Pats Owner Kraft claims Putin 'took' Super Bowl ring.

[Golden Spur]

Posted this in the ongoing thread, but may deserve one of its own:

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft: Russia President Vladimir Putin stole Super Bowl ring - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Wonder if this move is covered by the Patriot Act.

According to the New York Post’s Page 6 column, during Thursday night’s Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence gala at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Kraft contradicted his own previous take when he claimed that Putin took the ring.

Although he wanted it back, the White House got involved – and Putin kept it.

The article explains that Kraft said the incident involving the $25,000, diamond-encrusted ring took place in 2005 when several business executives were in St. Petersburg.

“I took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes, ‘I can kill someone with this ring,’ ” Kraft reportedly said. “I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.”

According to the Page 6 report, at the time he had an interaction with the George W. Bush-led White House over the incident.

He was told by the White House, “‘It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.”

:WTF:

 

[JDM]

I thought it was common knowledge he stole it when it happened.

 

[HammerDown]

Robert Kraft is becoming very obnoxious.

 

[HammerDown]

Read this story and tell me it doesn't sound like Kraft is full of shit.

Vladimir Putin denies stealing New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft Super Bowl ring - ESPN Boston

"United States - Soviet relations?"

 

[Zig]

Yeah he gave his personal ring, with his name engraved on it, worth about 30k, as a gift to some guy he doesn't know


makes sense

 

[HammerDown]

Yeah he gave his personal ring, with his name engraved on it, worth about 30k, as a gift to some guy he doesn't know


makes sense

And then changed his mind. Nothing wrong with that but calling the guy a thief 8 yrs later just makes him look worse. Kraft is a billionaire so STFU and buy another one.

 

[JDM]

I still am pretty sure it was reported he stole the ring originally. I'm not sure why this is becoming a story now. Every report I saw was fairly clear that Kraft didn't say "you can have it" or imply it or whatever.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Well the quote at the end of the OP article is BS, since US-SOVIET relations ended you know when the SOVIET union dissolved.

 

[HammerDown]

As someone not familiar with the story from 2005, what does this mean? "Kraft contradicted his own previous take when he claimed that Putin took the ring." That led me to believe that Kraft changed his mind and is now accusing Putin of stealing it. It sounds like there was confusion by Putin at the time; a head of state who is used to getting gifts. Now it's way too late to keep bring it back up. Buy another one.

 

[Zig]

I still am pretty sure it was reported he stole the ring originally. I'm not sure why this is becoming a story now. Every report I saw was fairly clear that Kraft didn't say "you can have it" or imply it or whatever.

Yes, my last post was sarcasm. If he wanted to give Putin a ring as a gift it wouldn't have been Kraft's personal ring, with his name engraved. I'm pretty sure Kraft would have had Putin's name engraved on it if it were a gift.

But I can see Bob being a little hammered (as usual) and being like "WTF just happened here"

 

[HammerDown]

Well the quote at the end of the OP article is BS, since US-SOVIET relations ended you know when the SOVIET union dissolved.

The whole thing doesn't sound right to me. If Kraft left Russia without the ring, he should know he's not going to get it back 8 yrs later. Why keep bringing it up other than his belief that the universe revolves around the Patriots?

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I just thought the quote attributed to the White House was hilarious. If the author of the article or the Pat tep who gabe the quote is going to make shit up, at least use his brain.

 

[Golden Spur]

Putin responds: Putin refutes Kraft's story about Super Bowl ring - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Putin arrived in London on Sunday to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, was asked about the Post story.

''Back in 2005 I stood behind the president's back and I saw how that ring was presented to him. All that talk about some kind of pressure that was exerted on him (Kraft) should be the subject of a detailed talk with psychoanalysts, I think,'' Peskov told The Associated Press.

''At the same time, I am aware that this gentleman (Kraft) is feeling such a horrible pain about the 2005 loss,'' Peskov said. ''The president will be ready to send him another ring as a gift, which he (Putin) can buy with his own money.''

Stacey James, a spokesperson for the Kraft Group, the holding company for Kraft's business ventures, including the Patriots, said Sunday that the Post article shouldn't be taken too seriously.



''It's a humorous, anecdotal story that Robert retells for laughs,'' James said in a statement. ''He loves that his ring is at the Kremlin, and, as he stated back in 2005, he continues to have great respect for Russia and the leadership of President Putin. In particular, he credits President Putin for modernizing the Russian economy. "

 

[Thruthefog]

No way I would ever hand over anything of value to a political leader. These are the least trustworthy people in the world. I swear, if Obama knocked on my door, I wouldn't let him in.

 

[RobToxin]

Robert Kraft Agrees to Give Vladimir Putin Tim Tebow in Exchange for Super Bowl Ring - SportsPickle News

 

[HammerDown]

Look what Terrell Suggs thinks about it.

 

[BritishDolfan]

Robert Kraft is becoming very obnoxious.

Becoming?