1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports where in the situation 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, pandemic here 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has really accelerated the investments that we've been advocating for 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: for years. From a Macros standpoint, I think our sport 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry is really forced to look at the business a 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: little bit differently. In depth conversations with the leaders in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: the sports industry. Who wants to be the sacrificial lambs 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: that shows up at the first big major sporting event 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: were part of something much bigger than the sport right 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: now and the health and dat of our stakeholders the 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: works much important every moment. I think we're all from 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: the business respective thinking about the impact that the virus 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: is having on across the country against Bloomberg Business of 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: Sports from Bloomberg Radio. Hello, I'm Jason Kelly and I'm 15 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: Mike Lynch, and we're here with you Monday's, Wednesdays and 16 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: Thursday's explaining the big money issues in the world of sports, 17 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: talking to some of the biggest and smartest players across 18 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: the industry. Today, we are delighted to be talking with 19 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: Jeff Benedict. He's the author of a new book. It's 20 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: called The dynasty. It's all about a little team, all 21 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: of the New England Patriots. Lynch passingly familiar with them, 22 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 1: and it is a fantastic book. Both of us just 23 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: devoured it. Jeff, really nice to have you with us, Hey, 24 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: thanks to having on guys. Good to be here. There 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: are so many places where we could begin with you 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: and highly recommend this book, whether you're a Patriots fan 27 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: or whether you just want to understand what has gone 28 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: on across what is clearly a dynasty. I want to 29 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: start by asking you about Robert Kraft, who you clearly 30 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time with for this book. You 31 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: have so many rich details about his life and his 32 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: ownership of the Patriots, and his life leading up to 33 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: owning the Patriots, even the wooing of his late wife Myra. 34 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: As a businessman, how would you characterize him? M hm ah, 35 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: that's a great question. Uh. I would characterize him he 36 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: is that he is too business what Belichick is to 37 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: coaching and what Brady is to quarterback. Uh. I think 38 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: simply the best um and I I wouldn't have said 39 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: that going into this project because I had no point 40 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: of reference for him as a businessman. I mean, I 41 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: think one of the benefits from my perspective was I 42 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: didn't know really anything about his business background until I 43 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: started working on the book, and I was so fascinated 44 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: by the fact that his his pedigree as a businessman 45 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: was so rich and so diverse before he got into 46 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: professional sports. Um, he had an international footprint. He had 47 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: businesses and companies that he ran from, you know, the 48 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: tip of Canada to the Middle East to the Asian 49 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: rim um. I think one of the things that Paul 50 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: tagleybou was so astounded by when Will McDonough first introduced 51 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: Robert Kraft to Paul Um. This was right before Robert 52 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: bought the team. I think Paul was stunned to see 53 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: a gentleman who who had such a diverse business background, 54 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: who was truly a citizen of the world, who had 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:17,399 Speaker 1: all these relationships and unique business background experiences that were 56 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: foreign to the rest of the owners. And I think 57 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: tag Leeboos saw a man who could actually have a 58 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: huge influence on the league in terms of their media, 59 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: their television contracts, their labor deals. UM. Obviously, all of 60 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: that eventually happened, and Craft would emerge as sort of 61 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: the most influential owner in the League. But I think 62 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: tagle Boose saw that early, and I started seeing that 63 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: as soon as I started not only interviewing Robert, but 64 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: interviewing I interviewed a lot of the people who have 65 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: done business with him outside of the NFL, and I 66 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: was frankly astounded by some of the things he'd accomplished 67 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: before he got into football. Jeff, let me ask you 68 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: to be a great going or you have to know 69 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: when to be hands on and hands off. Would you 70 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: say the experience with ourselves was a great learning point 71 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: for Robert Craft? In that concept, I think there's no 72 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: question that the you know, the three years that Craft 73 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: spent with Parcels were the three most trying years of 74 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: his ownership tenure. UM. You know, I think what you 75 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: can draw up and it was like a refiner's fire 76 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: for a Craft. That experience, while bitter and painful and 77 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: difficult and even ugly at times, UM for Robert was 78 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: a tremendous um accelerated learning curve. I think roberts, you know, 79 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: probably the fastest learner that I've ever been around as 80 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: a journalist to begin with, So he's a really quick study. 