NFL officials, owners, and the players association met in New York this week to address the ongoing crisis surrounding the US national anthem, with both sides struggling to find an agreement that would appease those who choose to “take a knee” during the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’
There are 1,696 players in the NFL. Approximately 200 of them sit or kneel during the National Anthem that only lasts about 2 minutes. That’s just under 12% of the NFL players whose average salaries are around 1.9 million dollars per year. That income for this sport is impossible to earn in any other country on earth. The NFL Commissioner and a majority of the owners have allowed that same 12% to taint this great game by being political and emasculated by pressure from a minority of opinions in this nation. The debacle started with 1 who began kneeling during the National Anthem. The President then weighs in with his opinion of this ill-timed act of protest being wrong and disrespectful to those who fought, were wounded, and / or gave their lives for our freedoms. Football is the sport that America loves most of all. Though using coarse words, the President did not bring division to the sport; the 12% who kneel, did! While you have the right and freedom to express your feelings of protest concerning the wrongs of our country; your timing of this activism is most disgraceful. While 25% of our military personnel in this country are black, sacrificing a 2 minute pause to give them honor should hardly be too difficult. It’s a sad day when America retreats to the grid iron either from their family room sofa or sitting in the bleachers to watch their favorite team give them a reason to cheer and smile, only to be frustrated by unwise and unproductive actions of disrespect to our flag. Football was America’s game that brought us all together regardless of race, politics, or religion. It has now been reduced to a platform of ill contented narcissists who simply don’t get it. Our country has it’s many faults, but it has never been more fair and free. This country is by far the greatest country on earth, though there’s still plenty of room for improvement. God bless America…… God bless our soldiers!
