NFL

Patriots Owner Bob Kraft: “The Debt Crisis Is A Lot Easier To Fix Than This Deal Was”

So…the NFL is back. The NFL players association approved a new collective bargaining agreement today, essentially ending the lockout and assuring the 2011 season will start on time. It’s great news for fans, of course, and also for everyone involved in the NFL, as there was just too much to lose not to get a deal done. All parties, understandably, are feeling good, and when Patriots owner Bob Kraft lauded both sides for closing the deal today, he couldn’t help get in a shot at a group that’s having trouble finishing off an important deal of its own:

It’s funny Kraft brought this up, since there really were points in stories about both these issues where you could replace debt-ceiling-related keywords with football-related keywords, and basically have the same story. And of course, the fact that Kraft was there proudly announcing a deal at all was a bit amazing, considering what he’s been through in recent days. The Colts’ Jeff Saturday recognized this, and when he gave a brief address of his own, he thanked both Bob Kraft and his late wife Myra in a moving moment, captured below:

In a debate often marked by antipathy on either side, this was a classy way to end it, though the impetus was an awful event. It’s good to have these people on the same page again, and credit goes to them for getting it done.