Never thought I would say this
- Thread starter nvEERs
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The rules are found on pages A62-63 of the league’s game operations manual:
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.
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.
Of course I can. I can do what I want. And I am not boycotting. I am just not going to watch it while this is going on. I'll check the scores and what not, but I just can't endorse this action with my limited time. Now, if Holgorsen would lead the team out onto the field long after the anthem... Yes, I would have strong issues with that.
If you are saying that I can't have it both ways. This is what I have a problem with concerning the NFL. They are having it both ways. The NFL either needs to have freedom of expression on none.
- Last year the NFL barred the Dallas Cowboys from wearing a decal on their helmet honoring the five police officers killed in a domestic terror attack.
- The NFL also banned the Tennessee Titan's linebacker, Avery Williamson, from honoring 9/11 victims by wearing cleats that read "9-11/01" and "Never Forget" on the 15th anniversary of the terror attack.
- The NFL fined Robert Griffin III $10,000 for wearing a t-shirt during a press conference that said "Operation Patience." (The shirt was created by Reebok and players are required to only wear clothing sold by Nike.)
- RGIII also ran into trouble with the league for wearing a shirt that said "Know Jesus, Know Peace."
- The NFL has banned players from wearing Beats headphones on the field (doing so violated the league's deal with Bose).
- The Steelers' William Gay was fined for wearing purple cleats, which he did to raise awareness for domestic violence (an issue Goodell claims the league takes seriously).
- Goodell's opposition to speech he dislikes is so determined that he even has a Patriots fan who flipped him off fired from his job.
Let me guess, you were cool with cheering them on when Roethlisberger was raping women? But not coming out of a locker room?
The POTUS.
"Fire the sons of bitches."
Not to defend Trump, and maybe I missed one of his responses, but what I heard him say was that if he were the owner, he would fire them..to paraphrase. Or that the owners should fire them. It's his opinion, and his right to it. I don't agree with it at all, but I don't agree with the method of protest.
When trump said that, all I heard was fire the people that are protesting bc unarmed black people are getting killed, Lol! Why didn't he say fire those protesting for hate in Charlottesville? Or why didn't he say that there were some good people protesting in the nfl?
It's not mandatory patriotism that I am arguing. If you are going to argue that, then you have to say that the guys kneeling are not patriotic. You can't make that argument. They can choose to do whatever they want. My argument is that there are better ways to make a point than what they are doing. A way in which there would be almost 100% unity behind them. You want people to get behind you on a cause. That is the end goal. Not divide people even more. I agree, Trump is a clown for even getting involved, but one has to be smart about the way they go about drawing attention to a problem.
Unfortunately it isn't above him.
And your statement is true. If WVU players do this and Dana allows it then he has some 'splainin to do. Scholarships are a yearly contract...that's it. Hopefully the players are mindful of this.
I'm getting tired of all the drama Trump creates. Dude needs to settle down and stick to getting something done.
Yeh, republicans control both houses and presidency. Maybe it's time to give the Dems a chance.
not exactly. they need 2/3 to override a veto or to pass a constitutional amendment. majority rules for healthcare vote and most other votes. but it is complicated, so i see why so many people are confused
I'm glad they haven't done anything for healthcare yet. They need to leave it alone and just let it tank. Or actually come up with a simple plan where there is a federal law dictating that the insurance companies can't exempt themselves from covering pre-existing conditions.
Wouldn't it be nice if a president stated that in a rational way?
Barack Obama on Colin Kaepernick's protest
“There are gonna be a lot of folks who do stuff we don’t agree with...but as long as they’re doing it within the law, then we can voice our opinion objecting to it, but it’s also their right," Obama said during a CNN town hall event last September, not long after Kaepernick first knelt.
Obama did not call for the NFL to fire or suspend any of its players for the incident. Instead, he encouraged onlookers to think about why Kaepernick was taking action.
