruling right up his you know what.. Goodell laughed and then still went hard after Brady, creating the whole destroyed cell phone narrative and being the arbitrator of his own ruling and didn't even reduce the ridiculous 4 game suspension

 

[JarOfMayo51]

If the Patriots had won the Super Bowl this year, there would be no way they get the picks back (the other owners are sick of the Patriots winning SBs). Now that the Patriots are out of it, I think there is a distinct possibility that the picks will be restored.

I wish I had 1/10th the optimism that you have on this issue lol

I think the owners will laugh right in his face, because they want the Patriots out of the picture so that their teams have a better shot.. its pettiness and jealousy by billionaires at play here, which is a crazy powerful force

 

[Mack Herron]

The Patriots are an awesome team, but fans know it is not all peaches and cream in Patriot land. Kraft's management of the team's reputation has been less than impressive. And it is not merely because of the success of the team, because the NFL has had other successful franchises that have not suffered the way the Patriots have. One other big reason is the idiot on Park Avenue. Kraft's sycophantic appeasement to Goodell for Brady's sake or the team's sake has not only cost the team multiple draft picks that--despite the team's success--have affected and will continue to affect the team adversely on the field, but also further tarnished the reputations of both one of the greatest teams and one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. It has been Chamberlain redux.

Goodell is transparently after power for himself and the NFL, but he is neither smart nor skilled. If Kraft truly appreciated the effect of his actions, he would start acting in the interests of his team, and not Goodell. That would mean stop being a doormat by letting Goodell know that further actions against the Patriots will be met with aggressive defense and pursuit of all available remedies permitted by law. As others have pointed out ad nauseum, if you don't stand up to the bully, he will keep stealing your lunch money. So far, Kraft gave us Spygate which begat Deflategate. How many more Gates can we tolerate? The way to stop it is to make it clear to Goodell and his entitled owners that trumped up charges against his team will from this moment on be more trouble for the league than they are worth. To date, Kraft's actions have clearly fallen short of that standard and we, the fans, continue to bear the brunt of Goodell's narcissism and the owners blind lust for power. Kraft needs to be a thorn in the side of the league, but thus far, he doesn't have it in him.

 

[Off The Grid]

The Patriots are an awesome team, but fans know it is not all peaches and cream in Patriot land. Kraft's management of the team's reputation has been less than impressive. And it is not merely because of the success of the team, because the NFL has had other successful franchises that have not suffered the way the Patriots have. One other big reason is the idiot on Park Avenue. Kraft's sycophantic appeasement to Goodell for Brady's sake or the team's sake has not only cost the team multiple draft picks that--despite the team's success--have affected and will continue to affect the team adversely on the field, but also further tarnished the reputations of both one of the greatest teams and one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL. It has been Chamberlain redux.

Goodell is transparently after power for himself and the NFL, but he is neither smart nor skilled. If Kraft truly appreciated the effect of his actions, he would start acting in the interests of his team, and not Goodell. That would mean stop being a doormat by letting Goodell know that further actions against the Patriots will be met with aggressive defense and pursuit of all available remedies permitted by law. As others have pointed out ad nauseum, if you don't stand up to the bully, he will keep stealing your lunch money. So far, Kraft gave us Spygate which begat Deflategate. How many more Gates can we tolerate? The way to stop it is to make it clear to Goodell and his entitled owners that trumped up charges against his team are will from this moment on be more trouble for the league than they are worth. To date, Kraft's actions have clearly fallen short of that standard and we, the fans, continue to bear the brunt of Goodell's narcissism and the owners blind lust for power. Kraft needs to be a thorn in the side of the league, but thus far, he doesn't have it in him.

Bingo!!

Nobody's saying that it'd be easy, or that Victory would be anything close to certain, but the idea that bending it over and taking it is somehow The Path of Wisdom is as pathetic as it is ludicrous.

Bending over and taking it only encourages Goodel to do whatever he wants.

One would think that that would be painfully clear by now.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Bingo!!

Nobody's saying that it'd be easy, or that Victory would be anything close to certain, but the idea that bending it over and taking it is somehow The Path of Wisdom is as pathetic as it is ludicrous.

Bending over and taking it only encourages Goodel to do whatever he wants.

One would think that that would be painfully clear by now.

I'm not saying this is correct, but I remember someone suggesting that Kraft was basically told that giving up on the picks would make it more likely that Brady would win his appeal.

 

[Off The Grid]

I'm not saying this is correct, but I remember someone suggesting that Kraft was basically told that giving up on the picks would make it more likely that Brady would win his appeal.

I'll believe that when I see it, my friend.