The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Robert Kraft To Discuss 'Timeout Against Hate' Campaign, Trump 2024 Election, Brady & Belichick. Listen For More!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wake that ass up in the morning.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Breakfast Club Morning.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
Everybody is the DJ.
Speaker 4 (00:07):
En Vy Jess hilarious Charlomagne, the guy we are the
breakfast Club Ess is on maternity leave, so laurla Rosa
is feeling and we got a special guest in the building.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Big money in the building, Big, big money in the building.
Speaker 5 (00:18):
Wow, big b Robert Craft is here, he said, he
has a nickname. He said, I'm god you Envy Lauren
is single.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
So what do.
Speaker 6 (00:25):
You nice to meet you?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I'm a newly But here's the deal. Well, I have
a new football coach and we had this big introduction.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
And about for the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yeah, and he's awesome. Man. He calls me young Thundercat,
your thundercat, so you can call me r k K
or Young Thundercat as he addresses it. And he started
calling me that back in eight when we drafted him.
So I've known him for you know, like fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And why did ThunderCats?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You're a fan of the Cartoonough, I'm gonna let you
ask him that he's the one who named me.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Come from somewhere.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
What did you see from Gerard that made you hire
him as the first black head coach of the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Well, you know, I saw him come in on our
team as a tenth pick. We picked him in the
first round and that was actually at the time the
highest pick we had ever had since I owned the team.
That was in eight And the second year he was
with I think he got voted defensive Rookie of the year,
(01:51):
you know, number one. And then in the second year
with us, he got elected captain and guys voted for
him whould won Super Bowls. So it told me something
that he could get respect of people that you know,
and in locker rooms I watched little things. And anyhow,
(02:13):
he played for US for the next seven years, or
he was with us. He played eight years, and then
he left US and went in the private industry, worked
in private industry, you know, reached back out and said
he really wanted to get into coaching, and he coached
US three four years, and so the varied experience was special.
(02:38):
Now I've taken twenty seven missions to the Holy Land,
mainly Christians and athletes who haven't seen the country about Israel,
pardon ise, yes. And when we were there, we had
a group of athletes and we were delayed at the
(02:58):
airport and I think they were like over twenty. He
organized them in the airport. He got a discussion going
and showed just unique leadership. You know, and in life,
when you're hanging with people, you know, you connect for
different reasons. And the light went off, and I said,
(03:20):
anyone that can relate like this to young people because
the world is different than I bought the team thirty
one years ago. Wow. And you know I've watched the
transition of players, the impact of social media, how you relate,
it's different. You got to adapt. And I just thought
(03:43):
he had something special. I respected. I call my eldest
son from the Holy Land that night and I said,
I think I got our next head coach. Wow, what's
five years ago?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
What still excites you?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I mean, you did the Super Bowl thing, you owned
all different types of teams, You're a philanthropists, you travel
around the world.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
What's doing with your riches? But I was at that point, No,
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I'm comfortable. Why right?
Speaker 6 (04:12):
That shi version of comfortable?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
We are poor. Let me hold some uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Let me hold Can I tell you something? And it's
why you know today we launched a campaign to stop
all hate. Why Why? Yeah? Time out again. But why
did I do it? Because I was a kid who
lived in a walk up apartment. I you know, I
(04:38):
went to college on a full scholarship. I went to
graduate business school on a full scholarship, didn't have a
car to I was twenty five and I dreamt big
and I had my dreams and I was able to
make a number of them come true. Look, I own
an NFL franchise in my hometown. You know, I had
(04:59):
a greater chance of being a starting quarterback in the NFL.
There are thirty two quarterbacks, and some of these teams
don't sell for one hundred years. But I did the
things along the way I had to do, and we
start a little paper and packaging company fifty two years ago.
We're in one hundred and twenty seven countries today, and
(05:22):
it's all because of our country and opportunities for anyone
who wants to take advantage of it. And I see
things changing, and you know, that's why I started this campaign.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
It seems like you've always well. In more recent times,
it seems like you've been involved in public service. Has
that always been your thing? Have you always been involved
in community issues and what's going on in society.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, I was privileged to have great parents. It was
a sort of a wild kid, a middle child, and
I had a mom and dad who gave me great love.
But my mom really discipline me, thank God. And you know,
if you're blessed to have one or two parents who
(06:06):
give you good love and discipline, that's worth more than
financial resources for you to operate in the world, because
he gives you a strong foundation. But to answer your question,
I had a dad. While he didn't have material riches,
he was the greatest man I ever knew because he
(06:28):
was spiritual and he left me in ethical will and
he said, when you go to bed at night, make
sure the people you've touched that day are richer for
having known you. And he even though he had modest income,
he taught me a rule. He said, you always give
(06:49):
ten percent of whatever your income is away as a
minimum to people who are more needy. Wow, and the
only you know, he was a great man And the
only thing I ever heard my parents argue about and
was about money because he was so good. He never
(07:11):
was able to accumulate, but he was just what. I
was blessed to have that legacy. So I asked all
of us out there who are privileged to have kids
to invest that time and energy and try to give
similar values.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Now, when did you I don't want to say, when
did you realize? But a lot of times people with
a lot of money don't understand how bad it is
for other people because they're never there. But you, on
the other hand, are completely opposite. Like you, you do
things that most people don't do it. We've seen you
do it with Meek, we see you do it with
all these other organizations.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Why well, it goes back to my dad. But I mean,
the quality that we've lost in society today is empathy.
You know, we don't listen to the what's going on.
And look, that's why I think your show is amazing.
I don't know. You connect with four or five million people,
(08:10):
you give a message eight but who's counting eight million?
Maybe it's twelve and they're under reporting it. You don't
have to pay it for those ads. That's right the
way they should that's probably the case. But think about it.
You're relating in a way that people can connect, and
your messaging connects. And what's happened in the world today
(08:35):
is people aren't caring about other people. And look, I
don't I don't know what it's like to walk in
a room and be a man of color or a
woman of color, and how people treat you and what
your psyche is, how you have to act and it.
You know, it's got to be difficult in many ways.
(08:59):
That why people don't understand or don't empathize with. But
we have we as society have to understand that and
have to We're all human beings. We had no choice
the way we came into this world, you know. And
if you were blessed to have one or two good parents,
(09:23):
you know, that's the greatest. But if not, you know,
we gotta The thing that bothers me now is people
are just going in their own lanes and not opening up,
and especially social media is creating that where you know,
people just talk to one another in a way. You know,
(09:46):
how did I build my businesses. I would relate to
someone who was much different than I and I had
to listen to what that person was saying and maybe
change my way or go to the where that person
is thinking. And then it's the only way you can
(10:06):
do big things. But today people aren't doing that. They're
just going in their own lanes and staying with the
similar people. We got to change that.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
I agree. What do you think the difference is?
Speaker 5 (10:17):
What's the differ between Time Out Against Hate and your
nonprofit to Foundation to Combat Anti Semitism?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Well, you know, I started this Foundation of Combat Anti
Semitism back in twenty nineteen because I saw what was
going on in charlottevillein seventeen guys carrying signs saying Jews
or Blacks won't replace us. And then in nineteen the
(10:46):
Tree of Life in a synagogue. You know, you have
someone come and shoot and kill people. Think about going
to church. Church is a place where you have some
kind of spiritual connection. You don't feel safe in the
United States of America. So I saw signs in twenty
(11:07):
nineteen what was going on in Nazi Germany in the thirties,
and I don't want America to be what Germany was
in the forties. So I started this foundation because it
usually starts. The hate starts over the last hundred years.
If you look at history with Jewish people, and then
(11:30):
it goes to every group, black, gay, Hispanic, Asian, you
name it. And look, this country was great to me.
We you know, we've had a lot of improprieties. Think
the way people of color have been treated, it's crazy,
(11:51):
the whole concept of slavery. I mean, in the modern world,
I can't believe that people that, and so we have
to make it right and build bridges. And those of
us that are privileged to be able to do things
and pay our bills, we got to find ways to
(12:12):
build bridges and bring people together. And this country, with
all its faults, is still the greatest country in the world.
Think about it. We elected a man of color as president.
