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Disrespect for a Nation – The NFL’s Epic Fail

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The NFL has experienced a number of particularly bad – and self-inflicted – years when it comes to Public Relations.

This time, the NFL, Commissioner Goodell and Company have outdone themselves.

Sunday was a fiasco.

President Trump brought an issue that’s been irking many a NFL fan to a head with remarks during a speech followed by these tweets:

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a response:

A lack of respect…for the NFL?

How about respect for the NFL’s fans?

How respect for our National Anthem, our flag and our nation?

Goodell’s comments exhibited a distinct lack consistency. Consider these earlier episodes of NFL leadership idiocy as cited in the Daily Wire:

In 2013, Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall was fined $5,250 for wearing green shoes in honor of Mental Health Awareness week, which was especially poignant because Marshall himself suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams was fined $5,787 in 2015 for wearing “Find the Cure” eye black with the message “We will find a cure” printed along with a pink ribbon, according to Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL Network. His mother died of breast cancer in 2010.

Another Steelers player, William Gay, was fined $5,787 in 2015 for wearing purple cleats to bring attention to domestic violence. Gay’s action was also moving because his mother was killed in an act of domestic violence.

The Steelers’ Cameron Heyward was fined for wearing eye black to honor his father, Craig “Iron Head” Heyward, who died of bone cancer in 2006.

The Dallas Cowboys wanted to pay tribute to the five Dallas officers who were murdered at a Black Lives Matter protest on July 7, 2016. The Cowboys had been wearing a special decal on their helmets that said “Arm in Arm” that specifically honored the police officers – that is until the NFL stepped in and stopped it.

Avery Williamson, a starting linebacker for the Tennessee team, hoped to wear a pair of specially-designed cleats at his team’s home opener Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but he backed off when a league rep vowed to fine him for violating the league’s uniform code.

The NFL has some image and behavioral problems as well.

On average, the NFL sees one of its players arrested every seven days. The record without an arrest is slightly more than two months, at 65 days.

Arrest for DUI is the number one crime.

Arrest for Drugs is the number two crime.

Arrest for Domestic Violence is the number three crime – only three arrests shy of those arrested for drugs.

Some took notice of Goodell’s hypocrisy:

He’s got a point.

The Left reacted to President Trump in the usual fashion:

The result was laughingly predictable.

It got worse. Or better – depending on your perspective:

The Baltimore Ravens and the Jacksonville Jaguars played a game in England. A large number of players from both teams knelt or sat for our National Anthem but then stood for God Save the Queen.

That did not sit well with the folks back at home.

Senator Ben Sasse – of whom I’m no fan – could at least see the writing on the wall.

What Senator Sasse really meant was kneeling for the National Anthem would unite the majority of the nation – as he clarified in his next tweet:

He was right.

Prior to Sundays shenanigans, CBS, Fox, ESPN and NBC were already projected to experience a $200 million shortfall in earnings from declining viewership. You can apply a multiple to that figure now.

The number one reason – by far – for declining viewership has been National Anthem protests by NFL players.

The entire Pittsburgh Steelers team stayed in the locker room during the National Anthem – with one lone exception.

An NFL player and military veteran with three tours in Afghanistan earned this response from Steelers coach, Mike Tomlin:

“I was looking for 100% participation, we were gonna be respectful of our football team.”

Sales of Villanueva’s jersey skyrocketed after the game.

The New England Patriots were roundly booed by their own fans, when about 20 players decided to kneel.

Absolute die-hard Patriots fans booing their own team is a dire signal that the NFL is not going to come out on top in its war with President Trump.

The NFL is facing a myriad of problems. Trial lawyers are salivating over the issue of concussions. Domestic Abuse issues abound. Viewership is spiraling downward. Fans are tired of spoiled multi-millionaires being arrested on a weekly basis while the NFL does nothing.

And they are really tired of seeing these same entitled players make a mockery of them, their country – and their flag.

Ben Shapiro summed it up nicely.

The NFL could have easily avoided this entire political affair by simply stating that – as employees – all players are required to stand for the National Anthem.

The First Amendment of the Constitution is surprisingly short. It also applies only to restrictions against government actions. “Congress shall make no law…”

Over the years, courts have expanded the Free Speech interpretation of the First Amendment to apply against state and local governments in addition to the federal level. BUT – the First Amendment does not apply against companies, organizations or individuals.

Said differently, NFL players have a right to protest the National Anthem. The NFL teams that employ these same players have a right to fire them for doing so.

The loss of viewership and a declining fan base will only accelerate this process.

Idiots all.

They deserve what they will get.

I had an interesting and telling experience on twitter that provides an insightful microcosm of the whole affair.

I saw this tweet:

I found it foolish and childish – another Social Justice Warrior fail.

Although I was unaware at the time, Dr. Gu is to medicine what Senator Ted Lieu is to Congress. Dr. Gu is a member of the Progressive Left. He is famous for his activism – among other things.

Dr. Gu was subpoenaed by Congress for his research involving human fetal tissue. He is also part of a seven-member group suing President Trump for…blocking him on twitter – from President Trump’s personal account.

Dr Gu has almost 57,000 followers on twitter. I have less than 900.

I responded to Dr. Gu with this tweet (I tweeted no other responses to either Gu or his followers):

I fully expected to be attacked by his followers.

A couple did.

One individual, who later deleted his tweet, accused me of engaging in “Plantation Politics”.

Another responded with this bit of lyrical genius:

But hateful responses have been surprisingly few – especially given that my tweet lies somewhat prominently within his timeline.

Meanwhile, support has been overwhelming. My notifications lit up on a level not personally experienced before. My tweet was even included in a Twitchy “article”.

My point is this: If I had tweeted a harsh response to Dr. Gu on any other issue, I almost certainly would have been subject to twitter immolation. That didn’t happen. The exact opposite occurred.

For one simple reason.

The. American. Public. Does. Not. Support. Protesting. The. National. Anthem.

Period.

President Trump was making a point with his tweets. More importantly, he was setting the bait.

It worked. The left swallowed – hook, line and sinker.

The Left’s response was, of course, to encourage everyone to take a knee for the National Anthem.

This was catastrophically stupid.

In their fervor to go after President Trump, the Left positioned themselves as being against the National Anthem.

Shapiro had it right:

“If you think you’re going to win hearts and minds by kneeling for the anthem because it hurts Trump, you’re out of your damn mind.”

The NFL had better adjust course quickly or prepare itself for leaner times.

It may already be too late.

Meanwhile, my notifications continue unabated. And they are overwhelmingly supportive in nature.

 

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