How the NFL should address the national anthem controversy

[fredtoast]

So here is what I think the NFL should do about the national anthem controversy. They should release a statement saying that they are going to take steps to protect everyone's right to honor the United States during the pre-game national anthem. They would oppose any actions taken by players that would prevent any fan from hearing the national anthem or being able to see the flag during it. That way everyone's right to honor the country would be protected, but no player would be punished for any silent protest, kneeling, raising a fist, or anything else that does not interfere with the rights of anyone wanting to honor the flag/country.


Now I am sure there may be some players who would step up the protest by making noise during the anthem, but at that point we have a new issue. Silent kneeling does not interfere with anyone else's rights, and since this is the United States I think it is absurd to try and claim that a person who does not take part in a forced act of patriotism should not be allowed to play in the NFL. That type of thinking is the complete opposite of "freedom" and sounds like a policy from China or North Korea.


So who thinks that would solve the problem and end all the squealing and crying? I don't think any true patriot would feel they have the right to force anyone else to take part in an act of patriotism. So as long as the actions taken by the players do not interfere with the rights of others they should be allowed.


It also allows the NFL to come out looking like they are "pro anthem" while at the same time allowing players tom take part in silent protests. What could be more "pro-American" than that?

[*bfine32*]

My views on the anthem have been:

I don’t think anyone kneeling is purposely disrespecting those who sacrificed for the flag

I think those that find it to be disrespectful have their right to voice their opinion

Anyone who wants to kneel or peacefully protest should be able to

An employer should be able to do as they wish with their employee as long as they practice EEO procedures

Going forward:

I have no issues with what you suggest but there will still be an “us versus them” mentality other than one of unification.

Perhaps as we had “50 years celebration” season we could have an “equal rights celebration” season. Each pregame before the Anthem the home team does something to shine light on the accomplishments of a person of color and asks the crowd for a moment of silence.

[Arturo Bandini]

We actually only play our anthem for international games ( as well as our opponent anthem ) but we don't in our national leagues, it would be weird I guess ...

[*Nately120*]

(06-17-2020, 02:20 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Perhaps as we had “50 years celebration” season we could have an “equal rights celebration” season. Each pregame before the Anthem the home team does something to shine light on the accomplishments of a person of color and asks the crowd for a moment of silence.

Yes, but I can already see people complaining that the NFL doesn't have an "Outstanding white guy" spotlight.

[Vas Deferens]

(06-17-2020, 07:56 PM)Arturo Bandini Wrote: We actually only play our anthem for international games ( as well as our opponent anthem ) but we don't in our national leagues, it would be weird I guess ...

It is weird, you are right. Especially when fans coming and going to the stadium are disgusted by the homeless population begging for assistance in city centers they rarely visit. All the while 1 in 10 of those poor people they turn their back to are veterans. The simple hypocrisy illuminates how incredibly uninformed the people with the loudest voices are in this country.

The trash of our society is not the homeless population, but those that turn their backs on them in the form of rollbacks to social safety nets. They are experiencing the finite bliss which their children will look back upon in shame. Pathetic.

[*jason*]

(06-17-2020, 08:18 PM)Nately120 Wrote: Yes, but I can already see people complaining that the NFL doesn't have an "Outstanding white guy" spotlight.

We all know our boy Joe Burrow would have that award on lock....

[samhain]

I'm not sure it matters at this point. Public opinion is everything, and unlike last time around, the kneeling gesture has a lot more support than it did in 2017.

There will undoubtedly be people that get upset about it, and I have no doubt that the league wants to keep them invested in watching football. However, the number of people who get upset about them cracking down on protesting is probably a lot more significant at this point, and the kind of pucblicity that would result from suppressing it is not the kind the league wants. It's a tough situation for a business to make, but as I said, public opinion drives it all.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

My take on this kneeling situation isn't founded on anything political but rather something very historical. I'm well aware the Cincinnati Bengals are among a handful of teams who have never had a player kneel or raise a fist during the national anthem.  Much of this is derived from something which started decades ago when Paul Brown was head coach in Cleveland.  The first thing he taught the Browns at training camp was how to properly stand for the national anthem as a team. "If we can't get this right," he often told his players. "The other stuff won't be right either."

Paul Brown carried this tradition to Cincinnati in 1968.  It's a team thing.

[fredtoast]

(06-17-2020, 07:56 PM)Arturo Bandini Wrote: We actually only play our anthem for international games ( as well as our opponent anthem ) but we don't in our national leagues, it would be weird I guess ...

Actually I think the easiest answer is not to play the national anthem before any game.  But I know that suggestion would set off a shit storm.