There's no other Western country that's done that. So with
all our faults, and we still got to correct a
(12:33):
lot of things. And I think the most injustices have
been done to people of color. You know you mentioned Meek.
Can I just say this because of course, yeah. I
mean I had developed no one believes Meek and I
are really friends, and I had developed a relationship with
(12:55):
him through a mutual friend, Michael Rubin, And he started
calling me and asking me questions about how he could
grow and prosper. And then he got thrown in jail
for doing a wheelie invited me to visit in jail.
Now I'd never been to a jail, and going and
(13:17):
visiting him in jail changed my life. I couldn't believe
in the United States of America, we would take a guy. Look,
he could be out earning millions of dollars, hiring employees,
paying people's salaries that could help their family, paying taxes,
(13:38):
paying taxes, and our system, you know, because of bigotry,
is putting a guy in jail. It was great, and
when I met him, it really changed my life. He
was nice, and he told me they fixed up the
jail when they painted it. They knew I was coming,
which is crazy to me, and he was nice. I said,
(14:03):
how come you don't have an edge? I'd be ticked,
you know exactly. He said, I expected it. And then
you know, I got into it my with my buddy
and I came out by the way and I spoke
to the media after listen. He got out of jail
two three days later, and he told me I made
(14:25):
a difference, not and it just told me how screwed
up our system was. And we got to change this
whole bail and situation. And because of that, a few
of us got together, you know, Michael and jay Z
and Meek and myself when we started this reform alliance
(14:47):
to try we we we have to correct that system.
It's a great injustice in America.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
I want to go back to something you said, because
you have donated money to Democratic politicians. You donated the
money to President Obama's campaign out of all the NFL owners,
But you talked about what happened in Charlottesville. You're also
good friends with Donald Trump, and in twenty seventeen you
said Trump would be great for the economy. So how
do you feel about him in twenty twenty four because
he's fueled a lot of the dangerous things that have
(15:16):
happened that you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yeah, well, let me just say I've been I'm a Democrat.
I've been. I was head of the Democratic City Committee
in Brookline and Newton, and I ran Teddy Kennedy's re
election campaign with a young man called Tommy O'Neill in
(15:37):
Boston who was Tip O'Neill's son. And I've always been democratic.
Donald Trump became a social friend in the early nineties
when I was going down to Florida, and then when
my wife a blessed him. Memory died thirteen years ago.
(15:59):
He was one of four or five people who reached
out to me and was really really nice. I've not
The only donation I ever gave to him was he
called me when he got elected and I made a
strong donation to his inauguration. I couldn't believe it. It was
like having someone who's a drunk fraternity brother become president.
(16:25):
I mean, I couldn't believe, you know, he was you know,
and yeah, I think he did things. I mean, I'll
say this, but since I was very upset what happened
January sixth, Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Pardon, I think he led an insurrection in his country.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
And I haven't talked to him since then. Did you
reach out to him after that?
Speaker 6 (16:51):
I was going to ask, did you reach out to
him after that to have a conversation, because if you're upset.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
No, I was really upset because, just like what's going
on with our campaign to stop eight, there are things
going on in the country. Look, I can pay my bills.
God's been good, except for losing my first wife. I'm
one of the luckiest guys walking the planet. Wow. So
I want to build bridges, bring people together, you know,
(17:19):
and haven't owning the Patriots, As you know, I worked
very hard to get it. There's a book called the dynasty.
That explains the whole story. But the biggest thing that
came to me because I used to sit in the
stands and dream about own it what I do. And
(17:42):
you know nine to eleven happened. Four months later we
win the Super Bowl a team called the Patriots in
America wearing red, white and blue uniforms.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
My dad thought that was a conspiracy back then because
Cowboys fans and so we alway say the Cowboys as
an America's team. And I remember when he y'all won
a Super Bowl and he was like, this is a conspiracy.
Nine to eleven just happened? Did the NFL rig this
for the Patriots to win?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Well? I understand dad saying that because Cowboy fans are
very loyal, but we're red, white and blue. Our name
was the Patriots. Boston is a city of six hundred
thousand people. What happened twenty four hours later, one of
the coldest days, I think it was February third or fourth,
(18:34):
A million and a half people came to the streets
of Boston. Gay people, black people, Asians, whites, everyone came
to celebrate the team. And it just showed me the
power of sport. In a way. It's why, you know,
with this campaign to stop all hate our foundation, we
(18:59):
worked hard as a first time in over one hundred years,
all the sports leagues unity, and that's what we need.
Brothers and sisters. I mean, we're all. We didn't have
any choice how we're born, what religion we're born, what
skin color, how our eyes are shaped, what we look like.
(19:22):
But you know, we got a chance. You know, hopefully
you're born with good characteristics where you can function and
not have certain proclivities that keep you from doing things.
So I just my life is about bill and bridges,
given everyone a chance. It's good business for us to
(19:46):
have everyone who's born in this world to live their dreams.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I got to ask a question. You said you're a Democrat.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Most people would assume that you would be a Republican
because of the tax breaks and the money and that
and all that other stuff. So what made you say
I want to be a Democrat?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What made you for the people? No, I was That's
how I got elected. When I was in my twenties.
There's a very liberal community and they older people and
they were fighting and they picked me because I just
I want to build bridges and I thought, I'm a
little disturbed with the Democratic Party today.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Well, I think there's a group of progressives who have
come in that are not building bridges and listening, and
they're preaching hate just the same way they never used
to be in extreme like that, the way it's done
on the right. And you know, I think, you know
(20:54):
we need anyway. Once you can pay your bills, you
got to work to try to If you have your
health and pay your bills, God's been good. You got
to then work to make the surrounding things around you good.
You know. I love the way one hundred years ago
(21:15):
the black and Jewish Jewish people their skin is in black,
but after you know, the discrimination to the Jewish community
has been the same to black except for that. We
don't I don't know what it's like to walk in
a room and have people look at you like that,
(21:36):
Like people might not know when I walk into a room.
But I stay true to what my values and what
I've been and you know, try to be a good human.
The Vice president campaign, I haven't I've I haven't supported
any political person since I've started this Blue Square because
(22:02):
I don't want to be political. I want what's best
for the country. And actually, I'm really worried. Part of
the reason we started this campaign and itn't inaugurated today
with these ads that are going to run. There's an
ad that's gonna run on the game tonight. We just
(22:24):
did a big interview with NBC that aired and CNBC
and this is my second stop on a one of
the biggest days, and it comes out of respect to
you all and your audience and the message we're trying
to get out there.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
Well, if you're against bigotry and you're against hate, why
would you choose not to be involved in the election
in this year like Trump have an opportunity to be
back in the White House. You said you didn't like
what he did on January six, let an insurrection in
this country, So why wouldn't you want to be involved?
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Because when I started this foundation, as soon as you
take a political position or stay, you alienate I. I
don't I don't have the answer. You know, I've met
(23:27):
with the Vice President's husband, He's come and visited our
I hope one day you you all come and see
our command center where we have a wall tied to
three hundred million websites all over the world and we're
watching trends and hate and we're trying to monitor it.
(23:52):
And you know, we've worked with Doug M. Hoff on thistly.
White House is app to him as leading in this effort.
But once we take a side politically, then we alienate people.
And I don't want to. I want everyone what we're
(24:13):
preaching in our foundation. And you look, we're able to
get the seven sports leagues and NASCAR, which is mid
America and a different I don't know how many NASCAR
fans are listening to your show, but we were able
(24:35):
to bring them all together and they're all together preaching
against hate and trying to keep civility, instill the greatest
with all our faults in this country, we're the greatest
country for opportunity. Look look what you folks are doing
with this show, but we got to work at it.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Is my last political question, So why tell people you're
a Democrat? And I was shocking you said that because
of the fact you're an owner of detention.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
That's OK.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
You can go back and look when I was twenty
eight years old, I was elected chair that I'm probably
an independent. Now, well, I have not what I don't want.
I used to think I would run for political office.
