Where sports and politics intersect, per NYMag:
Back in 2005, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting of American businessmen in St. Petersburg. He was such a good guest that he let Putin try on his Super Bowl ring, and Putin was such a bizarre host that he pocketed the $25,000 piece of jewelry. At the time, Kraft claimed that he decided to give Putin (who he praised as a “great and knowledgeable sports fan”) the ring “as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and [his] leadership.” But, now that some time has passed, Kraft is comfortable going on record with what really happened. The New York Post reports that he described the incident to the crowd at Carnegie Hall’s Medal of Excellence gala on Friday night. “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.‘ I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out,” he explained. Kraft’s attempt to get the 124-diamond bauble back were thwarted by representatives from the Bush the administration, who told him, “‘It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.'” And there you have it.
Don’t follow sports much, but from what I’ve gathered, there are going to be some non-Boston football fans disappointed that the KGB guys didn’t also rough Kraft up a little…
Glorious day here, so I’m on my way out to pick up some basil starters to go with the tomato plants. What else is on the agenda for the evening?
Big R
Wait, did they really say that it would be in the best interests of “US-Soviet relations”? Yet more proof of the utter incompetence of these guys, if true.
MattF
Good story. Putin, of course, is a Bad Person, but I’m having some trouble working up any sympathy for the owner of an NFL football team.
JGabriel
Speaking of sports, Democrats kicked the GOP’s ass outta the frickin’ ballpark at the annual Congressional Baseball Game at the Washington Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on June 13, 2013.
Final score: 22-0
Yay, team!
Funny how the GOP, who claim to be such great patriots, can’t even score in America’s Pastime.
raven
Goddamn it. My wife went to fucking Lynchburg despite the fact that her brother lost power in the storm. Now she had a fucking flat and is stuck in Sam’s. I have to say the dude on the phone has been really great so there is that.
Front tire and she just drove 200+ mile so at least it wasn’t a blowout.
NickT
Looks like an attempt to explain why the Patriots haven’t won any Superbowls lately. Nothing to do with Spygate – it was all because that wicked Russian with the soulful eyes stole Robert Kraft’s magic ring and took his superpowers away from him.
? Martin
@MattF: Yeah. Everyone knows a good story needs a hero and a villian. Of all the characters in this one, Bush administration included, I think the KGB guys come off best as the hero.
raven
@JGabriel: Yea, who was that one dude that just tore them a new asshole? I saw him throw a headfirst slide into third. Guy is a baller.
raven
@efgoldman: I spent the day rebuilding the back porch steps on out rental using the salvaged lumber from my cluster-fuck addition disaster!
JGabriel
Also, Assholinajad finally out in Iran; reformist Hasan Rowhani wins Iranian Presidency.
raven
@JGabriel: Bets on it don’t mean shit?
raven
@efgoldman: Killer, youse desoive it!
NickT
@efgoldman:
Ahmedinajad might as well try his luck in the Oklahoma governor’s race next time around. It’s not as if those folks care which theocrat rules them so long as women are abused, the poor suffer and hardworking white American plutocrats get to loot the taxes.
JGabriel
@efgoldman:
I don’t know, but the Iranian people seem pretty happy about it:
ETA: Long-term, maybe it won’t make a difference — but right now, the Iranians have more hope than they’ve had in long time. I wouldn’t get too cynical about this one just yet.
Mike in NC
Vlad is a gangster? Who could have predicted?
Fixing Martinis and grilling ribeye steaks now that the heat index has dropped below three digits.
MattF
@JGabriel: The amusing thing is that the ‘moderate’ was the only actual cleric running.
JPL
@raven: Oh no! It’s great that you appear to be supportive though. I’m sure that she appreciates that.
Clean up is coming along. The little neighborhood lost over a hundred trees and I’m sick of chain saw noise. Look up Oak Knoll Way in Roswell and you will be able to tell that a hundred trees is nothing.. I back up to the boot shaped pond and I let the owner know I wasn’t happy with his trees in my yard.
