Drew Brees: Controversial comments

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

1 hour ago, BigBillsFan said:

You're right. We shouldn't honor the freedoms we're given where men fought and died for them to watch a game that has no real meaning so a bunch of pampered athletes can lecture the nation how to be American.

 

Honor The Mob or Perish

When they get their way, and when we have meaningful conversations do you think they will stop?

 

Remember this is not about having a "conversation", because if you try you're tone-deaf, lack awareness.  This is a monologue, the same monologue you have to be lectured to and if you think it ends with a flag or an anthem you're wrong.

 

This is the conversation Brees wants, and it's funny because those who say they want one say to shut the F up.

 

It was never about the FLAG. 

 

The Anthem was typically only played at playoff games on for regular season games in some stadiums.

 

Post 911 ...  things changed. We needed to show Patriotism and that came via the Greatest Sport  American football.  

 

[All_Pro_Bills]

49 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This is the EXACT issue that the other players are having with him. You’ve had 4 years to have these conversations. 4 years later you just indicated that you still have no idea what the grievance was. How is that possible? 

That may be true but that approach doesn't get us any closer to the environment needed for defining constructive solutions to move forward.    

[YoloinOhio]

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Edited June 4, 2020 by YoloinOhio

[Coach Tuesday]

Drew Brees was estranged from his late mother, who was a sitting judge - I believe he got a restraining order against her.  Not really germane to what’s being discussed here other than I always found that story fascinating and left me thinking he was a more complicated individual than his public persona reflected.  He also always struck me as having his eye on a Senatorial bid someday so his remarks should be viewed through that lens as well.

[Ya Digg?]

Where Drew is making his mistake is that he misunderstands WHY people are taking a knee.  I know that people think it is disrespecting the flag and all of that, but if you listen to why they are doing it, it has nothing to do with the flag. At first I was like a lot of people and didn't like that Kaepernick was kneeling until I found out why.  I work in the inner city and the kids have always told me that it was never about the flag.  It is done at that time because then attention gets paid to an issue that is important to them.  The flag is a symbol, and that symbol means different things to different people.  I think we need to get to a point where we aren't offended by a person's choice of what they do for the anthem.  In most situations, kneeling is a sign of respect

[eball]

The fact that anyone still believes the silent NFL player protests during the anthem were about the flag or the military just saddens me.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, BigBillsFan said:

It's a sad day when a man says he wants to honor his flag and country and loves the national anthem and he's labeled a bigot, ill-timed, racist, and weak and then players tell him to shut the F up.

 

Only 1 voice should count, only one sentiment should be in the air. Any deviations in orthodoxy will make you hated, and the media and social media will sick it's mob on you to conform or apologize or lose your sponsors because you know they will attack your living.

 

Leadership is doing and saying what other people AREN'T doing because it's true. Leadership is not following the mob.

 

Please stop.  First off, that is not what Drew Brees said.  Here it is:

 

He didn't say he wants to "honor his flag and country and loves the national anthem".  He said anyone kneeling is "disrespecting the flag or our country". 
Those are NOT the same statements.  The one is about what HE wants to do.  The second is voicing his opinion about what OTHER people might do. 

So first of all you are twisting his actual words to fit your narrative, and then expanding it to make some grand point about orthodoxy and only one view.

 

There is irony here, because isn't the viewpoint that Kaep taking a knee was about "disrespecting the flag" or "disrespecting our country" Just That Same Thing - the stance that only one viewpoint (the viewpoint that kneeling = disrespect of flag and of country) should count or be in the air?

 

 

[Billl]

4 minutes ago, LB3 said:

Do you have a job to support yourself and your family or do you have a job just so you can do what you're told?

I can quit my job the second they tell me to do something I don’t want to do.  My job doesn’t have the ability to imprison me.

[LB3]

2 minutes ago, teef said:

so this isn't just me?

Not at all.

[teef]

Just now, Billl said:

I can quit my job the second they tell me to do something I don’t want to do.  My job doesn’t have the ability to imprison me.

people don't know about the terms of service before they sign up?

 

it would probably just be better if you admitted your comment was a bit off, and just move on.  

[Malazan]

Players should just shut up and entertain me. It's like they don't even know they should just go into their locker when not entertaining me and take whatever dregs I decide they should have...and if I, a fat, balding middle aged white man decide I want them to stop breathing..they should hold their breathe until they pass out and then, keep holding it until they die. 

 

That is a much better alternative than me feeling uncomfortable about people who's only worth as human being is providing me with entertainment. 

[ColoradoBills]

7 minutes ago, whatdrought said:

 

Yup. I never got behind the "he's insulting america!" jargon. I think it's intentionally disrespectful, but I respect his right to do that if he chooses. I also respect the right of a team to tell him no, or to think twice before signing him as the juice may not be worth the squeeze regarding off field concerns. 

 

Yes, and I would imagine that most of those off field concerns boil down to money.  I don't envy their predicament and I would assume they

don't even agree as to the proper path themselves. 

3 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The hardest part is that all of the rules are collectively bargained. Part of the reason that the NBA and NBAPA have such a better relationship is because they develop the plans together. It isn’t a bunch of owners and then a union sending proposals back and forth. They engage in the process to come up with something that both sides can agree on. The NFL ABSOLUTELY has to take that approach on this subject (especially now). They were crushed the other day for releasing that statement while acting differently. If they could address the issue TOGETHER it would be infinitely more impactful. But alas...

 

So what is needed is a compromise.  But alas... that's unfortunately become a word not even considered anymore in this country about a lot of issues.

 

The NFL has wrapped itself up in patriotism and the military which I never quite understood.  I see no problem if they "embrace" themselves with the other aspects of

citizenship and allow "solemn" protest.  Probably not a popular compromise for many but then again I show my patriotism by flying the flag and

attending National Holiday events.  I don't need to hear the National Anthem when I go to the movies and I don't NEED to hear it when I attend a sporting event.

