Christopher Johnson: Let the players kneel.

[BlindsideD'Brick]

Wow. I’m very disappointed to see that our acting owner made the following statement regarding player protests of the National Anthem: “Trying to forcibly get the players to shut up is a fantastically bad idea”.

So I have a question, Chris. Would you have any objections to employees at Johnson and Johnson staging up outside your corporate headquarters during company hours, and holding a protest over some perceived injustice about the treatment of the American worker?

How were ratings last year? I heard the NFL took a hard hit in ratings. NFL Sunday Ticket lost many customers last year, and many teams lost many season ticket holders. So yes, maybe it is time to tell these players to shut up at work, and protest on their own time.

BTW, 49er protesters Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reed are still looking for jobs.

 

[NewMFS62]

Well, that certainly clarifies a lot of things.
If Woody had been here, I don't think he would have allowed the team to draft independent thinker Josh Rosen.
But it looks like Chris would be willing to draft him, overlooking his politics.
Its not attitude, Brick. Its intelligence, a key attribute for a quarterback. Rosen has it. So does Mayfield.
Later

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

Well, that certainly clarifies a lot of things.
If Woody had been here, I don't think he would have allowed the team to draft independent thinker Josh Rosen.
But it looks like Chris would be willing to draft him, overlooking his politics.
Its not attitude, Brick. Its intelligence, a key attribute for a quarterback. Rosen has it. So does Mayfield.
Later

It’s not quite the same thing NewMF. It’s quite a different situation to wear a hat that says “F Trump” than it is to start a highly toxic political gesture that involved disrespecting a flag that represents the sacrifices of many Americans who died in War. (And I want Rosen, despite his politics).

Apples and oranges.

 

[NewMFS62]

I served in the Army during 'Nam. I was sworn in to defend the Constitution of the United States. That Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. As long as those demonstrations are peaceful, I have no problem with them.It is their right. They are not preventing those who wish to participate from doing so. They are toxic only to those who don't want them to exercise those rights peacefully.They are not insulting America, they are demonstrating for equality in the way they are treated by the police. And they are doing it in a way protected by the rights I swore to defend.
Saluting the flag at NFL games only became part of the pre-game activities when the US armed services became paid sponsors of NFL games on TV.
Whether or not I agree with them is not pertinent to a discussion about that right.

Chris "gets it".

Later

 

[TebowCan'tThrow]

I don't even pay attention to the protests.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

I served in the Army during 'Nam. I was sworn in to defend the Constitution of the United States. That Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. As long as those demonstrations are peaceful, I have no problem with them.It is their right. They are not preventing those who wish to participate from doing so. They are toxic only to those who don't want them to exercise those rights peacefully.They are not insulting America, they are demonstrating for equality in the way they are treated by the police. And they are doing it in a way protected by the rights I swore to defend.
Saluting the flag at NFL games only became part of the pre-game activities when the US armed services became paid sponsors of NFL games on TV.
Whether or not I agree with them is not pertinent to a discussion about that right.

Chris "gets it".

Later

It is not the right of employees of an NFL team to soapbox their political beliefs during company hours. In most companies, you’d be fired for violating workplace policies and procedures. (I’m a fireman. I’d be terminated for repeated offenses). I won’t even get into the validity of such subjective belief systems of people who wear socks which present police officers as pigs (Kaepernick). That’s a whole different discussion, and not appropriate for this forum.

If they want to demonstrate during their free time, that’s their constitutional right. But during company time on National TV, offending half of their paid customers...

Nope. That’s just self righteous, disrespectful, and bad business.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

NewMF. Thank you for your service to this country.

 

[LIJETFAN]

It's up the team owners to decide, they are the employers. If they are ok with it, then it's not bad business. It's how that business chooses to conduct business.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

It's up the team owners to decide, they are the employers. If they are ok with it, then it's not bad business. It's how that business chooses to conduct business.

And those businesses will alienate a huge portion of their fan base in the interest of promoting specious political posturing.

The proof is in the pudding. Ratings are down, and subscriptions are canceled. Many fans don’t want this crap injected into their Sunday routine. Sports is supposed to be an escape from “reality”.

 

[LIJETFAN]

Well, it's their call, it's their money at risk. Here's the flip side to consider, you might lose some fans but gain others. Just because ratings are down doesn't mean it will stay that way. Nor is there any proof of causation - meaning there might be correlation, but correlation does equal causation. There could be a lot of reasons for the ratings decline. Your view is certainly understandable, but others may have different and equally valid opinions.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

Well, it's their call, it's their money at risk. Here's the flip side to consider, you might lose some fans but gain others. Just because ratings are down doesn't mean it will stay that way. Nor is there any proof of causation - meaning there might be correlation, but correlation does equal causation. There could be a lot of reasons for the ratings decline. Your view is certainly understandable, but others may have different and equally valid opinions.

LIJETSFAN, first off I think you’ve probably figured out by now that I totally respect your POV. We almost always agree about the Jets.

And I’m not in any way suggesting that my POV about the racial schism in the NFL (and America, for that matter) is the only valid viewpoint. I completely understand and respect the differences in opinion on this issue.

My main point is that it is generally accepted in certain circles that alienating any significant segment of society in what is supposed to be an apolitical institution like the NFL is not a wise decision. There are many veterans, police officers, and other Americans who share my views that don’t appreciate this political narrative being shoved down our throats by the likes of CBS sports, FOX sports, ESPN, and NFL Network. It’s a one-sided perspective all the way. They don’t DARE challenge the racial politics being pushed by Colin Kaepernick and like-minded people. And if they do, they’re banished from the airwaves for having the audacity to dissent from such commonly accepted beliefs in those circles. If you disagree with the Black Lives Matter stance, you’re automatically assumed to be a fascist right wing Nazi.