JGabriel
MattF:
It wouldn’t surprise me if that was the only way they could sneak a moderate past Khamenei, the ruling clerics, and the Revolutionary Guard.
JGabriel
@NickT:
For God’s sake, don’t anyone ever let Putin cut your hair!
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@Mike in NC:
But he doesn’t sound like one, which was a big selling point back in 2000. Never mind that pedigree.
brendancalling
hey all you Austin based juicers! I am playing a two night stand in your city, with Woody Pines. Tonight, Driscoll hotel 9 p.m., tomorrow night at East Side Showroom. Come on out!
jl
@NickT:
” Ahmedinajad might as well try his luck in the Oklahoma governor’s race ”
Sorry, but that’s out. Ahmedinajad’s too liberal and not theocratic enough. He has a PhD in engineering and is an egghead. Too damn liberal. He’ll have to try his luck running a political movement in Iran where people are more open minded.
JWL
Kraft is a wuss.
First, for letting Putin walk away without a challenge, unto getting his ass kicked inside-out by the bodyguards.
Secondly, for taking that advice from the Bushites.
If Putin has a sense of humor, he’ll wear the ring on his next visit to the U.S.
Ash Can
Well whaddya know. Dubya was right. He looked into Putin’s eyes, saw his soul, and liked what he saw because he realized Putin was a schmuck just like him.
NickT
@Ash Can:
A schmuck, but not a Patsy.
One out of two ain’t bad.
The Bobs
More violence than ever in Turkey tonight. Water cannon appear to have chemical agents added to burn the skin. Erdogan must be going nuts. Follow on twitter #occupygezi
On the positive side, the police appear to be vastly outnumbered.
NickT
@The Bobs:
Netanyahu must grinning to himself as he watches Erdogan’s troubles.
Walker
US-Soviet relations? Did the Bush admin really say that, or is that lost in translation?
Ultraviolet Thunder
Already dreading Monday. I’ve been off this week, though recovering from 9 days in Mexico.
Monday I have a 7:30 flight to DFW and 4-5 days in Texas ahead of me. And that’s my week to be on after hours call. I so love waking up in the middle of the night to answer questions that are covered on manual page 3. Blerg.
But I’m home with my wife and doggie so I’m trying to stay positive.
jl
@JGabriel:
I think the Iranian presidency has enough power over domestic economic policy for it to make a difference to the Iranian people.
Rowhani’s a diplomat, so he will be cleverer than Ahmedinajad in working behind the scenes and maybe leveraging whatever power he has behind the scenes. Moderate reformists clerics like Rafsanjani (who I think has been banned from elective office) and others can work with him.
From what I read, Ahmedinajad, besides being an ass, was pretty clumsy and naive politically, and didn’t understand how the thug political machine he built would be turned on him by the real power centers in the country, which I think was what happened after the last corrupt election. The people didn’t like him because of his corruption, and economic mismanagement, the Iranian Guard and clerics told him to SFTU and mind his manners whenever he tried to oppose them.
So, I see no reason to be completely cynical.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Well, Kraft is IIRC a good friend and supporter of Willard
Ultraviolet Thunder
@NickT:
Putin is more Cheneyesque. Sneaky and ruthless. Bush is a tool, in several senses of the word.
Chris
@efgoldman:
Think of it as a public opinion poll. Even after all the filtering is said and done, the unelected theocrats still have their favorites among the candidates left standing. Seeing whether the people’s favorites line up with theirs is a good way to gauge whether people are happy or unhappy with the status quo.
So in terms of who rules Iran, I suppose the answer is “none, really,” but for observers, it’s an informative process just the same.
Hawes
I don’t think non-Pats fans hate on Kraft too much. I mean aside from the Occupy the Fifty Yard Line stuff….
Kraft is a reasonable guy.
