In the last edition of Ladder Challenge it was 3-time Super Bowl cham Tedy Bruschi easily outdistancing 4-time Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers with 87% of the vote. The victory improved Bruschi's challenge record to 3-0-0 and helped him maintain his place at #39 on the Ladder . This week it will be a pair of Patriots legends from different eras doing battle when the AFL's all-time leading scorer Gino Cappelletti (#38) attempts to knock off the team's current owner, Robert Kraft. (#34). My vote this week goes to Kraft by the narrowest of margins. Although I appreciate all that Gino has meant to the franchise as both a player and a broadcaster, Kraft saved the Pats from moving and then turned them into the NFL's model franchise (having the foresight to bring Bill Belichick aboard didn't hurt either). So who has your support in this week's battle? (and remember, the most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to share your thoughts!)
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6 comments:
ROBERT KRAFT
Ranked : 34
Started: 25
Challenge Record: 0-0-0
Beat: Nobody
Lost: Andre Tippett
Tied: Nobody
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* Born and raised in Brookline (MA), graduating from Brookline High School in 1959.
* Patriots season ticket holder since 1971.
* Bought the Patriots in 1994 in a move the also prevented the team from moving to St. Louis.
* In 1996 he founded the New England Revolution, a charter member of Major League Soccer.
* Privately financed the $350 million stadium that would be home to both the Pats and Revs, which opened in 2002.
* His Patriots teams have won 3 Super Bowls (2001, 2003, 2004).
* His Patriots teams have won 5 AFC Championships (1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007).
* In the 4 seasons prior to his buying the team the Pats were an NFL-worst 14-50.
* His Revolution teams have won 4 Eastern Conference Championships (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007).
GINO CAPPELLETTI
Ranked : 38
Started: 38
Challenge Record: 1-1-0
Beat: Ty Law
Lost: Walter A. Brown
Tied: Nobody
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*Played entire 11-year career (1960-70) for the Patriots.
*1964 AFL Player of the Year.
*Selected to 5 Pro Bowls (1961, '63-66).
*Named All-Pro 4 times (1961, '63-64, '66) as 2nd Team All-AFL.
*Led AFL in scoring 5x and field goals made 3x.
*All-time leading scorer in AFL history.
*Top-10 in AFL history in receptions and receiving yards.
*Was Pats all-time leading scorer until 2005 (currently 2nd) with 1,130 points (42 TD, 176 FG, 342 X-PT, 4 2-PT).
*Played CB his rookie year and had 4 INT.
*Named to Pats “Team of the Century” in 2000 at both WR and PK.
*Named Offensive Captain of Pats 50th Anniversary Team in 2010.
*Patriots color analyst on radio broadcasts.
*Member of Patriots Hall of Fame.
*Pats retired #20 in his honor.
Kraft has already gone down to one Pats playing legend (Tippett) but his contributions to keeping the team here and turning them from perennial loser to powerhouse should not be overlooked. Yes, the Pats could not have done it without Belichick and Brady...but they couldn't have done it without Kraft either.
It is tough to vote for Kraft right now as he is one of the leaders of the NFL owners who are looking like arrogant a-holes in these labor negotiations.
I don't disagree, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt unless/until there is a lockout. If that happens Kraft is going to start moving down the Ladder rather quickly I'm sure.
i always vote players over owner or coaches or management. i even voted against red in his challenges. unless its totally lopsides the player wins and this is not totally lopsided
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