VP Pence On Walking Out of NFL Game After Protests: ‘I Will Not Dignify Any Event that Disrespects Our Soldiers, our Flag’

[rasbridge]

Source:  http://news.sky.com/story/mike-pence-walks-out-of-nfl-game-as-players-kneel-during-national-anthem-11072867

 

NFL anthem protests have cost the league fans of every race, color, creed, and political affiliation. On Sunday, those protests also cost them the Vice President of the United States.

 

Pence was in his home state of Indiana, to watch the Colts take on the visiting San Francisco 49ers. During the playing of the national anthem, all Colts players stood and showed respect for the flag. However, several 49ers did not, and protested during the playing of the song.

 

More than a dozen players had knelt for the anthem during the game, between the San Francisco 49ers and Mr Pence's home team, the Indianapolis Colts.

 

Pence tweeted this statement:

I left today’s Colts game because President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem. At at time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don’t think it’s too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem. I stand with President Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem.

Some American football players are choosing to kneel, rather than stand, when the national anthem is played before games as a form of demonstration at police violence against African Americans.

 

The wave of protest has been condemned by the US right wing and President Trump, who last month urged fans to boycott NFL games until "players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country".

 

The President even called on team owners to fire those taking part in the demonstration, referring to any protesting player as a "son of a bitch".

 

In his explanation for leaving Sunday's game, Mr Pence stressed that he stood with Mr Trump on the issue.

 

He had previously tweeted a photograph of himself at the game, adding he was "looking forward to cheering for our Colts", followed by an image of himself and the crowd standing for the national anthem.

 

Political objections show little sign of halting the spread of the protest, and some players have opted to link arms for the anthem in solidarity with those who are kneeling.

 

Many franchises have also released statements of support for their players, and a poll has also indicated a majority of Americans agree with Mr Trump's demand for kneeling players to be fired.

 

 

 

 

[rasbridge]

Shock poll: NFL now least liked sport, core fans down 31%

by Paul Bedard | Oct 7, 2017, 8:00 AM 

 

Over just one month of player, coach, and owner protests of the flag and National Anthem, the National Football League has gone from America's sport to the least liked of top professional and college sports, according to a new poll.

 

From the end of August to the end of September, the favorable ratings for the NFL have dropped from 57 percent to 44 percent, and it has the highest unfavorable rating – 40 percent – of any big sport, according to the Winston Group survey provided exclusively to Secrets.

 

Worse for football, which was already seeing lower TV ratings and empty stadium seats, the month of protests and complaints about them from President Trump drove core fans, men 34-54, away, the most significant indicator that NFL brass aren't in touch with their base.

 

The Winston Poll from the Washington-based Winston Group found that the attitude of those fans went from an August rating of 73 percent favorable and 19 percent unfavorable to 42 percent favorable and 47 percent unfavorable, a remarkable turn against the sport.

 

According to the poll analysis, "more critically for the NFL, the fall off in favorables occurred among important audiences. Among males, NFL favorables fell 23 percent, going from 68 percent to 45 percent. In looking at a more specific audience, males 34-54, NFL favorables fell 31 percent, going from 73 percent to 42 percent. Among this group the NFL has a surprising negative image, as it went from +54 percent in August to -5 percent in September."

 

The Winston Poll was of brand images for the NFL, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and college football and basketball. It was of 1,000 registered voters and taken August 29-30 and then again September 28-29.

In August, baseball had the highest favorables, just a few points above the NFL.

August Winston Poll

• MLB/61 percent favorable to 13 percent unfavorable.
• NFL/57 percent favorable to 23 percent unfavorable.
• College football/53 percent favorable to 16 percent unfavorable.
• College basketball/48 percent favorable to 17 percent unfavorable.
• NBA/47 percent unfavorable to 23 percent unfavorable.

September Winston Poll

• MLB/63 percent favorable to 16 percent unfavorable.
• College football/51 percent favorable to 21 percent unfavorable.
• NBA/46 percent favorable to 28 percent unfavorable.
• College basketball/45 percent favorable to 25 percent unfavorable.
• NFL/44 percent favorable to 40 percent unfavorable.

During the month, the college basketball drop was likely influenced by the suspension of Louisville Coach Rick Pitino who is linked to a scandal.

 

According to the Winston Poll, every category of NFL fan saw a drop in support.

 

Source:  http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/shock-poll-nfl-now-least-liked-sport-core-fans-down-31/article/2636837

[Cerberus]

I still love NFL but not protesting while on the clock when players are getting paid to do a job.  Do it before or after but not during.  That simple. 

[steven36]

14 hours ago, Cerberus said:

I still love NFL but not protesting while on the clock when players are getting paid to do a job.  Do it before or after but not during.  That simple. 

They should fire the lot of them  making millions of dollars a year just to play ball and protesting  but the union protects there job. The thing is unlike manufacturing  and other jobs they cant send the NFL  to China or Mexico when they complain .

[jtmulc]

This was a staged event.  He never intended to stay for the game.  He had a fundraiser planned for 6:30pm in L.A. and the game was in Indianapolis.

[Rainmaker]

On 10/9/2017 at 8:48 AM, jtmulc said:

This was a staged event.  He never intended to stay for the game.  He had a fundraiser planned for 6:30pm in L.A. and the game was in Indianapolis.

Yes, it was staged, but I think to send a message, don't crap on the National Anthem.

 

R

[rasbridge]

My son and I are both veterans and had a lengthy discussion about it yesterday.  I am very opposed to NFL players protesting which is an act they know will offend some but not all fans.  My son believes players should have that right, however, in doing so, they also should not file suit as Colin Kapernick did when NFL teams do not want trouble makers on their team.