From Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk:
Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported moments ago on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio that the NFL and the NFLPA have reached an agreement in principle on a new CBA, and that the deal is subject to approval of the owners on Tuesday. Under the deal, the NFL will devote 59.5 percent of total football revenues to player salaries.
This is very, very good news. However, despite the efforts of sane people to get this done, it seems a high revenue owner is trying to fuck things up:
[Mortensen] also says that it's no guarantee that the owners will approve the deal. Pats owner Bob Kraft, Mort says, is strongly opposed to the package, which addresses revenue sharing via the so-called "cash over cap" issue.
So, the disruptive owner seems to be none other than Bob Kraft, a man who markets his franchise as the ultimate "team." Yet, when it comes to taking one for the NFL team, Mr. Kraft is unwilling. I have just one thing to say regarding Mr. Kraft's disruptive behavior at these meetings:
SCREW BOB KRAFT!
Screw him and his son and the whole damn Patriots organization. InBradyWeTrust over at PatsPulpit will vouch for me (I hope!) on all the times I've mentioned how classy the Patriots organization is. I'm sorry InBradyWeTrust, but I'm not so sure anymore. We are talking about the future of the NFL here. The owners and the players FINALLY reach a deal... and Kraft is trying to destroy it. There's nothing more classless than greed, and that is exactly what is happening here. Bob Kraft is rich. If revenue sharing continues, he will still be rich. But rich isn't good enough for Kraft.
And this has nothing to do with the Colts-Pats rivalry. If I were a Kansas City Chiefs fan, I'd be pissed at Kraft. This is the highest revenue generating team (the Patriots) refusing to accept a deal that forces them to share that revenue for the good of the league.
The owners meeting is this Tuesday in Dallas. Florio offers this advice for Commissioner Paul Tagliabue:
Our suggestion to the Commish -- if you didn't break out the Louisville Slugger when the fellas got together last week in New York, make sure you take it with you to Texas. Your legacy is on the line, and it's time to stand up and build a consensus.
And if you do break out the bat, Mr. Tagliabue, make sure to give Bob Kraft a few extra whacks with it.
