SI
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/11/rob...e-wells-report
"Kraft in many ways made NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Kraft helped push through Goodell’s election in 2006. Five years later, Kraft left his ailing wife, Myra, to convince the players that Goodell, who was widely despised, and the league could be trusted in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. Kraft helped promote and justify Goodell’s salary increase from $11.5 million before the 2011 lockout to an average of $37 million over the last two fiscal years. And in the wake of last year’s Ray Rice debacle, Goodell’s darkest hour, Kraft defended Goodell to the public and worked behind the scenes to make sure other owners remained loyal to the embattled commissioner.
For his part, Goodell, in the eyes of some, went easy on the Pats after Spygate (relative to subsequent infractions by other teams). In addition, as of 2010, the Patriots had generated the most complaints to the Competition Committee during the Bill Belichick era, and many team executives felt the issues raised were swept under the rug. Goodell has been a guest at Kraft’s home and charity events, and according to a story in GQ, Goodell relies so much on Kraft’s input that the latter is derisively called “the assistant commissioner” by one NFL executive.
Patriots sources are steadfast—and their belief was conveyed to the league, according to a source—that Mike Kensil, the NFL’s VP of game operations, walked up to Patriots equipment manager Dave Schoenfeld on the sideline after halftime and said, “We weighed the balls. You are in big f------ trouble.” New England and Kraft thought this incident, and others, showed bias by the league and would be explored in the Wells report. But the Patriots’ theories (including another in which they believed the Colts deflated the intercepted ball) were tossed aside, with the report simply calling the sideline interaction a difference in recollection.
“I really don’t see how Robert is going to get past this with Roger,” says a source close to Kraft. “Robert was furious with the leaks and the investigation in the first place, but he figured they’d be exonerated. Now he’s out of his mind with anger.”
Will Kraft seek to have Goodell replaced? It’s possible, and we’ll know soon. As chairman of the NFL’s broadcasting committee, Kraft has to work more closely with Goodell than any other owner. After this season the NFL can opt out of its deal with CBS for Thursday-night games, which means a decision needs to be made soon. If Kraft steps away from the committee, Goodell could be in trouble. Kraft, in effect, would have signaled that he’s done putting the league ahead of his personal interest. There’s nothing more dear to him than the reputation of his football team and Brady, his biggest star."
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/05/11/rob...e-wells-report
"Kraft in many ways made NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Kraft helped push through Goodell’s election in 2006. Five years later, Kraft left his ailing wife, Myra, to convince the players that Goodell, who was widely despised, and the league could be trusted in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. Kraft helped promote and justify Goodell’s salary increase from $11.5 million before the 2011 lockout to an average of $37 million over the last two fiscal years. And in the wake of last year’s Ray Rice debacle, Goodell’s darkest hour, Kraft defended Goodell to the public and worked behind the scenes to make sure other owners remained loyal to the embattled commissioner.
For his part, Goodell, in the eyes of some, went easy on the Pats after Spygate (relative to subsequent infractions by other teams). In addition, as of 2010, the Patriots had generated the most complaints to the Competition Committee during the Bill Belichick era, and many team executives felt the issues raised were swept under the rug. Goodell has been a guest at Kraft’s home and charity events, and according to a story in GQ, Goodell relies so much on Kraft’s input that the latter is derisively called “the assistant commissioner” by one NFL executive.
Patriots sources are steadfast—and their belief was conveyed to the league, according to a source—that Mike Kensil, the NFL’s VP of game operations, walked up to Patriots equipment manager Dave Schoenfeld on the sideline after halftime and said, “We weighed the balls. You are in big f------ trouble.” New England and Kraft thought this incident, and others, showed bias by the league and would be explored in the Wells report. But the Patriots’ theories (including another in which they believed the Colts deflated the intercepted ball) were tossed aside, with the report simply calling the sideline interaction a difference in recollection.
“I really don’t see how Robert is going to get past this with Roger,” says a source close to Kraft. “Robert was furious with the leaks and the investigation in the first place, but he figured they’d be exonerated. Now he’s out of his mind with anger.”
Will Kraft seek to have Goodell replaced? It’s possible, and we’ll know soon. As chairman of the NFL’s broadcasting committee, Kraft has to work more closely with Goodell than any other owner. After this season the NFL can opt out of its deal with CBS for Thursday-night games, which means a decision needs to be made soon. If Kraft steps away from the committee, Goodell could be in trouble. Kraft, in effect, would have signaled that he’s done putting the league ahead of his personal interest. There’s nothing more dear to him than the reputation of his football team and Brady, his biggest star."
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