NFL: New Anthem Rules, Fines & Other Policies...

[AmericanDream]

Hey I’m with ya. I won’t stand at the tributes to veterans until they start doing the same with retired teachers, firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers, etc etc.

In other words, I won’t be standing for that ever.

Why would anyone stand for teachers?? Outside of that Michelle Pfeiffer movie, are they dodging bullets and looking out for roadside bombs on their way in the parking lot??? And sanitation workers??? hahahahaha, good lord what are you talking about?

They do tributes for firemen and police officers all the time, all the time...living and deceased so not sure what the hell this post is about...

 

[Tawnos]

WTF??? Why would anyone stand for teachers?? Outside of that Michelle Pfeiffer movie, are they dodging bullets and looking out for roadside bombs on their way in the parking lot??? And sanitation workers??? hahahahaha, good lord what are you talking about?

They do tributes for firemen and police officers all the time, all the time...living and deceased so not sure what the hell this post is about...

Those people contribute far more to American society than 90% of soldiers, 90% of whom we don’t even need to keep our country safe.

 

[AmericanDream]

Those people contribute far more to American society than 90% of soldiers, 90% of whom we don’t even need to keep our country safe.

that's not what I asked...why do we need to stand for them?

laborers contribute far more to our country than anyone, should we stand for plumbers, cement mixers and dry wall hangers?

 

[Tawnos]

that's not what I asked...why do we need to stand for them?

laborers contribute far more to our country than anyone, should we stand for plumbers, cement mixers and dry wall hangers?

None of those people you just mentioned are in public service. They’re in private business.

Look, I’m not denigrating soldiers and veterans. What I’m saying is that their contribution to our society isn’t larger than many of the people who work in the public sector and have a direct impact on their communities (as opposed to the indirect impact of the military).

You don’t get a tribute to firefighters and police officers every game like you do with veterans. Obviously you never get it for teachers. And yeah, long-serving sanitation workers deserve the same level of respect.

Again, my point isn’t even so much that these people deserve tributes. It’s that they aren’t any less deserving than veterans and soldiers.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

It is so sad that the purpose of the original kneeling has been forgotten. Just reading some of the posts, so many folks have twisted the reasons so they can form their argument. Why people falsely bring in the military into the discussion.....well anything to obscure the reasons for the protest.
If the NFL, had courage they would suspend any "kneelers" for that game. Of course their wouldn't be any players to form a team that Sunday and then what would the NFL do?

 

[mouser]

I know sometimes it’s impossible to separate social/political issues from business and sports.

Please keep in mind we’re on the Business of Hockey forum. This NFL thread is an allowed OT discussion for the potential impacts on sports business, including the NHL.

If people want to have expanded discussions focusing on the social or political aspects of the NFL’s decision I’m sure there is a thread on the Politics forum where you can do so.

 

[Mats13]

Americans are so weird

Why do you care so much about a song? Especially when you sit on your couch when it plays on TV? Bunch of hypocrites.

 

[johnjm22]

I generally dislike when people don't stand for the national anthem, but you know what I dislike even more? Trying to force or coerce people into standing for it that don't want to.

I also think this is a bad move for the NFL from a PR perspective. People were starting to forget about this whole controversy, now it's back in the news. This will also rally the other side.

 

[Blitzkrug]

The best part about this is not only is this is questionable in thought, but they went right over the heads of the NFLPA to mandate this.

As if there wasn't enough ammo to start a lockout.

I think players are entitled to express themselves so this just comes off as tone deaf.

 

[mouser]

Ok so the NFL will close down concessions, force people to remove their hats and get off of cellphones while the anthem is performed? That's the standard here.

Dunno how it is around the country, but I’m used to concession stands pausing during the national anthem at NHL arenas.

 

[Gnashville]

What people miss in all the chest thumping and patriotic bravado is that by protesting he is exemplifying the spirit of what the flag stands for.

The Flag is a symbol of the country, it’s people, history, and traditions. Any disrespectful action towards the flag is a disrespectful act towards that.

The Constitution only protects people from harm from the Government, a private employer can fire anyone at anytime for offensive or disrespectful behavior.

 

[Terry Yake]

jets chairman already came out and said he'll pay the fines of any players who kneel during the anthem. pretty sure other owners will follow suit

wonder if the league plans to hire undercover "fans" to make sure everyone in the stands "respects" the anthem too

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

if standing during the National Anthem doesn't defeat those godless communists, then nothing will.

Nothing.

 

[Blitzkrug]

They also couldn't have timed this worse;

The NBA/Bucks stand up for Sterling Brown after he voiced his story with the racial profiling stuff, and then the NFL releases this ass backwards stance.

Good job, Rog

 

[Melrose Munch]

The Flag is a symbol of the country, it’s people, history, and traditions. Any disrespectful action towards the flag is a disrespectful act towards that.

The Constitution only protects people from harm from the Government, a private employer can fire anyone at anytime for offensive or disrespectful behavior.

Its for civil rights. Not to got shot while unarmed. This is about racism, and whether people iffended by kneeling are racist or not. And its bad for business to force people to stand.

 

[Acesolid]

Its for civil rights. Not to got shot while unarmed. This is about racism, and whether people iffended by kneeling are racist or not. And its bad for business to force people to stand.

Is it? I think it isn't at all.

Here's an exemple:

As a Québécois, years ago, when I was younger, many, many Québécois Nationalist fans sat down, or tried to do anything disrespectful they could during the Canadian anthem at sports event. Because they HATE Canada. (Even today, Some Québécois would still rather die then sing the Canadian anthem, I bet)

Now imagine that in 1994, Québécois Hockey players started doing the same thing (kneeling, leaving the ice, whatever...) during the Canadian anthem at games to show their hatred for Canada.... well I am certain the NHL would have stepped in to stop it.

Because, like I said, they want to step away from controversy. And want to be non-political.

It's not a question of identity. It's a question of the league wanting to be non-political.

Altrough, of course, full disclosure, as a Québécois I might be completely misjuging American society. And it's very possible that the peculiar American obscession with the strange outdated concept of "race" (something that isn't even real, we're all members of the Human race, more or less melanin in your skin means nothing).... is so strong that it overpowers regular concerns about business/patriotism/being non-political in the NFL.

But I doubt so.

 

[GuelphStormer]

Im disappointed that so many posters here seem to think there is only one reason why someone else might choose to do anything, and that they know with absolute certainly what motivates everyone else. Life would be boring if there was only one narrative.

Kudo's to Jets' owner Chris Johnson for rejecting the league's directive.

 

[Svechhammer]

This is not going to end well for the NFL. Beyond the whole kneeling part itself (which, the player have always been blunt and clear about why they're doing it... its to bring attention toward and protest the disproportionately high rate of incarceration and shootings of people of color vs Caucasians in the US in relation to the population as a whole) which the NFL would have been much better off just ignoring cause it was beginning to go away, they've really done themselves a disservice because they have implemented rules that can result in the league sanctioned fining and suspension of players by the Commissioner without consulting the NFLPA before enacting.

That is bad. That is the kind of action that is going to get the NFLPA spun up in some very serious ways to first, ensure there will be more organized protests down the line, and secondly, all but guarantee a union strike the next time the CBA comes due. All the owners had to do was have union representatives involved with the conversation and come to an agreement that both sides could sign off upon, it very well could have been this exact same policy, you just needed to include them. Instead, they did the one thing you can't do when your labor force has unionized.

 

[JetsWillFly4Ever]

I know it's been said already, but why there are even anthems played before a sporting event that isn't international competition is beyond me, it makes no sense.

The fact that this is an issue is honestly pathetic, who cares if someone is sitting. I do find it funny that most of the people that are offended by this tend to be conservative people who like to say things like 'liberal tears' or 'poor little snowflakes'. Now they are the ones offended over something that literally has no effect on them.

That may be too political so mods can feel free to delete my post if it is.

 

[Alex Jones]

Respecting flag, county and anthem is in no way shape or form "military propaganda". The flag is one of the things that unites us all, you know "United We Stand, Divided...". It's the foundation of our country and it's not just some random concept pulled out of someone's ***. You don't have to like it here, you're free to move elsewhere

It's military propaganda because the DoD literally pays the NFL for these ceremonies out of its recruiting budget.

 

[Gnashville]

Its for civil rights. Not to got shot while unarmed. This is about racism, and whether people iffended by kneeling are racist or not. And its bad for business to force people to stand.

More white people are shot by Police than Blacks, but it’s not a national news story every time it happens.
All People are more likely to get stuck by Lightning than shot by Police unarmed. It’s a fact, does that make lightning racist?
When Kaepernick started sitting/kneeling he said he would never stand for a country that oppresses it’s people, then proceeded to praise Fidel Castro and Communist Cuba. This isn’t about “racism” it’s about forcing left wing ideology upon people. That’s why people got angry because we saw right through the BS. When using your workplace as a platform for political use has negative reactions on your employer they should fire them. Honestly I am hoping they give any player the maximum fine (1 game check) and suspension (4 games without pay) at the 1st occurrence.

Ask yourself this would a conservative white player have been suspended if he started turning his back during the anthem in protest of Obamacare and higher taxes? Would the league allow Nazi salutes from a Neo-Nazi players? Why allow Communists a platform?

 

[GordonGecko]

I know it's been said already, but why there are even anthems played before a sporting event that isn't international competition

Because sporting events are generally very large gatherings, that's all. It's the modern town hall.

What's beyond me is how so many people are hell bent on dismantling every tradition and institution in the US.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

More white people are shot by Police than Blacks, but it’s not a national news story every time it happens.
All People are more likely to get stuck by Lightning than shot by Police unarmed. It’s a fact, does that make lightning racist?
When Kaepernick started sitting/kneeling he said he would never stand for a country that oppresses it’s people, then proceeded to praise Fidel Castro and Communist Cuba. This isn’t about “racism” it’s about forcing left wing ideology upon people. That’s why people got angry because we saw right through the BS. When using your workplace as a platform for political use has negative reactions on your employer they should fire them. Honestly I am hoping they give any player the maximum fine (1 game check) and suspension (4 games without pay) at the 1st occurrence.

Ask yourself this would a conservative white player have been suspended if he started turning his back during the anthem in protest of Obamacare and higher taxes? Would the league allow Nazi salutes from a Neo-Nazi players? Why allow Communists a platform?

So much misrepresenting going on here. lol

The only real solution for the NFL in this situation is to scrap the anthem altogether. People crying about it being disrespectful to troops disrespect the ideals that flag stands for in doing so and can take a long walk off a short pier.

 

[tony d]

Heard about this. To me the NFL did the right thing here. Stand if you're on the field and if you don't want to stand stay in the locker rom.

 

[sigma six]

Because sporting events are generally very large gatherings, that's all. It's the modern town hall.

What's beyond me is how so many people are hell bent on dismantling every tradition and institution in the US.

The players would say that they are using this moment to protest injustice, which is also a bedrock American tradition.