Steelers/Ravens/NFL

[tomstopper]

Well today will be the first time in about 10 years that I am not going to watch what is one of the greatest rivalries in football. As a matter of fact, I don't plan on watching any NFL games until all of these disrespectful, entitled, rich punks stop kneeling during the anthem. I am a life long Steelers fan but after last week and watching the team stay off the field while their veteran team member Alejandro Villanueva stood up and on the field with his hand over his heart made me sick. I have canceled NFL Network, sold my tickets and will not be watching any more games until this issue is corrected. It just saddens me to think that this is where our country is at. When a guy like Tim tebow gets picked on for praying before games but it's ok for players to kneel during the anthem, Its just a disgrace and disrespectful to all veterans. I know that the liberals are not happy with Trump but this is not the way to handle it (and I am so sick of them saying that it's about anti inequality, police brutality, etc. When we all know it's truly just another anti Trump protest). Sorry I just had to get that off my chest. I am getting off my soap box now but was just wondering what you guys think. Semper Fi

[Jroddc]

I agree with everything you said.

[HookedonHooks]

In my opinion, the whole situation has been blown out proportion by the media. Literally this mornings headline on Fox at 8am was whether players would be standing for the anthem in London this morning. It's just ridiculous when that is all they have to report on, not the really difficult things to talk to about that are actually happening in society. In my opinion,  pretty much all parties on both sides of this protest are entirely in the wrong. This shouldn't even be in an issue in the first place, and after Trumps remarks you are absolutely right, it has become an anti Trump protest. But selling your tickets did nothing but get you some of your money back, if you really wanted to stick it to the NFL you would've left those purchased seat(s) empty. I myself am I colloege football player and our coach had a talking to us about the situation. We as a TEAM decided how we would respond, and in that our WHOLE TEAM stands as they should, also my opinion, but it was something that was voted on. I think you're passing too much judgement onto the Steelers though as they certainly were attempting to do the same thing, they wanted to act as a team, and Villaneuva is the one that broke that. In a press interview he explained that there were bigger plans for his team to join him, but as much as he respects the flag as a veteran, he knows what being there for your brothers it's what it's all about, and he personally felt guilt for leaving his brothers in the tunnel. The media twisted it to make the Steelers looks like bad guys, and media pictures of Villanueva said the team remained in the locker room, when they can clearly be seen in the tunnel, in the background. That's just hard facts of media blowing something out of proportion and also spreading "fake news" as they in fact were NOT in their locker room.

[CMBOSTC]

I agree with our President, apparently the NFL doesn't need the money of "TRUE AMERICANS" who stand and salute the flag. Good luck finding real jobs boys!

[BowBendr]

^^ According to Steeler players though, the vote to stay in was not unanimous. They did not agree as a whole team. ^^

I love how the players are now trying to back-pedal, saying that its not about the flag or anthem. Sure it is, or you would do it at a different time.
I am mainly disgusted because this is all built on a lie. "Hands up dont shoot" never happened. Many black eye witnesses said so. Trevon, Freddie Grey...it was all a lie. Colin K should have been put in his place the moment he put the pink pig socks on...yet the league allowed it. Screw the whole lot of them, im not watching.

[yelpaholic]

 

[guesswho]

I haven't watched the NFL or NBA, and very little MLB in about 15-20 years.   I guess I will continue my streak at least one more weekend.   

[HookedonHooks]

^^ According to Steeler players though, the vote to stay in was not unanimous. They did not agree as a whole team. ^^

I love how the players are now trying to back-pedal, saying that its not about the flag or anthem. Sure it is, or you would do it at a different time.
I am mainly disgusted because this is all built on a lie. "Hands up dont shoot" never happened. Many black eye witnesses said so. Trevon, Freddie Grey...it was all a lie. Colin K should have been put in his place the moment he put the pink pig socks on...yet the league allowed it. Screw the whole lot of them, im not watching.

You're absolutely right. The vote wasn't unanimous. And that was the decision to stay in the TUNNEL. Villaneuva broke his brothers bond, and went on. He later came to say they planned to come out as team just far enough to see the flag, but was organized by team leaders after the team meeting the previous night. That plan failed and the media chose to put their own twist on the story. While I appreciate his service, he personally felt what he did was wrong, not an act of heroism representing what's right. He PERSONALLY said this, and he without a shadow of a doubt holds guilt for his actions.

And it's not about the flag, if you think it is your certainly part of the problem. There is a legitimate problem in America regarding the way Black Americans are treated, and telling someone not to covey their message because you don't agree with the protest end or the message is wrong. We have right to protest in this country, and if you want to get technical our U.S. Flag code says nothing about standing or holding your hand over your heart, but does in fact say it shouldn't be used in advertisement. No one seems to have a problem with Budweiser's "America" campaign which according to our flag code is measured as great disrespect.

