#DFG: Canceling the Noise

[Ralphwiggum]

I don't know how to advise Kraft. But everyone always refers to him as one of the most powerful owners in the league. I'm not 100% sure what this means or in a league where most revenue is shared, what this even gives him.

But if that's true, if this isn't time to flex that muscle then when? What are they gong to do, go Sterling on him and strip his franchise?

His legal options may be limited but I'll be disappointed if he doesn't go down swinging here. The four game suspension for Brady is bullshit but he will get that knocked back. The loss of the first round pick is fucking absurd given that the investigation cleared the team beyond two low level employees.

I'm fucking beyond pissed. Bob Kraft is one of the people I have admired in my life over the years for lots of reasons. There is zero reason for him not to take Goodell head on here and I'll be disappointed if he doesn't.

 

[RedOctober3829]

The amusing thing is the Revis tampering is the Jets 3rd offense. They got popped in '09 for violating injury reporting rules (not listing Favre). $75K for the team, $25K each to Mangini and Tannenbaum.
Edit: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4478429
Deflategate has been a witch hunt. No doubt about it.

Don't forget the Sal Alosi tripping incident by the Jets as well.

 

[natpastime162]

"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war"

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

My advice to Kraft is to leak proof of who in the NFL offices received a copy of the Ray Rice video.  Doing so would embarrass Goodell and Wells in one move.
 
Edit: through anonymous sources of course.

How would that embarrass Wells? Robert Mueller handled that investigation.

 

[bradmahn]

 
They had the 10th pick in 2008 because they gave up their 2007 first-round pick.  This part of the penalty is over the top, like the rest of the punishment.  They're docked their first round pick and are additionally constricted regarding what they do with their other assets.

I'm confused by what I think is your confusion. The Patriots traded their 2007 pick to the 49ers for a 2008 first rounder and SF proceeded to do what the 2000s 9ers did best, suck shit, earning the Pats the 7th overall pick in 2008 on top of their own 31st overall selection. Goodell had ruled the Pats original pick in 2008, the 31st pick, was the one lost to punishment.

The new caveat is just more evidence on top of the mountains of evidence that the Patriots were put on blast for who they are, not what they did.

The Falcons were also repeat offenders this offseason, as they were found guilty of using an illegal communication device on the sidelines during a 2005 game, but like the Jets they were not punished harder, either.

 

[mwonow]

I think it's time to start (or accelerate) serious intelligence gathering. If Goodell and the NFL is this asinine over a possible transgression of a minor infraction, they're going to get increasingly panicked as the Pats press their case through the union, arbitration and/or PR. Also, as the Pats win football games and get into the playoffs, which they'll do without TB for four games or no. And it's possible/likely that league "leadership" will trip over their own feet in things that have nothing to do with the Pats.
 
So - what twisted machinations follow? That's what Kraft (/the team) needs to know. I would want to have access to every shred of communication/discussion possible, and have good analysts who can piece it together - accurately, or for max public impact. If/when the NFL FO slips up - and their general lack of credulity suggests that this happens at some points in this season - I'd start dripping out findings to other owners, and then to the press a handful of hours/days later. Expose the clownshoes, and connect the dots clearly for the other guys with a vote on Goodell, in private and in public. Take the scalps as you can collect them: Vincent's, Kensil's, and the ginger one as the topper.  

 

[pappymojo]

How would that embarrass Wells? Robert Mueller handled that investigation.

 
Nevermind that.

 

[soxhop411]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady3: What wasn’t said, said a lot. I bet Pats, longtime loyal NFL partners, will consider going outside the family to challenge ruling.

 

[soxhop411]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady3: What wasn’t said, said a lot. I bet Pats, longtime loyal NFL partners, will consider going outside the family to challenge ruling.

 

[soxhop411]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady4: I said “consider,’’ not “absolutely do it.” Don’t know if they will. But that statement said a lot between the lines.

@SI_PeterKing: Brady5: Which really would be amazing. Robert Kraft, doing an Al Davis thing.
—
Big “if,” though.

 

[soxhop411]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady4: I said “consider,’’ not “absolutely do it.” Don’t know if they will. But that statement said a lot between the lines.

@SI_PeterKing: Brady5: Which really would be amazing. Robert Kraft, doing an Al Davis thing.
—
Big “if,” though.

 

[jimbobim]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady3: What wasn’t said, said a lot. I bet Pats, longtime loyal NFL partners, will consider going outside the family to challenge ruling.

Really going out on a limb here Peter

 

[djbayko]

Sounds like Kraft will want his own appeal on the picks/fine. But I am murky on this process. The first round pick kills me. Also, this shit where we now can't trade for a first round pick that is higher than our own seems like a way of making sure a repeat of 2008 doesn't happen (them having 10th overall pick despite the penalty)

Yes, and it's nothing more than sour grapes. It's not like the Pats pulled a fast one on the NFL and somehow undid the punishment. They had to give up real value for the pick in trade. It's as arbitrary as taking Rob Gronkowksi away from the team and saying "I don't want you to have him either."

