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NFL Sunday Gone Wild: Knee-dy players protest National Anthem, Trump

NFL Sunday Gone Wild: Knee-dy players protest National Anthem, Trump

Fans Boo Patriots Players as War Veteran Steelers Player Stands Up Alone for the Flag.
Posted by Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 07:45pm
https://twitter.com/JoeGiza/status/911999063192719360
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Eyes turned to the NFL on Sunday to see which players would take a knee during the anthem after President Donald Trump called those who kneel a son of bitch and asked the audience if they wouldn’t like to see the NFL fire them. He reiterated this thoughts on Twitter with his catchphrase YOU’RE FIRED.

Well, some NFL players chose to kneel while others locked arms together. A few teams chose to stay in the locker room, like the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, one player on the Steelers decided to stand for the anthem…a veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan.

Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva (Pittsburg Steelers) defies teammates

Pittsburgh Steeler offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva stood right outside of the tunnel with his right hand over his heart.

See, Alejandro played football at West Point Military Academy for the Army Black Knights. He eventually became an Army Ranger and served three tours in Afghanistan. The government awarded him the Bronze Star Medal for Valor.

The Philadelphia Eagles signed him in 2014. He had said if he didn’t make a football team he would serve another tour in Afghanistan. But due to his diet and gaining 40lbs, the Eagles cut him in August of that year.

The Steelers signed him in 2015 with a two year contract. His improvements led the team to give him a 4 year contract this past July. But it was Villanueva’s anthem stance that caught the attention of head coach Mike Tomlin. From NFL:

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says he spotted Villanueva during a preseason game because of the way he stood during the national anthem, and the team later picked Villanueva up and converted him to tackle, where he became a starter during the 2015 season. He’s surprised many by stabilizing the position in Pittsburgh as part of one of the best offensive lines in football.

Before the game against the Chicago Bears, Tomlin said the team would stay in the locker room. Villanueva did not

Here’s a piece on CBS This Morning on Villanueva. A hero and patriot.

Fans Boo Patriots Players who took a knee

20 New England Patriots players took a knee during the National Anthem.

The fans were not amused, booed and screamed “stand up”. The NY Post reports:

The Patriots players made their statement, and many fans did so in response.

Before Sunday’s Texans-Patriots matchup in Foxborough, Mass., about 20 Patriots players, according to ESPN, took a knee during the national anthem, the first time anyone on the team had joined the growing protest.

In return, a loud chorus of boos was heard sandwiching the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” According to the Boston Herald, there were shouts of, “Stand up,” as they knelt.

https://youtu.be/MGGDxjq-IUI

Teams Locked Arms in Unity

But hey! Let’s give props to my Chicago Bears, who had no players kneel (and also pulled off the win!) during the anthem.

The Cincinnati Bengals all locked arms with each other during the anthem. No one on that team has participated in the protest since former QB Colin Kaepernick started it last year.

From ESPN:

“Football and politics don’t mix easily,” said a statement issued by the Bengals prior to the game. “Fans come to NFL games to watch great competition on the playing field and that’s where our focus should be.”

A few weeks ago, Bengals player Tyler Eifert penned a blog that explained why he stood for the anthem. Simple answer: he loves his country and wants to honor those in the armed forces.

All of the Houston Texans stood and locked arms during the anthem:

Kneeling….and Stretching?!

The Texans played against the New England Patriots, some of whom knelt. QB Tom Brady stood with his hand over his heart.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens played their game in London, England, on Sunday. The players all stood for “God Save the Queen,” the UK anthem, but some players chose to kneel for our anthem.

Buffalo Bills player LaSean McCoy took disrespect to a whole new level by stretching:

No Shows for National Anthem

As mentioned above, except for Villanueva, the Steelers stayed in the locker room:

They weren’t the only team to choose this action. The Seattle Seahawks and their opponent Tennessee Titans did not come out for the anthem.

The teams released these statements:

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Comments

Petrushka | September 24, 2017 at 8:02 pm

It does say they should stand. Doesn’t require penalties.

I suspect the league will bend the knee on this one. Nothing to gain by placating militant anti-Americans.

Anchovy | September 24, 2017 at 8:13 pm

I always look to semi-literate black thugs for insight into the depths of complex political philosophy. I look forward to a convocation of black noble prize laureates in math and science to untangle the complexity of this phenomena while all are sitting in a 1962 Volkswagen beetle as a sign of unity with the struggle.

