Trump also singled out players who protest for social justice issues during the national anthemGETTY IMAGES
President Trump last night during a rally in Charleston, W.Va., "brandished a familiar cudgel, attacking the NFL, its players and ESPN over the ongoing national anthem controversy that energizes his base," according to Jason Owens of YAHOO SPORTS. Trump chose to "hone in on ESPN's recent decision to decline to air the national anthem" before "MNF" broadcasts. He said, "You're proud of our country, you're proud of our history, and unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish our great American flag. It was just announced by ESPN that rather than defending our anthem, our beautiful, beautiful national anthem and defending our flag, they've decided that they just won't broadcast when they play the national anthem. We don't like that." Trump also took on players who "choose to kneel during the national anthem as a form of social justice protest." Trump: "While the players are kneeling -- some of them, not all of them at all -- you're all proudly standing for our national anthem." Owens noted Trump again provided the "distraction to his base that is the NFL anthem controversy" on a day when two former close associates, Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, were surrounded by legal issues (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/21). In N.Y., Scott Chiusano writes Trump last night "fell back on his new favorite coping mechanism" of criticizing the NFL "when the going gets tough" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/22).
STIRRING THE DISCUSSION: A tweet sent out last night by NOW THIS NEWS featuring Texas Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke discussing the anthem issue at a recent rally went viral while Trump was making his remarks. O'Rourke in the video called it a "really tough issue that if we don’t talk about is not going to get better.” O’Rourke personally does not think the protests are disrespectful but said, "Reasonable people can disagree on this issue and it makes them no less American to come down on a different conclusion on this issue.” O'Rourke refers to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks as partaking in "peaceful non-violent protests," which can include "taking a knee at a football game to point out that black men, unarmed black teenagers, unarmed and black children ... are being killed at a frightening level right now, including by members of law enforcement, without accountability and without justice." O'Rourke: "Non-violently, peacefully, while the eyes of this country are watching these games, they take a knee to bring our attention and our focus to this problem to ensure that we fix it. That is why they’re doing it and I can think of nothing more American than to peacefully stand up, or take a knee, for your rights anytime, anywhere, any place” (NOWTHISNEWS.com, 8/21).
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION: In Toronto, John Kryk writes soccer's pregame ritual "might offer a real solution" for the NFL. The practice instituted by FIFA is for "each player of each team at international (even pro) games to walk onto the pitch while holding the hand of a child soccer player, then remain partnered with that child at midfield as teams line up for the pre-game anthem or other brief rituals." At the same moment, FIFA has "permitted socially beneficial messages to be unfurled on huge banners on the field, such as 'Say No To Racism.'" Kryk: "Why don't the NFL and NFLPA agree to something like that?" It might "feel forced" and some players would perhaps "feel patronized and resent it." But which teams "would object to that?" Which players "would choose to kneel while holding the hand of a child?" (TORONTO SUN, 8/22).
CHANGING TUNES: The AP's Josh Dubow noted 49ers LB Eli Harold spent the past two season kneeling alongside former teammates Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid during the national anthem, but has "changed his stance this year and has stood." Harold yesterday "didn't want to get into details on why he no long is kneeling during the anthem." He said, "Me and my wife had a discussion and we feel it's best right now that I just don't answer those questions and try to stick with ball" (AP, 8/21).