I had the privilege of being elected present my class,
(25:26):
senior class high school and then in college, and I
love doing that. But then the more I got out
and trying to support my family, I saw that politics
there was too much phoniness and just it wasn't something
I wanted to vote my time to. So I decided
(25:47):
I could have a bigger impact doing philanthropy. Once I
started making a few dollars and trying to be showing
initiative as a businessman, doing my philanthropic things and trying
to be creative, It's like getting exposure to me. I'd
(26:08):
never been to a jail, I told you, and I
saw the craziness, and that got us to start together
with the partners the Reform Alliance, that we should get
a million people, you know, change their situation to give
them a chance to get out in society. But we're
(26:30):
doing that in other areas. And once you get political,
you alienate people. And I'm sorry now I wanted to know.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
So by you saying you're not getting involved in an election,
that doesn't are you going to vote though? Absolutely okay,
but you just don't want to come out and see
who you're voting for.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Well, yeah, because when you do that. Let me just
say this, people from both sides, both parties, right at
the top, have reached out to us and want us
to be involved. And I don't. I think we bring
(27:10):
more value to this country and to people who are
needy by being in the position we're in and not.
I just look. I see my ancestors came here as immigrants.
I went to school on scholarship. The country allowed me
(27:32):
to go function and fight battles and dream my dream.
I want that for everyone coming into this country. And
when you get involved in politics, you know, it's sad
to me to see that. You know, I go back.
None of you were on the earth when Ronald Reagan
(27:55):
was president. But when he was president, there was a
guy who was Speaker of the House by the name
of Tip O'Neil. He was from Massachusetts, Cambridge where how
it is, and you know, they used to fight each
other like crazy during the day five point thirty they'd
(28:16):
have a beer and then they go play nine holes
and they do business for America. Today we're not doing that.
People don't even listen to one another. They're not coming together.
And my life will be about building bridges and bringing
all people to the best of my ability and fighting hate.
(28:39):
Now think about I'm very proud that we were able
to bring all the sports commissioners, women, men, NASCAR together
to do this campaign of time out. By the way,
what is the time out? When do you call that?
In a sport? You're doing it when things aren't going right.
(29:02):
You want to win. You want to win your game.
You've got to readjust your strategy and do things that'll
be good that allow you to win. That's what we're
doing in America. We're trying to call a time out
and have all people come together. How do I benefit
(29:24):
by demeaning anyone, any group that's given there, even if
they think differently than I. I want them to have
their chance, but do it straight and be respectful of all.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Do you think that's the reason why you're so your
franchise is so successful. We look at all these other franchises.
You've had a very successful franchise other than my New
York Giants. But besides that, do you think that's the
why because you have that way of thinking of unity
and getting it together.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Well, I'll tell you when we bought as a good question,
I always have tried to incorporate everyone. When we bought
the Patriot, you know, in thirty four years, they had
never sold out, so the local games are always blacked out.
I sat in those stands dreaming what I would do,
(30:12):
and when I was privileged to take it over, I
tried to bring everyone in. And then the first year
we sold out, we got over one hundred thousand people
on a paid waiting list to buy seats to something
that wasn't that way, and you know, I have the
(30:33):
good fortune to have it. We drafted this guy by
the name of Brady, and I heard him. Yeah, no,
I know most people.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
The Giants. Giants have heard of him a couple of times.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Well in the Big Apple, you guys. You know we're
in Beantown, in the village up there. But you know,
and I also, I decided with my nose to hire
a coach that they went to me I shouldn't. And
I kept them together for twenty years, and we built
bridges the way I'm talking about here. We kept it together.
(31:11):
And you know, in our history, since we've bought our Patriots,
we have the best winning percentage for championships of any
sports team in any league. Anywhere in the world, and
I'm very proud of that.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
That's because y'all cheat, and which I don't have a
problem with.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I was my cowboys and cheat.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Okay, but see what you're saying. That's what I call
envy and jealous.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
And even one in a long time.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Look at you, folks, you're doing this show. You don't
think there are people that hate you that you're so successful.
I want to try to throw digs and throw of course,
so jealous in envy? I wan, I have a saying, Actually.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
Oh please, I mean jealousy envy.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Okay, this is an rkka that jealousy and envy are
incurable diseases. And it's the one time it is better
to be a recipient than a donor.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
Carry around all the time.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Yeah, I give him off.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
About three other things in your pocket you coulda gave me.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I'm a slavone, you know.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Want to ask, like, there's always this debate between Belichick
and Brady and who's responsible for the Patriots success? How
much credit should you get put your name in those competitions.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Well, I'm gonna I'll let you decide that. Here's the deal.
We were in business thirty four years. How many home
playoff games do you think they had in those thirty
four years the Patriots.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
It's a good question.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
How many home games playoff games?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
No, no, hell, no way, more thing too, maybe like
twenty two.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
You're half right for one one why and they lost
to the Houston Oilists. I was sitting in the stands
Earl Campbell, you remember that name. Yeah, he ran for
over two hundred yuys and we lost. And I believe
you know, we've had thirty one home playoff games and
(33:35):
one twenty seven in the thirty years we've we've gone
to ten Super Bowls and one six.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
I heard the question, I thought you meant when you
were how many playoff games did y'all.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Have at home?
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, you met the Patriots before. Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Excuse me for not be But anyhow, what you folks
have created here is amazing.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
We're trying to be a dynasty like y'all are.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
Yeah, but you know what to do it in the
medium you're doing and being it's much hotter in the
media world to keep it here and the fact that
you're relevant and doing it so you can influence people.
And I just hope. We're building on the building blocks
(34:24):
that are good that I know. We got a lot
of problems in the country, but it's still the best.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Agree the tom need build to Bill need time.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
You know, it's like, well, I don't know, all right,
you're not married?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
No, hell no.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
A lot of guys, a lot of guys are having
their eye in that direction. I see, are you toube married.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Twenty three years, twenty six years? Married for ten? But
bid my wife for twenty six years twenty three years?
Speaker 1 (34:58):
So think about your man and by the way, that decision.
If you get the right person, you're going to go
through tough time. Absolutely, but you stay together, especially if
you have kids and the dividends you'll get later. But
who's more responsible? We're keeping it together? How do you
answer that? And that's what's easy.
Speaker 6 (35:20):
My wife Okay, I knew where you were going, like said,
take dependent, but they're smart, they're not answer my wife.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
Yeah, so you get it. That's why she not only
has a good look, she's got the brain.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
Thank you. Wait, so you and Belichick like, what's the
relationship now, because you know it's been on and off,
rumors that y'all don't really do that y'all don't really
like each other like that.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Look, I mean I kept him for twenty four years.
I do. Yeah, I didn't enjoy having to fire him,
but I try to do it. If you look at
the press conference and how it happened, try to do
(36:05):
it in a classy way. And what he did for
us was great. You know, people need to adapt and
if they don't, or look at you folks together, things
can change in life. It's about getting good chemistry and
trust and feel that. You know, our record the last
(36:28):
three to four years wasn't what I wanted. And I
had given him so much power. He had full control
over everything, and shame on me. I should have had
some checks and balances better, but he had earned that right.
But then the results weren't there. And if you're in
(36:49):
a sports business, you know you win or you lose.
There's no gray and I hate losing.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Now break the Patriots that was seriously thinking about signing
Colin Kaepernick. Yes, at really, yes, why didn't you?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Well, first of all, those are decisions I've never like.
We just changed. We have a new quarterback starting this week.
I let my football people make decisions. I'm happy to
discuss things. I think it would have been a great
(37:27):
thing for us to have hired them because it would
have been a great statement to the country. And you know,
here the best team, the best coach, everything, they were
just there's The NFL is not a straight line business.
Personnel decisions are a function of you know, many things
(37:52):
going on. When you bring in a quarterback, how does
it affect the second and third quarterback, how does it
affect the team. We're trying to do things that always
build team first, and in America what's happening now and
the NFL is a perfect example. If you don't have
(38:14):
everybody on the same page, you're not going to win.
You can have the greatest quarterback, but it's not like
other sports where you can have one or two great
people and it can impact you know, great pitcher, great center.
You know in football, special teams can lose you again
if they let a run back go or offense by fumbling.
(38:39):
You can have the greatest defense and your offense gives,
so you need it's what has to go on in America.
You need everybody pulling together and it's hard.
Speaker 5 (38:52):
So it was it Rock Nation that was pushing for
you to sign Cap or why didn't you do?