81 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: But in the case of you know, coming into the NFL. 82 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: There was so much to learn. It was an entirely 83 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: new business for him. UM. And he learned it with Parcels, 84 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: partly because there was so much friction in that relationship. UM. 85 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: It taught Robert a lot of things that I think 86 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: helped him in how he approached Belichick. Obviously, Mike there 87 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 1: was a coach in between Pete Carroll and I don't 88 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: mean to overlook that, but the reality is that the 89 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: experience with Parcels was was great preparation ground for for 90 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: the relationship he would build with Belichick and their professional 91 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: owner to coach rapport is very different than the kind 92 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: of rapport that he had with Parcels. And so one 93 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: of the things you say, Jeff is sort of staying 94 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: on that topic about sort of the relationship with the 95 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: coach is is reflected toward the end of the book 96 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:51,119 Speaker 1: where you talk about, I mean spoiler alert, Tom Brady 97 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: leaves the Patriots UM. And one of the things you 98 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,239 Speaker 1: note is that there were very few times where Kraft 99 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: was talking to both Belichick and Brady. He was often 100 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: the connective tissue in many ways, the go between, you know, 101 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: and and clearly intrinsic in what has what is clearly 102 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 1: viewed as one of the most successful player coach relationships 103 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: in professional sports history and sports history. Talk about that 104 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: a little bit and and what you learned about how 105 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 1: Craft was able to manage that, because that is a 106 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: that's a management lesson in some ways. Absolutely. One of 107 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: the best interviews I did for this book was with 108 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: Rupert Murdoch, who, by the way, isn't in the book. Um, 109 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: but I interviewed a lot of people, really smart, disciple 110 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: people who don't actually appear in the narrative. Murdoch was 111 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: one of them. And the reason I interviewed Rupert was 112 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: because he's he's sort of been in business with Kraft 113 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: for a long time because of Crafts role on the 114 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: media and television committees for the NFL. And Murdoch said 115 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: this to me. He said, if if Robert Kraft had 116 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: gone into politics, he probably would have gotten down in 117 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: history as one of the greatest diplomats in American history. 118 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: But he didn't go into politics. He ended up going 119 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: into professional sports. And if you really want to understand 120 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: how great of a diplomat Robert Kraft is, you just 121 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: have to look at how he kept Tom Brady and 122 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: Bill Belichick together for twenty years. It's something that no 123 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: other owner could have achieved. That to me, in a nutshell, 124 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: sort of gets at the crux of the secret behind 125 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: the dynasty. And what I would say about one of 126 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: my favorite chapters in the book is called Shuttle Diplomacy. 127 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: It's it's towards the very back of the book. It's 128 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: one of the last chapters, and it's it's where you 129 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: really see the way that Robert built relationships with Tom 130 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: and Bill. And they're very different relationships. Tom it's a 131 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: familial father son like relationship. With Bill, it is strictly 132 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:05,119 Speaker 1: a professional, efficient relationship. Both relationships are valuable in both work. 133 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: But the interesting thing is, and this is what I 134 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: say in that chapter, is that it was rare for Craft, Parcel, 135 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: excuse me, Craft, Brady, and Belichick to be in a 136 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: room together for twenty years. It was rare for the 137 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: three of them to meet alone together, the three of them. 138 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: It happened in rare instances. But what normally happened is 139 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: that Kraft would meet with one of them, and then 140 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: he'd meet with the other one, and then he'd go 141 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: back to the other one. And then you meet with 142 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: the other one that's that diplomacy factor. Um when they 143 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: are together, and there's a great scene where Brady is 144 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: ready to leave. This is, you know, after the loss 145 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: of the Eagles and the Super Bowl, when Brady is 146 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: ready to leave New England, they have what I would 147 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: refer to as a summit at Craft's house and the 148 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: three of them are alone in a room. That's the 149 00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: rarity that did not happen very often, but occasionally Robert 150 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 1: could bring them together. And I think that's what ties 151 