Also if you think C. Kaepernik should have been "put in his place" he deserves to be back in the NFL, he's an excellent athlete that was essentially blackballed for what nearly half the guys in the NFL are now doing with no recourse other than some companies no longer sponsoring them or using them in advertising, which is perfectly okay. All actions have equal and opposite reactions, and both sides have done actions that caused reactions. You must look at this with an open mind to understand the scope of the issue. They truly weren't and aren't protesting the flag, they're protesting America and its extreme lack of realization of its racial problems.

But I stand by original statement that this wouldn't be half the issue it was if it wasn't for the media. Same for the racial tensions, because of media and false reporting, issues get MASSIVELY been blown out of proportion. All this does for America is taking steps backward.

[tomstopper]

I agree with bowbender 100%. As for the post by hooked on hooks I dont agree with most of what you said. Kapernick should have been fired as soon as he put the pig socks on and never allowed to play again. Yes he is talented but like it or not he is a mentor to the youth. He sure didn't have a problem with the police that are at the stadium and protecting him. Also if he was so good, he would be on a team because the NFL is a business and if an organization thought that he could win them a championship, they would take him in a heart beat (ex, pac man Jones, Ray Lewis, Hernandez etc). He was so upset about police inequality that he started this protest but how much does he do to stop it (does he spend his own money, mentor youth). I doubt it and all the players now that make millions, what are they doing besides taking knees and disrespecting America. As for the Injustice towards blacks,yes there maybe some. There are also a ton of programs in place to help them. They are not helping themselves with movements like black lives matter and chanting pigs in a blanket and their hatred towards whites. Before I am called a racist, let me say that I have tons of black friends and alot of them feel that kneeling during the anthem is not the way to get this point across. Using the symbols of America such as the anthem and flag is totally wrong. The freedom to protest was given to American's because of men and women who are willing to give their lives to protect that flag and anthem. I guess people who never have had to sacrifice anything for it just won't ever understand.

[Will]

tomstopper you are dead on! There is a reason SOLDIERS, FIREMAN, COPS and many more have the flag covering their casket when laid to rest. As for Trumps remarks, he only said what most are thinking. They are back pedaling just like Ray Lewis! How many times do you read about football players doing unacceptable things off the field. Not so much for other sports players.

[HookedonHooks]

I'm certainly not here to argue, just trying to bring light to a side of an issue that I'm not even on. I'm a white American who also has black friends, and would not consider myself as racist. But I also know a lot of white people that have black friends but are also 100% closet racists.

"There may be some" injustices towards black people? Dude, open your eyes.


I equally love and respect all the service men and women in this country, and I'm damn proud to be an American where many have made great sacrifices to this country to make it as great a place as it is. There are CLEAR and EVIDENT problems in America right now, and telling the gorup of people it most greatly effects, and their celebrities, that they don't have right to bring light to these issues. What do you expect from these athletes, they have the ability to bring light to an issue that clearly the majority of America wants to ignore for so long, they have no other options. They have all of America's attention now, and now the media wants to make it about a completely separate issue. If you want the honest truth, you're gonna have to figure it out for yourself, because you won't find it from the media.

While I firmly believe in respecting the flag and that includes standing for the anthem, and putting your hand over your heart, there is another huge aspect that no one else to mention, the TRUE and HONEST respect. How many "proud Americans" don't even think about the anthem's actual meanings or about all of the Americans that have sacrificed for it. At those baseball games half or more of the crowd is secretly thinking, "damn, when is this lady gonna stop singing, so I can sit down, eat my peanuts and drink my beer."  No one seems to talk about that, but as soon as black Americans protest, peacefully, white Americans can't fathom the ways in which they do it. When this group would violently protest to get attention it did nothing but make America call them monkeys, animals, and n****rs. So tell me a way in which this group of people can truly get the attention of America in order to make changes this great country most certainly needs.

[HookedonHooks]

I have tons of black friends and alot of them feel that kneeling during the anthem is not the way to get this point across. Using the symbols of America such as the anthem and flag is totally wrong.

This is also a moot point as there are equal amounts if not more,  white VETERANS who are openly supporting this protest as well.  And using the anthem and national symbols such as the flag in advertising, clothing, and other things to profiteer from is also ILLEGAL by U.S. Flag Code. That's totally wrong too, but has not been addressed in the slightest, when standing for the flag isn't even a law and all of the sudden that's what this protest is about? I'm sorry but you're flat wrong if you think this way.

[HookedonHooks]

How many times do you read about football players doing unacceptable things off the field. Not so much for other sports players.

This could also be discussed in an entirely different thread. The answer to your question relates to the sport itself. Football has developed into an extremely dangerous sport as society has gotten bigger, faster, and stronger. Do a little research on CTE. They are now finding that after these players are dying over 90% of them lived with this disease BECAUSE of football. Between CTE and these protests professional football may soon come to end, and I wouldn't be surprised. As a collegiate football player myself, it truly saddens me, even though I know my career will be over after college, seeing the future of the game I love so much decline, truly does hurt.

[idratherb]

Send them all to Iraq to play football for a year if they think it's so bad in the USA.

[Greg Massey]

I agree, NFL ,,,WHO....not in my house....