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Was he black ball?
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Like?
Speaker 2 (38:57):
What was the reason that it just didn't happen?
Speaker 1 (38:59):
You just there were a lot of variables that just that.
I mean, I didn't make that final decision. There was
serious considerations and it was just I mean, in the end,
the bottom line is every decision we're making with the
(39:20):
NFL team on the game field is going to help
us win or lose.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
And it wasn't a fit. It wasn't a fit.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
Well, I'll let you ask Coach Belichick that now.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
On the FX show, it looked like you'd be calling
shots on the Aaron Hernandez Show on FX and they
got you in the draft room and you would the one.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Who said pick him.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
No, I don't know. That's not how it happened, you know,
I have.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
I watched the show.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
No, what's it called.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
It was just the name of an Aaron Henandi. It's
a scripted show on FX about Aaron Nandi.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Oh I heard that, and they got, yeah, No, I
haven't seen that someone. Yeah, they get some.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
Dude, American sports story, the American sports story. Yeah, the guy.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
I've never even seen that show.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
In fiction, So I don't, I mean, I don't.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
But they discussed stuff with you the right way. After
they make those decisions. It's not communicated. And I'm just
saying it because he's saying he don't really know what's
it's for the football.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Wait. The one thing we've said, they can draft whomever
they want. They can do it, except we never want
to be bring a person into our system who has
done the wrong thing by women. You know, where that's
(40:41):
not allowed. They're not And I think in our third
year of ownership they we drafted someone who had abused
women in his fraternity. It was covered up. To me
it was a guy who should have gone in the
first or second around. We got him in the fifth
(41:02):
or sixth round, and when I found out after the draft,
we cut him before he even came. And we're trying
to send a message to any coaches we ever had.
That's the one thing. I mean. I was blessed. I
have a new wife who's awesome, and I had a
(41:23):
first wife who I told you died thirteen years ago.
And respect for women is a community thing. That we
can't have players that have abused women and be part
of our team and culture.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
I wanted to know when Brady went to the Buccaneers.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
How did that hurt you? How did that affect you?
Speaker 4 (41:45):
Because that was your guy for so many years? And
did you'll have a conversation and how do you feel
about him when it happened?
Speaker 1 (41:51):
Now, Well, here's what happened. He he and Bill had
some problems. Yeah, let's say they weren't best friends. And
I negotiated his contracts with him the last twelve years,
and and he was always put team first, and I
(42:18):
was able to convince him not to. Oh, you know,
we have a salary cap in the NFL, so I said, look,
it'd be better if you didn't take the full amount
that you would want by other quarterbacks. Because whatever we
don't pay you not going in my pocket. It's going
(42:39):
to other players to make you better. And if we
do as well as I hope, the greatest beneficiary will
be you. It doesn't go to that long term benefit
doesn't go to the club or the coach. It goes
you don't remember Joe Montana and people like that, Roger stoveback,
(43:03):
And sure enough he listened to me, and he took
less money and we were able to get great support
people around. We spent to the cap every year, and
he listened and he did it, and he was just unusual.
But when I did the last contract with him, which
would have completed twenty years with us, I said, look,
(43:28):
you will do I won't allow Bill or the team
to franchise you. If you don't want to stay here
after this, which had two years to go, you'll decide
and I'll never forget that. I believe it was in
the month of March. He lived down the street from me,
(43:49):
came to my house and I opened the door. He
started crying and he hugged me and he said, I
made a decision gonna leave the Patriots after twenty years.
And I had you know, we normally would have franchised
someone like that and they're not allowed to. But I
(44:11):
kept my word to him, and it was one of
the worst days.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
It's like almost like losing a child.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Yeah, I mean, and he and I look, he grew
up with us. I was. I mean, I love the
guy and he's one of a kind. You know, I
went to his marriage when he marriage is held down
in Costa Rica, and you know, we've he spent half
(44:42):
his life with us, and we you know, when it
was with Bridget moynihan and everything and he's he's one
of the most amazing human beings on the planet. He's
a guy when he goes in the huddle, he makes
average players better. He just but he's got a heart
of gold and he'll cry talking about an injustice. He
(45:07):
cried that whole time when he had to leave us,
and you know I understood it. He lived under an
arrangement that was very difficult for him the last decade.
But you know, he's an amazing human being. Ye know,
he's part of my family to this day and I
(45:31):
love him deally.
Speaker 6 (45:33):
I want to go back to something you mentioned earlier
about the violence against the women and how serious you
guys take that. So Jabrul Peppers right now is all
over the news for domestic violence charges against his significant other,
and in the beginning of it, Jarrett Mayo has said
that you guys didn't know enough to not allow him
into the facility and then that change. Now he's on
(45:53):
the commissioners exemp list. So do you guys conduct your
own investigations what was found, like what was the change there?
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Because I know we are doing that's a very good question,
and you know we're living in a world now with
so much on social media, and so much it's reported
is unfear in these kind of situations, and you know,
(46:21):
when you read the thing initially it turns your stomach.
But we've learned, and I don't know the facts in
this case, and Gerard called me. We spoke about it.
Once he goes on the Commissioner example list. They do
their independent checking. We're doing ours, and it was reported
(46:43):
is true, he's gone. There have been some suggestions that
this was a setup, and a lot of what's reported
is not accurate. I just I can just okay, God
that I've seen in life that if someone will take
(47:06):
any one of the three of you you have profiles,
if someone could set up something and say something it's
just not true. It's a fact, and there's nothing so
one other things. And I've personally had that happen with me.
So you know, I have a saying that I used
(47:27):
to all my key people and important decisions in life.
You measure nine times and you cut once. And I
think in this case, if what's been reported is true,
he's gone, but we want to get the facts.
Speaker 6 (47:45):
I had one more question. I was going to say,
did you were you guys in your investigation able to
see his lawyer had mentioned there was videotape evidence that
suggested that this may not have been what it was
reported as. Did you guys see that that videotape is
when you say that since.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
This came out, I've been in New York. I've talked
to you in our legal counsel and other support people.
They you know, the easy thing would have been to
cut them right away, but we're trying to measure nine
times and do right by him. If the facts are
has been reported publicly, then he's not with us. There
(48:22):
is a possibility there's a different explanation and the facts
are different. So I'm personally just gonna wait knowing how
these things can be unfear because excuse me, you know what,
and this bothers me and you folks are very important
(48:42):
platform for getting the message out. Make sure you get
the facts and don't there's too much of this going
on and then it just becomes it it ripple effect,
and that's not good for any of us. And you know,
people love you know how I gave you the jealousy
and envy. We can get them. So I'm just saying
(49:06):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I thought you was about to ask how can you
get it up? It's this thing called blue choo.
Speaker 3 (49:10):
Oh my goodness, yeah, you take it.
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Some of us don't need it.
Speaker 5 (49:18):
I do one last question, why you believe you're not
in the NFL Hall of Fame. Ye, cause I don't
know why you're not. It makes no sense to me.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
Read that car jealous? Wow? Wait if I don't really
to be honest, I don't care because on merit, you know,
I think most people who are objective, it's this, this
is people. It doesn't mean anything to me. What I'm
(49:46):
doing more in my foundation to come back that has
a greater impact, whether it's just I think the whole
and it's happened with other people, so it means the
value of it. It should be your objectivity. So in life,
you know, I just the key thing is to dream
(50:10):
your dream hang with good people of good character and
Bill Bridges and that's what my.
Speaker 4 (50:17):
Wife, ladies and gentlemen, Robert Craft. We appreciate you for
joining us.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
Thank you. I'm honored to be here, and I congratulate
you all for billing the Equity brand that you've done here.
Speaker 2 (50:31):
I good things from you from so many people. So
there's a pleasure to so what's my.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
Name, young thundercat, you cat all.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Right, you're right, opening all right, Robert Craft, thank you lovely.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
He started to say that that.
Speaker 4 (50:53):
Robert Graft is the Breakfast Club. Good morning, wake that
answer up in the morning, Breakfast Club
Wake that ass up in the morning.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Breakfast Club Morning.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
Everybody is the DJ.