FWIW.

[H2o]

It think everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone can kneel, stand, salute, cover their heart, do whatever they want during the anthem. I know a lot of light is being placed on racial prejudice at this time, but it goes many different ways. Not all of us were raised in what would be considered the suburbs. In the city/neighborhood I grew up in, black people would pick one or two white people out at the HS football games to jump when the game was over seemingly every week. Seen a lot of fights and had to run for my life a couple of times even though I never said anything to anyone except my friends while I was there. They would also walk home in groups throwing rocks at people's cars or homes breaking windows. If you walked through the wrong neighborhood then you were more than likely going to get your  whooped, didn't matter if you kept your mouth shut or not. There were just certain places you knew NOT to go. Even in all of this, a lot of my best friends I have ever had in life are Hispanic and Black to this day. I didn't let it change who I was or how I treated people. I have also had cops run up on me on some crazy mess numerous times. I was profiled all the time because of my age and the car I drove at one point, even being white. They automatically assume things when they look at you. One time I even had like 10 cops run up on me at a Walgreens when I had my 8 year old, 6 year old, and the family dog when we were just out to get a few things all over some recently expired tags and an insurance gap that got my license suspended I wasn't even aware of. The same cops had been in my front yard a week before and never mentioned it KNOWING that they knew it then, but never told me. There is a long story behind how that all played out. I got everything squared away before the court date and all the tickets were thrown out. The head cop over the situation was HEATED and told me "you live in a small city". I still got love for the police. My cousin is a good cop, but not all of them are and he will admit that. My point in all of this is we are all just trying to make it through life the best we can, no matter the race or tax bracket. The same light afforded to one, should be afforded to all. 

[Coach Tuesday]

2 minutes ago, eball said:

The fact that anyone still believes the silent NFL player protests during the anthem were about the flag or the military just saddens me.

“Peaceful protests against police brutality” vs. “disrespecting the flag” has become the new “line in the sand” in the ongoing (and frankly, utterly exhausting) culture war.  No one is actually listening to what the other side is saying.  There are hypocrites among both sides of the issues: many in the “pro-Flag” contingent are fine looking the other way while other sacred symbols (like the Bible, for example) are co-opted and disrespected by leaders they agree with.  On the other side, telling the “pro-Flag” folks not to express their views at all (“Brees should just shut up”) seems incredibly counterproductive and at odds with freedom of expression. And then there’s the lurking racism motivating SOME of the “pro-Flag” contingency, which is intentionally frustrating in that it’s hidden - it’s like the Hawaiian shirt thing, it’s a subtle and seemingly inoffensive expression that is intended to signal to like-minded folks that they’re on the same team.  
 

Again, it’s all incredibly exhausting, and the internet has made it worse - no one ever changes their mind or truly listens. I just want to watch football.

[badassgixxer05]

6 minutes ago, eball said:

The fact that anyone still believes the silent NFL player protests during the anthem were about the flag or the military just saddens me.

That was never the point. Everyone knows why they are kneeling and its meaning. Some just took offense that they chose to do it in a time that most Americans take pride in which is our flag. Do the kneel at the coin flip, or at kick off or any other time during the game. The national anthem should have been off limits. Players should have noticed and made this adjustment. Good Message, just bad delivery. 

[BillsDude]

31 minutes ago, LB3 said:

I'm quite serious. He believes it's disrespectful and doesn't agree with it. You FEEL that his belief makes him think he's above them. People disagree with other people that they respect pretty often.

 

Yes people "CAN" disagree and respect someone at the same time, but Brees did not do this. He said and suggested the others were showing disrespect because of their views and actions regarding the flag. That is disrespecting them by putting feelings into their mouths. Had he wanted to show respect, he could have just stated his position and what the flag meant to him, but said those who disagreed were not necessarily disrespecting the flag as they are entitled to their own views. 

[NoSaint]

12 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

Where Drew is making his mistake is that he misunderstands WHY people are taking a knee.  I know that people think it is disrespecting the flag and all of that, but if you listen to why they are doing it, it has nothing to do with the flag. At first I was like a lot of people and didn't like that Kaepernick was kneeling until I found out why.  I work in the inner city and the kids have always told me that it was never about the flag.  It is done at that time because then attention gets paid to an issue that is important to them.  The flag is a symbol, and that symbol means different things to different people.  I think we need to get to a point where we aren't offended by a person's choice of what they do for the anthem.  In most situations, kneeling is a sign of respect

no he gets it and he’s been through this before. 
 

where he gets it wrong is thinking his opinion on what other people should be doing is more valuable than it really is.

[Kirby Jackson]

17 minutes ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

That may be true but that approach doesn't get us any closer to the environment needed for defining constructive solutions to move forward.    

That’s the outrage though. 4 years later you just indicated that you don’t understand the issue any better than you did at the time. We certainly can’t move forward if in 4 years you don’t take one step or ask one question. This has been a time where he could talk and listen. No one is asking him to take a knee. They are asking him to understand their outrage. In order to do that you have to talk and listen. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

All I have to say is, Joe D was right about Drew Brees. 

 

What was Joe D's viewpoint on Drew Brees?

[Kirby Jackson]

16 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Drew Brees was estranged from his late mother, who was a sitting judge - I believe he got a restraining order against her.  Not really germane to what’s being discussed here other than I always found that story fascinating and left me thinking he was a more complicated individual than his public persona reflected.  He also always struck me as having his eye on a Senatorial bid someday so his remarks should be viewed through that lens as well.

I was going to post that story with a gif of someone pouring gas on a fire, lol. I decided to not be “that guy.”