“I want Mr. Kaepernick and others who are on a knee, I want them to to listen to the pain that that may cause somebody who, for example, had a spouse or a child who was killed in combat and why it hurts them to see somebody not standing. But I also want people to think about the pain he may be expressing about somebody who’s lost a loved one that they think was unfairly shot,” Obama said.
President Trump on NFL kneeling movement
"We're proud of our country, we respect our flag," Trump said at a rally Friday. "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired!"
"Some owners are going to do that. [They will say] 'that guy who disrespects our flag, he's fired!' That owner, they don't know it. They're friends of mine, many of them. They don't know, they'll be the most popular person for a week," he continued at the stump speech in Alabama.
"I know we have freedoms, and freedom of choice... but you know what, it's still disrespectful," he said. "The only thing you can do better is if you see it, even if its one player, leave the stadium. I guarantee it, things will stuff. Just pick up and leave."
http://time.com/4955050/trump-obama-nfl-nba-kaepernick-kneeling/
They both have their own agendas. And I am not defending trump. Again. Using the flag is not the way to go about this. That is what people who hate America do. If you love America and want it to be better, then do something positive that doesn't feed into what our enemies are already doing.
The only one that applies is the flag stretched across the field. I think that there actually may be an allowance for that though. It has been many years since the flag code was shoved into my head. As far as the rest of it goes, that is a misunderstanding. As long as an actual flag is not used in clothing, etc, etc. then it is exempt. Just having a flag print is not a violation, or else every military person with the stars and bars on their shoulder would be in violation.
For reference, it is against flag code to an official flag that has flown, and use the material to make a dress.
For reference, it is against flag code to an official flag that has flown, and use the material to make a dress.
The words "flag, standard, colors, or ensign", as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America.
http://www.military.com/flag-day/us-flag-code.html
Big Ben:
I was unable to sleep last night and want to share my thoughts and feelings on our team’s decision to remain in the tunnel for the National Anthem yesterday. The idea was to be unified as a team when so much attention is paid to things dividing our country, but I wish we approached it differently. We did not want to appear divided on the sideline with some standing and some kneeling or sitting.
As a team, it was not a protest of the flag or the Anthem. I personally don’t believe the Anthem is ever the time to make any type of protest. For me, and many others on my team and around the league, it is a tribute to those who commit to serve and protect our country, current and past, especially the ones that made the ultimate sacrifice.
I appreciate the unique diversity in my team and throughout the league and completely support the call for social change and the pursuit of true equality. Moving forward, I hope standing for the Anthem shows solidarity as a nation, that we stand united in respect for the people on the front lines protecting our freedom and keeping us safe. God bless those men and women.
I was unable to sleep last night and want to share my thoughts and feelings on our team’s decision to remain in the tunnel for the National Anthem yesterday. The idea was to be unified as a team when so much attention is paid to things dividing our country, but I wish we approached it differently. We did not want to appear divided on the sideline with some standing and some kneeling or sitting.
As a team, it was not a protest of the flag or the Anthem. I personally don’t believe the Anthem is ever the time to make any type of protest. For me, and many others on my team and around the league, it is a tribute to those who commit to serve and protect our country, current and past, especially the ones that made the ultimate sacrifice.
I appreciate the unique diversity in my team and throughout the league and completely support the call for social change and the pursuit of true equality. Moving forward, I hope standing for the Anthem shows solidarity as a nation, that we stand united in respect for the people on the front lines protecting our freedom and keeping us safe. God bless those men and women.
Cuyahoga Falls Eers You indicated because of slavery that you can understand why African-Americans might feel badly toward the United States. One reminder - it was under our Nation's flag that hundreds of thousands of Union troops died to eliminate slavery. That's a fact that I don't hear much about.
