There’s been a lot of talk about the league’s new anthem policy. There was massive controversy earlier this year when it was announced that teams could discipline players, including possibly with suspension, for not standing for the anthem.
It was then reported earlier this week that “moderate” NFL owners were looking for a compromise where discipline would be waived for kneeling players if the players union officially endorsed standing for the anthem. That will apparently not be happening anytime this year, as Adam Schefter of ESPN reports there will be no agreement between the two sides on a new anthem policy this season. Schefter notes that “the new policy is going to be no policy” adding that “too many people have stances too strong to figure out a compromise.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Speaking of the anthem, Albert Breer of SI.com writes that there’s been a “wink-wink agreement to drag the talks out a little” between the players and owners in order to “give the “do nothing” solution a test drive.” It’s in line with Schefter’s reporting, and makes sense considering the league just wants the issue to go away at this point.
- Relatedly, league sources tell Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that the trial for Colin Kaepernicks’s collusion lawsuit against the league is going to take place at some point before the regular season is over. La Canfora also notes that Kaepernick hasn’t given up on a return to the NFL, and is continuing to work out to stay in playing shape.
- In the same article, Breer writes that he doesn’t think Le’Veon Bell’s continued absence is smart, noting “most NFL people I talk to aren’t so sure there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow waiting for him.” Breer lists a number of factors, including his age, suspension and injury history, and recent antics as reasons why he doesn’t think Bell will land the payday he’s expecting this offseason.
If we don’t talk about the anthem protest it will go away unless media outlets and announcers bring it up. No one talks about it at work on the daily.
That’s right. Close your eyes. Plug your ears. And scream, “Blah blah blah blah!!!!!” until it all goes away.
I can now see why our President, with his 5th or 6th grade temperament, is regarded so highly by the football fascists.
The kneeling is a joke. It’s not plugging your ears and pretending everything is ok. I don’t even have a problem with him protesting. The joke is that the belief that kneeling during a football game is going to make a difference. That he is some kind of hero is a joke.
If police brutality is his issue and cases of it are proven the fullest extent of the law should be brought against them. Educate people on morality, that’s not a race issue. Black white red blue or purple it doesn’t matter. Bad cops are bad cops. Bad people who loot, riot, burn cities because they feel unjust isn’t the answer. Vote, spend money,(he’s got more now from Nike then he did playing football) get bills passed to stop it. This way is dividing the country more and I can see that with your “fascist” comment.
I am saying there are better ways to approach injustice besides this.
Except for the fact that I can’t recall another person or action in recent memory that has stirred up as much discussion as all this has. That’s the first step – get people talking, even those who talk trash. For every human talking trash about Kap’s actions, there are at least a similar number of people supporting his work and opinion. Change begins with awareness.
It’s nice to know that I am causing division in this country. After all, I’m just supporting the players whom you think have destroyed this country because they have the audacity to (clutch my pearls!) kneel during the National Anthem so as to comment about police brutality. Because someone who supports police brutality, or excuses police brutality, or ignores police brutality is a real winner. I mean, nothing will bring this country together more than insisting that all these unarmed black men shot dead by police actually deserved to die in the streets when they posed no threat.
Fascist football fans are the funnest of them all.
The players have a right to protest. The news sites have a right to cover it. The people, I guess, have a right to leave comments, but only a fascist would declare that nobody should cover particular bits of news that makes overtly nationalistic dingdongs literally lose their poop. What those people could do is put on some Big Boy Pants and avoid the article in question. Because that article will eventually go away, and it’ll go away a lot sooner if you avoid it.
I know we’re a bunch of 3rd graders. I guess that’s why our President with the temperament of a 5th or 6th grader, is held to such high esteem.
God bless America.
9/11
Freddie Gray
Sam Dubose
Philando Castile
Terence Crutcher
Alton Sterling
Jamar Clark
William Chapman II
Jeremy McDole
Walter Scott
Eric Harris
Tamir Rice
Akai Gurley
They, and many more like them, are the reasons for kneeling. Not the military, but the police.
