Bills not coming out for National Anthem

[SDS]

4 hours ago, Buffalo619 said:

Read the room. 

[Mango]

5 hours ago, Augie said:

 

I really don’t want to go down this road, but my only problem is if you PUBLICLY do it on the job. If you are at work, you only express yourself in ways that your employer permits. I’d have been handed my hat within an hour if I wanted to take political positions while working at the bank. 

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the way they handled it. UNITY is what we are all looking for here. I thought it was a great start to the season! 

The NFL, as a whole, has dictated to their franchises that it’s allowable. So do you wish that the league managed players like your employer manages you, or do you wish that your employer gave you the ability to take a stand like the NFL does its players? 

[Bill from NYC]

9 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Don't care. I'm supportive of the players. No need for the national anthem to be played before the game anyways. Save it for the Olympics and maybe the SuperBowls. 

 

Maybe Antifa should play it before they set more fires in Portland and burn and tear down the city.

 

That said, I hope and pray that you and your loved ones are safe.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Bill from NYC

[Doc Brown]

7 hours ago, MJS said:

Nothing they could possibly do would make everyone happy. Might as well stay inside for it.

Nailed it.  It's the best bad option. It's sad that it's come to that.

[bmur66]

Best choice. Just play football

[RichRiderBills]

This is a good model. In the SEC, players always came out after the anthem. 

 

 

[Xwnyer]

9 hours ago, DE Bills Fan said:

Just curious what Bills fans think of this? Have been reading a lot of negative opinions on them staying in the locker room 

Thoughts???

It was a team decision end of discussion

[oldmanfan]

I was brought up to stand for the anthem and remove my hat.  I would prefer the NFL teams do the same.  But I understand and support the layers using their platform to protest whether that protest be staying in the locker room or kneeling during the anthem.  The flag stands for the freedom to do just such things. 

[Gugny]

6 hours ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

No, I cracked open a beer and set up my FFL team then turned theTV back on when I was sure it would just be football on the TV.

 

Just football with 1/3 of the commercial breaks stuffing two old, rich white guys with dementia down our throats!

 

As for the original topic - I don't care if they play hopscotch and paddy cakes during the damn song.  Staying in the locker room was the best choice because cameras aren't allowed in there.

[badassgixxer05]

10 hours ago, fishgrappler said:

Last time I checked it’s a free country. If you’re one of the people that want to control what people do, you’re part of the problem.

 

~Air Force Vet 

But isn't the whole point of the protest to force people to like other people? 🤔

[Bad Things]

So, did they actually play the national anthem to an empty stadium??

[badassgixxer05]

Just now, Bad Things said:

So, did they actually play the national anthem to an empty stadium??

They had a singer. The whole beginning was just weird. it didnt feel like football. All the energey that usually comes from us had to be generated by the players. If we didn't have those good first few drives not sure i could have kept watching. Im sure the Jets fans all took an afternoon nap. lol

[SoCal Deek]

This has all gotten to be silly. The NFL is losing fans big time by jumping into these issues. Huge business mistake! 

[dollars 2 donuts]

11 hours ago, matter2003 said:

Who cares honestly. People want to make issues out of things to give themselves something to get worked up about. Maybe they need to find something to do in life.

I love this country.

I love the flag.

I love the anthem.

 

And I am completely fine with this.

 

Hell, I am one of those who also didn’t have a problem with kneeling, even during the Kap playing days.  Do I like Kap?  No, I think he is an idiot who didn’t even know what he was doing when he started doing it.  However, that doesn’t make any difference.  It’s his wheelhouse, not mine. I get the statement...the “why”, but it doesn’t mean we all have to do the same thing...which is also part of the point.  I was annoyed in years past when teams told their guys that they MUST kneel as a team or they must stay in the locker room together.  Right now they are doing it on their own.  Do what you do, but don’t make somebody do.
 

When I played HS football 30 plus years ago you know what they told us?  Stand or kneel. Never sit.  I appreciate that SF teammate, whose name escapes me, that told Kap he shouldn’t sit as it is disrespectful, and suggesting kneeling.

Edited September 15, 2020 by dollars 2 donuts

[Halloween Land]

I don't care, I'm here to watch football. 

[K-9]

7 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Protesting does not mean they are not patriots.  You can love your country and still know that is has many faults.  There are 27 amendments to a document that has existed for over 225 years ensuring that our Democracy evolves and endures.   

I could argue protesting and demanding redress of grievances is patriotic and is our duty as citizens. 

[Lurker]

This is becoming a very useful thread...

[C.Biscuit97]

9 hours ago, BillsVet said:

The players have a right to exercise their 1st Amendment right.  No one is harmed by remaining inside when the Star Spangled banner is played.    

 

Still, no professional athlete was standing in their locker room 19 years ago because we were all on the same team.  How quickly people forget.  

Might help to have a leader who tries to get people on the same team rather than divide us.  I wasn’t a huge Bush fan but he wasn’t a wanna be tough guy who tries to bully people to do what he wants.  
 

and this whole thing became extra political because this current administration could use it to pander to people.  

[SDS]

I don’t understand why so many of you just can’t let this go. The season has started. We talk football here. Move on.