The NFL is in a No Win Situation

Wheetie · Jun 5, 2020

Interested to hear other's take on this, but I think the NFL has a no win situation on their hands.

There's no way a vast number of player's won't be kneeling for the Anthem's this year, and there's no way the NFL can mandate against it, nor can I see them even trying to do so. Other player's who choose to stand for the Anthem may now be at risk of being labelled racist for not kneeling, and so they'll either be chastised for standing, or feel obligated to kneel as well.

That said, it's inevitable that a large percentage of fans will take offense to either the kneeling of the player's, or offense at the player's who choose to stand, and could potentially just tune out the league like they did a couple years ago. The league also risks losing a good amount of fans by choosing to not do the Anthem at all.

Aside from that, I can see a lot of internal tension amongst teammates that either stand or kneel as well, with players that kneel feeling disrespected by their other teammates who may choose not to kneel. They may feel like they don't have their back or aren't taking the issue seriously enough along with them.

If stadiums are half full, or less due to COVID, and the league loses a noticeable amount of TV viewers over this Anthem issue as well, the league could be hurting sooner than later.

Watching how Drew Brees' comments have blown up the league over the past few days, I think this is going to be a major issue moving forward.

What's your take?

Sports Hernia · Jun 5, 2020

Wheetie":393bgbie said:
Interested to hear other's take on this, but I think the NFL has a no win situation on their hands.

There's no way a vast number of player's won't be kneeling for the Anthem's this year, and there's no way the NFL can mandate against it, nor can I see them even trying to do so. Other player's who choose to stand for the Anthem may now be at risk of being labelled racist for not kneeling, and so they'll either be chastised for standing, or feel obligated to kneel as well.

That said, it's inevitable that a large percentage of fans will take offense to either the kneeling of the player's, or offense at the player's who choose to stand, and could potentially just tune out the league like they did a couple years ago. The league also risks losing a good amount of fans by choosing to not do the Anthem at all.

Aside from that, I can see a lot of internal tension amongst teammates that either stand or kneel as well, with players that kneel feeling disrespected by their other teammates who may choose not to kneel. They may feel like they don't have their back or aren't taking the issue seriously enough along with them.

If stadiums are half full, or less due to COVID, and the league loses a noticeable amount of TV viewers over this Anthem issue as well, the league could be hurting sooner than later.

Watching how Drew Brees' comments have blown up the league over the past few days, I think this is going to be a major issue moving forward.

What's your take?

Easy solution. Play the national anthem before the players come out on to the field right before game time like they used to.
Won’t happen though because it’s common sense.

I don’t see how your racist if you choose to stand, and I don’t see it that you are disrespecting the flag or the country by kneeling. That’s my 2 cents worth.

Wheetie · Jun 5, 2020

I don't think the players will be ok with being told to stay in the locker room during the Anthem and have their opportunity to make a statement taken away. It would be viewed as the NFL taking away their right to protest.

jmahon316 · Jun 5, 2020

Wheetie":3cva0c31 said:
I don't think the players will be ok with being told to stay in the locker room during the Anthem and have their opportunity to make a statement taken away. It would be viewed as the NFL taking away their right to protest.

So, if they could only protest during the National Anthem, does this contradict the narrative that this "isn't about the anthem or the flag?"

asking for a friend...

James in PA · Jun 5, 2020

The players who want to stand will just lock arms with those who kneel.

But it still won’t go over well with THIS guy, watching from home.

Sports Hernia · Jun 5, 2020

Wheetie":3kx0ynof said:
I don't think the players will be ok with being told to stay in the locker room during the Anthem and have their opportunity to make a statement taken away. It would be viewed as the NFL taking away their right to protest.

