NFL and other sports Flag ceremony protest thread.

[skjl47]

Hello; Thought I would start a separate thread about the current NFL flag ceremony protests. I get that some are going to stick with the NFL and want to discuss the games and players, not the flag protests.

I watched the start of the second game of the baseball world series tonight. They had a huge flag on display and Brad Pasely (sp) did a good job with the anthem. If anyone did a protest it was not shown and my guess is all players stood at attention.

My goals with this thread include keeping up with the NFL with regard to what is going on about the protests.

Another goal is to learn about other sports such as baseball that I can be comfortable being a part of as a spectator knowing they respect the flag.

The thread can also host what ever respectful discussion from different points of view about the issues. Those who have been following the other ongoing NFL thread know my position already. I will briefly make a few points.
First I have decided to stop watching the NFL games until all healthy dressed players are standing properly for the flag ceremony. No kneeling. No staying in the tunnel. No TV avoiding the issue by not showing the anthem/flag ceremony. No raised fist. No sitting on the bench. People associated with the teams who are injured and are not able to stand do not count against a team.

I would like to find a way to avoid having the players who show proper respect for the flag to not be punished because of their teammates actions. On some teams only one player has been disrespectful. Only a few players on other teams. Best as I can find out so far is the Bears are the only team who all have been standing. I will try to find the two links I posted in the other thread about this.
The Bears may become my team.

I had hoped the NFL would take some action that I can tolerate. That does not seem likely. So I am for a new set of NFL bosses.

There may be more but enough for now.

 

[FMA4ME]

I have been wondering if the counter protest against the NFL has been very effective. A quick search of articles says viewership is down. I'd like to see new life breathed into the counter protest. I listen to a sports talk show and there isn't much talk about the protests.

 

[skjl47]

I have been wondering if the counter protest against the NFL has been very effective. A quick search of articles says viewership is down. I'd like to see new life breathed into the counter protest. I listen to a sports talk show and there isn't much talk about the protests.

Hello; This is just a guess at this point but my take so far is many, if not most, involved in the business want this backlash to go away.
The better example is TV networks planning to simply not broadcast the flag ceremony. NFL on TV is big business. The ratings drive sponsorship and so on. The broadcast channels pay the NFL a lot of money to get the games. Even if viewership is only down 10% that should get sponsors attention.

I am still confused as to why the NFL in general fails to get that to folks like myself do not like protests linked to the flag ceremony. I know some team owners get it such as Jerry Jones. I know that some players get it because they stand for the flag.
To be more clear, I am not against players protesting some cause dear to them. I simply do not think the flag ceremony has anything to do with what they are protesting and that ceremony should not be disrespected with such protests.
The current kneeling protests apparently started because of perceived bad police practices. By now it is reported there are added reasons for kneeling protests. Let me try to be more clear, the protests can be about natural gas fracking, about girls in the boy scouts, about grazing on public lands or any number of things.
That there are things going on worth a protest is not in question. I can think of a few things going on I do not like. The problem to me, and apparently, millions of others is doing such a protest during the flag ceremony. The flag ceremony is not the time or place for such protests.

Many of these football players have multi millions of dollars so can afford to stage a protest somewhere at a more suitable time. For example here in Tennessee Peyton Manning can get TV time anytime and anywhere he wants because he is so popular. Not saying he agrees with the current protests because I do not know.
That the kneeling players are getting attention is not in doubt. I think they are hurting the cause they are trying to champion by doing it during the flag ceremony.
The NFL and/or the TV networks can allow them a spot somewhere and sometime for their protests. My preference would be at the end of a game so folks who support the thing can hang around for what is being protested. The fans in the stadium would not be forced to watch a protest they may not agree with and can leave or stay as they please. At home I can watch the televised protests or change the channel.

 

[krichardson]

I just heard that kapernik has been invited to attend the next meeting between the players and administration to discuss the anthem protest issue.

 

[PYRU]

I personally watch sports to relax. Bringing politics into it kills all that. I get it everybody wants to be apart of something bigger, but do the sh** on your own time. NFL casters are just as bad. I really don't give a crap about your stance on a non football related issue can i see the highlights already? Until they all get their heads out of their rearends I'm out. There's got to be a more positive way to go about this than disrespecting the anthem and your sport. It's one of the main rules at most jobs. Don't discuss politics or religion at work.

 

[skjl47]

personally watch sports to relax

Hello; Me to.

Don't discuss politics or religion at work.

Hello; Yeah, I can picture how long I would have kept my job as a teacher had I started each class with a personal protest.

There's got to be a more positive way to go about this than disrespecting the anthem and your sport

Hello; yes to this.

 

[skjl47]

I just heard that kapernik has been invited to attend the next meeting between the players and administration to discuss the anthem protest issue.

Hello; I would like to see that meeting televised. Wonder if kapernick will bring the girlfriend who is reported to have inspired him?

My guess is the NFL has already lost the best time to have done something. They had the written rules in place and the option available last season. They did nothing then and after the most recent meeting effectively did nothing. They took the stance of we wish you players will all stand but we are not willing to enforce our own written rules.

Too many people have dug in their heels by now for a simple solution. Getting rid of Godell (sp) would be a start. Make a ruling about the flag ceremony with the concrete words "must" stand and "will" be punished replacing "should" stand and "may" be punished. Make the changes start at the very next game.

I also want a listing of each team where all players, coaches and such stand for the flag ceremony. I will watch when any two of such teams play.

One way a TV network can win me back might be to only show games between teams where all stand for the anthem.

I get that what I want is in effect "forcing" players to stand for the flag when they may not wish to. I am fine with that. I do not want to see them on a knee or with a fist raised. Better they stand at attention when they do not like it that my having to put up with protests during the flag ceremony. I am also not going to be appeased with TV not showing the protests.
I like football but can change the channel.

I do not "need" football. Does football need me?

 

[FMA4ME]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...tive-views-nfl-down-18-points-since-2013.html

 

[water.life]

These guy live a golden life, Play ball and make fortunes doing so. Have there ass kissed most likely from high school. Its pathetic that a country that gives so much is disrespected. Any other company would never put up with this nonsence. Do you think countries like Cuba, N. Korea, China, Russia would put up with this crap???
I never like the Dallas Cowboys or Jerry Jones, I do now!

 

[Drstrangelove]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...tive-views-nfl-down-18-points-since-2013.html

Also viewership is down almost 19% since 2015. Some reports continue to compare 2017 to 2016, because it was widely (erroneously) reported that the 2016 viewership was down due to the presidential race, or the Olympics, GoT, or sun spots.

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/nfl-tv-ratings-slide/2017/10/26/id/822250/

A relative of mine (a football fan) also tried to convince me that the protests didn't really start until mid season 2016 and no one even noticed Caepernick for weeks. Therefore the ratings decline had nothing to do with protests.

Of course that was from fake news he had seen on ESPN and CNN. The protests were widely reported in the 2016 pre season, so much so that Goodell and President Obama had made public comments by September 7, 2016. By September 23, 2016 viewership was already taking hits.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/09/23/media/nfl-ratings-down-nbc-cbs-fox-espn/index.html

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/timeline-nfl-protests-colin-kaepernick-161933512.html

For most companies a 20% decline in business would be considered catastrophic and corrective measures would be taken. Instead the NFL has doubled down, imo, all but indicating support for the strategy of alienating an enormous part of the customer.