If there really was a long game to get Goodell eventually?
No, I don't think so. Once he let the draft picks be taken without a fight, he irrevocably altered the competitive landscape of the league. That's why I'm not a fan any longer; it became clear the none of Goodell or the 32 gave a **** about the integrity of the competition. They'd rather settle a grudge or go along to get along than get it right.
The owners plotted against the Patriots. Kraft had to eat it and he knew it. So he ate it in the confidence that his team could overcome the obstacle and they did.
We've already had our revenge. Our revenge came in the form of Goodell thrusting the trophy angrily into Kraft's hands and that long, awkward handshake he had with TB12. That's exactly what the owners were trying to prevent and we made it happen anyway.
We are never getting the draft pick back, it's a sunk cost, ignore it. Brady is never going to get the 4 games back, we went 3-1 in those games, it didn't hurt us -- in fact it might have put Tom in better position to compete in SB51.
When you can take an obstacle and either overcome it or turn it to your advantage, you've shown your quality. It might not have been fair, but sometimes life isn't fair and you have to overcome things. Which is what the NEP did. I'm proud of them. And I don't mind if Kraft is business-as-usual as an owner after the fact.
Nor do I mind that he went to an effort to keep Roger Goodell. Goodell is not the enemy. He's a tool of the enemy, who will still be there long after Goodell is gone.
After all, a new commissioner might be braver about enforcing the machinations of jealous owners. With Goodell, he's burnt his hand once, and might think twice before sticking it in the fire again.
