NFL starts new season sitting for National Anthem. Update Pg 91 (And it continues with 2018 Pre-Season games)

October 10, 2017, 10:28 AM

a1abdj

quote:
An average professional football game lasts 3 hours and 12 minutes, but if you tally up the time when the ball is actually in play, the action amounts to a mere 11 minutes.

You're leaving out the 30 to 60 minutes prior to the game where the sports professionals speak about what may happen during the game. Then the game itself. And afterwords, another 30 to 60 minutes summarizing what just occurred.

October 10, 2017, 12:39 PM

Ackks

From Adam Scheftler's Facebook page

quote:
Adam Schefter

ESPN obtained following letter that Roger Goodell sent to NFL teams within past 30 minutes:

To: Chief Executives/ Club Presidents
From: Commissioner Goodell
Date: October 10, 2017
Re: Fall Meeting/National Anthem

We live in a country that can feel very divided. Sports, and especially the NFL, brings people together and lets them set aside those divisions, at least for a few hours. The current dispute over the National Anthem is threatening to erode the unifying power of our game, and is now dividing us, and our players, from many fans across the country.

I’m very proud of our players and owners who have done the hard work over the past year to listen, understand and attempt to address the underlying issues within their communities. At our September committee meetings, we heard directly from several players about why these issues are so important to them and how we can support their work. And last week, we met with the leadership of the NFLPA and more players to advance the dialogue.

Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the Anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues. We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.

Building on many discussions with clubs and players, we have worked to develop a plan that we will review with you at next week’s League meeting. This would include such elements as an in-season platform to promote the work of our players on these core issues, and that will help to promote positive change in our country. We want to ensure that any work at the League level is consistent with the work that each club is doing in its own community, and that we dedicate a platform that can enable these initiatives to succeed. Additionally, we will continue the unprecedented dialogue with our players.

I expect and look forward to a full and open discussion of these issues when we meet next week in New York. Everyone involved in the game needs to come together on a path forward to continue to be a force for good within our communities, protect the game, and preserve our relationship with fans throughout the country. The NFL is at its best when we ourselves are unified. In that spirit, let’s resolve that next week we will meet this challenge in a unified and positive way.

Yahoo has it as well
https://sports.yahoo.com/roger...rding-174259696.html

October 10, 2017, 12:48 PM

Sailor1911

Too little, too late, Roger. That bridge is a roaring fire behind you and it's moving faster. F/U.

October 10, 2017, 12:49 PM

esdunbar

WTF does that mean? Has this dolt not realized that politics is cancerous?

Politics poisons everything it touches....except for politics itself.

Jamele Hill is suspended for engaging in politics, and Al is going to protest outside of their offices as a result. It's a lose/lose to get into politics unless your core revenue stream is politics itself.

By definition, you annoy half the country when you make your business a political one.

If Rodger tries to promote some political platform, he's dumber than I thought. The league isn't in the business of creating social platforms. If they try to, it will result in more politics in their game...and continue the backlash.

They should be running as fast as they can from "platforms" and focus on selling football. If 'ol Rodger can't wrap his head around this concept, I'm guessing the owners will show him the door.

October 10, 2017, 12:55 PM

Hound Dog

nfl is still trying to appease to the leftists (players and public) while ignoring the effect that all this political activism is having on their core conservative fan base.

Instead of saying "we will focus on what we are here for - playing games," they seem to be doubling down and emphasizing the rights of their players to turn the nfl into a venue for leftist political activism.

They just don't get it. They continue to hemhorage fans, and instead of applying a torniquet (cutting off the activism), they are trying to polish their public image.

Idiots.

October 10, 2017, 12:58 PM

Ackks

I take it as the President just won. It's not over, there are still a lot of reasons to be upset, but it seems as though the players will be forced to stand.

October 10, 2017, 01:04 PM

sdy

quote:
This would include such elements as an in-season platform to promote the work of our players on these core issues, and that will help to promote positive change in our country.

Goodell is following the lead of the owner of the Lions. Bribe the activists. Pay the ransom.

Get them to stand and the NFL will push their activist agenda. This could be even more disastrous for the NFL.

I don't think some of the activist players will listen to the owners or the league.

***************

only about 1.6% of college football players get to the NFL. There are a lot of people out there who would like to get a shot at making pro football kind of money.

*****************

"Sports, and especially the NFL, brings people together and lets them set aside those divisions, at least for a few hours"

that is what you have allowed to be destroyed Roger

I hear this over and over, just play football.

October 10, 2017, 01:05 PM

ensigmatic

quote:

Everyone involved in the game needs to come together on a path forward to continue to ... protect ~~the game~~ our profits, ...

FIFY, Rog.

October 10, 2017, 01:15 PM

Dzozer

More info on new NFL policy from OAN

"The league reportedly added the new rules to its game manual, which will punish players who refuse to stand.

The penalties include fines, suspensions, and forfeiting of draft choices."

NFL Revises National Anthem Policy

October 10, 2017, 01:21 PM

Crom

quote:
Too little, too late, Roger. That bridge is a roaring fire behind you and it's moving faster. F/U.

+1000

October 10, 2017, 01:23 PM

parabellum

quote:
Originally posted by Dzozer:
More info on new NFL policy from OAN

"The league reportedly added the new rules to its game manual, which will punish players who refuse to stand.

The penalties include fines, suspensions, and forfeiting of draft choices."

NFL Revises National Anthem Policy

And now, the fun begins.

October 10, 2017, 01:26 PM

Balzé Halzé

quote:
Originally posted by esdunbar:
WTF does that mean? Has this dolt not realized that politics is cancerous?

Yeah, seriously.

This coward had the chance to squash this whole mess within two seconds of it starting by immediately setting the standard of which we all expect out of professional player when the National Anthem and the Flag are at the forefront. From the very beginning, starting with that idiot Kapernick, this crap should have been halted immediately and dealt with.

But, now we have this. Nice job, genius.

October 10, 2017, 01:27 PM

Ackks

Does the game manual say anything about the fist in the air protest?

October 10, 2017, 01:28 PM

ensigmatic

quote:
Originally posted by parabellum:
quote:
Originally posted by Dzozer:
More info on new NFL policy from OAN

"The league reportedly added the new rules to its game manual, which will punish players who refuse to stand.

The penalties include fines, suspensions, and forfeiting of draft choices."

NFL Revises National Anthem Policy
And now, the fun begins.

Almost enough to persuade me to re-activate my FB account just to watch the ballistic histrionics

October 10, 2017, 01:32 PM

parabellum

I anticipate open defiance.

One can only hope.

October 10, 2017, 01:39 PM

sdy

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...standing-anthem.html

NFL owners are prepared to meet next week to discuss unilateral changes to league policy concerning players protesting during the national anthem.

In a conference call on Tuesday, chief NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said owners will consider allowing the players to give their input on the decision, but said the league would not need union approval to implement a change

'I don’t believe that the anthem, per se, is something that needs to be collectively bargained,' Lockhart said.

such a way w words

As it currently reads, the policy says players 'should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their hand, and refrain from talking' during the anthem.

However, it stops short of saying players 'must' stand.

Beyond the possibility of any overt rule changes, the NFL may have quietly altered the wording of its current policy to give teams the incentive and power to punish protesting players who sit or kneel during the 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'

new language was put in the NFL's game operations manual:

'[Players' f]ailure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.'

The policy previously read that failure to be on the field by the start of the national anthem may 'result in disciplinary action from the League office.'