It's a [bad] joke to use the word "modesty" when referring to the DiC ~ ~ I read somewhere that [I think] the NY Jets owner promised to pay any fines levied against the team players for disobeying this new "rule" ~ I also read somewhere that the NFL union is considering suing over this as infringing on the players' rights to "peacefully demonstrate" ~ personally I support the players who choose to kneel ~ and FTR, I adamantly oppose the DiC's comments I bolded below ~ Sooz

NFL owners admit Trump pressured them into banning player protests
Travis Gettys / 24 May 2018 at 09:03 ET

President Donald Trump, in a rare display of modesty, refused to accept credit for a newly enacted ban on NFL player protests — but team owners admit he pressured them into the controversial policy.

Players will not be allowed to protest during the national anthem under the new policy, although they may remain in the locker room, after Trump and some fans complained about silent demonstrations against racism and police brutality.

“I think the people pushed this forward, this was not me,” Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Thursday morning. “I brought it out, I think the people pushed it forward. This country’s very smart, we have very smart people. That’s something (that) ideally could have been taken care after it first started, it would have been a lot easier, but if they did that, they’re doing the right thing.”

However, team officials admit they banned player protests to appease Trump, reported Sports Illustrated.

“Oh yeah,” said Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy. “It was more how [Trump] might react, anticipating that. Also, how the fans will react, how the media will react. That’s what we tried to think through.”

“No matter what we did, [Trump] would probably try to get involved one way or the other — either criticizing us or taking credit for the change,” he added.

The president told Fox News that he didn’t think the policy went far enough, saying that players should not be allowed to remain in the locker room — and he suggested that citizenship was conditional.

“You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there,” Trump said. “Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country. You have to stand proudly for the national anthem, and the NFL owners have done the right thing, if that’s what they’ve done.”

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted Trump’s name came up during discussion on the protest ban.

“[Trump] certainly initiated some of the thinking, and was a part of the entire picture,” Jones said. “But all of that was given consideration.”

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York, who abstained from voting on the policy, said league officials enacted the ban because vocal fans complained about the protests.

“At the end of the day, we are an entertainment property,” York said. “You tune into football on Sunday or Monday or Thursday to get away from everything else. And I think people have had enough of the political fights. I think people do want to get back to football. But our players also have the ability, and the right to champion their causes and bring attention to those causes.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/05/nfl-owners-admit-trump-pressured-banning-player-protests/

What is so sad about this is the ignorance of the people who applaud the action taken by the NFL. When in actuality they are the ones dishonoring the flag and spitting on all it stands for so they can tell themselves how patriotic they. Meanwhile, men and women died to protect the very rights they want to deny. So many on my FB page, family and friends are waving the flag and think it a great win - it disgusts and infuriates me at the same time.

I read somewhere that the interim owner of the Jets (brother owns, but is an ambassador somewhere) said they would pay any fines incurred if players take a knee. He said the game is more important than any bans or fines and that the players should feel free to do what they want.

Well, if anyone wasn't convinced of Grabem's racism and bigotry they have to be believers now. Pressuring industries to ban protests against racism and police brutality pretty much tells the tale of where he's coming from.

i am boycotting the NFL. i pretty much never watched it, anyway- but now, i am not watching it at all, until this ban is lifted.

performers have the right to speak their minds, and their fans will just have to live with that, or not watch them perform. those SHOULD be their two options. this third option doesn't work for me.

From my Facebook feed ~ primo Andy Borowitz! ~ ~ Sooz

Seems to me NFL owners should own ballet companies instead of football teams.

I wonder what would happen if entire teams stayed in the locker room just to defy Grabem and the owners and to support their teammates.

They have that option, apparently.

From my Facebook feed ~ TRUTH!!! ~ Sooz

i am done with the NFL. haven't really watched it for years. not going to watch it anymore.

macroscopic wrote:

i am done with the NFL. haven't really watched it for years. not going to watch it anymore.