[GMDino]

(06-18-2020, 09:30 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Actually I think the easiest answer is not to play the national anthem before any game.  But I know that suggestion would set off a shit storm.

Like going back to the original Pledge of Allegiance.  Everyone who thinks "that's the way it's always been" would lose their minds.

[Millhouse]

(06-18-2020, 09:30 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Actually I think the easiest answer is not to play the national anthem before any game.  But I know that suggestion would set off a shit storm.

I would be fine with this, never really understood why the anthem is played before sporting events. I know its just a tradition, but why just sports?

When I go the movies when the theater is packed, do we all stand for the anthem right before the movie plays, celebrating America?

When I go to a concert, do I stand for the Anthem to celebrate America?

When I literally go any large public gathering, do we always stand for the Atnthem to celebrate America? Rarely rarely ever.

But before a game, it's mandatory it seems. 

[BmorePat87]

We yell "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" in Maryland when they sing "O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave".

We got flack from a Nats sports writer about that being disrespectful, to which the Baltimore Sun responded "Your teams has dead presidents race in a cartoon fashion around the park, which is more disrespectful?"


It's tradition. It's a song from our city about the most famous battle in our city. It's certainly more disrespectful than silently kneeling, but it's been happening for decades without interruption.

[Benton]

(06-18-2020, 09:30 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Actually I think the easiest answer is not to play the national anthem before any game.  But I know that suggestion would set off a shit storm.

I've never really understood what the anthem has to do with sports. Go to a high school game and you're going to her an hour of rap during warm ups. Then they drop the anthem in between Eminem and the marching bands intro music. 

[*Nately120*]

(06-18-2020, 09:30 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Actually I think the easiest answer is not to play the national anthem before any game.  But I know that suggestion would set off a shit storm.

Right, if you drop the anthem now it's going to be criticized (by people who have been upset for 3 years already) as removing respect for veterans and history because you as an organization don't have the guts or patriotism to crack down on disrespectful bs from your over-paid crybaby athletes.

I think the NFL has done enough, because people who buy into the notion that players taking a knee is done due to a hatred for the USA and/or veterans have their minds made up and are going to tune out en-masse. Sadly, the XFL doesn't exist and NASCAR isn't the ally they thought it was. Ok, I'm editorializing here, but I assume they are bummed they don't have a side sport they can threaten to watch more after they give up the NFL. Thankfully, we live in the USA where anyone who works hard can make his own billion dollar industry with nothing more than hard work, so there will be an NFL for real Americans soon.

[*bfine32*]

(06-18-2020, 06:17 PM)Benton Wrote: I've never really understood what the anthem has to do with sports. Go to a high school game and you're going to her an hour of rap during warm ups. Then they drop the anthem in between Eminem and the marching bands intro music. 

I think it started during WWI...wait for it... as a way to pay honor to the troops. 

[Benton]

(06-18-2020, 11:50 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I think it started during WWI...wait for it... as a way to pay honor to the troops. 

That's the history of it. And a century later it's more of a "grab the beer and get to your seat, the game's about to start" warning than it is honoring troops. 

[samhain]

I have to admit, that although I'm all for players protesting, I might be one of the few that really enjoy the anthem and opening proceedings. It's probably just conditioning from being to a hundred or so Bengals games, but something about the start of the anthem means that the moment I've waited all week for is finally starting. I like the quiet reverence and calm before the dumb tiger Jumbotron video, then GnR, then kickoff.. I get pretty pissed if I run late and miss the process, lol.

Then again, I'm a creature of habit. I'm still pissed that they canned Brad Johanssen thus ending his game-opening monologues.

[GMDino]

(06-18-2020, 11:50 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I think it started during WWI...wait for it... as a way to pay honor to the troops. 

Exactly.

A spur of the moment thing that ended up as propaganda.

[*bfine32*]

(06-19-2020, 02:07 AM)Benton Wrote: That's the history of it. And a century later it's more of a "grab the beer and get to your seat, the game's about to start" warning than it is honoring troops. 

I was just answering the question you asked.

[6andcounting]

(06-18-2020, 02:25 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I would be fine with this, never really understood why the anthem is played before sporting events. I know its just a tradition, but why just sports?

When I go the movies when the theater is packed, do we all stand for the anthem right before the movie plays, celebrating America?

When I go to a concert, do I stand for the Anthem to celebrate America?

When I literally go any large public gathering, do we always stand for the Atnthem to celebrate America? Rarely rarely ever.

But before a game, it's mandatory it seems. 

Doesn't the Pentagon pay leagues to do the national anthem? I think after this got talked about with the kapernick thing leagues said they would no longer accept Pentagon money to do it, but I thought that's why it started being part of every pre-game.