Bieber… er…. Brady and the Hoodie Wearing Satan are another matter.
jl
@Walker:
” US-Soviet relations? Did the Bush admin really say that, or is that lost in translation? ”
McCain and Romney camps still thought there was a Soviet Union. Why are you surprised?
The GOP has many beloved Golden Ages; they will never pass away.
lockout
I kind of like Putin.
Higgs Boson's Mate
Watching “Occupation” on Netflix. It features the estimable James Nesbitt. An engrossing perspective on post war Iraq and post war soldiers.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
also, too, which Sunday Show(s) will John McCain be on calling for us to invade Syria?
I wonder if she told the bible-thumpers a Hey! Look at My Tits! joke
Chris
@MattF:
Several people have observed in recent years that there’s been a shift in power away from the clergy (Supreme Leader excepted) and towards the military/security services, especially the Revolutionary Guard. The first clue to that effect was when Ahmadinejad (not a clergyman, a former military/intelligence type, and one who relied heavily on networking with the security services – using the local Basij militias as a political machine, for example) won the presidency. The extent to which the government had to rely on the Revolutionary Guards and other uniforms to maintain order in 2009 is thought to have increased their clout even more.
Dolly Llama
Kraft’s a dead man. The next Litvinenko.
Mike E
@JGabriel:
Showing, for the umpteenth time, that they literally have no game. Not even pretending to participate in our democracy. Fucking jokes.
Ultraviolet Thunder
@efgoldman:
All I’ve seen of Texas so far is several trips through GWB airport, which is kinda worn and shabby. I’ll be in (checks emails) Garland. For some reason that city makes me think of a violent tragedy of some kind. can’t remember what. Tornado? Mass shooting? factory explosion?
JGabriel
Mike E:
Good one, dude. I LOL’d.
Ultraviolet Thunder
@Mike E:
To be fair* pitching could make a huge difference in a game like that. Or maybe the GOP decided it was fiscally responsible to sequester their hitting and fielding, preferring to remain ideologically pure rather than to play.
*though, why?
Mike E
@Ultraviolet Thunder: Who was the bench coach, George Will?
jl
@JGabriel: Wiki says the GOP still leads the Dems in total wins, 41 to 38. We need 4 more years of Dem wins for Truth, Justice, and American Way to prevail.
Congressional Baseball Game
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Baseball_Game
Mike E
@jl: On a visit to the NC delegation, I got to briefly chat with Mel Watt about his participation in the game…he had a picture of himself, prominently displayed in his DC office, pitching during one of the congressional tilts. Pretty cool.
Laertes
@efgoldman:
I’ve got whiplash. For years I’ve been told that I have to hate Iran because Ahmadinejad is a bad guy, and it’s all boo-scary Ahmadinejad said this or said that. And now that they elect what appears to be a somewhat reasonable guy, suddenly the President of Iran doesn’t matter a bit? Wait, what?
Chris
@Laertes:
I’ve spent the last eight years trying to explain to every right wing douchebag citing Ahmadinejad’s state of mind as a compelling reason why we needed to strike Iran, NOW, before it’s too late, that the President of Iran doesn’t actually have a hell of a lot of power under their system and what he does have definitely doesn’t include ultimate authority over the security forces, so his state of mind is irrelevant.
If nothing else, I look forward to finally not having to do that anymore.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Chris:
Exactly. If you want to know what’s wrong with Iran then start with the Revolutionary Guards. Move from there to the imams.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Ultraviolet Thunder: GWB airport? If you were going through Houston it was GHWB Intercontinental airport. Southfork Ranch(Dallas on the TV machine) is in Garland, I hear they have tours.
Debbie(aussie)
@Chris: wishful thinking(?)
MC Simon Milligan
@efgoldman:
What difference does it make, really? The
theplutocrats run everything.Ultraviolet Thunder
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Houston was my layover last week on the return from Mexico. Monday it’s DFW and Garland. I think. I can’t actually afford the brain space to keep track of where I am/have been. Garmin and the travel agency keep me straight.
