Kraft was due to be honored with the prestigious Patriot Award before his involvement in the prostitution caseGETTY IMAGES
Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT last week "was MIA from a Navy SEALs gala -- after he was taken off the bill as an honoree," according to Sara Nathan of the N.Y. POST. Kraft was "originally on the invites for the Navy SEAL Foundation’s benefit dinner" in Times Square on Thursday. Sources said that he was "due to be honored with the prestigious Patriot Award." But days after his alleged involvement surfaced in the South Florida prostitution scandal, Kraft's name was "taken off the foundation’s website." A source said that Kraft "decided it was best to pull out of the event." A foundation source added that Kraft removed himself so his presence "didn’t distract" from the ceremony (N.Y. POST, 3/9).
NOT GOING AWAY? In Boston, Ben Volin noted Kraft "sure looks like someone ready to put up a huge" legal fight with the notable attorneys he has hired. But "why would Kraft fight back so hard when the punishment is so relatively light?" One reason to fight would be to "prevent the video tape of his incidents" at the Orchids of Asia day spa "from seeing the light of day." Another could be that Kraft believes that "getting exonerated in court could lead commissioner ROGER GOODELL to go light on him in discipline, and/or that it will prevent his Hall of Fame bid for next year from getting torpedoed" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/10).
