When Doug Flutie drop kicked a football through the uprights last season, the net had not been raised as it looked like it was going to be a play from scrimmage. As a result, a lucky fan in the stands wound up with possession of it. He then tried to sell the ball to the Patriots, but Bob Kraft didn’t really care. Here was the ransom the fan asked for:
1. Payment of $100,000 on delivery of the football.
“2. A guarantee of eight season tickets for 25 years in the end zone (preferably sections 142 or 143). The season tickets will be paid for annually by my client at the then-going price for season tickets. The Patriots would not be expected to pay for the tickets.
“3. Delivery by the Patriots to my client, sometime in September 2006, of a Tom Brady Patriots football jersey signed by all the team members as of the beginning of the next football season.”
All in all, it seems reasonable, except for point number 1. I would say that giving the fan the option to purchase season tickets and a signed jersey by Doug Flutie would be well worth it; having a Tom Brady jersey and an extra $100,000 is a bit superfluous and it does not surprise me that the organization was not particularly interested. I think the waiting list right now for season tickets is on the order of 5 to 8 years, but I am not positive about that since I could not afford them anyway.
This doesn’t really suprise me. It seems like it’s become the norm for our society. “I did this or got this so you need to reward me with XYZ and oh yeah this also.” What happened to just doing a good deed?
Well, I don’t think that he should have to hand over the ball. His demands were just a bit unreasonable.
From your synopsis it doesn’t sound like the Patriots wanted the ball. Did they want it or demand to have it? Under those circumstances I could see making some demands. But if he’s just out there trying to hold them over a fence for the hell of it…that I don’t agree with!
The Pro Football Hall of Fame wanted it, so the Patriots’ Media director was trying to find the fan who caught it. They have already donated Flutie’s shoes and jersey. It’s more of a nice thing to have as a historical footnote, but it isn’t worth the unreasonable ransom the fan wanted.