I do recall that one address I need in Garland is on President George W Bush something or other. I guess I can just follow my nose to find that.
sparky
@JGabriel: Only 3 hits and 5 errors. Reflects their game off the field, too. And getting shut-out. They keep beating themselves.
indycat32
Just returned from asheville & biltmore. Instead of enjoying tour kept thinking how did they keep this place clean . And if I never see I-40 or a semi again it will be ok by me
Cacti
Figures that the owner of the Pats would hang out with Vladimir Putin.
? Martin
@JGabriel:
They seem to be aware of that. Jeb Bush was just observing how fertile immigrants are.
Ultraviolet Thunder
If the Congressional Dems run true to form they’ll spot the GOP 11 runs in next year’s game as an initial bargaining position.
BillinGlendaleCA
@? Martin:
Didn’t JEB!’s brother George own a baseball team. He should have been able to bring in some “talent”.
NickT
@BillinGlendaleCA:
Dubya couldn’t strike oil in Texas or find WMD in Iraq. I have some doubts about his personnel skills as well.
Laertes
Hey Tunch’s Dad, if you’re gonna ask for a Netflix movie tonight, and you haven’t seen End of Watch yet, it’s awesome and it’s on streaming.
fuckwit
@Mike in NC: The Russians know how to do Gangster on a scale we can only imagine.
The whole country was a police state for 70 years. They got slaughtered by the Nazis on a scale that dwarfs even the Holocaust. Read up about the Eastern Front sometime.
Then, after surviving that, and Stalin, the only business that happened there for 70 years was the mafia, and everyone was involved in the black market, so the mafia became this huge massive thing there. Institutionalized gangsterism on a scale that makes Sicily look like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.
Russians are some tough motherfuckers. The people who survived in countries the Russians dominated (i.e. the Stans) are even tougher.
The Russians I’ve known think it’s funny/pathetic/contemptible when the wealthy among us posture and act all gangsta, but we’re really so fucking soft and they know it. They have no respect for it, and I can totally see someone like Putin casually punking one of those rich NFL-owner guys like that.
It’s like the rich kid who comes to the tough school and starts bragging about his wealth and then the tough kids just straight up take his lunch money, casually, without any violence, without even malice, with complete confidence, and certainly without remorse or hesitation, and the rich kid just stands there bewildered and doesn’t even know how it happened.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@indycat32: That’s easy. Did your tour include the servants’ quarters?
Narcissus
@fuckwit:
Chris
@fuckwit:
I believe it. This country’s overrun with wannabe tough guys who really believe that 1) living in a Stallone/Schwarzenegger action flick would totally be the awesomest thing ever and 2) if they did, they would totally be the Stallone/Schwarzenegger character. Often thought that people in the third world or the former Soviet bloc must look at our fantasies as a form of dementia… and piss themselves laughing when they realize how completely unsuited most of us would be to actually living in them.
mainmati
Putin is evil KGB. Kraft should have known that beforehand. He’s just a stupid businessman like so many of them are. Yes, the Bush Administration should have remonstrated but they were busy being dicks so…
Dr. Squid
I’ve never thought Kraft was particularly obnoxious. Non-Boston NFL fans save their wrath for Belicheat.
Brandon
@Dr. Squid: You are probably the only one. And as a sign of how obnoxious Kraft is, why is the saying this story now? Putin is obviously an ass, but I did a bit of internet searching and apparently if Putin stole his ring, he didn’t steal it for himself because it is on display at the Library of Moscow Kremlin Museum which is a distinction that should make Kraft proud. Instead a billionaire is whingeing because he says Putin ‘stole’ his $25k ring, when he could just order and clearly afford to pay for a new one and the ring in question is being proudly displayed for the Russian people to view in the permanent collection of a major national museum, offering his own team a permanent positive coup for marketing and PR in Russia. How terrible for Kraft. So yeah, based solely on the evidence of this case alone, Kraft is obnoxious. But I have already felt that way about him for quite a long time.