Reactions to Patriots coach Bill Belichick's explanation about his letter to President-elect Donald Trump are rolling in, and the issue "isn’t if" Belichick or QB Tom Brady "voted for Donald Trump, or that they publicly endorsed him," according to Steve Buckley of the BOSTON HERALD. They should be applauded "for taking a stand," but what Belichick and Brady have done is "take a dog-whistle approach to their support for Trump." Buckley: "That’s gutless." However Belichick "wants to spin this, the note he sent to Trump is absolutely political." It "became political the moment he apparently gave permission for Trump to go public with what can only be described as an endorsement" (BOSTON HERALD, 11/10). CSNNE.com's Tom Curran wrote it is Belichick’s "right to be neutral or partisan," but it also is his "right to share his endorsement and vote or keep it private." What "muddies the water here is that Belichick seems to want it both ways." If Belichick "not only gave Trump the OK to read his letter in New Hampshire but crafted a new one expressly for the occasion, it’s an endorsement" (CSNNE.com, 11/9).
NOT BUYING WHAT HE'S SELLING: ESPN's Bomani Jones asked, "Do I have ‘sucker’ written across my forehead?" Belichick in the letter wrote that he "wanted (Trump) to ‘Make America Great Again.’" Jones: "That’s the slogan for his political campaign. That absolutely was political. ... You write a thousand letters every month? That's fine. That wasn't a form letter that you gave him. That was very particular and you can't hide from it” (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 11/9). The L.A. Times' Bill Plaschke noted the letter "was completely political" and said, "He sent this letter cheering for Trump to win, and now he has to explain it because he has a locker room full of players and their families and their friends who may not agree with his political views." But the Colorado Springs Gazette's Woody Paige said, "He has a right to have a political statement just like the players had during the course of the year.” Paige: “We know that the owners for the most part are Republican. They just haven't expressed their opinions like he did in a letter” ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 11/9). FS1's Colin Cowherd said, “Initially I didn't love this story, I thought it was political. But when Bill says John Kerry's in it, Trump's in it, they're my friends, their ideologies are different -- I'm okay with it.” FS1’s Jason Whitlock: “I 100% respect the loyalty he's shown here. My respect for Belichick has gone up” (“Speak for Yourself,” FS1, 11/9).
TOO FOCUSED ON THE TASK? Alabama football coach Nick Saban yesterday during his weekly press conference said he did not realize Tuesday was Election Day. ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth said she found that "incredibly irresponsible as a leader of young men to not acknowledge the importance of this day to us as a collective nation." Hubbarth: "I find it negligent and a huge knock on his leadership” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 11/10).