They didn’t used to have a problem with it.
Keep em in the locker room during the NA, there will be plenty of other times they can take a knee. End of quarters, end of game, before kickoff, TV timeouts, etc etc etc.

chris98251 · Jun 5, 2020

Regardless this time round the NFL is going to do things different, Kaep's demonstration was misunderstood by so many this time it will be much better understood and the NFL will not be trying to make examples of the players like Kaep and Reid.

knownone · Jun 5, 2020

chris98251":1yv8cww9 said:
Regardless this time round the NFL is going to do things different, Kaep's demonstration was misunderstood by so many this time it will be much better understood and the NFL will not be trying to make examples of the players like Kaep and Reid.

I'm not sure that's the case. I think the NFL will do what ever has the least impact on their bottom line. They don't care about social issues. They care about profit.

chris98251 · Jun 5, 2020

knownone":36onmjlt said:
chris98251":36onmjlt said:

Regardless this time round the NFL is going to do things different, Kaep's demonstration was misunderstood by so many this time it will be much better understood and the NFL will not be trying to make examples of the players like Kaep and Reid.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's the case. I think the NFL will do what ever has the least impact on their bottom line. They don't care about social issues. They care about profit.

This time round people will rebel against the league even if they are not fans, the season starts in a week or two really with camps, NFL taking an adverse position about the situation and then retaliatory against the players for demonstrating will not go over well.

Their bottom line is important, their Stadiums not being burnt down is also.

joeseahawks · Jun 5, 2020

The NFL will thrive, when it finally embraces the history of ALL Americans. If some owners don't like it, they can sell their shares. Plenty of decent, honest people will buy.

Colin Kaepernick kneeling has been misguided from the beginning. I'm happy to see that the Commissioner has acknowledged that mistake. The NFL will only grow stronger, better, more successful when it reflects American values, meaning the values of ALL.

[youtube]_PDaFCot8yM[/youtube]

America is for all, not just the privileged few.
[youtube]QbLM1jiU8oI[/youtube]

joeseahawks · Jun 5, 2020

Russell Wilson.
[youtube]rAjYJ0B2VMc[/youtube]

GeekHawk · Jun 6, 2020

Seems like the right solution from the NFL's point of view would be to not let the TV broadcast start until after the anthem is over.

IndyHawk · Jun 6, 2020

Easy don't pan the cameras on them during the song.
Nobody can be offended..
As for fans at the game you either accept their right
or you can sell your tickets.

joeseahawks · Jun 6, 2020

Yea ... they should just show more cowardice.
Still don't get it.

SantaClaraHawk · Jun 6, 2020

Wheetie":1iveoo3o said:
Interested to hear other's take on this, but I think the NFL has a no win situation on their hands.

There's no way a vast number of player's won't be kneeling for the Anthem's this year, and there's no way the NFL can mandate against it, nor can I see them even trying to do so. Other player's who choose to stand for the Anthem may now be at risk of being labelled racist for not kneeling, and so they'll either be chastised for standing, or feel obligated to kneel as well.

That said, it's inevitable that a large percentage of fans will take offense to either the kneeling of the player's, or offense at the player's who choose to stand, and could potentially just tune out the league like they did a couple years ago. The league also risks losing a good amount of fans by choosing to not do the Anthem at all.

Aside from that, I can see a lot of internal tension amongst teammates that either stand or kneel as well, with players that kneel feeling disrespected by their other teammates who may choose not to kneel. They may feel like they don't have their back or aren't taking the issue seriously enough along with them.

If stadiums are half full, or less due to COVID, and the league loses a noticeable amount of TV viewers over this Anthem issue as well, the league could be hurting sooner than later.

Watching how Drew Brees' comments have blown up the league over the past few days, I think this is going to be a major issue moving forward.

What's your take?

There's an easy way out of this for this year.

Just don't play the anthem this year and say it's because of virus precautions. It would actually make sense. Fans may not even be allowed to watch and the anthem, the cheerleaders, the snack vendors, etc. are all there for the fans in real time. None of that or very little is even broadcast on TV.

