Kneeling not much different than burning the flag. It is disrespect and nothing more.If a player wants to be disrespectful of the national anthem then get off the field and into the stands or on a street corner,facebook,twitter.

You might be interested in this article, Nucky. It lists charity donations of NFL team by team. You can click on each team to learn more. This was 2017.
Here’s how NFL players are making an impact off the football field - SBNation.com

U got to be kidding me
 

Agree with Skunky 1 Kneeling not much different than burning the flag. It is disrespect to our nation and nothing more. If a player wants to be disrespectful of the national anthem then get off the field and into the stands or on a street corner where you belong

Served 33yrs USAF Marc O

In addition to what the various legitimate foundations do and have been doing for many years...

Economic & Social Impact | NFL Football Operations

If you don't like the policies that your employer sets forth, providing they are legal, you are more than free to seek employment elsewhere. Nobody is being forced.

Where would you ever get the idea that a workplace is a democracy?

I agree
 

I agree not because I disagree with some players' beliefs, I agree because a pro-football game is neither the place nor the time to express you own political views. This should not be a left/right issue, it's about appropriateness.

The timeline of the Sitting, Kneeling, The Donation Starting thing is what intrigues me. Everyone wants to follow the money so he sat unnoticed 8/14/2016 then the crying about sitting and kneeling started. Hope its accurate so far. Then the Drive for A Million starts 10/2016. Good, or off base? If the contributions started before the kneeling then maybe its time to re group. If the Money started flowing after the Knee hit the ground lets go to the instant replay and call this a big pile of what it is. Bull***t.

I just want to watch football again this year. Lock them in the bathroom like in The Bronx Tale. Enough already.

Mrs. Nucky read and showed me Jehovah's Witnesses don't salute the flag and The Amish don't stand for The Anthem. Archie Bunker was correct the world is Going To Hell. I'm going to the pool. Later. You guys have to solve this one without me. I surrender.

Haven't watched for years. My team is already maligned for its name, for which I have no problem. These guys are paid too much, the tickets are outrageous, I can get my team most times on the tv without paying extra. So, who cares. Not me. The owners don't care either unless they are not making money. When the owners start losing real money and cities stop letting themselves be taken over the coals. Then maybe there will be change. Money talks.

Just a few comments if I may...

1. I do not like the kneeling for the anthem, but I get it and understand it. When the Tea Party was disrespecting the flag, I made it my business to understand actually burying and burning the flag or flying it upside down

2. No conversations on the WHY of the reason for the kneeling, which is amazing.

3. Those who call this "political" have a good point. That was the intent from the get go, not by the players by the way and that has succeeded.

4. I attach a link which allows the story of the time when during the Vietnam when NINE MILLION saw active duty and nobody ever said "thank you for your service", but now with less than 2 percent serving we have this.

While people were demonstrating in the streets the NFL stepped up efforts for the country "Pete Rozelle, inaugurated the Super Bowl in 1967, and with it launched “a conscious effort on our part to bring the element of patriotism” into the game, as he put it. The flyover and “salute to America” was born". There was a dark side and it is covered. Point is we seem to have short and convenient memories, and yes.....it is because of politics. We were told early on that social unrest was the core.

The roots of the NFL’s national anthem controversy stretch to the 1960s and Vietnam - The Washington Post

We just never seem to learn. In my opinion, the flag is being used, but not by the players.

It is sad to have these discussions on Memorial Day frankly. No discussions of WHAT people died for....WHAT protests are about....WHAT the flag really stands for...itis just sad to me.

In my lexicon, kneeling is more reverential than standing.

Let's see now, so far some have tried to divert the REAL reason for kneeling, which is to shine a light on prejudice, racism and police brutality toward those of color... into:

1. False anti-patriotism directed against the athletes, while totally ignoring the continued food sales, fans who ignore the anthem, those at home getting their snacks, using the bathroom, etc., etc....while proclaiming their own 'ultra-patriotism.' :oops:

2. It's actually governed by work rules and therefore the athletes should do what the owners want, except of course those owners who actually have empathy and agree with those shining the light on racism, bigotry and police brutality...in which case those owners should have their teams taken away from them.