    Andy in reply to Anchovy. | September 24, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    This war started when they deemed Rush Limbaugh was too controversial to be an owner.

    —-If as a conservative you didn’t read that decision as this group saying they HATE you and your beliefs, you’re an idiot.

Fen | September 24, 2017 at 8:32 pm

The NFL is full of virtue signalling cowards. Ignore for a moment of stupidity claiming that blacks are being murdered in the streets by police officers, consider their point of view as if it was valid… if I genuinely felt white people we’re being systematically oppressed and shot down in the streets, do you think I would respond by taking a knee or ignoring a flag. No the first thing I would do is quit the NFL which is enabling the so-called system and then take to the streets for organized marches or whatever.

But this isn’t about black lives for these people. This is about using dead black bodies as props to Virtue signalling their righteousness likely to compensate for their Playboy lifestyle and baby daddy culture.

Screw the players screw the NFL Let It Burn

DouglasJBender | September 24, 2017 at 8:52 pm

In other news, white quarterbacks and running-backs in the NFL are now banned from taking a knee during the game, lest they be guilty of cultural appropriation.

rinardman | September 24, 2017 at 8:52 pm

Well, if I hadn’t lost all interest in pro football years ago, it would all be gone now.

If I wanted to watch people make stupid political statements, I’d just watch CNN or MSNBC.

amwick | September 24, 2017 at 8:59 pm

http://operations.nfl.com/media/2646/2017-playing-rules.pdf

Page 31 Article 9

Consistent with the equipment and uniform rules, players must otherwise present a professional and appropriate appearance while before the public on game day.

I don’t think that the players kneeling in protest of our National Anthem is professional or appropriate, but I don’t count.

    DaveGinOly in reply to amwick. | September 25, 2017 at 2:32 am

    Actually, it’s on the page numbered “23”.

    Also, Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8, “Personal Messages”, is more appropriate. Article 9 deals with physical appearance and proper uniform and equipment.

    Kaepernick’s actions certainly violated the spirit of Article 8, the whole point of which is a prohibition on the conveyance of any controversial or unapproved message.

    Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office. Items to celebrate anniversaries or memorable events, or to honor or commemorate individuals, such as helmet decals, and arm bands and jersey patches on players’ uniforms, are prohibited unless approved in advance by the League office. All such items approved by the League office, if any, must relate to team or League events or personages. The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and noncontroversial; must not be worn for more than one football season; and if approved for use by a specific team, must not be
    worn by players on other teams in the League.

      Chicklet in reply to DaveGinOly. | September 25, 2017 at 7:37 am

      Oh, yeah- I’ll call the league office now and ask ’em why they permitted the players and the owners to put on their political show.
      Or, I’ll call Comcast and cancel my subscription (way better idea) and spend my Sunday afternoon next week putting an antenna on the roof, at least 50 free channels in my area.

      Go take a hike. I’m not paying for this crap any longer!

    Milhouse in reply to amwick. | September 25, 2017 at 2:39 am

    That’s about appearance, not behavior. If I were an owner I’d be reaching for the moral turpitude clause about now.

    I’m not really a fan of ostentatious displays of patriotism, and the whole ritual of the anthem-singing and standing with the hand on the heart turns me off; if it were up to me they wouldn’t sing it at all and the issue wouldn’t have come up. Patriotism should be a given; we shouldn’t have to gaudily display it because it should be assumed that any decent person possesses it. But what’s going on now isn’t a sudden outbreak of modesty or good taste, it’s open denial of patriotism. Ostentatiously refusing to display patriotism is infinitely worse than ostentatiously displaying it, just as public displays of enmity and hatred are worse than public displays of affection.

Ragspierre | September 24, 2017 at 9:01 pm

Thank you, Donald Ducks (who, BTW, never mentioned Colin Kaepernick by name). Or said anything that pushed people into a political corner.

But he’s a genius at changing the subject from anything substantive!

    gonzotx in reply to Ragspierre. | September 24, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    I am so done with the NFL and I was a Green Bay Packer junky for 66 years.
    No more and I pray there are a substantial amount of people that feel the same way and carry through with turning off the NFL !!!