Speaker 4 (00:07):
En Vy Jess hilarious Charlomagne, the guy we are the
breakfast Club Ess is on maternity leave, so laurla Rosa
is feeling and we got a special guest in the building.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Big money in the building, Big, big money in the building.
Speaker 5 (00:18):
Wow, big b Robert Craft is here, he said, he
has a nickname. He said, I'm god you Envy Lauren
is single.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
So what do.
Speaker 6 (00:25):
You nice to meet you?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
I'm a newly But here's the deal. Well, I have
a new football coach and we had this big introduction.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
And about for the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Yeah, and he's awesome. Man. He calls me young Thundercat,
your thundercat, so you can call me r k K
or Young Thundercat as he addresses it. And he started
calling me that back in eight when we drafted him.
So I've known him for you know, like fifteen years.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And why did ThunderCats?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
You're a fan of the Cartoonough, I'm gonna let you
ask him that he's the one who named me.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Come from somewhere.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
What did you see from Gerard that made you hire
him as the first black head coach of the Patriots.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Well, you know, I saw him come in on our
team as a tenth pick. We picked him in the
first round and that was actually at the time the
highest pick we had ever had since I owned the team.
That was in eight And the second year he was
with I think he got voted defensive Rookie of the year,
(01:51):
you know, number one. And then in the second year
with us, he got elected captain and guys voted for
him whould won Super Bowls. So it told me something
that he could get respect of people that you know,
and in locker rooms I watched little things. And anyhow,
(02:13):
he played for US for the next seven years, or
he was with us. He played eight years, and then
he left US and went in the private industry, worked
in private industry, you know, reached back out and said
he really wanted to get into coaching, and he coached
US three four years, and so the varied experience was special.
(02:38):
Now I've taken twenty seven missions to the Holy Land,
mainly Christians and athletes who haven't seen the country about Israel,
pardon ise, yes. And when we were there, we had
a group of athletes and we were delayed at the
(02:58):
airport and I think they were like over twenty. He
organized them in the airport. He got a discussion going
and showed just unique leadership. You know, and in life,
when you're hanging with people, you know, you connect for
different reasons. And the light went off, and I said,
(03:20):
anyone that can relate like this to young people because
the world is different than I bought the team thirty
one years ago. Wow. And you know I've watched the
transition of players, the impact of social media, how you relate,
it's different. You got to adapt. And I just thought
(03:43):
he had something special. I respected. I call my eldest
son from the Holy Land that night and I said,
I think I got our next head coach. Wow, what's
five years ago?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
What still excites you?
Speaker 4 (03:56):
I mean, you did the Super Bowl thing, you owned
all different types of teams, You're a philanthropists, you travel
around the world.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
What's doing with your riches? But I was at that point, No,
I'm not.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I'm comfortable. Why right?
Speaker 6 (04:12):
That shi version of comfortable?
Speaker 2 (04:13):
We are poor. Let me hold some uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Let me hold Can I tell you something? And it's
why you know today we launched a campaign to stop
all hate. Why Why? Yeah? Time out again. But why
did I do it? Because I was a kid who
lived in a walk up apartment. I you know, I
(04:38):
went to college on a full scholarship. I went to
graduate business school on a full scholarship, didn't have a
car to I was twenty five and I dreamt big
and I had my dreams and I was able to
make a number of them come true. Look, I own
an NFL franchise in my hometown. You know, I had
(04:59):
a greater chance of being a starting quarterback in the NFL.
There are thirty two quarterbacks, and some of these teams
don't sell for one hundred years. But I did the
things along the way I had to do, and we
start a little paper and packaging company fifty two years ago.
We're in one hundred and twenty seven countries today, and
(05:22):
it's all because of our country and opportunities for anyone
who wants to take advantage of it. And I see
things changing, and you know, that's why I started this campaign.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
It seems like you've always well. In more recent times,
it seems like you've been involved in public service. Has
that always been your thing? Have you always been involved
in community issues and what's going on in society.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes, I was privileged to have great parents. It was
a sort of a wild kid, a middle child, and
I had a mom and dad who gave me great love.
But my mom really discipline me, thank God. And you know,
if you're blessed to have one or two parents who
(06:06):
give you good love and discipline, that's worth more than
financial resources for you to operate in the world, because
he gives you a strong foundation. But to answer your question,
I had a dad. While he didn't have material riches,
he was the greatest man I ever knew because he
(06:28):
was spiritual and he left me in ethical will and
he said, when you go to bed at night, make
sure the people you've touched that day are richer for
having known you. And he even though he had modest income,
he taught me a rule. He said, you always give
(06:49):
ten percent of whatever your income is away as a
minimum to people who are more needy. Wow, and the
only you know, he was a great man And the
only thing I ever heard my parents argue about and
was about money because he was so good. He never
(07:11):
was able to accumulate, but he was just what. I
was blessed to have that legacy. So I asked all
of us out there who are privileged to have kids
to invest that time and energy and try to give
similar values.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Now, when did you I don't want to say, when
did you realize? But a lot of times people with
a lot of money don't understand how bad it is
for other people because they're never there. But you, on
the other hand, are completely opposite. Like you, you do
things that most people don't do it. We've seen you
do it with Meek, we see you do it with
all these other organizations.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Why well, it goes back to my dad. But I mean,
the quality that we've lost in society today is empathy.
You know, we don't listen to the what's going on.
And look, that's why I think your show is amazing.
I don't know. You connect with four or five million people,
(08:10):
you give a message eight but who's counting eight million?
Maybe it's twelve and they're under reporting it. You don't
have to pay it for those ads. That's right the
way they should that's probably the case. But think about it.
You're relating in a way that people can connect, and
your messaging connects. And what's happened in the world today
(08:35):
is people aren't caring about other people. And look, I
don't I don't know what it's like to walk in
a room and be a man of color or a
woman of color, and how people treat you and what
your psyche is, how you have to act and it.
You know, it's got to be difficult in many ways.
(08:59):
That why people don't understand or don't empathize with. But
we have we as society have to understand that and
have to We're all human beings. We had no choice
the way we came into this world, you know. And
if you were blessed to have one or two good parents,
(09:23):
you know, that's the greatest. But if not, you know,
we gotta The thing that bothers me now is people
are just going in their own lanes and not opening up,
and especially social media is creating that where you know,
people just talk to one another in a way. You know,
(09:46):
how did I build my businesses. I would relate to
someone who was much different than I and I had
to listen to what that person was saying and maybe
change my way or go to the where that person
is thinking. And then it's the only way you can
(10:06):
do big things. But today people aren't doing that. They're
just going in their own lanes and staying with the
similar people. We got to change that.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
I agree. What do you think the difference is?
Speaker 5 (10:17):
What's the differ between Time Out Against Hate and your
nonprofit to Foundation to Combat Anti Semitism?
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Well, you know, I started this Foundation of Combat Anti
Semitism back in twenty nineteen because I saw what was
going on in charlottevillein seventeen guys carrying signs saying Jews
or Blacks won't replace us. And then in nineteen the
(10:46):
Tree of Life in a synagogue. You know, you have
someone come and shoot and kill people. Think about going
to church. Church is a place where you have some
kind of spiritual connection. You don't feel safe in the
United States of America. So I saw signs in twenty
(11:07):
nineteen what was going on in Nazi Germany in the thirties,
and I don't want America to be what Germany was
in the forties. So I started this foundation because it
usually starts. The hate starts over the last hundred years.
If you look at history with Jewish people, and then
(11:30):
it goes to every group, black, gay, Hispanic, Asian, you
name it. And look, this country was great to me.
We you know, we've had a lot of improprieties. Think
the way people of color have been treated, it's crazy,
(11:51):
the whole concept of slavery. I mean, in the modern world,
I can't believe that people that, and so we have
to make it right and build bridges. And those of
us that are privileged to be able to do things
and pay our bills, we got to find ways to
(12:12):
build bridges and bring people together. And this country, with
all its faults, is still the greatest country in the world.
Think about it. We elected a man of color as president.
There's no other Western country that's done that. So with
all our faults, and we still got to correct a
(12:33):
lot of things. And I think the most injustices have
been done to people of color. You know you mentioned Meek.