And that’s complete horseshit.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

Have you seen the ratings decline for the NFL?

Trust me, the owners have, and like it or or not its a business, and telling half of your fans to Go F themselves is never good for business.

The players can do whatever they want on THEIR TIME, but not on the NFL's time ... the NFL owners have every right to protect their "business"

 

[TebowCan'tThrow]

Have you seen the ratings decline for the NFL?

Trust me, the owners have, and like it or or not its a business, and telling half of your fans to Go F themselves is never good for business.

The players can do whatever they want on THEIR TIME, but not on the NFL's time ... the NFL owners have every right to protect their "business"

The only thing I can say is I don't care about players kneeling. However, their job is to play football not protest during a game. Do whatever you want outside of business hours.

 

[beresford]

The way to do it is to dedicate each National Anthem playing at a Jets' home game to a specific American hero who died while serving for the Forces or the emergency services, and include a number of non-white candidates. Then let them kneel while the guy's wife and kids are midfield and his face is on the displays.

 

[SackExchange]

Why not have teams stay in the locker room if the national anthem has to be played? Is there anything gained from the players being on the field?

I don't want to get into a whole political discussion here. Players have a right to peacefully protest, though I wish there was a more respectful means that would actually get their message heard. And while the national anthem belongs to all Americans and not just those who served the country in one particular way, the military, I can see why those who had served in the military might be offended by the gesture.

Why not just stop politicizing football games at all, and refrain either from playing it at all or from having players on the field for it?

 

[hobson54]

And those businesses will alienate a huge portion of their fan base in the interest of promoting specious political posturing.

The proof is in the pudding. Ratings are down, and subscriptions are canceled. Many fans don’t want this crap injected into their Sunday routine. Sports is supposed to be an escape from “reality”.

then the owner must be willing to accept the consequences. and if c. johnson is ok with it, who are we to tell a businessman how to run his business?

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

then the owner must be willing to accept the consequences. and if c. johnson is ok with it, who are we to tell a businessman how to run his business?

I’m not telling him how to run his business. I’m simply telling him it’s bad business. When you are basically validating Colin Kaepernick, you’ve taken the side of some players who inject political theater into what’s supposed to be an apolitical game. Brotherhood, teammates, and fighting together changes into divisiveness and “we don’t care if you hate this, we’re doing it anyway, and on company time”.

A lot of the souvenir and ticket buying fanbase don’t like it, and stop going to games and watching on TV because of it. I disagree with LIJetsfan. I think it’s no coincidence that ratings continue to drop and the NFL Sunday Ticket has lost millions since this started ramping up. It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with the kneelers: the bottom line is that it’s hurting the image and pocket books of the NFL.

 

[BlindsideD'Brick]

Why not have teams stay in the locker room if the national anthem has to be played? Is there anything gained from the players being on the field?

I don't want to get into a whole political discussion here. Players have a right to peacefully protest, though I wish there was a more respectful means that would actually get their message heard. And while the national anthem belongs to all Americans and not just those who served the country in one particular way, the military, I can see why those who had served in the military might be offended by the gesture.

Why not just stop politicizing football games at all, and refrain either from playing it at all or from having players on the field for it?

Make it optional for players. If they object to the National Anthem, stay in the locker room. And those who support honoring their country can come out.

Sounds fair to me.

 

[SackExchange]

I’m not telling him how to run his business. I’m simply telling him it’s bad business. When you are basically validating Colin Kaepernick, you’ve taken the side of some players who inject political theater into what’s supposed to be an apolitical game. Brotherhood, teammates, and fighting together changes into divisiveness and “we don’t care if you hate this, we’re doing it anyway, and on company time”.

A lot of the souvenir and ticket buying fanbase don’t like it, and stop going to games and watching on TV because of it. I disagree with LIJetsfan. I think it’s no coincidence that ratings continue to drop and the NFL Sunday Ticket has lost millions since this started ramping up. It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with the kneelers: the bottom line is that it’s hurting the image and pocket books of the NFL.

But aren't the playing of the anthem and a variety of other overtly patriotic acts, including those funded by the DoD, political acts, as well. So it's not as though the pregame was apolitical before CK and the others began kneeling.

 

[hobson54]

I’m not telling him how to run his business. I’m simply telling him it’s bad business. When you are basically validating Colin Kaepernick, you’ve taken the side of some players who inject political theater into what’s supposed to be an apolitical game. Brotherhood, teammates, and fighting together changes into divisiveness and “we don’t care if you hate this, we’re doing it anyway, and on company time”.

A lot of the souvenir and ticket buying fanbase don’t like it, and stop going to games and watching on TV because of it. I disagree with LIJetsfan. I think it’s no coincidence that ratings continue to drop and the NFL Sunday Ticket has lost millions since this started ramping up. It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree with the kneelers: the bottom line is that it’s hurting the image and pocket books of the NFL.

why does every player who does this out of their own conscience have to be someone "validating CK"? are these players not capable of having their own beliefs?

and of course, it is being politicized by people on BOTH sides, including the occupant of the oval office who is only too happy to whip his base into a rage over some perceived outrage.

if someone doesn't want to spend their money or time attending/watching a game because of this, that is certainly their right. personally i think it is crazy to not go to/watch a game because some player(s) take a knee during the anthem. when you watch a game at home, do these same people stand for the anthem? do they get off their couch, put down their beer and nachos, stop talking with their friends, and stand in silence during the singing of the national anthem?