Nfl Notes ; Kraft Sees Light Amid Dark Views
Of late, Robert Kraft’s team hasn’t gotten much respect from either the local or national media pundits. Not many have picked the Patriots to defend their AFC East title, much less make the playoffs.
Tom Brady, whom Kraft just made the highest-paid player in NFL history, said last week that watching all the so-called « experts » omit the Patriots from their list of favorites merely got him more fired up to prove all the doubters wrong.
So what does the owner think of all the naysayers, and all the people who have started to doubt his three-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick, having already dismissed his young defense?
« It’s OK by me. It’s all just chitchat and blather, » Kraft said Friday. « The most important thing I care about is Tommy being motivated and ticked off at that — and I hope a number of other players are as well.
« Me personally? I sort of like it. Given where we are, we have a lot of young players. It could take some evolution over the course of the season to jell. So I think people really don’t know what we’re about. One thing I’ve learned, and this is our 17th season, is for the first few games, no one knows the chemistry, how they jell. But I feel good about our team. »
Kraft feels good also that No. 12 will be leading the offense, and doing so without having a contract weighing on his mind. While Brady is very good at compartmentalizing, and focusing on the task at hand, the two sides dearly wanted to wrap up the new deal before the season started.
With the exception of a few players, most significantly guard Logan Mankins, who remains away from the team while struck in a heated contract dispute, Kraft has done a good job of getting many of his key personnel locked up long term.
« We’ve gone about our business in a diligent manner with very complicated, difficult labor environment, » Kraft said. « We’ve been able to secure Brady, Vince Wilfork, (Stephen) Gostkowski, (Leigh) Bodden … Tully Banta-Cain, people who have come here, worked hard and want to be here long term. We’ve done everything we can do. »
Officially,Get the Best product for fluorescent lights. Brady’s deal is a four-year extension for $72 million — including $48.5 million guaranteed. Wilfork (five years, $40 million,,We can offer you high quality Coated Abrasives. $25 million guaranteed), Bodden (four years, $22 million), Gostkowski (four years, $14 million), and Banta-Cain (three years, $19 million) also didn’t come cheaply, so Kraft has spent considerable cash to try and keep his team viable.
« While our job is never done, I sort of like this team over the next few years, » Kraft said. « We have a great coach, and one of the finest quarterbacks to have ever played the game for another five seasons … he’ll be the quarterback here for (at least) 15 years, which is unusual. »
Kraft specifically likes what he’s seen from the offense and the special teams units this summer. He believes the young defense will mature and come together in time.
Belichick had to essentially overhaul an experienced but aging defense last year, and has infused the unit with a lot of draft picks. From the defensive line to linebacker to safety to cornerback, each group fields at least one rookie or second-year player.
« So much of what’s going on in the world today are quick fixes, » Kraft said. « I think it’s happening (with the government) in Washington and in big companies. We’re trying to make the right decisions for this year and the next few years. It’s hard in this business because it’s so geared to bringing everyone down to a certain level.manufacturing led bulb for advertisement industry. I hope we’ve been wise enough to do that. But we’ll see. »
The biggest improvement Kraft would like to see from the 2010 outfit is second-half play. Too many times last year, the team wasn’t able to hold onto leads.,Welcome to order Insulator,Porcelain insulator,Lamp holder,Springs from us.
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