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 1: it so nicely to the last scene. And I won't 152 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: do a spoiler, but you know how this book ends, 153 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: and there's some great symbolism in the way Tom Brady 154 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: says goodbye and the phone calls that are made in 155 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: Robert's house as Robert is basically dialing Bill's number. That 156 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: to me is the ultimate example of the kind of 157 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: shuttle diplomacy that have been going on for really the 158 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 1: last ten years in New England. Right, And it was 159 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: ironic that a guy named Brady left New England on St. 160 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: Patrick's Day. That's something we all chuckled about here. What 161 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: was your access to Bill Belichick and how co operative 162 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: or uncooperative was he in writing this book? So the 163 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: access with Belichick was I approached Belichick and Brady around 164 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: the same time, UM to request the interviews with them, 165 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 1: and in both instances, UM, they quested questions in advance, 166 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: and in both instances I willingly provided those under the 167 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: assumption that I would then do face to face interviews 168 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: with them. And in Brady's case, that's exactly what happened. UM. 169 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: In Bill's case, after reading the questions, which I have 170 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: to admit there were, um a ridiculous amount of questions 171 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: that I gave Bill. I mean initially, You've got an 172 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 1: email back saying, seriously, you really wanted to answer all 173 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: these questions. But what Bill decided to do was answer 174 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: the questions in writing, which I was totally open to 175 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: because I've done that before h in plenty of instances 176 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: over my career. And what I find, Mike is that 177 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: at times, especially when you're dealing with someone who's smart 178 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: and thoughtful and Bill is both of those, you sometimes 179 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: get better answers in writing than you do when you're 180 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: sitting down and a p and is giving you reader's 181 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: digest version answers, and so UM. The other thing is, 182 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: as a journalist, you take what you can get and 183 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: so if someone says I will do it, but it's 184 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: going to be this way, my response is always thank 185 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: you very much, because you don't owe me anything. And 186 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: in any event, Bill gave me some really fascinating responses 187 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: in writing to some of the questions that I asked him. 188 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: There were questions that he decided not to answer, which 189 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: I fully expected, by the way, UM, but I thought 190 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: that the key thing was he weighed in on things 191 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: that I know he hasn't talked about before. For instance, 192 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: the opening scene in the hospital where Drew bled so 193 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: is is near death, and there's that great scene where 194 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: Belichick Brady Craft are in the room when blood cell 195 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: wakes up. UM. I don't think Bill has ever talked 196 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: about that before. UM. I asked about things like that 197 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: and and Bill went there in in some of his 198 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 1: written answers. And so UM, that's the way I went 199 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: with Bill. With Tom and Robert and Jonathan and others, 200 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: it was different, UM, but in my mind it was all. 201 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: You know, even Randy Moss, who doesn't do interviews, UM, 202 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,520 Speaker 1: he asked me the questions in advance as well, and 203 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: I was expecting UH sit down with him. And then 204 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: one day I got a digital file over email of 205 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: him talking to an ESPN reporter on the sideline of 206 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: a Monday night football game where he was basically answering 207 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: all my questions and then sent me a recording of it. 208 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: So you just you take the information the way you 209 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: can get it. I felt very fortunate that basically everybody 210 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 1: that I asked in one way or another participated. Jeff, 211 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: when you think about the growth of this franchise, and 212 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: I know there are a lot of catalytic moments along 213 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: the way, but in terms of the Patriots becoming as 214 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: valuable literally and figuratively as they have become, what's the moment? 