May 16th, 2008 by Bill Burt
I open with a prediction. I believe the Celtics win tonight, finally on the road.
I believe Wednesday night’s game was a coming out party for Rajon Rondo. He needs to create more on offense and keep the ball moving.
If he makes the open jumpers, that’s an added bonus.
I’m here if you have any comments or questions.
May 16th, 2008 by Bill Burt
I will be here from 2 to 4 to talk about the Celtics playoffs.
I have a story in today’s Eagle-Tribune about Matt Walsh.
Talk to you soon.
May 14th, 2008 by Bill Burt
Here is the transcript (unfortunately all CAPS) from this morning’s interview between Patriots owner Bob Kraft and CNBC’s Squawk Box’s Scott Wapner:
WAPNER: ROBERT KRAFT IS THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND HE’S GOING TO JOIN US FIRST ON CNBC THIS MORNING.MR. KRAFT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
KRAFT: THANK YOU, SCOTT, I WATCH ALL OF YOU IN THE MORNING.
WAPNER: WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON FIRST ON CNBC THIS MORNING.THE HEADLINE AT THE BOSTON HERALD SAYS IT ALL, IT SAYS SORRY, PATS, THIS IS A PAPER THAT REPORTED THE STORY BACK ON FEBRUARY 2, SAYING THAT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS VIDEOTAPED A WALK THROUGH BEFORE SUPER BOWL 36 AGAINST THE ST. LOUIS RAMS, IT NOW SAYS THE STORY IS NOT TRUE.DO YOU FEEL VINDICATED THIS MORNING?
KRAFT: I FELT VERY GOOD SEEING THIS PAPER BECAUSE WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE LAST DECADE AND A HALF TO ESTABLISH A STRONG BOND WITH OUR FANS WHERE THEY COULD TRUST AND BELIEVE IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE TEAM AND THIS STORY COMING OUT THE DAY BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL, THE BIGGEST GAME IN OUR HISTORY, GOING FOR A PERFECT SEASON WAS VERY DAMAGING AND PUT A CLOUD OVER US FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 MONTHS.AND I’M GLAD IT’S FINALLY COME TO AN END.
WAPNER: LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS HUNG OVER YOUR FRANCHISE FOR MORE THAN 100 DAYS.WHAT DO YOU THINK THE RESIDUAL DAMAGE HAS BEEN TO YOUR BRAND OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS?
KRAFT: WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTNERED WITH US OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS KNOW THAT WE PUT INDIVIDUAL EFFORT, WE SUBJUGATE THAT BACK TO THE TEAM, WE WORK HARD IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANT OUR SPONSORS TO BE ABLE TO EMOTIONALLY ATTACH THEMSELVES TO US AND KNOW THEY’RE GOING TO GET A VERY HIGH PERFORMANCE, HIGH GRADE PRODUCT.AND WE HAVE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE OVER THIS TIME PERIOD.AND THIS ERRONEOUS STORY COMING OUT WAS REALLY HARMFUL.AND WHAT BOTHERS ME MORE ABOUT THIS STORY IS WHERE IT WENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE DON’T KNOW US AS WELL.AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOW, THEY WON’T SEE THIS RETRACTION.BUT PEOPLE WHO KNOW US, KNOW WHAT WE’RE ABOUT.
WAPNER: YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT, BECAUSE THERE CLEARLY ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE GOING TO LOOK AT YOUR FRANCHISE DIFFERENTLY FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, YOU’RE AWARE OF THAT?
KRAFT: WELL, I JUST HOPE THAT THEY SEE THIS AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, OUR MISTAKE THAT IT WAS THE BOSTON HERALD. AND THIS SET OF — I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, A LOT OF THE LEADERS IN YOUR AUDIENCE TODAY HAVE GONE THROUGH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.AND WE’RE IN THIS AGE OF 24-HOUR INFORMATION, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, A LOT OF THINGS CAN HAPPEN AND YOU CAN’T PROBABLY DEFEND YOURSELF.YOU JUST HAVE TO GO ABOUT YOUR JOB AND ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THIS COMING TOGETHER LIKE THIS AT THE END HAS MADE OUR ORGANIZATION STRONGER AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOLD TOGETHER AND WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
WAPNER: BOB, YOU HAVE A REPUTATION AROUND THE NFL OF BEING A HANDS OFF OWNER, IF YOU WILL, OF LETTING THE FOOTBALL GUYS DO THEIR JOBS, COACH BELICHICK LETTING HIM DO HIS JOB, LETTING YOUR FRONT OFFICE FOOTBALL PEOPLE DO THEIR JOBS. DO YOU THINK IN ANY RESPECT THAT THAT CAME BACK TO BITE YOU THROUGH THIS WHOLE SCENARIO AND WILL YOU CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOURUN THIS ORGANIZATION FROM HERE FORWARD?