Can I just say this because of course, yeah. I
mean I had developed no one believes Meek and I
are really friends, and I had developed a relationship with
(12:55):
him through a mutual friend, Michael Rubin, And he started
calling me and asking me questions about how he could
grow and prosper. And then he got thrown in jail
for doing a wheelie invited me to visit in jail.
Now I'd never been to a jail, and going and
(13:17):
visiting him in jail changed my life. I couldn't believe
in the United States of America, we would take a guy. Look,
he could be out earning millions of dollars, hiring employees,
paying people's salaries that could help their family, paying taxes,
(13:38):
paying taxes, and our system, you know, because of bigotry,
is putting a guy in jail. It was great, and
when I met him, it really changed my life. He
was nice, and he told me they fixed up the
jail when they painted it. They knew I was coming,
which is crazy to me, and he was nice. I said,
(14:03):
how come you don't have an edge? I'd be ticked,
you know exactly. He said, I expected it. And then
you know, I got into it my with my buddy
and I came out by the way and I spoke
to the media after listen. He got out of jail
two three days later, and he told me I made
(14:25):
a difference, not and it just told me how screwed
up our system was. And we got to change this
whole bail and situation. And because of that, a few
of us got together, you know, Michael and jay Z
and Meek and myself when we started this reform alliance
(14:47):
to try we we we have to correct that system.
It's a great injustice in America.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
I want to go back to something you said, because
you have donated money to Democratic politicians. You donated the
money to President Obama's campaign out of all the NFL owners,
But you talked about what happened in Charlottesville. You're also
good friends with Donald Trump, and in twenty seventeen you
said Trump would be great for the economy. So how
do you feel about him in twenty twenty four because
he's fueled a lot of the dangerous things that have
(15:16):
happened that you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Yeah, well, let me just say I've been I'm a Democrat.
I've been. I was head of the Democratic City Committee
in Brookline and Newton, and I ran Teddy Kennedy's re
election campaign with a young man called Tommy O'Neill in
(15:37):
Boston who was Tip O'Neill's son. And I've always been democratic.
Donald Trump became a social friend in the early nineties
when I was going down to Florida, and then when
my wife a blessed him. Memory died thirteen years ago.
(15:59):
He was one of four or five people who reached
out to me and was really really nice. I've not
The only donation I ever gave to him was he
called me when he got elected and I made a
strong donation to his inauguration. I couldn't believe it. It was
like having someone who's a drunk fraternity brother become president.
(16:25):
I mean, I couldn't believe, you know, he was you know,
and yeah, I think he did things. I mean, I'll
say this, but since I was very upset what happened
January sixth, Uh.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Pardon, I think he led an insurrection in his country.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
And I haven't talked to him since then. Did you
reach out to him after that?
Speaker 6 (16:51):
I was going to ask, did you reach out to
him after that to have a conversation, because if you're upset.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
No, I was really upset because, just like what's going
on with our campaign to stop eight, there are things
going on in the country. Look, I can pay my bills.
God's been good, except for losing my first wife. I'm
one of the luckiest guys walking the planet. Wow. So
I want to build bridges, bring people together, you know,
(17:19):
and haven't owning the Patriots, As you know, I worked
very hard to get it. There's a book called the dynasty.
That explains the whole story. But the biggest thing that
came to me because I used to sit in the
stands and dream about own it what I do. And
(17:42):
you know nine to eleven happened. Four months later we
win the Super Bowl a team called the Patriots in
America wearing red, white and blue uniforms.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
My dad thought that was a conspiracy back then because
Cowboys fans and so we alway say the Cowboys as
an America's team. And I remember when he y'all won
a Super Bowl and he was like, this is a conspiracy.
Nine to eleven just happened? Did the NFL rig this
for the Patriots to win?
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Well? I understand dad saying that because Cowboy fans are
very loyal, but we're red, white and blue. Our name
was the Patriots. Boston is a city of six hundred
thousand people. What happened twenty four hours later, one of
the coldest days, I think it was February third or fourth,
(18:34):
A million and a half people came to the streets
of Boston. Gay people, black people, Asians, whites, everyone came
to celebrate the team. And it just showed me the
power of sport. In a way. It's why, you know,
with this campaign to stop all hate our foundation, we
(18:59):
worked hard as a first time in over one hundred years,
all the sports leagues unity, and that's what we need.
Brothers and sisters. I mean, we're all. We didn't have
any choice how we're born, what religion we're born, what
skin color, how our eyes are shaped, what we look like.
(19:22):
But you know, we got a chance. You know, hopefully
you're born with good characteristics where you can function and
not have certain proclivities that keep you from doing things.
So I just my life is about bill and bridges,
given everyone a chance. It's good business for us to
(19:46):
have everyone who's born in this world to live their dreams.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
I got to ask a question. You said you're a Democrat.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Most people would assume that you would be a Republican
because of the tax breaks and the money and that
and all that other stuff. So what made you say
I want to be a Democrat?
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What made you for the people? No, I was That's
how I got elected. When I was in my twenties.
There's a very liberal community and they older people and
they were fighting and they picked me because I just
I want to build bridges and I thought, I'm a
little disturbed with the Democratic Party today.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Well, I think there's a group of progressives who have
come in that are not building bridges and listening, and
they're preaching hate just the same way they never used
to be in extreme like that, the way it's done
on the right. And you know, I think, you know
(20:54):
we need anyway. Once you can pay your bills, you
got to work to try to If you have your
health and pay your bills, God's been good. You got
to then work to make the surrounding things around you good.
You know. I love the way one hundred years ago
(21:15):
the black and Jewish Jewish people their skin is in black,
but after you know, the discrimination to the Jewish community
has been the same to black except for that. We
don't I don't know what it's like to walk in
a room and have people look at you like that,
(21:36):
Like people might not know when I walk into a room.
But I stay true to what my values and what
I've been and you know, try to be a good human.
The Vice president campaign, I haven't I've I haven't supported
any political person since I've started this Blue Square because
(22:02):
I don't want to be political. I want what's best
for the country. And actually, I'm really worried. Part of
the reason we started this campaign and itn't inaugurated today
with these ads that are going to run. There's an
ad that's gonna run on the game tonight. We just
(22:24):
did a big interview with NBC that aired and CNBC
and this is my second stop on a one of
the biggest days, and it comes out of respect to
you all and your audience and the message we're trying
to get out there.
Speaker 5 (22:46):
Well, if you're against bigotry and you're against hate, why
would you choose not to be involved in the election
in this year like Trump have an opportunity to be
back in the White House. You said you didn't like
what he did on January six, let an insurrection in
this country, So why wouldn't you want to be involved?
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Because when I started this foundation, as soon as you
take a political position or stay, you alienate I. I
don't I don't have the answer. You know, I've met
(23:27):
with the Vice President's husband, He's come and visited our
I hope one day you you all come and see
our command center where we have a wall tied to
three hundred million websites all over the world and we're
watching trends and hate and we're trying to monitor it.
(23:52):
And you know, we've worked with Doug M. Hoff on thistly.
White House is app to him as leading in this effort.
But once we take a side politically, then we alienate people.
And I don't want to. I want everyone what we're
(24:13):
preaching in our foundation. And you look, we're able to
get the seven sports leagues and NASCAR, which is mid
America and a different I don't know how many NASCAR
fans are listening to your show, but we were able
(24:35):
to bring them all together and they're all together preaching
against hate and trying to keep civility, instill the greatest
with all our faults in this country, we're the greatest
country for opportunity. Look look what you folks are doing
with this show, but we got to work at it.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
Is my last political question, So why tell people you're
a Democrat? And I was shocking you said that because
of the fact you're an owner of detention.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
That's OK.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
You can go back and look when I was twenty
eight years old, I was elected chair that I'm probably
an independent. Now, well, I have not what I don't want.
I used to think I would run for political office.