      DaveGinOly in reply to gonzotx. | September 25, 2017 at 1:52 am

      I watched my last NFL football today. (Only because I had plans with a friend to do so did I watch any football today at all.) The last straw was the pretense the Trump was out of line for his comments, effectively politicizing a sporting event. Hello! Colin Kaepernick politicized the game, offended fans, and damaged the NFL’s reputation and image. Roger Goodell compounded the problem by taking the PC/cowardly way out – doing nothing – and then doubled-down by claiming to be powerless to do anything about it – this from the commissioner of a league that disciplines players for off-field conduct detrimental to the league’s image. The final straw was the league’s leadership piling on Trump for his “divisive” comments. Trump said nothing than that which was on the minds of many fans, but the left brooks no opinions that don’t comport with its own and does not take well criticism of any kind. Political correctness demands conformity. I don’t really give two sh*ts whether Kaepernick’s opinion of the state of racial affairs in this country is accurate, I’m upset that the league allowed a player to co-opt its property (the game itself) for use as a platform for his personal political views – something the league has never permitted before, and that when someone spoke out about it, they attacked the messenger, with whom many (formerly) loyal fans agreed.

      Goodell is a coward who should have taken Kaepernick aside and explained to him 1.) I can’t let you co-opt the league’s property (the game) for use as a podium for your, or anyone else’s, political agenda (if I let you do it, how will I be able to prevent others from doing the same?); and 2.) I can’t let you offend the fans with divisive on-field acts. It could have been explained to the public that the league stands behind Kaepernick’s right to his opinion, and his right to voice it on his own time, with his own dime.

      Goodell has allowed this to fester to a point that the situation is likely irredeemable. There is little or nothing that can be done now that will bring me back as a fan, unless Goodell resigns and is replaced by someone who will restore order and eject politics from the game.

    inspectorudy in reply to Ragspierre. | September 25, 2017 at 7:09 am

    I disagree Rags because in many ways this “Protest” is a symptom of a much deeper problem brought on by obama. He divided our nation into so many classes and subclasses of people that we may never be a homogenous people with our nation as the common denominator again. By shaming these protests which are based on myths, he is actually undoing some of the damage that obama did. If you were a visitor from another planet you would think the NFL was the top of the warrior fraternity. Yet they are the ones disrespecting the real warriors.

      healthguyfsu in reply to inspectorudy. | September 25, 2017 at 8:56 am

      I think you’re giving Afro puffs too much credit with that one. Obama did a much better job carving us up into groups, and his lib friends with their identity politics, racism wolf cries, microaggression insanity (“Melting pot” is a microaggression), and grievance ploys played along so much better.

rabidfox | September 24, 2017 at 9:15 pm

The Tennessee Titans said that their actions shouldn’t be misconstrued as be unpatriotic.

Sorry Charlie, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck and you are anti-American bastards.

Romey | September 24, 2017 at 9:16 pm

It is telling, the only player who actually fought for his country and defended its freedoms is the only one who honored our country. If you can’t walk the walk, the talk is just conversation. Petty, little men, kneel you bastards!

olafauer | September 24, 2017 at 9:22 pm

I think we may see some interesting dynamics develop from all this taking a knee business. The one Pittsburgh Steeler who did not participate has what appears to be a Hispanic surname. Smart Hispanics may seize this opportunity to join patriotic whites and thereby score political points. Hispanics, I’ve been told, are patriotic and don’t particularly like blacks. Imagine the voting bloc that could be assembled with whites and Hispanics joining political forces! Not what the Dems had in mind. And, once again, our black brethren will be picking up the wrong end of the stick.

    tom swift in reply to olafauer. | September 24, 2017 at 11:09 pm

    I imagine they’ll get rid of him at the first opportunity.

    Tomlin said the team would stay in the locker room. Villanueva did not.

    Because he’s not a “team player”.

      DaveGinOly in reply to tom swift. | September 25, 2017 at 3:26 am

      The Steelers and the league are not in a position to discipline Villanueva, after endorsing everyone else’s right to express their political views in uniform and on the sidelines. If he does experience backlash from the league or team, it will only cost the NFL more fans for the hypocrisy. And this is part of the problem caused by the commissioner – by not stopping one player from using the league as a podium for his personal political views, they will be hard-pressed to stop others from doing the same. Villanueva may have just provided the league an out – by giving a real-world example of the consequences of allowing any player to espouse his political ideas on-field (and a conservative view at that), it can put its foot down and say “Enough.”