 

[djbayko]

I do find myself wondering why, if not to try and test the weather, they would not levy punishment at the same time as the report. I can't imagine another reason (what am I missing?). If that's it, it seems among the more absurd and blatant elements of this whole ordeal.

What do you mean? Goodell had no idea what was in the report until it came out? His fingerprints aren't all over it or anything :-/

 

[Tito's Pullover]

Why don't they just wait until two seasons have passed, and declare the Pats' best pick from the 2016 draft a free agent?

 

[Ralphwiggum]

You felt the need to post those tweets in two different threads?

 

[dynomite]

As someone was quoted on Twitter saying in the other thread, the Saints and owner Tom Benson got absolutely no benefit from generally taking Bountygate sitting down.  Now Kraft is watching his entire franchise and his Hall of Fame QB get tarred and feathered by a hamfisted investigation and an imploding Commissioner.
 
I expect an incendiary response, and sort of hope for it.  Goodell has to go, and Kraft is one of the few owners with the authority to force the issue.  King's comparison to Al Davis is lazy and inaccurate.  Kraft has been one of the most respected, reasonable, and prescient owners in the NFL for 20 years.  When he talks, people in the NFL listen, and I have a feeling he isn't done talking.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

He's more Corsi than Corsi is.
 
(soxhop, not Kraft.)

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

@SI_PeterKing: Brady4: I said consider, not absolutely do it. Dont know if they will. But that statement said a lot between the lines.

Can someone please translate this for me?

 

[Bleedred]

Kraft is not a young man.  If he's as furious about this as the rest of us (has to be), then he could make a decision to fuck with Goodell by leaking incriminating information; embarrassing him publicly for the capricious and arbitrary decision to levy this penalty, and generally let him know that he's shit on the bottom of his shoe (a shit, of course, that made $44 million last year).  I doubt he does that, as Robert loves being the center of attention (of power and fame) and even if the constant refrain that he's one of the "most powerful owners" in the league is true, it doesn't mean shit given the constraints he's under as an an owner.  
 
One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is Jonathan Kraft.   Jonathan is a vindictive prick.  A real mother fucker who has to be throwing shit around his home.  Bob runs the show, but I'm sure Jonathan is absolutely rip shit about this.

 

[Ferm Sheller]

He's more Corsi than Corsi is.
 
(soxhop, not Kraft.)

 
Corsi doesn't post links to articles about Cookie Monster.

 

[Jinhocho]

I think Kraft has to go hard at this.  This is legitimately the league fucking with his team because they do not like how good the team is.  It strikes me as something that would happen in boxing and is a huge black eye on the NFL.  The absurdity of this report and the scandal and punishment has put this into true Twilight Zone territory.  How can he just accept this?

 

[Bleedred]

Sounds like you may have some good Jonathan Kraft stories. Do tell. I'll hang up and listen.

LOL....I do, but I really can't go into them.  That said, he's also very smart and very much wants to succeed Robert as NEP owner....so even Jonathan may play the long game knowing he wants to own this team for the next 30 years (assuming Robert actually bequeaths him the team)

 

[bakahump]

Couple thoughts.....
1. Lets say the pats traded gronk (or brady or collins or whoever) for a teams 2016 #1. So goodall and the league are inthoery stripping the pats of that player........thats absolute horseshit and every owner should be terrified of the ramifications of that.
2. What kind of leader takes the biggest decision ever made in his organization (as evidenced by it being the biggest penelty andnd news story) and gives it to his underling? The only reason you do that is to be able to continue and complete the screwjob as arbitrator. Otherwise you make a statement about the seriousness of the issue (hence the massive punishment) and say thats why you handed down the sentence personally.

 

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

I think Kraft has to go hard at this.  This is legitimately the league fucking with his team because they do not like how good the team is.  It strikes me as something that would happen in boxing and is a huge black eye on the NFL.  The absurdity of this report and the scandal and punishment has put this into true Twilight Zone territory.  How can he just accept this?

 
I agree, although I'm not sure what recourse he has.  I also think accepting the punishment is dangerous because of the precedent set by the "repeat offender" rationale, which effectively establishes that a different set of rules can apply to the Patriots than 31 other teams.  Maybe two years from now one of our WRs gets caught wearing non-regulation gloves or some other ridiculously minor rules violation and Goodell declares that because its our third strike we forfeit two more first rounders. 

 

[MuppetAsteriskTalk]

Kraft is not a young man.  If he's as furious about this as the rest of us (has to be), then he could make a decision to fuck with Goodell by leaking incriminating information; embarrassing him publicly for the capricious and arbitrary decision to levy this penalty, and generally let him know that he's shit on the bottom of his shoe (a shit, of course, that made $44 million last year).  I doubt he does that, as Robert loves being the center of attention (of power and fame) and even if the constant refrain that he's one of the "most powerful owners" in the league is true, it doesn't mean shit given the constraints he's under as an an owner.  
 
One thing I haven't seen anyone mention is Jonathan Kraft.   Jonathan is a vindictive prick.  A real mother fucker who has to be throwing shit around his home.  Bob runs the show, but I'm sure Jonathan is absolutely rip shit about this.