Sorry folks, as hard as you try with diversions and obfuscations...you can't change the TRUTH.

And why is it, that the most outspoken toward the (choose one: 1. Pampered (black) athletes. 2. 'Hood rats.' 3. Hypocritical black millionaires. 4. Make up your own coded bigoted/racist description) are almost totally moot...when it comes to the reason for the kneeling in the first place?

Never mind...intelligent folks know why. :ohdear:

FACTS MATTER.

Mrs Nucky was accurate, and this policy will or could be more embarrassing as the possibility of very few players even on the field when the anthem is played is real. Then, I guess we pan the stands and start a contreversary with fans not being whatever somebody wants them to be.

We have completely lost touch of what is patriotism, and what is respect, etc.

In other words anyone that doesn't agree with you must be wrong? Got it.

I truly believe on your own time you can do as you please. On company time when you are being paid, there are certain rules and policies, every company has in effect. This is an NFL policy.

YEP! :ohdear:

This thread is about the kneeling policy. Not about the reason for the protests..

Facts Matter.. :ho:

I think if the NFL had just done nothing, everything would have worked out just fine. I think the issue would have been pretty much over on its own, but now the NFL has inserted itself for only one reason. - MONEY!

This is a manufactured situation.

The issue of WHY is ignored. The NFL was embarrassed by...let's say INTERNATIONAL attention.....and had to do something due to POLITICAL pressure. The repercussions from their actions will be worse.

In San Francisco, all concession stands will now be closed during the anthem. We are getting close to mandatory patriotism, and world history does not treat those actions well. It is not our country for sure.

I agreed with everything you said until your comment about money. This is politics....all rich business men with interests they are not going to screw with

There's plenty of blame to go around. The players could have framed their protest in a better way. They chose to in all intents and purposes to boycott the National Anthem. That obviously didn't sit well with a good part of the football audience. Now the owners are backpeddeling trying to save viewership and advertiser revenue.

If the WHY is being ignored maybe they need to present their cause in a better way. You're not going to further your cause by ****ing off your intended audience.

AWESOME! :thumbup:

Not going to challenge you because I am not sure but..can you supply any back up outside of anecdotal to support that a "good part of the football audience" objected, and any links etc should be prior to this being inserted into the political arena.

I guess I could have used Americans instead of football audience. Poll: 53 percent of Americans say it’s ‘never appropriate’ to kneel during the national anthem - The Washington Post

But this article does state that 50% of people who are watching less football is because of the protests.
NFL ratings down due to anthem protests: survey - Washington Times

Now this is a fair and cogent argument.

CNN poll: Americans split on anthem protests - CNNPolitics
Since kneeling, in spite of attempts to distract/divert/obfuscate otherwise, started as a protest of the unfair treatment of people of color...which demographic should count more and carry more weight? :ohdear:


Facts matter. :ho:

Ok, but those polls were taken recently. I mentioned I was interested in prior to the onset of POTUS daily comments, which I think were maybe last September.

Up to that date, and I am close but will accept valid changes...I think 9 or 10 players had protested in total. The first Sunday after the daiyl assaults, over 200 knelt.

The weight of the POTUS comments worldwide, is and always has been dramatic. Measured words have usually been a par for the job.

The first player to sit/kneel explained his reason immediately, and remember he and a few others were the only ones UNTIL it was made political.

When it was made political, it was turned around and the reason was NEVER discussed.

Colin Kaepernick explains why he sat during national anthem - NFL.com

The topic of this poll and thread is whether you agree or disagree with the NFL’s new policy on protests during the National Anthem. A moderator comment was inserted previously requesting posters to stay on that topic. Unfortunately, that warning has not been heeded. This thread is now closed.

Moderator