    Dave in reply to olafauer. | September 25, 2017 at 10:22 am

    My ex is a third generation Mexican-American and a lifelong Democrat, yet is so racist she wouldn’t vote for Obama because he’s black. She was a Tiger Woods fan until he married a blonde white woman. I could go on. Her entire racist family hated blacks, which I did not know until many years after I married her.

WillS68 | September 24, 2017 at 9:54 pm

Best thing about this weekend, IMO, is that we learned standing up to political correctness can be powerful. Understand every player has a right to protest and oddly enough their employers seem willing to let them turn the NFL from the “No Fun League” into the “No Fan League” over something as simple as showing honor and respect – core values one would think.

Didn’t miss watching today and my pocketbook won’t miss not purchasing swag or tickets.

I believe Joseph Cardona (NE) and Alejandro Villanueva (Pittsburgh) are the only current Veterans in the NFL.

NOLA69 | September 24, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Perhaps the NFL would prefer to change the words of the National Anthem to begin with:

Oh say can you see,
Black Lives Matter to me…

WillS68 | September 24, 2017 at 11:11 pm

Anchovy is the only person (so far) on this thread to use the term “black thugs”. Don’t be passive-aggressive, call him or her out for it directly.

As far as Veterans go the NFL has had more than a few over the years.

Andy | September 24, 2017 at 11:27 pm

I didn’t watch when they did stand, but now that they don’t, it’s confirmed what I’ve thought of them all along.

A bunch of guys who couldn’t pass a 6th grade math test and who will be bankrupt in 6 years.

RodFC | September 25, 2017 at 12:15 am

I think it is time to start writing the advertisers.
I’m starting to make a list of all the companies:
Budweiser
Pepsi
Doritos ( not sure only remember during playoffs )
Dodge
Menards
( let us not forget Kraft even though I don’t remember ads )

help me out here…

PS: I don’t think this has much of an immediate effect. Even if the stadiums are empty, the NFL has a long term contract with the TV industry so they won’t get hit right away.

    MarkSmith in reply to RodFC. | September 25, 2017 at 12:30 am

    Yep, Nationwide is on my list. Since I done over 50 K with them over the last 17 years, I guess their support to this is a loss on me. 3 K annual worth of business is a lot to loose in my book and believe it is in theirs, too. If it is not, then no loss to either one. They get what they want – instead of sell insurance they are being political and I get a better price on insurance.

georgfelis | September 25, 2017 at 1:43 am

The Left seems to think they’re running Game of Thrones.

Bend the knee to your new King of Political Correctness or we will destroy you.

Milhouse | September 25, 2017 at 2:44 am

Can we question their patriotism now?

TheFineReport.com | September 25, 2017 at 3:04 am

Hey, the world needs truck drivers. NFL brats: apply asap.

Eric R. | September 25, 2017 at 3:46 am

These folks in the NFL are filthy, degenerate, morally depraved, Communist, cop-killing scum.

If Kim Jong-Un wanted to target the NFL stadiums, he’d probably have the support of most of America.

3525Tex | September 25, 2017 at 6:19 am

I’ve come up with a solution to this NFL mess.

We can all agree that there is endemic and systemic racism abounding in the USA. Furthermore there is a Police War on Black Males, and an incredible Justice system inequity resulting in disparate outcomes and Mass Incarceration of Black people. And don’t get me started on White Privilege. Of course, White Privilege is not the cause of all Black problems, but it make every Black problem immeasurably worse.

So what is to be done? Can anything be done? Well, the answer is yes. But the solution is not in having NFL players protesting by their actions during the National Anthem at football games. That accomplished nothing and is divisive to all sides.

Currently, the average NFL player makes $2,000,000 +, and there are hundreds of players. That would be a payroll of close to a $1,000,000,000 dollars. The answer is to have all NFL players refuse to pay any income taxes to this corrupt, racist US Government. They should file and instead of taxes they should send the IRS a letter saying F*ck the oppressive US Government, and F*ck Donald Trump.

This would mean that their hard earned $$$ ( and of course we all know that they are underpaid ), would not go toward furthering the actions of a racist, oppressive, white privileged Government. This tax protest would have real meaning, in that they would not be contributing to the budgets of the oppressive power structures that are holding them back. It’s an idea, whose time has come.

