Vin+ 3,121 Posted May 23, 2018 (edited) https://twitter.com/NFLFootballOps/status/999053065314619393 https://twitter.com/NFLFootballOps/status/999055932360445952 The NFL will not require players to be on the field for the national anthem in 2018. The media owned by the league is spinning this as a "compromise," but it's hardly that. As Judy Battista puts it, "If players are on sideline, will stand. But players may choose to stay in the locker room if they prefer not to stand." Her colleague at NFL Media, Ian Rapoport adds, "Respecting the anthem will be paramount if you’re on the sideline. Teams can also set their own policies. Compromise all around." Compromise for the league owners, maybe, but the players had zero say in this said "compromise." The owners are simply trying to keep the anthem "protesters" and "disrespecters" off the field for the song. It may not even work. If a player has strong feelings toward social injustice -- we assume they do if they're kneeling -- a fine may not be strong enough "punishment" to keep him off the field during the anthem. The NFL continues to find ways to get in its own way and fuel a fire that keeps burning. Source: Profootballtalk on NBC Sports Plus: https://twitter.com/NFLFootballOps/status/999064651005612033 https://twitter.com/NFLFootballOps/status/999069961418170368 Edited May 23, 2018 by Vin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted May 23, 2018 (edited) Lmao at the NFL crew spinning this as a compromise, and utilizing the "anthem disrespecting" thing. That was never what this was about, at all. Owners have the right to do what they want, its a business. Love to see a big name player tell them to go fuck themselves and eat the fine. Here's a thought: They mandated standing, but not how to stand. So stand there with your hands over your head, or raised in surrender or in a karate pose. The owners are complete assholes for doing this without involving the NFLPA in the slightest. Compulsory patriotism, hurrah! Here's another thought: How about go back to how it was before, and not play the national anthem at all before games. There we go, fixed. About as well as this "compromise" fixes the problem. Edited May 23, 2018 by Thanatos 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted May 23, 2018 All of these rule changes are dumb. Just get rid of the kickoff already, and instead treat it like a 4th and 15 punt from the 30. The compromise to the anthem is dumb, and I'd love to see teams either not send out their players, or have all of them sit and eat the fine just to show how ludicrous this whole thing is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted May 23, 2018 Both rules are pretty dumb lol, but what else is new. A few decades from now this will all be viewed as one the shittiest times in nfl history. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BJORN 679 Posted May 23, 2018 Yay to 12 more months of this drama. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted May 23, 2018 I'm not touching the anthem stuff other than saying it's a really dumb decision. As for the kickoffs, eliminating the running start should actually give returners more of an incentive to return a kick that's a few yards into the end zone. As usual, the NFL accomplishes the opposite of their intended effect. I'm with Razor. Just get rid of the kickoff already. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilElliot 65 Posted May 24, 2018 (edited) Lol another pretend issue you are wasting your brain space on. There is no real issue.the nfl told Kap to take a knee. He ain't protesting crap.hes a house boy/uncle Tom. Lol at the common man. Thinking it's important to worship a bedsheets on a pole ,during a song. You know what Kneeling represents? It's the act of a subservient slave to a master. Kneeling doesn't protest crap. It's another act of propaganda. Yay to 12 more months of this drama. Deflated balls Video taped practice Suspend Brady - gate See a pattern yet? They pick something every year to keep the nfl in your dumb ass brain for 12 months. It's all fake Lol why would you neg rep that? You enjoyed talking about deflated balls? Shows how dumbed down Americans are. The govt has made you so stupid..that people are debating the need to worship symbolism. They think a 'right' needs to be written on paper for them to be allowed to do it. People are actually hating others for whether they stand and stare at a glorified bed sheet on a pole, during a song. Did you take off your hat? It's disrespectful? To who? You can't disrespect an inanimate object. I don't worship symbols. What you do around a flag won't do shit for racism or war.It changes,modifies,improves,means,proves nothing..it does nothing. Edited May 24, 2018 by RazorStar 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 25, 2018 I don't really care what the players do honestly... I saw Malcolm Jenkins today say that it was never about kneeling for him, which I don't and won't argue... But if that is the case, than this policy doesn't really hamper anything for him or his cause. Because for the "other side" of this debate... it IS about the kneeling and according to them "disrespect". I said this months ago, but I still feel like players can make a lot more happen / change if they put their time and money into their foundations and programs -- rather than kneeling during the anthem. I don't think that really accomplishes a whole lot. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted May 25, 2018 I said this months ago, but I still feel like players can make a lot more happen / change if they put their time and money into their foundations and programs -- rather than kneeling during the anthem. I don't think that really accomplishes a whole lot. I support the kneeling 100%, but I agree with this. The kneeling has accomplished its purpose in drawing attention to a public issue. Now it's time to take it to the next level. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted May 25, 2018 http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23593960/nfl-hold-formal-anthem-policy-vote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 25, 2018 I support the kneeling 100%, but I agree with this. The kneeling has accomplished its purpose in drawing attention to a public issue. Now it's time to take it to the next level. Serious question. What will the kneeling accomplish that won't be by staying in the locker room. If a player stays in the locker room, people will know why. Symbolically, I don't really see a huge difference. I saw today that Chris Long made a comment about how this decision by the NFL is just for the bottom line (duh)... But it probably will be for a lot of players too. Idk how many will, but if they stay in the locker room and protest that way, they are only doing so to save their bottom line and not get fined. Seems kind of hypocritical. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) One interesting comment I've heard about the anthem policy is that a lot of players end up in the locker room right before the game for completely random reasons: last minute medical treatment or adjustments, bathroom breaks, pregame routine, now anyone who's in the locker room for that shit is gonna have to explain what they were doing or everyone will assume it's an anthem protest. Just reinforces that no matter what you do there will be unintended consequences. As for the kickoff rules, if I'm a special teams coordinator I'm chomping at the bit to take advantage of all of the open space return teams are going to have to leave and trying to design deep onside kicks to those areas. Edited May 25, 2018 by oochymp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 25, 2018 One interesting comment I've heard about the anthem policy is that a lot of players end up in the locker room right before the game for completely random reasons: last minute medical treatment or adjustments, bathroom breaks, pregame routine, now anyone who's in the locker room for that shit is gonna have to explain what they were doing or everyone will assume it's an anthem protest. Just reinforces that no matter what you do there will be unintended consequences. As for the kickoff rules, if I'm a special teams coordinator I'm chomping at the bit to take advantage of all of the open space return teams are going to have to leave and trying to design deep onside kicks to those areas. Before this, weren't they required to be on the sideline? Or did they just not enforce that? I didn't really pay too much attention to it, I had football to prepare for. Ha Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oochymp 2,393 Posted May 25, 2018 I coups be wrong, but I didn't think there was an official policy before this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BJORN 679 Posted May 25, 2018 There was one put in place in 2009 because they had issues with players and staff lagging behind in the locker rooms and such. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Omerta+ 1,206 Posted May 25, 2018 I support the kneeling 100%, but I agree with this. The kneeling has accomplished its purpose in drawing attention to a public issue. Now it's time to take it to the next level. Sorry for the neg, but I hate you....lol. kidding it was supposed to be an up rep but alas here we are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATL_Predator+ 1,196 Posted May 25, 2018 Pussification everywhere. The kneeling thing was on it's way out and now with this... just brings it full circle yet again. Fuck Trump, Goodell, and every owner beside Mark Davis who abstained from the forced patriotism bs. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 25, 2018 Thats the thing too Charles. NFL committed $90M to civil rights / justice groups . Most of the players that were kneeling or protesting were done with it. There was a few who pulled out of the players coalition, but it was by and large a non issue. Seems like the NFL just wanted to make a statement for whatever reason. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATL_Predator+ 1,196 Posted May 25, 2018 Thats the thing too Charles. NFL committed $90M to civil rights / justice groups . Most of the players that were kneeling or protesting were done with it. There was a few who pulled out of the players coalition, but it was by and large a non issue. Seems like the NFL just wanted to make a statement for whatever reason A statement in the middle of the off-season just to get some relevance. It's almost as if they are trying to pull these anthem stunts to distract people from how the actual game is being changed with kickoffs and pussified H2H flags up the ass. The real football fans aren't fooled. I honestly wish someone would shoot Goodell. What Adam Silver is doing with the NBA is absolutely incredible. Let's the players play and speak their mind while marketing the NBA to the entire world in a positive way. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) I entirely concur with Charles. Fuck the owners for doing this. Sorry, this ain't a compromise. A compromise requires both sides to actually be involved in the conversation, lol. The NFLPA had no say in this. Someone was saying this is posturing for the CBA renewal in a couple years, that this is a concession the owners can easily give back. Whether you agree with the kneeling or not, the players should have the ability not to stand for the flag. Forced patriotism is not patriotism. The whole thing is ridiculous. It's playing on people's emotions they have for the flag and trying to play off of that. Edited May 25, 2018 by Thanatos 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 25, 2018 I entirely concur with Charles. Fuck the owners for doing this. Sorry, this ain't a compromise. A compromise requires both sides to actually be involved in the conversation, lol. The NFLPA had no say in this. Someone was saying this is posturing for the CBA renewal in a couple years, that this is a concession the owners can easily give back. Whether you agree with the kneeling or not, the players should have the ability not to stand for the flag. Forced patriotism is not patriotism. The whole thing is ridiculous. It's playing on people's emotions they have for the flag and trying to play off of that. One of my friends at work brought this up and it actually made a lot of sense to me. When those negotiations come around it's going to be one of the easiest "losses" to take from the owners perspective. The timing is just so weird to me (as I mentioned, with most of the talk and protests over anyway) that the above really does seem like the most likely scenario and outcome for this. Also.. I still haven't really made up my mind on the kick off rules. At face value they seem pretty lame... But I think that kickoffs will be a lot more exciting. I think we will see a lot of big returns. My only worry is actually that it might be too much... I don't want offenses consistently starting at the 35...40...50 yard line. But maybe I am too old school. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Turry 755 Posted May 25, 2018 Looks like it’s the CFL for me this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilElliot 65 Posted May 27, 2018 Pussification everywhere. The kneeling thing was on it's way out and now with this... just brings it full circle yet again. Fuck Trump, Goodell, and every owner beside Mark Davis who abstained from the forced patriotism bs. All planned, buddy, all planned. The nfl's annual off season..how do we keep people thinking nfl Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanbrock 1,684 Posted May 27, 2018 To what degree should your employer be able to control your speech is now the question we should be asking ourselves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted May 27, 2018 Thats a good question. When the speech of your employees begins negatively impacting your business and cash flow typically I think most of us would agree its okay to step in. When I was serving tables if I was acting in a way that offended customers Id be told to stop. And if I didnt I would be let go. Its kind of odd that we make an exception for the NFL and instead fight for the players right to protest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites