Posted on 10/01/2017 8:55:00 AM PDT by Bigtigermike
"It certainly was my takeaway that the commissioner was looking for a way for the protests to end," Smith said Friday when asked about his 30-minute conversation with Goodell, while declining to offer specifics about what was discussed. Goodell declined to comment, but a league source did not dispute Smith's account. "Knowing the league the way I know the league, they are first and foremost concerned about the impact on their business," Smith said. "That's always their first concern. I mean, who are we kidding?"
Nobody was kidding when many of the NFL's highest-profile owners, including Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, expressed concerns last week that the optics of hundreds of players kneeling, sitting or remaining in the locker room during the playing of the national anthem had alienated many fans at a particularly perilous moment for the NFL. TV ratings for many of this year's games have continued a slide that began last season; some league sponsors have grown skittish about the backlash; and most surveys have shown that a majority of NFL fans are turned off by the politicization of the game.
To the commissioner's suggestion that the protests should end, Smith said, "My only response was, 'I don't have the power to tell our players what to do.' ... At the end of the day, this is a group of players who are exercising their freedom. There is no room for me to snap my fingers and tell our players, 'It's time for you to give up a freedom.' Just the idea offends me.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
The NFL has the weakest leadership in the history of the world. Every employer on the planet can and will tell their employees what they can and can’t do on the clock. But the NFL is just wringing their hands because they “can’t” do anything. What a joke. If I was an NFL sponsor, the letter from the lawyer ending the relationship would’ve already been sealed and delivered.
Today at the Ravens Stadium, the PA asked fans to join the players in prayer for unity for the anthem. They got booed. Yes indeed.
Talk about trying to manipulate fans into kneeling. Wow. Just wow!!
Why did those Dixie Chicks fans show up for the game?
Those players kneeled for our national anthem in a foreign country.
I'm with you!
No reason to support those that DO NOT support America and its President.
There were some black power salutes from Browns players during the anthem! There are only two possibilities: (1) the coach has no control over his players or (2) the coach doesn’t give a damn about patriotic values of what’s probably a majority of Browns former fans who pay for tickets.
This crap goes all the way back to the strike in ‘87 with the owners.
In my humble opinion....President Trump just brilliantly drained yet Another messy, vapid Swamp....another end run by our Blessed President.
Winning on Sunday. With the NFL in the dustbin of history...
Yep, 'truth' is racist...
Well done, Doug.
Now that is what I call “unity” and “racial justice”.
What an imbecil.
I am easier to please than you are. I will tolerate that they don't support American, as long as they show proper respect for the Anthem and Flag during its proper observance and display. I don't expect them to support a President they oppose, but they can keep their opposition to themselves or to others privately and don't let it impede their job performance. After California splits (leaving Jim and my brother in free Jefferson) and then succeeds, they can dig up Hillary and make her President with the Muslim Brotherhood in the background if that is indeed what they want.
POINT OF VIEW FROM THIS HOME BASE.
Godell and BO’B seem to be two birds of the same feather.
Both agreeing to lead followers with no understanding of what the job description entailed. In Godell’s case, he failed to read the rules which had been written before coming into office. Players and owners took advantage of his ignorance.
In BO’Bs instance, he never knew he was to follow the words written prior to office. Never studied our Constitution, only spoke of how it was deficient. His party took advantage of this in order to set prescient.
In either case, both failed the nation and the people Both unfit and unable to lead.
LESSON HERE: just because you desire something and at long last find your dream does not necessarily mean you have arrived. To keep, it is necessary to be studious and prepared.
BS. You have stopped numerous freedom of speech issues before. You are their employer. Not their government. Will it be okay for players to come into training camp grossly over weight and out of shape ?
Yep.
He knows damn well the NFL does have the right to tell these players what to do, and they regularly exercise that right when they tell players not to celebrate too much after TDs, shirts must be tucked, cannot wear certain cleats, cant use certain “foul” words on the field, etc.
At the minimum, they could issues fines or penalties for not standing for the anthem. But I prefer to use Trump’s consequence: stand or your fired.
LOL I remember that game. That was Andre Ellington’s hair.
Exactly and also it's not the government telling these players they can't protest. That is where freedom of speech applies.
These private organizations can set their own rules of conduct and the NFL has. These darn liberals are trying to muddy up the waters about free speech in order to continue to advance this sick agenda.
CGato
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