This has to be one of the strangest stories ever. New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft met with Russian president Vladimir Putin, and allowed him to put on his Super Bowl ring. Putin puts it on, takes it off, puts it in his pocket, and walks away. Yes, it's obviously a cultural misunderstanding, but I don't think Bob Kraft should ask for his precious back. He should tell him that it was a gift and just have another one made.

Putin is a former KGB guy. He's a former stasi guy. You don't ask for gifts back from a stasi guy. I think there's a plaque in the halls of the Kremlin that even says so. Laugh about it, Bob, and move on. Tell the world you meant to give it to him so that Putin is not embarrassed by this. Just do it.

...please...?

I don't believe this was intended as a gift because Bob Kraft would have prepared a statement and it would have been an obvious, formal gift presentation. And if Mr. Kraft DOES THE RIGHT THING and tells the world that OH, I MEANT TO DO THAT, ENJOY THE RING, MR. PUTIN...just forget that it's not the truth. We've been to DEFCON 4 on smaller misunderstandings.

But as scary as Putin has the potential to be, it was nothing short of amazing to see him show up to catch Paul McCartney in Red Square. If you haven't seen it, try to catch the show on A&E, or, what the hell...buy it. Yea, it was a couple years ago, but I had never seen it, and you don't have to love the Beatles as I do to enjoy it.

I was watching it just for the music, but when Putin shows up with his team of body guards, you need to see the faces in the crowd react. Everyone could see him show up because the cameras caught him. People were in tears. The good kind. I got a bit misty, too.

Putin smiling and moving ever so slightly to Let It Be is, well, quite a thing to see. If you only catch that five minute bit, you've seen a lot. It makes you think that everything's going to be okay.

Don't forget the moment, Vlad.

UPDATE: The Associated Press reports New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft claims that he gave his Super Bowl ring to Vladimir Putin out of "respect and admiration." "I showed the president my most recent Super Bowl ring. He was clearly taken with its uniqueness," Kraft said. "At that point, I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of the respect and admiration that I have for the Russian people and the leadership of President Putin." There you have it. The right move, as the world chortles and half-seriously wipes its brow.

Labels: commentary