TRUMP’S AN ‘IDIOT’
NFLers continue to put prez on blast
NFL players are firing back at President Donald Trump.
Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin and Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall took exception to the President’s comments on “Fox and Friends” on Thursday, when he lauded the NFL’s new national anthem policy requiring players to stand and said that for anyone who does not, “maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.”
“He’s an idiot. Plain and simple,” Baldwin said on Friday. “I respect the man because he’s a human being first and foremost, but he’s just being divisive, which is not surprising. It is what it is. But for him to say anybody who doesn’t follow his viewpoints or constituents’ viewpoints should be kicked out of the country is not very empathetic. It’s not very American like, actually, to me. It’s not very patriotic. It’s not what this country was founded upon. It’s kind of ironic to me that the President of the United States is contradicting what our country is really built on.”
Marshall, who was among the first players to follow Colin Kaepernick’s lead when he began the movement of kneeling during the national anthem to protest police Trump has been battling the NFL brutality, called Trump’s comments on the anthem issue since last September “disgusting.” when at a rally in Alabama he
“I say ‘disgusting’ because of our First referred to any player who knelt as a Amendment rights,” he said. “We have “son of a bitch” and that owners should freedom of speech, right? Freedom to fire them. The comments drew the ire protest? Because somebody decides to of players across the league and resulted protest something (we) have to be kicked in a significant increase in the out of the country? That’s not how things amount of players who chose to kneel should work, in my opinion . ... Just because
during the national anthem the following somebody disagrees with something, week. or if I didn’t stand for the anthem,
The White House took a victory lap or if I don’t like what’s going on, that’s basically
on Wednesday when the league owners him saying I should be kicked out
reached a decision on the new policy of the country.”
requiring players to “stand and respect Marshall also played with Kaepernick
the flag,” while anyone who wants to at the University of Nevada and keeps in
protest can remain in the locker room. touch with him. The 28-year-old linebacker
Teams can develop their own rules has also done work within the
for anyone who continues to protest community, reaching out to the Denver
during the anthem while the commissioner Police Department about their use-offorce will “discipline any league personnel policy. who do not stand and show respect “We’re supposed to have a conversation for the flag and anthem.” about things, talk about things, work
Marshall warned that the new policy things through,” he said. “Everybody is
could backfire on the NFL. not gonna agree on things. Everybody
“I feel like it might make people want is not gonna have the same opinion on
to just rebel,” he said. “... And let’s be things. So just because somebody disagrees
clear: I know they say they might fine or has an issue with something
the team, but players don’t care about that’s going on in this country, it doesn’t
that. Players don’t care about the team mean that they should pack up and leave. That’s absurd, in my opinion.” that gets fined.” ??Atlanta
Mookie Betts hit his major-league leading 17th home run, J.D. Martinez slugged his 16th homer and the beat the 6-2 on Friday night at Fenway Park hours after a surprising roster shakeup. Eduardo Rodriguez struggled early but managed to hold
to just a pair of runs on six hits with three walks in 5.2 innings.
l Justin Smoak homered, Sam Gaviglio struck out six over six innings and Ryan Tepera escaped a ninth-inning jam for his first save to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 victory over the host Philadelphia Phillies.
l Max Scherzer was twice unable to hold a two-run lead and won anyway Friday night when the visiting Washington Nationals’ bullpen locked down a 9-5 victory over the Miami Marlins.
l The Seattle Mariners made the first big trade of the season, acquiring outfielder Denard Span and right-handed reliever Alex Colome from the Tampa Bay Rays for two minor leaguers Friday.