215 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: I mean, what what if there is one moment or 216 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: or if there's one moment that especially sticks out, what 217 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: is it? Where the Patriots? Because I think it's easy 218 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: to forget until you read a book like this that 219 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: this was a pardon me Lynchy, Like this is a 220 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: backwater team, Like this is a team that almost left 221 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: Massachusetts at at one point for Connecticut. I mean, this 222 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 1: was not the Dynasty. This was not one of the 223 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: most valuable franchises in the world for a long time. 224 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: As you think about that, like, what's the moment I 225 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: you know, it would be if we were being fair, 226 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: especially for business people that are listening to a program 227 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,959 Speaker 1: like this. Obviously, there are a bunch of but four 228 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: moments that would have doomed this this franchise, and a 229 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: lot of those involved Crafts maneuverings and business savvy just 230 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: to get the team. There are all these places along 231 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: the journey where if Craft had done one thing differently, 232 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: he never would have got the team in the first place, 233 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: and we would not be talking today about a Patriots 234 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 1: dynasty because it never would have happened. So I think 235 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 1: there's a whole bunch of those pivotal business decisions that 236 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: Craft makes just to get the team. And then of 237 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: course there's his decision to go after Belichick when all 238 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: the smart people in the room, from the commissioner on down, 239 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: we're telling him it would be the biggest business mistake 240 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: of his career to hire Belichick. So there's all of that. 241 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: But if you if you're looking for a moment that 242 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: the average fan can point to and say this is 243 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: the moment, I think it's that moment in the hospital, 244 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: And that's why I opened the book there where Bloodshow 245 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: wakes up and looks up and sees Tommy, the kid 246 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: who's never started a game, sees Coach Belichick, who has 247 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: a career losing record, and sees Mr Kraft, who yet 248 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: to win anything, and right then he is seeing the 249 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: nucleus of the greatest football dynasty in the history of 250 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: the NFL. And no one in their right mind would 251 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: have thought that at that moment. But I think what 252 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: happened that day in the stadium where Drew Bledsoe takes 253 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: that hit from o lewis that moment changed the course 254 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: of history for this franchise, um and for the rest 255 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: of the NFL, because it empowered and enabled Bill Belichick 256 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: to do something that he wanted to do already but 257 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: I didn't think he could do, which was put Brady 258 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: in the lineup. He wanted to do that before that 259 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: season even started, but knew he couldn't. Now he could, 260 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: and history changed in that moment. I'm gonna follow up 261 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: on that, Jeff, because I did the preseason games that 262 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,280 Speaker 1: for about fourteen years, and we'd have a meeting with 263 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: Bill Belichick on the day before and Dawn Criky was 264 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: the play by play guy and he'd say, who's the 265 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: most improved player in camp? Tom Brady. Well, who's the 266 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: most Tom. The answer to every question was Tom Brady, 267 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: tom Brady, tom Brady, tom Brady. And I had in 268 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: my hand the depth chart from the last game they 269 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: played in the two thousand season, and tom Brady was 270 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: number four in the depth chart. So in my mind, 271 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: I was saying, he really likes this Tom Brady guy. 272 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: Somehow he's going to play. And the incident with mo 273 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: Lewis in that September game against the New York Jets, 274 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: You're right, opened the door. And then of course when 275 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: Bledsoe became healthy enough to play, Um, that was it. 276 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: It was over. And I think that's a great point 277 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: that you made there. The other thing I want to 278 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: ask you is that you know Robert Kraft told me 279 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: years ago he said, the only thing I know about 280 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: television is the remote control, turn it on and turn 281 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: it off. How did he become such a big player 282 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: in getting CBS back in the National Football League, which 283 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: I think was a real big game changer financially for 284 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: the league. I think it's hilarious that Robert said that 285 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: to you, because that's so classic Robert Kraft. Um he 286 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: knows more about television than all the rest of the 287 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: owners combined. Um, because he understands media, he understands public perception. 288 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: He he is so in tuned that Uh. And I 289 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: think what makes him so effective is that he says 290 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: things like that about himself. Um, that's part of his sappiness. 291 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: But I think the thing is is he's a relationship person. 292 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,880 Speaker 1: And his relationship was Mel Karmazan, who becomes the CEO 293 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: of CBS. UM was critical to getting CBS back into 294 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 1: the NFL. We all know that when Rupert Murdoch and 295 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 1: Fox showed up in the early nineties, they shocked the 296 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: world when they got the NFC contract away from CBS 297 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: by bidding the moon. And suddenly CBS realized that their 298 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 1: network was going into the tank without football. The question 299 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: became how do we get back in the game. And 300 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 1: Karmazan and Sean McManus, who was then the president of 301 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: CBS Sports, that's all they were trying to figure out, 302 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: is how do we get in. Karmasan's relationship with Craft 303 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:12,360 Speaker 1: was pivotal in in that happening. Um, they trusted each other. 304 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 1: The most important thing was karmas And trusted Craft and 305 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 1: crafted and give CBS an edge. It's not like he 306 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: favored them. Um. I think that that's one of the 307 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: reasons that Crafts such a good arbiter, like he was 308 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,200 Speaker 1: with the labor deal in two thousand eleven. Um, he 309 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: has the ability to understand both sides. He's viewed as 310 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: fair and honest. Um. And I think it it was 311 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: so critical that trust that karmas and hadn't him, which 312 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: opened the door for CBS to come in. And this 313 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: time they didn't have to outfit Fox. They just had 314 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: to outfit NBC, and they did. And now CBS has 315 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: since had this incredible relationship with the a f C 316 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: in the NFL, and the Patriots have obviously been the 317 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: most dominant team in the NFL since CBS came back 318 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: into televising for National Football. So it turned out to 319 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: be a great marriage for the network in the league, 320 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: but also a great marriage for the network and the team. 321 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,679 Speaker 1: And so, Jeff, you know, here we are talking in 322 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: early November of and and I'd say this with all 323 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 1: love and affection to all the Patriots fans out there, 324 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 1: it's not going great. I mean, this dynasty is by 325 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:25,719 Speaker 1: all accounts, at least the dynasty that won all of 326 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: those Super Bowls. Uh, is over. I mean, you have 327 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 1: two of the remaining players. But obviously Tom Brady has 328 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,479 Speaker 1: has decamped to Tampa and you know, seems to be 329 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: doing pretty well, although last week game against the Saints 330 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,880 Speaker 1: was not great um one of his worst performances. But 331 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: where does this franchise go from here given that so 332 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,880 Speaker 1: much of its value and so much of its success 333 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: as a business was reliant on this triumvirate. Well, first 334 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: of all, I personally defined dynasties by personnel, and so 335 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 1: in the book I talked about previous football dynasties, specifically 336 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: the Packers, the Steelers, and the forty Niners. Each of 337 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 1: those dynasties were defined by uh, the owner, coach, and 338 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,360 Speaker 1: quarterback of that time. So you know you've got Lombardian Star, 339 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: You've got Chuck Noll and Brad John Rooney, and you 340 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 1: have de Bartolo, Walsh and Montana. When the a key 341 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: principle of that leaves, dynasty's change, they end. And Brady 342 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: was absolutely integral to the Patriots dynasty. He is gone. 343 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: Now that dynasty is history. It's an era in New England. 344 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: But if you think back, like the Yankees and the Celtics, 345 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: UH and the Lakers have had multiple dynasties. Um, there's 346 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: the you know, the Mickey Mantel Joe DiMaggio Yankees, and 347 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,919 Speaker 1: then there's the Derek Jeter Yankes, and there's the Magic 348 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: Johnson Lakers, and then there's the Kobe Shack Lakers. The 349 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 1: idea that the Patriots can't have another dynasty, it can't 350 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: win again as silly. Um, it's just the dynasty that 351 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: we we've all watched for twenty years, The Belichick craft 352 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: Brady dynasty is now in the history books. I think 353 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: it's fair to stay and safe to stay. We will 354 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: never see another dynasty like that one ever, not not 355 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: only in New England but anywhere. It's to me the 356 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 1: golden era of dynasties and professional football has just finished. 357 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: But I think it would be very premature, and it's 358 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: an equally silly to sit here and say, based on 359 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: seven eight nine games, we're making projections about the future 360 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: of the Patriots. I mean, the temptation in sports is 361 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: to look microscopically week to week and make huge conclusions 362 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: based on that. I like to look at things from 363 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 1: a much you know, get let's get much higher up 364 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: in the air and look much further down the road. 365 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: It's way too early to make projections about where this 366 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: team is headed as an organization based on a few 367 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: games and you know a few outcomes. Um and I'd 368 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 1: say the same thing about Brady and Tampa Bay. We 369 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: just need to see more. We need to give it 370 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: more time and see what happens. But in the case 371 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: of the Patriots, we know the infrastructure, we know the 372 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: management style that's not changing. The crafts are still at 373 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: the Helm, and the way they run the organization isn't 374 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: going any isn't changing. Bill Belichick is still the coach. 