45 vs Kaepernick, Curry, James

[sparrowsong]

Not being someone who follows sports at all, at all, I have only peripherally followed what has been going on more from the BLM perspective. I don't think I've seen discussion here about the NFL boycott. Now with 45s commentary last night and ridiculous tweet war this morning I thought a thread might be necessary. It sounds like there are a lot more athletes planning to take a knee this game day.

Are any of you guys observing the boycott in solidarity? Do you think 45 just fanned these flames into a major disaster for the NFL and other sports franchises?

[konapoppy]

I am cracking up at LeBron calling Trump a bum. Twitter is amazing right now.

More on topic, my dad, while not a huge NFL fan, has been boycotting this year. H and I already don't watch.

ETA: NFL viewership is in decline (and has been), but I think the specific cause isn't clear.

[anonymous]

He's such a stupid pos. No shocker he's not calling out tom Brady who didn't show up at wh after the patriots won the superbowl

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 23, 2017 12:11:59 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

I am cracking up at LeBron calling Trump a bum. Twitter is amazing right now.

Twitter is on FIRE

[madDawg228]

45's speech, like all of his speeches, was geared toward his audience - a racist election fundraiser for the Kebler Elf's replacement in the Senate. Alabama has no professional teams, and 45 has always had issues with the NFL (he had a stake in the short-lived XFL).

So many parts of his speech on Friday night and following tweets are terribly offensive, but WTF to bitching about brutal tackle plays getting penalties?!?! And SO soon after the discovery of Aaron Hernandez's CTE.

[cous0226]

[eclaires]

Trump is a bum is my new favorite insult. It's so spot on.

[jeaniebueller]

Trump is such a piece of trash, I don't even know what to say anymore. Glad to see other athletes on twitter going in on him right now.

[W.T.Faulkner]

Kaepernick's mom tweeted "Then I must be one proud bitch!"

[bowies]

It's all scrolling on the screen on ESPN lol. Someone needs a lesson in "it's an invitation not a subpoena." Maybe he'll get that lesson from Mueller.

[pixy0stix]

Wait, what? I'm behind on the news. Links?

[sparrowsong]

He's still going...

[sparrowsong]

Sept 23, 2017 13:20:46 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Wait, what? I'm behind on the news. Links?

I've mostly just seen it as a hash tag on twitter. People stating they will not be watching games, attending games, or buying merchandise due to the treatment of Kaepernick. But try this link for some background?


www.google.com/amp/s/www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/2017/9/7/16251532/nfl-anthem-protest-colin-kaepernick

[RoxMonster]

I need to get on Twitter and see all the responses.

I have never watched the NFL but DH is boycotting and also not participating in fantasy football.

[bowies]

I hope a shit ton of players take a knee tomorrow. Piece of trash.

[WanderingWinoZ]

Sept 23, 2017 13:20:46 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Wait, what? I'm behind on the news. Links?

axios email


Commentators predicted a new wave of protests by athletes during the national anthem after President Trump used coarse language to tell a rally audience in Huntsville, Ala., last night that NFL players who take a knee should be fired.



"You know what's hurting the game? .... When people like yourselves turn on television, and you see those people taking the knee when they are playing our great national anthem." [Boos.]

"The only thing you could do better is if you see it, even if it's one player, leave the stadium, I guarantee things will stop. [Applause.] Things will stop. Just pick up and leave. Pick up and leave. Not the same game anymore, anyway."

"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!'"

The out-of-nowhere riff, which trigged an instant online backlash in support of athletes like Colin Kaepernick, was part of a 1 hour, 20 minute ramble by Trump. He was speaking in support of Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), who's threatened by Breitbart-backed candidate, Roy Moore, in Tuesday's primary.



Why it matters: In appealing to a Deep South audience, Trump waded into culturally sensitive territory that could freshen opposition elsewhere, and ignite a debate wholly unrelated to anything he's trying to accomplish.



To address a largely white crowd as "people like yourselves," and refer to protesting athletes, often African American, as "those people," does nothing to heal the wounds of Charlottesville.

The reaction ... USA Today columnist Christine Brennan, on CNN: "I think we're going to see, potentially more NFL players taking a knee this weekend than we ever would have thought ... maybe even college players, too."



"My sense is that ... players are angry."

"There's a more important issue about the health of young, American athletes. And obviously the president wasn't too concerned about that tonight."

