Mr. Kraft Predictably Takes the High Road After Brady Snubs Him and All of NE

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I don't know if you're aware of this. Maybe it's ancient history. It seems pretty clear Tom Brady forgot all about it, the way he followed up his 700-word retirement announcement with this:

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But believe it or not, he used to play for the New England Patriots. No, really. It's true. It might feel like Kurt Warner's career with the Iowa Barnstormers, Tom Hanks starring on "Bosom Buddies," or Einstein working as a clerk in a Swiss patent office, but it's actually where Brady got his start. Seriously. You can look it up. 

So what if he chose the moment of finally putting a ribbon on his incomparable career to completely ignore the team, coach, fan base and owner who were with him every, single step of the way for 20 years? Like a guy ignoring the family that supported him every day while he became a success, and only inviting his new bride to his retirement party? They're old news. It's not like they have feelings or anything. They don't count. 

Well at least there's somebody out there with the class to treat this moment with the dignity Brady could not be bothered to. Mr. Kraft's statement, via the Patriots website:

"Words cannot describe the feelings I have for Tom Brady, nor adequately express the gratitude my family, the New England Patriots and our fans have for Tom for all he did during his career. A generation of football fans have grown up knowing only an NFL in which Tom Brady dominated. He retires with nearly every NFL career passing record, yet the only one that ever mattered to him was the team's win-loss record. In his 20 years as a starter his teams qualified for the playoffs 19 times. He led his teams to 10 Super Bowls, winning an NFL-record seven championships. In a team sport like football, it is rare to see an individual have such a dominant impact on a team's success. You didn't have to be a Patriots fan to respect and appreciate his competitiveness, determination and will to win that fueled his success. As a fan of football, it was a privilege to watch. As a Patriots fan, it was a dream come true.

"I have the greatest respect for Tom personally and always will. His humility, coupled with his drive and ambition, truly made him special. I will always feel a close bond to him and will always consider him an extension of my immediate family."

- Robert Kraft

Typical. If you know anything about this great mogul/philanthropist/builder of empires, you'd expect nothing more, and accept nothing less. This is just a masterclass in how to give an appropriate response to a historic event. Even when you've been disregarded, ignored, cast aside. You don't succumb to the temptation to snub Brady the way he snubbed you. You handle it like the classy gentleman you've always been. You set an example for others. Send a message that this is how we do things here. When others go low, we go high. And then when the person who took you for granted comes back to you, you have nothing to apologize for. You haven't said anything you cannot unsay. 

I'm still assuming that's what went on here. That Brady is saving his touching, heartfelt tribute to New England and the Patriots for later. He can't do nine episodes of "Man in the Arena" waxing poetic about his time here and gushing about my man RKK and Coach Belichick, only to end it like this. He simply cannot. Our time will come.