In addition, I would like to mention that anywhere I've ever worked I did not have the right to voice my political views while on the job. However, what I did on my own time was my own business. The point I'm trying to make is this when in uniform and on the field, NFL players are at work, so it seems to me that the employer has some rights in setting rules on what an employee can do while representing the company. As far as I'm concerned the NFL is supporting disrespecting the Flag of this Nation.
In addition, I would like to mention that anywhere I've ever worked I did not have the right to voice my political views while on the job. However, what I did on my own time was my own business. The point I'm trying to make is this when in uniform and on the field, NFL players are at work, so it seems to me that the employer has some rights in setting rules on what an employee can do while representing the company. As far as I'm concerned the NFL is supporting disrespecting the Flag of this Nation.
I agree and believe that a lot of the protesting folks need to give it a try in the USSR.
I guarantee you wouldn't be so glib about our freedoms if you ever fought for them. That really is the dividing line in this debate
You need to read the first amendment about freedom of speech. It says "Congress shall make no law...", that's all. Anyone can say anything they want, but when it's done in the workplace, you take the chance your employers...or your customers...will not agree with the message and fine you, suspend you, or turn you off. Your choice, but there are consequences that have nothing to do with "freedom of speech."
Free Speech in the workplace is the issue here (imo). Are the players paid professional employees? Seems to me they are, so that's a Yes. Simple solution is the teams take the field after the National Anthem.
I don't have the answer but change starts at home and in communities not on the National stage.
I don't have the answer but change starts at home and in communities not on the National stage.
This was reported elsewhere: A lot has been made of Colin Kaepernick and many other NFL players’ decision to protest the National Anthem prior to games, many people have called for fines, suspensions and even releases of the players.
But did you know that until 2009, no NFL player stood for the national anthem?
NO NFL PLAYER STOOD FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM UNTIL 2009—BEFORE THEN, THE PLAYERS STAYED IN THE LOCKER ROOM AS THE ANTHEM PLAYED. NFL TEAMS GOT PATRIOTIC IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS GOOD FOR BUSINESS. A 2015 CONGRESSIONAL REPORT REVEALED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAD PAID $5.4 MILLION TO NFL TEAMS BETWEEN 2011 AND 2014 TO STAGE ON-FIELD PATRIOTIC CEREMONIES; THE NATIONAL GUARD SHELLED OUT $6.7 MILLION FOR SIMILAR DISPLAYS BETWEEN 2013 AND 2015.
But did you know that until 2009, no NFL player stood for the national anthem?
NO NFL PLAYER STOOD FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM UNTIL 2009—BEFORE THEN, THE PLAYERS STAYED IN THE LOCKER ROOM AS THE ANTHEM PLAYED. NFL TEAMS GOT PATRIOTIC IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE IT WAS GOOD FOR BUSINESS. A 2015 CONGRESSIONAL REPORT REVEALED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAD PAID $5.4 MILLION TO NFL TEAMS BETWEEN 2011 AND 2014 TO STAGE ON-FIELD PATRIOTIC CEREMONIES; THE NATIONAL GUARD SHELLED OUT $6.7 MILLION FOR SIMILAR DISPLAYS BETWEEN 2013 AND 2015.
Weird. All the players were standing tonight and I was sitting on my couch. I'm sure everyone else was standing in their living room so I must be a son of a bitch.
The Google engineer who wrote the 'manifesto' about a month ago that some would call 'politically incorrect but accurate' and most others would say was sexist-- he was fired. His first amendment rights were no different from these players'.
I have no problem with talking about racial inequality and trying to improve policing. But I just do not believe the narrative that Trump is a White supremicist. Antifa DID help to incite violence in Charlottesville.
Kaepernick wore clothing (socks) with pigs dressed as police and extolled the virtues of Fidel Castro. And he played poorly last year. I just don't get the outrage that he is unsigned.
I always appreciate and respect your input, CFE. Just want to put my two cents in.
LGM!
That is rather stupid...not sure how many times the anthem is actually played on tv before a game, but don't let reality get in the way of a Captain America meme.
