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ORIGINAL: BoscoX


Before the rise of you hated and despised fringe leftists and your communist takeover of the Democrat party, things like displaying the flag and military flyovers were never considered to be political

We all loved our country (generic we [;)])

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

NFL players, teams and owners across the league responded Sunday to President Trump's criticism of players kneeling in protest during the national anthem, with some kneeling, others locking arms and one team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, choosing not to participate in the national anthem ceremony at all.

As the "Star-Spangled Banner" played at Soldier Field in Chicago for the noon game between the Chicago Bears and the Steelers, the Pittsburgh team's sideline was virtually empty.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told a CBS Sports reporter prior to the game that his team would stay in the locker room during the anthem.

"We're not participating in the anthem today," Tomlin said, adding that the action was "not to be disrespectful to the anthem" but to remove the team "from this circumstance."

"People shouldn't have to choose" whether to kneel or stand during the anthem, he said. "If a guy feels a need to do something he should not be separated from his teammate who chooses not to."

President Trump calls for kneeling NFL players to be fired

"So we're not participating today," he said. "That's our decision."

The Steelers' action was among many varied responses today and over the weekend to President Donald Trump's calling for the firing of NFL players who kneel in protest during the anthem.

Earlier Sunday, a host of players in London took a knee and locked arms together as the United States national anthem was performed.

More: http://abcnews.go.com/US/nfl-players-kneel-lock-arms-solidarity-national-anthem/story?id=50056165

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ORIGINAL: AtUrCervix
Actually (I hate to agree but).....flawless.

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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.”

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ORIGINAL: bounty44
the language however is a little fuzzy when it comes to the fines/suspensions, etc when they are ON the field, but indeed not standing respectfully.

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ORIGINAL: JVoV

I never understood the purpose of televising the national anthem every game, every week. It just wastes time. We don't watch them dress, why do we need to see if they're patriotic or not on any given day. Real celebrities sing it once, maybe twice a year, for every sport? And it's usually a butcher job of Whitney's rendition. (Still, the best ever)

Or it's some local talent.

Does basketball have to do the anthem every game? I know it's bad for baseball, with so many more games each week than football.

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ORIGINAL: bounty44

it'll be interesting to see if this continues to be an issue, when the owners meet to discuss rule changes, if this will be a part of the conversation.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

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ORIGINAL: vincentML

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ORIGINAL: JVoV

I never understood the purpose of televising the national anthem every game, every week. It just wastes time. We don't watch them dress, why do we need to see if they're patriotic or not on any given day. Real celebrities sing it once, maybe twice a year, for every sport? And it's usually a butcher job of Whitney's rendition. (Still, the best ever)

Or it's some local talent.

Does basketball have to do the anthem every game? I know it's bad for baseball, with so many more games each week than football.

The purpose is to instill patriotism in military age young men. It is a persuader, a piece of military propaganda with the unfurling of the flag, the playing/singing of the anthem, and the jets fly over. The Pentagon pays a goodly sum to the home team for the advertisement.

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

Haven't watched any NFL games for a decade or so, have you?

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ORIGINAL: bounty44

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ORIGINAL: AtUrCervix
Actually (I hate to agree but).....flawless.

no---because sitting at home and watching/hearing the national anthem carries absolutely no expectation of the behavior associated with it during a live ceremony.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

Haven't watched any NFL games for a decade or so, have you?

I'm pretty sure that if they played me and you, we'd get creamed.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

Haven't watched any NFL games for a decade or so, have you?

I'm pretty sure that if they played me and you, we'd get creamed.

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

Haven't watched any NFL games for a decade or so, have you?

I'm pretty sure that if they played me and you, we'd get creamed.

No doubt. I'm in full agreement with that. But then you and I are not pumped up on steroids (most of the current crop of players would have 100# on me) and being paid millions to play a game.
College level football has been a better game for a long time now.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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ORIGINAL: Made2Obey

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

And here I thought they were paid to play football at an advanced level.

Haven't watched any NFL games for a decade or so, have you?

I'm pretty sure that if they played me and you, we'd get creamed.

No doubt. I'm in full agreement with that. But then you and I are not pumped up on steroids (most of the current crop of players would have 100# on me) and being paid millions to play a game.
College level football has been a better game for a long time now.

I'm pretty sure steroids wouldn't make either one of us NFL material.

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ORIGINAL: AtUrCervix

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

NFL players, teams and owners across the league responded Sunday to President Trump's criticism of players kneeling in protest during the national anthem, with some kneeling, others locking arms and one team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, choosing not to participate in the national anthem ceremony at all.

As the "Star-Spangled Banner" played at Soldier Field in Chicago for the noon game between the Chicago Bears and the Steelers, the Pittsburgh team's sideline was virtually empty.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told a CBS Sports reporter prior to the game that his team would stay in the locker room during the anthem.

"We're not participating in the anthem today," Tomlin said, adding that the action was "not to be disrespectful to the anthem" but to remove the team "from this circumstance."

"People shouldn't have to choose" whether to kneel or stand during the anthem, he said. "If a guy feels a need to do something he should not be separated from his teammate who chooses not to."

President Trump calls for kneeling NFL players to be fired

"So we're not participating today," he said. "That's our decision."

The Steelers' action was among many varied responses today and over the weekend to President Donald Trump's calling for the firing of NFL players who kneel in protest during the anthem.

Earlier Sunday, a host of players in London took a knee and locked arms together as the United States national anthem was performed.

More: http://abcnews.go.com/US/nfl-players-kneel-lock-arms-solidarity-national-anthem/story?id=50056165

FLAWLESS solution.

On your own time.

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Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger posted a message on his website Monday about the team’s decision to wait in the tunnel for the National Anthem during Sunday’s game in Chicago. Roethlisberger wrote that the gesture was supposed to be about unity but that he wished it had been approached differently.

“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,” he wrote. “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,” he emphasized. “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,” he added. “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.”

Steelers player and retired Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva stood alone outside the tunnel for the Anthem – something Roethlisberger clarified was never meant to happen.

“We never want to leave one man behind," Steeler defensive end Cam Heyward said in a press conference with Roethlisberger. "I know it looked like that in the picture and we wanted to make sure we reached out to Al personally. We didn't want him to ever feel like we didn't have his back.”

Various NFL teams staged protests Sunday after President Trump tweeted that the NFL should fire players who knelt for the National Anthem as a form of protest. One hundred and fifty players total knelt during the Anthem. Refusing to stand during the Anthem is not a popular form of protest among many of the NFL's viewers, a recent study found that 34 percent of Americans are less likely to watch NFL games due to the protests.