Can’t tell the difference? Well, that’s a big part of the problem then.
They don’t have the bandwidth available to list all of the innocent law enforcement officers that were targeted by thugs merely for just doing their job and/or having to respond to a call and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But thanks for listing those guys.
That’s how you drop the mic Polish Hammer style.
Distracting from the comment and the reason is a mic drop? That’s the sign of a football fascist.
Distracting from the real reason he was sitting on the bench pouting and then evolved into kneeling as opposed to the fabricated “stance” he took ex post facto. Same as the pig socks, they were observed in a photograph 3 weeks after being worn and the commentary was tailored to fit his “stance”. He never got in front of any cause, they got behind him and pushed him forward and it’s taken on a new life. Don’t like it? Move to another country free of your racist and fascists.
The players have stated the real reasons many times. You, Polish Hammer, don’t believe them.
So who are the rest of the people to believe? The players who tell us all what they’re doing, or the anonymous trolls who insist on promoting their ignorant perspectives?
Fun!
I’m clearly talking about the leader of this circus and his motives based on how it all went down. You’re talking about the “players” and what you claim they have stated numerous times, that’s an ironically an ignorant perspective.
Fun!
You seem to be having a hard time understanding why these players choose to kneel. So I’m helping you out. It could be you’re uniquely stupid and whathaveyou that causes you to keep complaining about the military. So there you go.
As for your cops who die on duty, feel free to kneel for them. It will be a sign of respect for their sacrifice.
But you, instead, choose to be an ignorant, borderline racist by claiming a personal injury and a national embarrassment by the actions of the men who play this game.
Way to go, big fella.
How many of these fine individuals were breaking the law? As far as the president, he’s doing everything I hired him to do
None of these fine individuals deserved to die for whatever infractions the police claimed they were doing. Selling CDs in a parking lot is not a mortal decision.
It must be hard to face reality when you’re a racist. But that’s why you’re a racist. Reality is just so hard.
I’m Black, I can’t be racists
“Racist” has been so haphazardly used it’s lost it’s bite. Yawn. Try another angle.
Do you have a list of the many victims that have been lost because of black on black violence ? What about other people shot by criminals or police? What about police officers found their duty
Killed on duty! You are a one trick pony Maryjane! Plus a race baiter
I remember when Al Davis was constantly suing the league. The owners said to the effect of ‘brilliant mind and builder. But a real pain the ass always being sued by a partner’.
CK can stay in shape for the rest of his life, but noway an owner is going to pay a person suing them in excess of $15-20M. That’s not happening anytime soon.
Except no rational human being would call Kapernick a “brilliant mind”. This is the guy who opted out of his own contract, following a horrible season, in which he thought it would be fun to wear “police are pigs” socks, and P off veterans.
Then, when no one wanted to sign this washed up talent, he started the “woe is me, I’m being blackballed” nonsense.
It’s America, you 100% have the right to free speech and CK has the right to act the way he acts. However, freedom works both ways – owners have the right to choose not to employ a washed up interception machine that causes issues for their paying customers.
Freedom.
Kaepernick’s Final Season: (ONE win, 10 losses)
Johnny Manziel’s Final Season: THREE wins, including over the 49ers. Manziel is also 5 years younger than CK. Why, oh why, isn’t Johnny Football suing the league, alleging he’s being blackballed? Because he sucks, and isn’t starter material, just like Kaepernick.
Shhssshhh…stop making sense!
I didn’t mean CK was brilliant or not. I was noting what owners said of A Davis.
When you sue the people you are partners with, they dislike you. When an employe(s) sues you, they get nada.
So Goodell is contacting the owners and saying “Hey, we need this anthem issue to die a natural death so the fans can get their focus back on how bad the game officials can be”….lol.