KRAFT: WELL, I THINK WE DO STAY INVOLVED IN OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT WE LET GOOD PEOPLE DO THEIR JOBS. ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT’S COME OUT OF THIS IS THAT THE RULE BOOK FOR THE NFL IS MANY HUNDREDS OF PAGES AND WE REALIZE THAT IT’S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A COACHING STAFF OR PERSONNEL PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER PROPERLY AND WE HAVE DONE A FULL AUDIT OF ALL OF PROCEDURES AND WE NOW HAVE ORGANIZATIONAL PEOPLE AND OUR LAWYERS HELPING THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER THIS.AND I THINK WE HAVE COME OUT STRONGER BECAUSE OF THAT.
WAPNER: HOW DO YOU FEEL THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS WHEN YOU LOOK ALL THE WAY BACK TO THAT JET GAME WHEN THIS FIRST CAME TO LIGHT THAT THE PATRIOTS HAD BEEN VIDEOTAPING SIGNALS FROM OPPOSING COACHES.HOW DOES THIS WHOLE THING JUST MAKE YOU FEEL ON A PERSONAL LEVEL?
KRAFT: WELL, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE, OUR PEOPLE BROKE A RULE THE FIRST WEEK OF THE SEASON. AND SINCE THAT TIME, THERE’S NO TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF SPORTS WHO’S BEEN UNDER MORE INTENSE SCRUTINY.AND WE WERE ABLE, OVER THE NEXT 18 WEEKS OF THE SEASON TO GO 18-0 AND WE WERE GOING TOWARDS A PERFECT SEASON.AND I DON’T THINK ANYONE CAN — BECAUSE OF THE SCRUTINY THAT WAS GOING ON, NO ONE HAS QUESTIONED WHAT HAS HAPPENED DURING THAT PERIOD. WE WERE FORTUNATELY ABLE TO GET GREAT RATINGS, I THINK THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SEES US AS THE BEST SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT IN THE COUNTRY.AND THAT IS OUR FOCUS AND WE HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE DOING THAT NEXT YEAR.AND IT’S JUST SORRY THAT IT HAD TO END ON THIS SOUR NOTE.
WAPNER: LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT MATT WALSH, HE OF COURSE THE GENTLEMAN WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE PATRIOTS.HE MET YESTERDAY WITH SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER DOWN IN WASHINGTON.THE SENATOR IS GOING TO HAVE A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO HEAR TODAY DO YOU EXPECT THERE TO BE ANY ADDITIONAL FALLOUT FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE?
KRAFT: SENATOR SPECTOR IS A VERY DISTINGUISHED SENATOR AND I’M GOING TO LET HE AND HIS CONSTITUENTS SPEAK FOR WHAT HIS PRIORITY SHOULD BE FOR AMERICA.I KNOW MY PRIORITY IS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT’S GOING ON FOR OUR FANS AND ACTUALLY ALL THE FANS OF THE NFL THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BEST SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT WE CAN.
WAPNER: MR. KRAFT, JOE KERN WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
KERNEN: HOW IS THE PACKAGING BUSINESS DOING?
KRAFT: WELL, YOU KNOW, IN AMERICA, WE’RE A LITTLE SOFT RIGHT NOW OUR EXPORT BUSINESS HAS BEEN VERY STRONG.OUR PAPER COMMODITIES AND EVEN OUR LUMBER BUSINESS AT THIS POINT IN TIME. BUT WE’RE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE SOFTENING IN EUROPE, ASIAIS VERY STRONG AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD VERY STRONG SHIPMENTS TO SOUTH AMERICA AS WELL.
KERNEN: WHAT ABOUT INPUT COSTS, BOB?
KRAFT: WELL, YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD.AS THE DEMAND HAS SOFTENED, OUR ENERGY COSTS, OUR DELIVERY COSTSARE QUITE HIGH.AND WE’RE NOT ABLE TO PASS THAT ALONG RIGHT NOW.SO OUR MARGINS ARE GETTING SQUEEZED.
QUICK: HEY, BOB, IT’S BECKY, REALLY QUICKLY.
KRAFT: HOW ARE YOU?
QUICK: IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU AND THANKS FOR COMING ON TODAY. I KNOW THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THE NFL IS NOW SAYING THERE’S NO NEW INFORMATION HERE,AND THEY WANT TO MOVE ON BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE WAS TAPING GOING ON AT OTHER GAMES, CORRECT?