Who will be the Colin Kaepernick of this income tax protest. The nation awaits the first hero that sends the IRS his F*ck You letter.

    inspectorudy in reply to 3525Tex. | September 25, 2017 at 7:16 am

    I don’t know if your first paragraph is meant to be sarcastic but if it isn’t then you should work for the DNC. That is the biggest collection of BS I have seen in a while!

clayusmcret | September 25, 2017 at 6:45 am

For those wishing to comment directly to the NFL instead of wasting comments on each other, here is the NFL Customer Contact site. It takes comments and posts a few. However, it is moderated. If people use it, they need to keep it clean. Then again, they’ll still get your comment either way.

Contact of National Football League (NFL) customer service
http://customercarecontacts.com/contact-of-national-football-league-nfl-customer-service/

ss396 | September 25, 2017 at 8:09 am

They call themselves the “Patriots” so I guess that means the Left has taken that word and wrecked it, as they have with so many other words.

DanJ1 | September 25, 2017 at 10:15 am

I stayed in the locker room all day, so to speak. Nice to get to bed early on a Sunday. Monday hasn’t been an issue since I don’t have ESPN anymore either.

Davistm | September 25, 2017 at 10:49 am

The DOD pays the NFL large sums of money to do the whole pregame national anthem and such … pretty simple to just cut that off one would think

CaptScientist | September 25, 2017 at 11:05 am

2009 was first year that teams were to stand for the Anthem

http://dailysnark.com/nfl-teams-didnt-stand-national-anthem-2009/

Mac45 | September 25, 2017 at 11:20 am

To understand why an organization such as the NFL would allow this contretemps to occur, you have to understand who the leadership of the NFL, including the team owners, are. They are all part of the rich, Progressive class in America. Since the early 1900s, the wealthy class, in this country, has been becoming more and more peopled with Progressives. They believe themselves to be an elite; smarter and better than the lower economic classes. And, they desperately wish to be accepted by their elitist peers. To accomplish that, they subscribe to every ridiculous Progressive idea that comes along. They either can not, or will not, identify with their customer base, the fans.

Take the pink gear for breast cancer awareness month. In the first place,I think it is a pretty safe bet that every single woman, in this country, over the age of 12, is aware of the potential to develop breast cancer. So, exactly who do we need to remind about this? This is nothing more than another attempt by Progressive to paint a whole class of people, women, as victims. Second, football is a brutal game in which large, sweaty, muscular men brutally pummel each other to gain a territorial advantage. I doubt that not wearing pink gear would diminish the fan base to any noticeable extent. After all, which NFL team wears predominantly pink colors on the field as part of their uniform?

Now, the NFL ownership and leadership finds itself on the horns of a dilemma. By pandering to other rich Progressives, it has alienated its customer base. It must now either appease the fans and run the risk of alienating its Progressive “friends”, or ignoring the situation and risk losing an immense amount of money. Which will the NFL owners choose? Stay tuned.

pilgrim1949 | September 25, 2017 at 11:56 am

Contrast with NASCAR and Petty’s notice to his team — protest during the anthem and be fired.

No ambiguity, no qualifiers.

If THIS, then THAT. Clear English.

Compare with NFL’s hissy fit over Dallas showing support for slain police officers. Cue NFL leadership hissy fit royale.

Also compare with their ton-load-of-bricks reaction to Tim Teabow taking a prayerful knee in the end zone. Man, talk about DEFCON-1, launch all missiles vs the over-permissive parent towards a Terrible Two Temper Tantrum that we’re subjected to every week.

Very WEAK indeed.

Sheesh….

Elkolbster | September 25, 2017 at 12:19 pm

Ironic that players on a team named the Patriots are taking a knee during the national anthem….

JBIsmay | September 25, 2017 at 3:53 pm

The NFL could learn something from Usain Bolt!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8uiYELBajc

dunce1239 | September 25, 2017 at 5:31 pm

The fans are being called racist despite 70% of the players being black. It is very personal and fans can and will often just find another entertainment sport that does not treat them as property.

Ichneumon | September 25, 2017 at 7:33 pm

I think I need a scorecard. What is the “linking arms” supposed to say?

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