Speros: NFL fumbles in its response to Trump

[Right_in_Virginia]

Speros: NFL fumbles in its response to Trump
Boston Herald, Sep 25, 2017, Bill Speros / Obnoxious Boston Fan

Donald Trump drove this bus, tweeting away at 100 mph. It blew straight past Crazy Town. His speech on Friday and subsequent posts about firing “SOBs” who kneel during the national anthem threw plutonium on a fire that has been smoldering for a year. That fire blew up on an increasingly beleaguered — and increasingly holier-than-thou — NFL.

The national media narrative heading into yesterday’s NFL play was simple: “You either support players who take a knee during the national anthem, or you are a racist.”

Condemnation of Trump was necessary, if not compulsory. Players tweeted it. Media types broke their ankles tripping over each other to reach the sanctimony summit. NFL team owners, following Roger Goodell’s lead, joined the echo chamber out of expediency and fear of social media backlash.

Left out of this equation — the metaphorical Joe and Jane Sixpack and their two kids, Brady and Tammy Lynn. They dropped $700 or so on four tickets, plus more on concessions, parking and swag at Gillette. Their reward: Tom Brady being Tom Brady. That was unfortunately preceded by a visual lecture on how they do not understand “the struggle” — delivered by athletes whose salaries average $1.9 million per year, supported by a group of owners whose balance sheet is in the billions.

The “1 Percent” on steroids. And that 1 percent just called Joe and Jane Sixpack racists. Not a winning play for a league that is already having a bad couple of years.


Read more:  http://www.bostonherald.com/news/columnists/bill_speros/2017/09/speros_nfl_fumbles_in_its_response_to_trump

[DB]

Add this to the mix:

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2017/09/25/steelers-coach-mike-tomlin-raps-alejandro-villanueva-for-standing-for-national-anthem.html

I don't believe that's going to go over well with a lot of people! Idiot coach...

[IsailedawayfromFR]

The idiot coach went on full-throated liberal America-bashing display as he believes respecting football players is more important than a vet who risked his life can respect the country he served.

I do hope Pittsburgh loses every remaining game this year.

[driftdiver]

No NFL for me.   Screw em

[TomSea]

For some teams, it is like they are putting a big sign on their back:

"Hate My Team", the Steelers did do that. And that Western Pennsylvania area is just nuts about the Steelers, drive in the rural country and one sees Steelers flags out, all kinds of things.

Jacksonville did do that but they've been one of the biggest losing teams for a decade, it's hard to really get that upset with them.