KRAFT: NO–WELL, IF — I THINK THAT OUR COACH MISINTERPRETED THE RULE AND IN THIS — THESE TAPES THAT YOU SAW WENT BACK FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO.AND I THINK THE RULE WAS CLARIFIED AS THE BEGINNING OF THE ‘07 SEASON.AND THAT’S WHEN WE WERE PENALIZED FOR WHAT HAPPENED AT THE JETS FLAME GAME.
KERNEN: WE HAD A PICTURE OF YOU EARLIER, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU OWE US FOR THIS PICTURE THAT WE HAVE OF YOU. DID YOU SEE IT?
KRAFT: MY SON TOLD ME, JONATHAN, HE SAID HE SAW IT AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE —
KERNEN: YOU WERE LOOKING SO GOOD. YOU’RE GETTING YOUNGER.
QUINTANILLA: WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HIM RIGHT NOW?
KERNEN: YOU LOOK GOOD NOW.
KRAFT: CARL, YOU PICKED UP ON IT.
KERNEN: LOOK AT THAT, THAT IS GREAT. DO YOU AGREE TO COME ON ONLY THIS NETWORK, THAT’S THE PICTUREWE’RE GOING TO SHOW.
KRAFT: THE 1994 PICTURE.
KERNEN: NO, HE’S STILL AS YOUNG AND DAPPER AS EVER.
KRAFT: WHAT DOES BECKY THINK?
QUICK: I THINK YOU LOOK GREAT. I LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK RIGHT NOW, MR. KRAFT.
KRAFT: YOU’RE GOOD.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
QUINTANILLA: HERS IS THE ONLY OPINION THATMATTERS.WE ALL KNOW THAT.
KRAFT: FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
WAPNER: HEY, MR. KRAFT, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, AS I SAID, FIRST ON CNBC. IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ONTHE NETWORK. BOB KRAFT, THE OWNER OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.
May 13th, 2008 by Bill Burt
STATEMENT FROM THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
“We want to address the allegation that the Patriots taped the Rams’ walk-through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. For the past three-and-a-half months, we have been defending ourselves against assumptions made based on an unsubstantiated report rather than on facts or evidence. Despite our adamant denials, the report ran on February 2, 2008, the day before Super Bowl XLII. That game was the second-most watched program in television history and it is unfortunate that today’s news will not also reach an audience of that size. We hope that with Matt Walsh’s disclosures, everyone will finally believe what we have been saying all along and emphatically stated on the day of the initial report: ‘The suggestion that the New England Patriots recorded the St. Louis Rams’ walkthrough on the day before Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 is absolutely false. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue.’”
May 13th, 2008 by Bill Burt
You can’t blame Matt Walsh. Just because somebody professes or promises to be able to bring a national force to its knees doesn’t mean it’s true.
The problem is so many people, including several national news organizations, believed him.
Spygate is officially over.
Walsh didn’t have that tape of the Rams Super Bowl walk-through. He also didn’t say the Patriots used those illegal tapes of coaches signals in the same game.
In fact, he refuted both possiblities, which probably would have led to more punishment had either been true.
If you were watching ESPN before and after the commissioner’s press conference, you would have noticed the bashing before and the pall afterward.
Former Broncos lineman Mark Schlereth and former Vikings and Eagles receiving great Cris Carter basically implied the Patriots were guilty before the press conference and they didn’t believe the commissioner afterward.
This means that the Patriots are still the most reviled franchise in the NFL. Hating the Patriots isn’t going away any time soon.
As for the Patriots, there is relief. Other than ticket scalping and an injured player practicing, this issue is off the NFL’s table.
We could slam the Patriots and Bill Belichick for what they did, but after eight months that punishment wouldn’t fit the crime. They’ve been punished enough (1st round pick in 2008 and $750,000 in fines).
I feel bad for Matt Walsh, I mean future coach Matt Walsh.
He couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t sit quietly in Hawaii in his new career with his new family. His dismissal from the Patriots five-plus years ago was apparently a difficult one.
Spygate is over. The hate, or jealously though, is still in vogue.
I would like your comments.
May 13th, 2008 by Bill Burt
I will be back immediately following the Roger Goodell press conference which is coming shortly.
If you’d like to comment or ask any questions, I will be here blogging.
Reports are the NFL met with Walsh for three hours, which is about two hours longer than planned.
My guess is Walsh will have allegegations, not proof, which could extend this craziness another week or two.
Stay tuned.
Eagle-Tribune Executive Sports Editor Bill Burt has been synonymous with the local and Boston sports scene for the past 24 years. (more)