How do you reconcile the fact that Kraft was not only on board for the Goodell extension, but was a member of the compensation committee that agreed to give him $40+M/year/?
Is this that "long game" you were talking about, in that fantasy where he was really, really pissed as Goodell but was just hiding it until he could strike? Is that still his plan, do you think?
I agree with you in a sense that at some point you need to take a stand and make a principled decision, and it's very disappointing Kraft did take the side of Goodell and the owners for more money, which as we know is the NFL brand and expansion overseas with his position on the Broadcast Committee and what that means.
I find it funny he thinks he went to bat for the fans, when he knows he was cheated for Spygate and Deflategate. I mean, if he had taken a stand more with Spygate, sued the Herald or at least demanded Tomase be fired or give up the supposed "source", Tomase claimed was a real source. I mean, he did none of this.
And, 10 years later, here we are still dealing with the creepiest stuff I've ever seen in my 35 years of following pro sports pretty darn closely.
I wanted Bob to step aside during Deflategate and let Jonathan go with the scorched earth approach, but it hasn't happened.
Kraft has been as much an enabler as Goodell in all of this because he's tried to straddle the fence in a situation in a situation that doesn't call for it.
I think he thought he was taking it up the butt for Spygate and that would be it, but he was clearly wrong.
These owners have secret meetings without him involved, and he apparently isn't aware of just how severe and deep the jealousy is towards his team and what he's worked for. Our whole country is like this now, too. What used to be admired, is now reviled, simply because someone else was successful and the other person isn't.
It's not a good idea to give your customer base lip service and then turn around do something else. Pats fans are his priority, not the entire NFL customer base.
He looked foolish with the capitulation in May of 2015, just like he did the week after Spygate, joining Michaels and Collinsworth in the booth before kickoff vs SD, saying things that no one understood, because of how awkward and creepy these other owners are.
I will say, the Pats Counter Report to the Wells Report was awesome and totally damning to Goodell and the cheating owners. For that, I would thank him, but it was still too reactionary and not proactive enough at the forefront.
