Krafty Bob Forced to Eat Crow
December 12th, 2006 by Jimmy Graham
It seems like the only people who still maintain that the Patriots did the right thing by not signing Super-Bowl MVP wideout, Deion Branch, are the same folks who run up to owner Bob Kraft (left) every chance they get to kiss his ring and thank him for “saving the Patriots.”
Objectivity must supplant fanaticism when considering the plight of the ’06 New England Patriots. It is true that in years past, the Pats had the oft-mentioned formula for success - and proved as much with three Super Bowl wins in four years.
But if you were paying attention to the contract machinations of the off-season, you know the salary cap increased significantly.
Bob Kraft objected to the increase, one of only a handful of owners to do so.
His solution was to simply not spend the money. While other teams have caught up to New England in talent and methodology, the Patriots have failed to recognize the changing landscape of the NFL.
The Patriots are still a good team. The defensive front is menacing and quarterback Tom Brady is as heady as they come. Those facts alone keep the Pats in contention.
But what the Patriots players continue to do on the field, the ownership has failed to do in the front office - be a team player. The 2006 Patriots just do not have the firepower to win it all this season. If they do win the Super Bowl, get the construction equipment ready so that the Tom Brady Wing can be built in Canton, because it will take that type of effort.
Let’s face it. Although we may not want to admit it, Brady is no deity. For that matter, neither is Deion Branch. But at a certain point you must take one on the chin. The Patriots gambled with Branch and lost. They figured he would back down and come to camp. Then they determined he would not get what he was asking for. Most critically, they did not have a backup plan.
You’re not always going to get a bargain. Sometime you must pay premium pricing. The only time you get burned is when a player turns out to be a bum. Branch (pictured below) is no bum. His market value is not worth the money he got from the Seahawks, but to the 2006 Patriots, he would have been worth every dime.