Trump also repeated a theme from a past rally in the South, about an NFL that's more aware of the danger of concussions:



"15 yards, throw him out of the game! They had that last week — I watched for a couple of minutes. And two guys — just really beautiful tackle. Boom: 15 yards! The referee gets on television, his wife is sitting at home, she's so proud of him — they're ruining the game." [Applause.]

"Right? They're ruining the game. Hey look, that's what they want to do. They want to hit, OK? They want to hit. But it is hurting the game."

Be smart: Trump's NFL comments were generationally based, with the president inviting portrayals as a 71-year-old unfamiliar with the latest medical research, rather than a leader in touch with the concerns of rising generations of doctors, athletes and fans.



Flashback ... Trump at a campaign rally in Lakeland, Fla., in October: "See, we don't go by these new and very much softer NFL rules. Concussion? Oh! Oh! Got a little ding on the head — no, no, you can't play for the rest of the season. Our people are tough!"

[jeaniebueller]

Sept 23, 2017 13:20:46 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Wait, what? I'm behind on the news. Links?

Trump had a rally in AL yesterday and decided to start talking about Colin, the NFL, and a bunch of other things.

[turnipthebeet]

So, I can't decide if boycotting will prove trump right, and cause owners to fire players or whatever, or if it sends the signal that we stand with these players.

I dislike the NFL for many reasons, so my non-viewership maintains status quo, I suppose.

What pisses me off is when one black man agrees with trump and white people jump all over it as "proof" that these players are wrong.

[bohemianmango]

I don't watch the NFL. I wish there was an easy solution like boycotting or firing Trump.

[Pom]

Trump can go straight to hell. He's got NARY A WORD to say to creepy white racists marching around with torches threatening POC and Jewish citizens, but black athletes peacefully protesting by taking a knee in an effort to point out the unfairness perpetrated against marginalized groups of Americans? Those accomplished citizens are the people he has time to bash. GTFO Trump and take your low-rent supporters with you.

[bears]

Sept 23, 2017 12:34:43 GMT -5 eclaires said:

Trump is a bum is my new favorite insult. It's so spot on.

One of my friends had "Donald you are a bum!" In her women's March poster. There was more, but it was a riff on a line from "The Paper Bag Princess" by Robert Munsch (complete with amazing artwork). I though it was such a suitable sign.

[bowies]

Those men are just property to the NFL owners. Shut up and take it so we can have some amusement, huh Trump?

Fuck him, seriously, The players earn their millions, something he is unfamiliar with I'm sure. No owner is going to care if fans walk out of the stadium, genius. The money is already in their pockets.

[WanderingWinoZ]

Sept 23, 2017 13:46:12 GMT -5 jeaniebueller said:

Sept 23, 2017 13:20:46 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Wait, what? I'm behind on the news. Links?

Trump had a rally in AL yesterday and decided to start talking about Colin, the NFL, and a bunch of other things.

dude rambled on off-script for almost 90 minutes...he said a ton of wacky shit

[rjamz]

Sept 23, 2017 13:13:17 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

Kaepernick's mom tweeted "Then I must be one proud bitch!"

👏👏👏

[W.T.Faulkner]

Lesean McCoy called him an asshole, looooooool. Oh, man. Today is a day when I like sports. Watching talented athletes of color who worked really hard to be where they are rip 45 a new asshole is the best.

[rjamz]

Sept 23, 2017 12:11:59 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

I am cracking up at LeBron calling Trump a bum. Twitter is amazing right now.

More on topic, my dad, while not a huge NFL fan, has been boycotting this year. H and I already don't watch.

ETA: NFL viewership is in decline (and has been), but I think the specific cause isn't clear.

I've always been a big fan of LeBron as a man, I think he's a really good person. And he was hilarious in that Amy Schumer movie I can't remember the title of. My husband is salty he never played for the Knicks (whatever 🙄), but even he thinks he's awesome today.

[pixy0stix]

I knew about the previous boycott. I didn't know Trump went off the rails again.

So Trump wants people to boycott the NFL if players take a knee?

I'd rather watch the teams where the players can take a knee with no repercussions.

[1confused1]

The Warriors response on Facebook:

Golden State Warriors
1 min ·
While we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the White House, we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited. We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them. We’re disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise.
In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion — the values that we embrace as an organization.

[bowies]

Damn. So I guess I'm a Warriors fan now until CEP ruins that too.

[morecoffeeplease]

I love the warriors response. If one is uninvited, no one goes. Perfect example of team.