New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft is one of life’s feel good stories. The Patriots fan who sat in the snow and cold in the last row one day became owner of the NFL team. Of course, marrying someone with lots of money and tons of connections helped quite a bit. Bob Kraft owns three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots.
Make that two. Russian strong-man and modern day Czar Vladimir Putin took one away from Kraft.
According to CNN/Bleacher Report. Kraft
told people for years that he gave Russian president Vladimir Putin one of his Super Bowl rings, but according to a report from the New York Post, Putin actually stole the $25,000 ring.
Kraft explained the incident to those in attendance at Carnegie Hall’s Medal of Excellence gala, saying, “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.”
It was during the 2005 meeting with Putin in Saint Petersburg that the president became enamored with the ring and came into possession of it, but the drama for Kraft didn’t stop there.
First a musical interlude “Must be like Putin!!!” Turn up your speakers and DANCE!!!
The American Federal Government told Kraft to claim the ring was a gift in order to keep post Cold War relations between the Russians and the United States friendly.
The Federales told Kraft: “It would really be in the best interest of US-Soviet relations if you meant to give the ring as a present.”
Soviet???????
This happened in 2005!
Of course George W. Bush was president then. So that explains why Kraft was told not to rock the “Soviet” boat. It was Bush who once showed his disdain for Social Security by saying “people treat it like it’s some kind of Federal program.”
It’s pretty clear that the Patriots owner wants his nearly 5 karat ring back. Wouldn’t you? However, the White House won’t intervene any further to make that happen. It is still reportedly in the possession of the Russian people at the Kremlin’s library in Moscow.
So there you go, the remnants of the Cold War have claimed an important piece of the New England Patriots dynasty.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. (“Quasi-endorsed” by Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly) He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
Banks has appeared on the History Channel, as well as Clear Channel, ESPN and CBS radio all over the world. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@PaulMBanks), like him on Facebook