I had the privilege of being elected present my class,
(25:26):
senior class high school and then in college, and I
love doing that. But then the more I got out
and trying to support my family, I saw that politics
there was too much phoniness and just it wasn't something
I wanted to vote my time to. So I decided
(25:47):
I could have a bigger impact doing philanthropy. Once I
started making a few dollars and trying to be showing
initiative as a businessman, doing my philanthropic things and trying
to be creative, It's like getting exposure to me. I'd
(26:08):
never been to a jail, I told you, and I
saw the craziness, and that got us to start together
with the partners the Reform Alliance, that we should get
a million people, you know, change their situation to give
them a chance to get out in society. But we're
(26:30):
doing that in other areas. And once you get political,
you alienate people. And I'm sorry now I wanted to know.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
So by you saying you're not getting involved in an election,
that doesn't are you going to vote though? Absolutely okay,
but you just don't want to come out and see
who you're voting for.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Well, yeah, because when you do that. Let me just
say this, people from both sides, both parties, right at
the top, have reached out to us and want us
to be involved. And I don't. I think we bring
(27:10):
more value to this country and to people who are
needy by being in the position we're in and not.
I just look. I see my ancestors came here as immigrants.
I went to school on scholarship. The country allowed me
(27:32):
to go function and fight battles and dream my dream.
I want that for everyone coming into this country. And
when you get involved in politics, you know, it's sad
to me to see that. You know, I go back.
None of you were on the earth when Ronald Reagan
(27:55):
was president. But when he was president, there was a
guy who was Speaker of the House by the name
of Tip O'Neil. He was from Massachusetts, Cambridge where how
it is, and you know, they used to fight each
other like crazy during the day five point thirty they'd
(28:16):
have a beer and then they go play nine holes
and they do business for America. Today we're not doing that.
People don't even listen to one another. They're not coming together.
And my life will be about building bridges and bringing
all people to the best of my ability and fighting hate.
(28:39):
Now think about I'm very proud that we were able
to bring all the sports commissioners, women, men, NASCAR together
to do this campaign of time out. By the way,
what is the time out? When do you call that?
In a sport? You're doing it when things aren't going right.
(29:02):
You want to win. You want to win your game.
You've got to readjust your strategy and do things that'll
be good that allow you to win. That's what we're
doing in America. We're trying to call a time out
and have all people come together. How do I benefit
(29:24):
by demeaning anyone, any group that's given there, even if
they think differently than I. I want them to have
their chance, but do it straight and be respectful of all.
Speaker 4 (29:36):
Do you think that's the reason why you're so your
franchise is so successful. We look at all these other franchises.
You've had a very successful franchise other than my New
York Giants. But besides that, do you think that's the
why because you have that way of thinking of unity
and getting it together.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Well, I'll tell you when we bought as a good question,
I always have tried to incorporate everyone. When we bought
the Patriot, you know, in thirty four years, they had
never sold out, so the local games are always blacked out.
I sat in those stands dreaming what I would do,
(30:12):
and when I was privileged to take it over, I
tried to bring everyone in. And then the first year
we sold out, we got over one hundred thousand people
on a paid waiting list to buy seats to something
that wasn't that way, and you know, I have the
(30:33):
good fortune to have it. We drafted this guy by
the name of Brady, and I heard him. Yeah, no,
I know most people.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
The Giants. Giants have heard of him a couple of times.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
Well in the Big Apple, you guys. You know we're
in Beantown, in the village up there. But you know,
and I also, I decided with my nose to hire
a coach that they went to me I shouldn't. And
I kept them together for twenty years, and we built
bridges the way I'm talking about here. We kept it together.
(31:11):
And you know, in our history, since we've bought our Patriots,
we have the best winning percentage for championships of any
sports team in any league. Anywhere in the world, and
I'm very proud of that.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
That's because y'all cheat, and which I don't have a
problem with.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
I was my cowboys and cheat.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Okay, but see what you're saying. That's what I call
envy and jealous.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
And even one in a long time.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Look at you, folks, you're doing this show. You don't
think there are people that hate you that you're so successful.
I want to try to throw digs and throw of course,
so jealous in envy? I wan, I have a saying, Actually.
Speaker 6 (32:02):
Oh please, I mean jealousy envy.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Okay, this is an rkka that jealousy and envy are
incurable diseases. And it's the one time it is better
to be a recipient than a donor.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
Carry around all the time.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Yeah, I give him off.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
About three other things in your pocket you coulda gave me.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
I'm a slavone, you know.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Want to ask, like, there's always this debate between Belichick
and Brady and who's responsible for the Patriots success? How
much credit should you get put your name in those competitions.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Well, I'm gonna I'll let you decide that. Here's the deal.
We were in business thirty four years. How many home
playoff games do you think they had in those thirty
four years the Patriots.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
It's a good question.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (33:04):
How many home games playoff games?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
No, no, hell, no way, more thing too, maybe like
twenty two.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
You're half right for one one why and they lost
to the Houston Oilists. I was sitting in the stands
Earl Campbell, you remember that name. Yeah, he ran for
over two hundred yuys and we lost. And I believe
you know, we've had thirty one home playoff games and
(33:35):
one twenty seven in the thirty years we've we've gone
to ten Super Bowls and one six.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
I heard the question, I thought you meant when you
were how many playoff games did y'all.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Have at home?
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (33:48):
Yeah, you met the Patriots before. Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
Excuse me for not be But anyhow, what you folks
have created here is amazing.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
We're trying to be a dynasty like y'all are.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
Yeah, but you know what to do it in the
medium you're doing and being it's much hotter in the
media world to keep it here and the fact that
you're relevant and doing it so you can influence people.
And I just hope. We're building on the building blocks
(34:24):
that are good that I know. We got a lot
of problems in the country, but it's still the best.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Agree the tom need build to Bill need time.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
You know, it's like, well, I don't know, all right,
you're not married?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
No, hell no.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
A lot of guys, a lot of guys are having
their eye in that direction. I see, are you toube married.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Twenty three years, twenty six years? Married for ten? But
bid my wife for twenty six years twenty three years?
Speaker 1 (34:58):
So think about your man and by the way, that decision.
If you get the right person, you're going to go
through tough time. Absolutely, but you stay together, especially if
you have kids and the dividends you'll get later. But
who's more responsible? We're keeping it together? How do you
answer that? And that's what's easy.
Speaker 6 (35:20):
My wife Okay, I knew where you were going, like said,
take dependent, but they're smart, they're not answer my wife.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
Yeah, so you get it. That's why she not only
has a good look, she's got the brain.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
Thank you. Wait, so you and Belichick like, what's the
relationship now, because you know it's been on and off,
rumors that y'all don't really do that y'all don't really
like each other like that.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Look, I mean I kept him for twenty four years.
I do. Yeah, I didn't enjoy having to fire him,
but I try to do it. If you look at
the press conference and how it happened, try to do
(36:05):
it in a classy way. And what he did for
us was great. You know, people need to adapt and
if they don't, or look at you folks together, things
can change in life. It's about getting good chemistry and
trust and feel that. You know, our record the last
(36:28):
three to four years wasn't what I wanted. And I
had given him so much power. He had full control
over everything, and shame on me. I should have had
some checks and balances better, but he had earned that right.
But then the results weren't there. And if you're in
(36:49):
a sports business, you know you win or you lose.
There's no gray and I hate losing.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Now break the Patriots that was seriously thinking about signing
Colin Kaepernick. Yes, at really, yes, why didn't you?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Well, first of all, those are decisions I've never like.
We just changed. We have a new quarterback starting this week.
I let my football people make decisions. I'm happy to
discuss things. I think it would have been a great
(37:27):
thing for us to have hired them because it would
have been a great statement to the country. And you know,
here the best team, the best coach, everything, they were
just there's The NFL is not a straight line business.
Personnel decisions are a function of you know, many things
(37:52):
going on. When you bring in a quarterback, how does
it affect the second and third quarterback, how does it
affect the team. We're trying to do things that always
build team first, and in America what's happening now and
the NFL is a perfect example. If you don't have
(38:14):
everybody on the same page, you're not going to win.
You can have the greatest quarterback, but it's not like
other sports where you can have one or two great
people and it can impact you know, great pitcher, great center.
You know in football, special teams can lose you again
if they let a run back go or offense by fumbling.
(38:39):
You can have the greatest defense and your offense gives,
so you need it's what has to go on in America.
You need everybody pulling together and it's hard.
Speaker 5 (38:52):
So it was it Rock Nation that was pushing for
you to sign Cap or why didn't you do?
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Was he black ball?
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Like?