 
In that case, I would advise Bob to listen to Jonathan.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

The draft pick/trade thing is bullshit, but it's easily circumvented. You have team x draft the guy and then trade for him. It would take a friendly party of course, but that would be a pretty nice middle finger to the league.

 

[Bellhorn]

 
Was it the same guy who posted "TB just quit on the New England Patriots" during the KC game this year?
Because, well, at some point the joke is on us for reading him....

Minor point, but the poster in question actually said this during the New Orleans game in 2013, after the interception on the penultimate drive.

 

[nattysez]

Can someone please translate this for me?

 
Read the whole series of tweets by King.  He reads Kraft's statement as others do -- he is livid and may be considering taking the "Al Davis" approach to this.  But, King emphasizes to avoid being accused of actually saying something meaningful, Kraft may only "consider" taking action.

 

[soxhop411]

https://twitter.com/nepd_loyko/status/597972705552506880
link to tweet


http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/11/robert-kraft-roger-goodell-deflategate-wells-report

 

[Reggie's Racquet]

We're on to the Supreme Court!

 

[Jinhocho]

Agreed. I do not know what the actual recourse for this should be, but it should begin with not accepting this as a legitimate punishment. In comments, appeals,etc that needs to be hammered in forever. I think another component has to be working to oppose and delegitimize goodell personally and as a leader going forward at every opportunity.

 

[Stitch01]

Is that the first Kraft leak or did that come from somewhere else?

 

[Ed Hillel]

https://twitter.com/nepd_loyko/status/597972705552506880
link to tweet

All this shit is going to come out in discovery at some point. It's going to get really juicy, I just hope we hear about it.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Is that the first Kraft leak or did that come from somewhere else?

"Patriots sources" to Bedard.

 

[djbayko]

nvm - covered 2 posts above - delete

 

[Ed Hillel]

I don't see a source cited. Where is he getting this from? Have the anti-NFL leaks begun?

Edit: formatting

http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/11/robert-kraft-roger-goodell-deflategate-wells-report

Not sure what all this Goodell protecting the Pats via the competition committee bullshit is, but lol.

 

[Stitch01]

Yeah every time some of these teams get best they complain and we know who has been going the beating for fifteen years.

 

[Stitch01]

His recourse is to take out Goodell. If he can't do that he has no recourse.

 

[J.McG]

Mike Reiss jumping on the bandwagon, saying Kraft looks like he is going to fight this:
"So with Brady's legacy and reputation called into question by the NFL, and people such as the wife of Jets owner Woody Johnson taking victory laps at Brady's expense, Kraft will continue the fight."
https://twitter.com/mikereiss/status/597970318368575489

 

[Harry Hooper]

Love "weighed" and the apparent complete ignorance of the Ideal Gas Law. Kensil was 100% convinced of wrongdoing (because he wanted to be) and everything went downhill from there.
 
Edit What the hell is this from Bedard?:
"Now comes the Goodell-commissioned Wells report, which implicates Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and other members of the organization in a scheme to under-inflate game balls."
 
Seems to be opening the door to turning balls into the officials under 12.5 PSI minimum is an infraction in itself.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

And here come the pretzels...

 

[Nick Kaufman]

This is absolutely without a doubt the most ridiculous farce in the history of professional sport.


 
The NFL is a fucking joke.
 
A. FUCKING. JOKE.
 
 
I literally cannot believe this.

Amen.

 

[ALiveH]

If that leak was Kraft I hope there are two dozen juicy ones coming after it (hopefully with actual photographic proof).

 

[Harry Hooper]

If that leak was Kraft I hope there are two dozen juicy ones coming after it (hopefully with actual photographic proof).

 
The names of the NFL memorabilia thieves beyond Miller might be coming out soon.

 

[Ed Hillel]

His recourse is to take out Goodell. If he can't do that he has no recourse.

He and BB especially have loads of knowledge about other "indiscretions" around the league. BB has likely been respectful of others in not getting into them, but Kraft could blow a gasket and just start airing the other dirty laundry that goes on, or ask BB to do it for him. They've been singled out enough.

 

[Stitch01]

If he does that and doesn't take out Roger be prepared for the BB season long suspension when the next alleged rules transgression occurs.

 

[Klostrophobic]

Don't really care about the suspension as they'll prob just go 3-1 or 4-0 anyway and it'll provide some insight into Garoppolo, but the removal of draft picks are a real fuck you.
 
I'd gladly trade the last four super bowls in for an undefeated 19-0 season this year.

 

[Ed Hillel]

If he does that and doesn't take out Roger be prepared for the BB season long suspension when the next alleged rules transgression occurs.

Could happen anyway, might as well get your shots in. If the other owners want to make a statement about how every minor violation is murdering the game, see what happens when it's thrown in their face. I'm sure there's stronger evidence for those, as well.

What about faking injuries? Nobody mentions that, I guess that falls into the category of "gamesmanship."

 

[Stitch01]

BB, WILLIE MCGINEST SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY

Now do you see what you did?