375 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 1: I don't know how much longer he's going to be there, 376 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 1: but the point is while he's there, it's gonna be 377 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: run the way it's always been run. So then it's 378 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: just a question of personnel and who the players will be. 379 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 1: And I think, in fairness to the team and the organization, 380 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: we need more time before we really make judgments about 381 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: whether this team will return to its winning ways. But 382 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: I think that there's every reason to believe that they will, so, Jeff, 383 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: this is a question that's it's almost a weekly question 384 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: up here in New England. Was it Brady or was 385 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: it Belichick? And I think it's really unfair. I don't 386 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: think that they could sustain any championship with without being 387 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: having this marriage for twenty years. That that that's my 388 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: two cents on that what's your take? Your two cents 389 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: might be worth more than my two cents because you 390 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 1: watched it for twenty years, Mike My coming away from it, 391 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: I was struck by a moment where, um, the first 392 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: time I interviewed I've done many interviews with Robert Kraft, 393 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: but the first time I interviewed him in New York 394 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 1: at his apartment there, I remember the moment I walked 395 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:44,879 Speaker 1: in and had this individual image I'll never forget. But 396 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: looking across the room, there were two frames pictures of 397 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: the Beatles on the wall, and they were signed, and 398 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: they were dated from when the Beatles first came to 399 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: America to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. And I 400 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 1: asked Robert about those pictures and it led to a 401 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: conversation about the breakup of the Beatles, and that's when 402 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: it struck me and I actually made the decision that 403 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: day to compare Brady and Belichick to Lennon and McCartney 404 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:15,640 Speaker 1: in my book, because what what I realized was Robert's 405 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: a real student of history, and not just the businesses 406 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: in but he looks at all kinds of things. I think, 407 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 1: really early on, like before they even won three Super Bowls, 408 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: he realized that he had the equivalent of John and 409 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: Paul on his pay roll. And I think for for Craft, 410 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: it was all about how to keep the two Beatles 411 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: on the same stage for as long as possible. I 412 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: think that the smart thing about Robert was he he 413 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: never saw one of them as more important or valuable 414 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: than the other, and he recognized that both of them 415 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: were absolutely essential to the winning machine that they were 416 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: building in New England. And that's why he treated the 417 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: two men the way he did. He didn't favor one 418 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: over the other, and he did everything humanly possible to 419 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: keep them both on the paywall, to keep them happy, 420 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,640 Speaker 1: to do the things that they both needed to remain 421 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: in New England. Um. And I think the way he 422 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: looks at it is the way kind of I choose 423 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 1: to look at it. I think there's no way Belichick 424 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: wins six super Bowls without Tom. I don't think Tom 425 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 1: wins or gets to nine Super Bowls without Bill. I 426 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: think that was the magic that that New England had 427 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: and the envy that the rest of the league had 428 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: was just knowing that we can't beat those two guys, 429 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 1: Jeff Bennedict. We could talk to you all day. This 430 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 1: was terrific. Congratulations again on the book. It's called The Dynasty. 431 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 1: It is a definitive look at the new England Patriots 432 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:50,439 Speaker 1: and as we just discussed, you know something that we 433 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,359 Speaker 1: will probably never see again. Really get to catch up 434 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: with you. A hat tip to our mutual friend Brent 435 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 1: Montgomery for bringing us together. Uh, it is really a 436 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,160 Speaker 1: terrific book and I'm so glad we got to spend 437 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: some time with you. Thank you. Thanks, gentlemen. It was 438 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: a privilege, Jeff. Jeff was real, a real honor and 439 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: a real thrill. And uh, you know, I tell you 440 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: I thought I knew everything about the Patriots, but I 441 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: didn't after I read this book right here. Bravo and 442 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:16,679 Speaker 1: well done and a real honor to chat with you. 443 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: Thanks guys, appreciate it. You can catch our podcast right 444 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: here every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. I'm Jason Kelly. You 445 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: can find me on Twitter at Jason Kelly News and 446 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: I'm Mike Lynch. You can follow me on Twitter at 447 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: lynch e w CBB. You're listening to Bloomberg Business of 448 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 1: Sports for Bluemberg Radio around the world.