Black players protest

[Donray]

I guess the black players are protesting the racism in sports. They want more white players and think the there are too many blacks taking over sports.

Why don't these guys go to someplace they like and play football?

Lets all boycott football since it is racist.

[Wabash]

That's not the point of their protest.

[Fordama]

How stupid does one have to be at this point not to know why they are kneeling?

I can see not agreeing with them, but you have to have a complete anal-cranium inversion at this point to not know what they are saying.

[John Q. Public]

Interesting.

Here's the rule on that, via Snopes (emphasis mine):

The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the NFL League Rulebook. It states:

‘The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition … It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.’

So the kneelers aren't in violation but the teams that stayed in the locker room are.

[Wabash]

........the teams that stayed in the locker room are.

Which was the norm until about 2010.

[Bick]

How stupid does one have to be at this point not to know why they are kneeling?

I can see not agreeing with them, but you have to have a complete anal-cranium inversion at this point to not know what they are saying.

Please tell me you think this escalation of kneeling, arm banding, locker room waiting is an FU to Trump more than any protest of police brutality.

[broman]

Surprised it took this long for somebody to play the "you don't like it, leave" card.

[MDDad]

The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the NFL League Rulebook. It states:

"The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition … It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses."

I wrote policies and procedures for many years, and I learned in my first few months that one never uses words like "should" and "may" when defining what is acceptable or what is to be done. It's hard to believe that the NFL with their billion-dollar legal teams don't know that. A "RulebooK' is no place for suggestions.

[Wabash]

Could be the NFL attorneys approved those procedures to be written that way to allow for wiggle room.

[joefutbol]

Ain't no patriotism like forced patriotism.

[Wabash]

I thought Bob Costas makes an interesting point. Why is the subjective support of the flag conflated with support of the military?

Bob Costas on NFL protests

"This is no disrespect to the military," said Costas. “Martin Luther King was a patriot. Susan B. Anthony was a patriot. Dissidents are patriots. School teachers and social workers are patriots."

Costas says he believes patriotism has been associated with the military only, but argues that patriotism is about more than just our brave soldiers.

"Patriotism comes in many forms and what has happened is that it's been conflated with a bumper sticker-style kind of flag-waving and with the military only, so that people cannot see that in his own way Colin Kaepernick, however imperfectly, is doing a patriotic thing. And so too are some of these other players.”

I agree with him completely.

I doubt many of those criticizing the NFL players taking a knee ever get off their couch when the anthem is played on TV.

[Vilepagan]

I guess the black players are protesting the racism in sports.

I guess you have no idea what they're protesting, Try again.

[John Q. Public]

It's hard to believe that the NFL with their billion-dollar legal teams don't know that.

Their billion-dollar legal teams probably realized they'd have religious discrimination suits on their hands if they made it a requirement.

[MDDad]

Then why even put it in the "Rulebook"?

[Fordama]

Please tell me you think this escalation of kneeling, arm banding, locker room waiting is an FU to Trump more than any protest of police brutality.

Absolutely--Trump has escalated the issue immensely! Calling people who are fighting racism "sons of bitches" surely hasn't helped.

[John Q. Public]

Jerry Jones joins his players.

[Wabash]

That is a surprise.

[John Q. Public]

Probably very confusing to Donald and the people who think this is some kind of anti-police, anti-America protest.

[Bick]

Absolutely--Trump has escalated the issue immensely! Calling people who are fighting racism "sons of bitches" surely hasn't helped.

For what it's worth, I don't think any of those guys are fighting racism. It was a collective screw U to Trump. After walking a beat in Chicago with the guys who put their lives on the line each day, I'd be interested to see what they suggest, specifically, to address their complaint about police brutality. Until they actually DO something of substance, their taking a knee is as meaningful as Michelle Obama holding her #BringBackOurGirls sign with her sad face.

However, if I'm in the NFL (dreamt it once), I'll be damned if I'd let Trump or anyone tell me how I should respect the flag / national anthem. If I haven't figured it out by now, then I never will.

I believe taking a knee during the nat'l anthem for some political purpose is a face slap to those who put their lives on the line to defend our country. I would find some other way to tell Trump to cram it...like find a better candidate?

[John Q. Public]

Is it just coincidence that all this is taking place during Milo Yianawhateverhisnameis's "Free Speech Week"?