GOING SCORELESS
NFL bigs huddle, but no ‘anthem’ accord
NFL owners huddled with players in Manhattan Tuesday in a bid to resolve the national-anthem controversy — and although the talks were painted as productive, a report said “nothing was accomplished.”
Also, when the issue of unsigned player-protest leader Colin Kaepernick was brought up, the meeting “went straight to a bathroom break.”
“It was pretty much a waste of a Tuesday,” said former Jet Willie Colon, who is now an SNY TV analyst, citing player sources. “At the end of the day, they felt like nothing was accomplished.”
Colon said his sources claimed NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seemed not to be paying much attention and at one point was seen allegedly focused on the online version of the Boston Globe.
“When they brought up the topic of Colin Kaepernick, I was told, it went straight to a bathroom break, and it wasn’t even talked about,” Colon said.
While there was some question about whether players would be compeled to stand during the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” before games, the league stopped short of asking players not to take a knee, Goodell said.
“We did not ask for that,” the commissioner said.
The league has come under attack by President Trump, who has urged owners to dump players who refuse to stand for the anthem.
“Very little of the meeting was about the actual anthem,” Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said. “We were really more talking about solutions and how we get the results that we want to get.”
Dozens of players have been taking a knee before games to protest racism, social injustice and police brutality in the country.
The peaceful-protest movement was launched last year by Kaepernick, then a San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
The free agent QB has yet to be signed by another team this season, leading him to file a union grievance alleging that he’s being blackballed for starting the NFL protest movement.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been one of the league’s most ardent voices against the protests.
Two demonstrators got so rowdy Tuesday night that security at the Conrad Hotel in Battery Park City had to eject them as they heckled Jones.
“You want to treat [players] like $40 million slaves,” activist Carl Dix growled. “Gladiators who are well paid to beat each others’ brains out but have to keep their mouths shut when talking about injustice.”
The 75-year-old billionaire ignored Dix, but then another protester, Linda Solotaire, got too close, prompting security to remove both demonstrators.
The two were there with about a dozen other activists.
Jones, who helped bankroll President Trump’s inauguration, has said anyone on his team who “disrespects the flag” will not play for the Cowboys.
Giants co-owner Steve Tisch insisted Tuesday’s talks had value, calling it “the first step, I hope, of a number of steps in the right direction.”