NFL Owners Meetings: Kraft Speaks Out On Alleged Taping
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Kraft Defends Patriots Against Allegations
Made By Former Videographer |
Patriots Owner Robert Kraft “came out firing yesterday, questioning why former team employee Matt Walsh had not yet revealed the information he has suggested he has regarding the team’s videotaping procedures,” according to Mike Reiss of the BOSTON GLOBE. Kraft said at the NFL Owners meetings in Palm Beach, “I’m looking forward to him speaking, and hopefully cleaning this up and completely exonerating us. … I know ourselves and the NFL have done everything we can do to help his lawyers have him speak. But he never signed any confidentiality statement with us, so as far as I’m concerned, I don’t know why he doesn’t just come out and speak.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in response to a question about Walsh, said, “Do you know lawyers? We are making progress, I think. I’m a little frustrated, as you can see” (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/1). Kraft, who “at times appeared annoyed at the persistent line of questioning, staunchly defended his team.” Kraft: "A newspaper made a damaging allegation about the so-called Matt Walsh affair. I believe it’s something that never happened. If so, why wouldn’t two months later … anything have come out?" More Kraft: “We’ve moved forward. When anyone attacks you as an individual, anyone in this world of 24-hour-a-day media, seven days-a-week, can attack anything. But it’s about substantiation” (BOSTON HERALD, 4/1). Meanwhile, Kraft said that the Patriots will “vote in favor of a proposed rule change that will allow a defensive player to have a communication device in his helmet” despite voting against a similar proposal last year (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/1).
MORNING CHAT: Patriots coach Bill Belichick this morning during the AFC coaches breakfast said that he was “reinterviewed after the Super Bowl about allegations” that Walsh had illegal tapes. Belichick: "I've addressed so many questions so many times from so many people I don't know what else the league could ask." The first interviews came the day before Super Bowl XLII with VP/Player Personnel Scott Pioli, Exec Dir of Media Relations Stacey James and Video Director Jimmy Dee. Goodell said of the additional interviews, "We followed up on other things because certain things had been tossed out.” League officials subsequently interviewed owner Kraft and Belichick (AP, 4/1).
WITH OR WITHOUT YOU: Goodell said that he will “enact the measures in his crackdown on cheating whether or not they’re supported by owners of the league’s teams.” Goodell is “empowered to implement several of the measures without the owners’ approval,” and he said that he “will put those proposals into effect” (WASHINGTON POST, 4/1).
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