Steelers Owner Sends Out Panicked Letter to Fans After Team’s National Anthem Protest

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: GATEWAY PUNDIT

URL: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/09/steelers-owner-sends-letter-fans-team-disrespect-us-flag-military-sundays-game/




Former Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva was the ONLY Steeler to come out for the National Anthem on Sunday. He stood in the tunnel while the rest of the team hid in the locker room like disrespectful cowards.



Villanueva stood with his hand over his heart and sang along with pride during the National Anthem.

The 28-year-old former Army Ranger is a bronze star recipient and served three tours in Afghanistan.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters after the team lost on Sunday that he did not want Army Ranger veteran Alejandro Villanueva to stand for the national anthem.

After the Steelers team refused to honor the US flag and military several fans posted video of themselves torching Steelers jackets, shirts, and caps.

NFL brass must be getting worried.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II sent out a letter to fans on Monday explaining the disrespectful actions.. but not apologizing.

To Steelers Nation:

I want to reach out to you, the members of Steelers Nation, based on what I believe is a misperception about our players’ intentions in not taking the field for the National Anthem in Chicago. The intentions of Steelers players were to stay out of the business of making political statements by not taking the field. Unfortunately, that was interpreted as a boycott of the anthem – which was never our players’ intention.

Our players come from many different backgrounds and are united by what it means to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are active in their communities and participate regularly in events designed to give back to those communities. And they appreciate the support they get from Steelers fans around the country and here at home.

I also know that our players have tremendous respect for the members of our military services, including their teammate Alejandro Villanueva. There was never any desire on the part of our players to show disrespect for our service members.

Yesterday, I received an email from a Steelers fan who said tell the players to just play football. That is exactly what they wanted to do. They wanted their sole focus to be on playing the game, while also coming together as a unified team.

The main thing we can do is learn from this and strive to come together remaining unified as a football team. I believe we are capable of accomplishing this with the support of our fans.

Steelers Nation is made up of the best fans in the National Football League. We appreciate your continued support of our players, coaches and staff.

Sincerely,

Art Rooney, II

[austingirl]

I call BS. Cowardice on display is more like it.

[Frank Cannon]

The NFL is dead.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkNYSQDchY

[TomSea]

And the Pats saying they will stand up for the anthem, they are feeling the heat, see article in the sports, entertainment area.  Yes, people tuned into the games this weekend and I'd say a lot of them for reasons than watching the games themselves.

[truth_seeker]

Apparently Art Rooney II, fails to grasp the anger of many Americans.

The revenue from lost fans is almost entirely profit, since it is the farthest along the break-even chart. 

[jpsb]

The NFL is dead.

Well it up to them now. Stand and play ball or go down swinging.

I'll bet the owners and broadcasters are in an absolute panic. They're probably
overwhelming "progressives" that thought buying into the antifa, BLM and anti-Trump
BS would be good for business. See we are on the correct side of the social issues
American is dealing with. LOL, boy oh boy did they blow it.

This is the greatest win in the culture wars EVER. Thank G*d Trump and normal
Americans took them on. Prior to this we had a few minor wins, Dicksey Chicks,
Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. But this time we stopped a full strength frontal assault
by everything the left has got. Just let that sink in, The left used everything they
have including the NFL to sell "America is racist and Trump votera are white
supremacists" they used EVERYTHING and it blew up in their face. The war is by 
no means over, but now we now we can beat them.

Oh happy days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxAqIWNrfWA

[driftdiver]

Doing ANYTHING other then what is normally done, that being standing respectfully during the national anthem, is making a statement.  Their "not making a statement" spoke loud and clear.

They and everyone that kneels is condemning the entire nation as racists who think its ok to shoot black people.  Not to mention they are choosing to kneel beside a man who openly condemns the US while praising Castro & Che Guevara.   

Eff the NFL.  Can you hear us now Art?

[Fishrrman]

jpsb wrote:
"This is the greatest win in the culture wars EVER. Thank G*d Trump and normal Americans took them on. Prior to this we had a few minor wins, Dicksey Chicks, Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. But this time we stopped a full strength frontal assault by everything the left has got. Just let that sink in, The left used everything they have including the NFL to sell "America is racist and Trump votera are white supremacists" they used EVERYTHING and it blew up in their face. The war is by  no means over, but now we now we can beat them."

Well-stated and thus worth repeating.

Trump CRUSHED the left and democrat/communists on this one.

Touchdown!

[dfwgator]

Be afraid.....be very afraid.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

jpsb wrote:
"This is the greatest win in the culture wars EVER. Thank G*d Trump and normal
Americans took them on. Prior to this we had a few minor wins, Dicksey Chicks,
Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. But this time we stopped a full strength frontal assault
by everything the left has got. Just let that sink in, The left used everything they
have including the NFL to sell "America is racist and Trump votera are white
supremacists" they used EVERYTHING and it blew up in their face. The war is by 
no means over, but now we now we can beat them."

Well-stated and thus worth repeating.

Trump CRUSHED the left and democrat/communists on this one.

Touchdown!

People who lack the principles of respecting the country that supports them are more than likely to lack the principles of staging a fair game.

Look for these people throwing games, further eroding the sport into nothing more than a pre-determined outcome like the WWF.

[dfwgator]

jpsb wrote:
"This is the greatest win in the culture wars EVER. Thank G*d Trump and normal
Americans took them on. Prior to this we had a few minor wins, Dicksey Chicks,
Target, Hobby Lobby, etc. But this time we stopped a full strength frontal assault
by everything the left has got. Just let that sink in, The left used everything they
have including the NFL to sell "America is racist and Trump votera are white
supremacists" they used EVERYTHING and it blew up in their face. The war is by 
no means over, but now we now we can beat them."

Well-stated and thus worth repeating.

Trump CRUSHED the left and democrat/communists on this one.

Touchdown!

Trump in the White House is merely a symptom of this movement we are seeing to take back the culture.  He is not the one leading it.   If Trump told us that it was ok the Support the NFL,  I wouldn't do it,  because this movement is bigger than he is.

[TomSea]

Such a proud tradition, it really is and at times, I've been a real Steeler hater... the way one pulls for some teams to lose but that was all in sports and love and war.  This is a whole different kettle of fish and puts  the "hating other teams" in perspective; I mean, that's what kids do mostly.



But now, all of the teams are about the same, the Ravens and Jags and a few other teams may have done worse but the arm in arm means solidarity.

If GB tells their fans to go arm in arm, I said only 35% at the most will do it, now, I say, I'll bet only 15% will do it, with 25% at the most, this is the team of Bart Starr and of course, Vince Lombardi, Reggie White, Brett Favre. I don't think any of these folks would be "down" with this kind of behavior.

There's also been some reporting that the networks would not show the boo-birds.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I have never seen, on my Facebook feed, such a universally negative reaction to an event in my time on there. I'm friends with a lot of apolitical people and they were all speaking out against this.

This has backfired on the left big time.

[jpsb]

Trump in the White House is merely a symptom of this movement we are seeing to take back the culture.  He is not the one leading it.   If Trump told us that it was ok the Support the NFL,  I wouldn't do it,  because this movement is bigger than he is.

But he didn't do that did he? He jumped into, the NFL dissing America with both feet. No other politician had the guts to do that. Trump did and he lead us to glorious victory.

[Taxcontrol]

Nope.  I did not once see the word "sorry" or "apologize".  Until that happens, just shuffling the deck chairs.