I would boycott them too, but I've never watched a game so I don't expect it would have a lot of effect. Where I grew up everything was either uphill or downhill. Nothing flat except lakes when they froze - hence half the NHL coming from Flin Flon. The terrain just didn't lend itself to football. Besides what's the point in a sport where you don't sharpen your stick beforehand.

A fan of swordplay, are you?

Pro sports aren't sports. They're entertainment and more scandals and controversies keep tem in the headlines.

A fan of swordplay, are you?

Only to the extent of a two minute penalty.

This one isn't true. Tebow never knelt during national anthem.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tim-t ... el-anthem/

i did like Time Tebow, however.

Sounds to me like the DiC was angry/embarrassed by all of the Eagles players who refused to attend and who are still speaking out ~ ~ Sooz

Trump calls off Eagles visit over anthem dispute
Associated Press 1 hr ago

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Digging deeper into a culture war that he's repeatedly stoked, President Donald Trump on Monday called off a visit by the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House Tuesday, citing the dispute over whether NFL players must stand during the playing of the national anthem.

Trump said in a statement that some members of the Super Bowl championship team "disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country."

He said the team wanted to send a smaller delegation, but "the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better."

Instead, Trump said he would be hosting "a different type of ceremony," featuring the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus, that "will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem."

It remains unclear exactly what prompted the change of plans. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about what had sparked the decision and why the circumstances were different from other events honoring winning teams, which some players have boycotted. The team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But wide receiver Torrey Smith, who said previously that he planned to skip the visit, responded with a series of tweets.

"So many lies," he wrote, adding, "Not many people were going to go."

Smith, who played on the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia team before being traded to the Carolina Panthers in March, added: "No one refused to go simply because Trump `insists' folks stand for the anthem. ... The President continues to spread the false narrative that players are anti military."

He went on: "There are a lot of people on the team that have plenty of different views. The men and women that wanted to go should've been able to go. It's a cowardly act to cancel the celebration because the majority of the people don't want to see you. To make it about the anthem is foolish."

The NFL recently announced a new policy requiring players to stand for the anthem if they're on the field before a game, but gave them the option of staying in the locker room if they want to carry on the Colin Kaepernick-inspired campaign against police brutality and social injustice.

Trump has repeatedly stoked the issue, saying the NFL should fire any players who kneel during the anthem. During an interview after the new policy was announced, Trump praised the league for doing "the right thing."

"You have to stand proudly for the national anthem," Trump said. Or "you shouldn't be playing, you shouldn't be there. Maybe they shouldn't be in the country."

Several members of the Eagles have voiced staunch opposition.

"This is a fear of the diminished bottom line," defensive end Chris Long said last month after the NFL announced its new policy. "It's also fear of a president turning his base against a corporation. This is not patriotism. Don't get it confused. These owners don't love America more than the players demonstrating and taking real action to improve it."

Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins is among the outspoken players have also vowed to carry on the cause.

"I will not let it silence me or stop me from fighting," he said recently. "This has never been about taking a knee, raising a fist or anyone's patriotism, but doing what we can to effect real change for real people."

In response to the canceled White House event, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., invited the Eagles to come to Capitol Hill.

"I'm proud of what the (at)Eagles accomplished this year. I'm skipping this political stunt at the White House and just invited the Eagles to Congress. (at)Eagles How about a tour of the Capitol?" he wrote.

White House legislative director Marc Short said in an appearance on CNN that he didn't know who had canceled on whom, but said, "It's unfortunate when politics gets in the middle of this."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/trump-calls-off-eagles-visit-over-anthem-dispute/ar-AAydRlv?li=BBnb7Kz

LOVE this!!! ~ from my Facebook feed with the caption: "I am now a Philadelphia Eagles fan. Fly Eagles Fly!"

WOW! ~ this direct bull's eye/mega strong message from the Mayor of Philadelphia just came across my Facebook feed ~ good on Mayor Kenney! ~ ~ Sooz

This is more of an English controversy than a football one- who the hell made up disinvited and what is wrong with the perfectly good word uninvited? Seems like football keeps making up it's own words- like defensed in place of defended. What the hell?