Speaker 2 (38:57):
What was the reason that it just didn't happen?
Speaker 1 (38:59):
You just there were a lot of variables that just that.
I mean, I didn't make that final decision. There was
serious considerations and it was just I mean, in the end,
the bottom line is every decision we're making with the
(39:20):
NFL team on the game field is going to help
us win or lose.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
And it wasn't a fit. It wasn't a fit.
Speaker 1 (39:30):
Well, I'll let you ask Coach Belichick that now.
Speaker 5 (39:33):
On the FX show, it looked like you'd be calling
shots on the Aaron Hernandez Show on FX and they
got you in the draft room and you would the one.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
Who said pick him.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
No, I don't know. That's not how it happened, you know,
I have.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
I watched the show.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
No, what's it called.
Speaker 5 (39:51):
It was just the name of an Aaron Henandi. It's
a scripted show on FX about Aaron Nandi.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Oh I heard that, and they got, yeah, No, I
haven't seen that someone. Yeah, they get some.
Speaker 2 (40:01):
Dude, American sports story, the American sports story. Yeah, the guy.
Speaker 3 (40:07):
I've never even seen that show.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
In fiction, So I don't, I mean, I don't.
Speaker 6 (40:12):
But they discussed stuff with you the right way. After
they make those decisions. It's not communicated. And I'm just
saying it because he's saying he don't really know what's
it's for the football.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Wait. The one thing we've said, they can draft whomever
they want. They can do it, except we never want
to be bring a person into our system who has
done the wrong thing by women. You know, where that's
(40:41):
not allowed. They're not And I think in our third
year of ownership they we drafted someone who had abused
women in his fraternity. It was covered up. To me
it was a guy who should have gone in the
first or second around. We got him in the fifth
(41:02):
or sixth round, and when I found out after the draft,
we cut him before he even came. And we're trying
to send a message to any coaches we ever had.
That's the one thing. I mean. I was blessed. I
have a new wife who's awesome, and I had a
(41:23):
first wife who I told you died thirteen years ago.
And respect for women is a community thing. That we
can't have players that have abused women and be part
of our team and culture.
Speaker 4 (41:40):
I wanted to know when Brady went to the Buccaneers.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
How did that hurt you? How did that affect you?
Speaker 4 (41:45):
Because that was your guy for so many years? And
did you'll have a conversation and how do you feel
about him when it happened?
Speaker 1 (41:51):
Now, Well, here's what happened. He he and Bill had
some problems. Yeah, let's say they weren't best friends. And
I negotiated his contracts with him the last twelve years,
and and he was always put team first, and I
(42:18):
was able to convince him not to. Oh, you know,
we have a salary cap in the NFL, so I said, look,
it'd be better if you didn't take the full amount
that you would want by other quarterbacks. Because whatever we
don't pay you not going in my pocket. It's going
(42:39):
to other players to make you better. And if we
do as well as I hope, the greatest beneficiary will
be you. It doesn't go to that long term benefit
doesn't go to the club or the coach. It goes
you don't remember Joe Montana and people like that, Roger stoveback,
(43:03):
And sure enough he listened to me, and he took
less money and we were able to get great support
people around. We spent to the cap every year, and
he listened and he did it, and he was just unusual.
But when I did the last contract with him, which
would have completed twenty years with us, I said, look,
(43:28):
you will do I won't allow Bill or the team
to franchise you. If you don't want to stay here
after this, which had two years to go, you'll decide
and I'll never forget that. I believe it was in
the month of March. He lived down the street from me,
(43:49):
came to my house and I opened the door. He
started crying and he hugged me and he said, I
made a decision gonna leave the Patriots after twenty years.
And I had you know, we normally would have franchised
someone like that and they're not allowed to. But I
(44:11):
kept my word to him, and it was one of
the worst days.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
It's like almost like losing a child.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Yeah, I mean, and he and I look, he grew
up with us. I was. I mean, I love the
guy and he's one of a kind. You know, I
went to his marriage when he marriage is held down
in Costa Rica, and you know, we've he spent half
(44:42):
his life with us, and we you know, when it
was with Bridget moynihan and everything and he's he's one
of the most amazing human beings on the planet. He's
a guy when he goes in the huddle, he makes
average players better. He just but he's got a heart
of gold and he'll cry talking about an injustice. He
(45:07):
cried that whole time when he had to leave us,
and you know I understood it. He lived under an
arrangement that was very difficult for him the last decade.
But you know, he's an amazing human being. Ye know,
he's part of my family to this day and I
(45:31):
love him deally.
Speaker 6 (45:33):
I want to go back to something you mentioned earlier
about the violence against the women and how serious you
guys take that. So Jabrul Peppers right now is all
over the news for domestic violence charges against his significant other,
and in the beginning of it, Jarrett Mayo has said
that you guys didn't know enough to not allow him
into the facility and then that change. Now he's on
(45:53):
the commissioners exemp list. So do you guys conduct your
own investigations what was found, like what was the change there?
Speaker 1 (46:00):
Because I know we are doing that's a very good question,
and you know we're living in a world now with
so much on social media, and so much it's reported
is unfear in these kind of situations, and you know,
(46:21):
when you read the thing initially it turns your stomach.
But we've learned, and I don't know the facts in
this case, and Gerard called me. We spoke about it.
Once he goes on the Commissioner example list. They do
their independent checking. We're doing ours, and it was reported
(46:43):
is true, he's gone. There have been some suggestions that
this was a setup, and a lot of what's reported
is not accurate. I just I can just okay, God
that I've seen in life that if someone will take
(47:06):
any one of the three of you you have profiles,
if someone could set up something and say something it's
just not true. It's a fact, and there's nothing so
one other things. And I've personally had that happen with me.
So you know, I have a saying that I used
(47:27):
to all my key people and important decisions in life.
You measure nine times and you cut once. And I
think in this case, if what's been reported is true,
he's gone, but we want to get the facts.
Speaker 6 (47:45):
I had one more question. I was going to say,
did you were you guys in your investigation able to
see his lawyer had mentioned there was videotape evidence that
suggested that this may not have been what it was
reported as. Did you guys see that that videotape is
when you say that since.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
This came out, I've been in New York. I've talked
to you in our legal counsel and other support people.
They you know, the easy thing would have been to
cut them right away, but we're trying to measure nine
times and do right by him. If the facts are
has been reported publicly, then he's not with us. There
(48:22):
is a possibility there's a different explanation and the facts
are different. So I'm personally just gonna wait knowing how
these things can be unfear because excuse me, you know what,
and this bothers me and you folks are very important
(48:42):
platform for getting the message out. Make sure you get
the facts and don't there's too much of this going
on and then it just becomes it it ripple effect,
and that's not good for any of us. And you know,
people love you know how I gave you the jealousy
and envy. We can get them. So I'm just saying
(49:06):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I thought you was about to ask how can you
get it up? It's this thing called blue choo.
Speaker 3 (49:10):
Oh my goodness, yeah, you take it.
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Some of us don't need it.
Speaker 5 (49:18):
I do one last question, why you believe you're not
in the NFL Hall of Fame. Ye, cause I don't
know why you're not. It makes no sense to me.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
Read that car jealous? Wow? Wait if I don't really
to be honest, I don't care because on merit, you know,
I think most people who are objective, it's this, this
is people. It doesn't mean anything to me. What I'm
(49:46):
doing more in my foundation to come back that has
a greater impact, whether it's just I think the whole
and it's happened with other people, so it means the
value of it. It should be your objectivity. So in life,
you know, I just the key thing is to dream
(50:10):
your dream hang with good people of good character and
Bill Bridges and that's what my.
Speaker 4 (50:17):
Wife, ladies and gentlemen, Robert Craft. We appreciate you for
joining us.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
Thank you. I'm honored to be here, and I congratulate
you all for billing the Equity brand that you've done here.
Speaker 2 (50:31):
I good things from you from so many people. So
there's a pleasure to so what's my.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
Name, young thundercat, you cat all.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Right, you're right, opening all right, Robert Craft, thank you lovely.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
He started to say that that.
Speaker 4 (50:53):
Robert Graft is the Breakfast Club. Good morning, wake that
answer up in the morning, Breakfast Club
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