Not playing the anthem in 2020 isn't even political due to virus precautions. It's an extra body plus crew on the field, one they have to start scheduling for now. There are few 4th of July parades and no county fairs because the scheduling did not permit it.

anonFAFA · Jun 7, 2020

joeseahawks":3g06tn1n said:
The NFL will thrive, when it finally embraces the history of ALL Americans...The NFL will only grow stronger, better, more successful when it reflects American values, meaning the values of ALL.

Black history most certainly should be recognized. Black values should also be respected. But you keep saying ALL when I don't think that's what you mean.

There are many Americans who think the National Anthem and the flag are not the right things to be protesting. To them, it means something different. To many it means the sacrificed lives of a brother, sister, mother, father, son, daughter. To many it is the symbol of America's hope and what it strives to become. To many it's an acknowledgement of our nation's imperfections and the need to be better. To these people, it's not the venue to be protesting because it represents hope.

Now I get it, for many others, it represents oppression and pain. It's hard for those who are underprivileged to see the same hope. And I respect that. I respect the right to kneel.

But I think what you mean by ALL is really just SOME that you happen to agree with. You're entitled to that opinion and I support that. But it's wrong to use the description of ALL when the values towards the National Anthem and the flag vary wildly among Americans.

SantaClaraHawk · Jun 7, 2020

Another reason why the NFL should just not play the anthem this year really FAFA.

If there aren't fans and they play/pipe this in, forget the sports news, the mainstream news will be all over wherever this is to film who's kneeling. Which given the moment is going to be 80 percent. And if there are fans, then there's going to have to be more security to deal with the beer throwing on whoever in the stands is kneeling or sitting or standing.

The NFL can't say black lives matter and then even have the appearance of coercing or even encouraging players to kneel. That didn't even work out for them before this. I question whether the anthem needs to be played before a game anyway being that it is inherently and especially political right now.

Of course Trump rolls in to throw more fuel on the fire.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1269840254871142400[/tweet]

94Smith · Jun 8, 2020

So many NFL players come from impoverished black neighborhoods, they represent a large portion of their employees. Why couldn't the NFL have a month devoted (or even a week? ) devoted to raising money to help create initiatives to help these neighborhoods. These could include police education, community initiatives, education opportunities, running ads to combat racism etc. If the NFL was doing something much like they do with play 60, the armed forces, and cancer and like they have done in the past with hurricane relief, maybe they could in turn ask that their employees not make broad protests during the national anthem

SantaClaraHawk · Jun 8, 2020

94Smith,

Back when Nfl did the breast cancer one (I understand it has been expanded to all cancer now), it was difficult to get away from. It was time to go get the annual check for it. Whelp I ended up having a major operation for it but as a result I'm still here.

So I'm with you. A focused BLM campaign, focused on how everyone can be antiracist, can only help. A lot of people don't know how to be anti-racist in a way that affects change.

Raheem Mostert's parents are white. They adopted him as an adolescent from the foster system while they were raising two bio daughters, both younger. That's change. That's being antiracist.

Stanford University requires everyone including on their football team to fulfill academic requirements. It's a big deal to Richard Sherman who has parlayed his education and his smarts into a career that will last beyond football because Stanford insisted on expectations. That's being antiracist.

TreeRon · Jun 8, 2020

"There are many Americans who think the National Anthem and the flag are not the right things to be protesting."
You still don't get it !
THEY ARE NOT PROTESTING THE FLAG OR THE ANTHEM !!!!!
The time during the anthem was an opportunity to make the point. Some of the things the flag and anthem represent are not available to black Americans, like freedom and justice.

BTW, what the "H" do you mean by "Black Values"?

One more thing, do you not think that black men and women have not fought and died in America's wars? What'd they get for it? After WWI and WWII they returned to denigration, and worse lynchings.
In my war Viet Nam, there were as many black guys as white guys. Who do you think was getting drafted while suburban white kids were getting student deferments or worse, getting a doctor to make some phony medical excuse.
I'll bet as % of the population there are more blacks and latinos in the Army and Marines now, than whites.

The NFL is in a No Win Situation

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