Kneeling controversy voted AP’s No. 1 story
NFL protest saga tops college hoops scandal, Astros title.
DENVER — President Donald Trump couldn’t stand NFL players kneeling in protest during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” His angry call to fire players who didn’t stand for the national anthem rekindled both the national debate over the issue and the movement itself.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick initiated the protests last year to bring attention to racial inequality and police brutality against minorities. Kaepernick is currently out of football, and relatively few players were demonstrating this season before the president stoked his feud with the NFL.
During a speech at a political rally in Huntsville, Alabama, in late September, Trump said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired, he’s fired.”
Criticism from players, owners and fans — and some praise — greeted Trump’s remarks, which sparked a massive show of defiance that weekend, with more than 200 players protesting by choosing not to stand for the national anthem.
The president’s feud with the NFL is the runaway winner for the top sports story of 2017 in balloting by AP members and editors, easily outdistancing the corruption scandal engulfing college basketball and the Houston Astros winning their first World Series and lifting the spirits of a city devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
The year also was marked by sex scandals, Russian doping and the U.S. failing to qualify for soccer’s World Cup.
But all of that was overshadowed by the NFL protesters and the president’s dive into the debate.
Some allied groups were quick to call for an NFL boycott following Trump’s remarks about the protesters.
The president’s attack on athletes turned the anthems — usually sung during commercials — into must-watch television shown live by the networks and streamed on devices.
In addition to the protests, some players and coaches locked arms in a show of unity, which Trump said was a display of “solidarity” of which he approved. But he pushed back against the suggestion that his critique could inflame racial tensions, arguing: “This has nothing to do with race. This has to do with respect for our country.”
But critics of the president said Trump’s comments had a lot to do with race.
“It just amazes me with everything else going on in this world, especially involving the U.S., that’s what you’re concerned about, my man? You’re the leader of the free world and this is what you’re talking about?” Miami Dolphins safety Michael Thomas said. “So, as a man, as a father, as an African-American man, as somebody in the NFL and one of those ‘sons of bitches,’ yeah, I took it personally.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Trump’s comments were “divisive” and showed an “unfortunate lack of respect.”
Here is the list of the biggest sports stories in 2017:
■ 1. NFL players who knelt during the national anthem said they were exercising their free-speech rights and trying to bring attention to social injustices. Critics, including the president, said they were disrespecting the flag, the country and the military. Kaepernick sued the league when no team signed him;
■ 2. College basketball comes under the microscope after a federal investigation reveals corruption involving recruiting practices;
■ 3. Houston Astros win their first World Series;
■ 4. In a season that included his four-game suspension for “Deflategate,” Tom Brady engineers a record-breaking comeback as the Patriots defeat the Falcons in first-ever Super Bowl overtime;
■ 5. The president of USA Gymnastics resigns amid a sexual abuse scandal;
■ 6. Russia is banned from the Winter Olympics for a massive doping scheme at the 2014 Sochi Games;
■ 7. Clemson mounts a last-second comeback to beat Alabama for college football’s national championship;
■ 8. The United States fails to qualify for soccer’s World Cup for the first time since 1986. Three-time champion Italy also fails to qualify;
■ 9. New acquisition Kevin Durant leads the Golden State Warriors to the NBA championship over the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers;
■ 10. Mixed Martial Arts star Conor McGregor steps into the boxing ring to face undefeated champ Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Sunday’s Games
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NHL notes
Blackhawks: Winger Patrick Kane scored his 300th goal in Saturday’s loss at the Devils. The puck will go with the rest of Kane’s milestones. It’s a collection that has grown a lot in the last month. First he passed Doug Wilson for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time points list on Dec. 10. Then he passed Dennis Hull for fifth on the franchise’s all-time goals list when he scored twice against the Wild last week.“The Blackhawks do a great job of making up these plaques and make them really cool with certain pictures, the puck, score sheets, things like that,”Kane said.“I have a few saved, whether it’s been point milestones or first goal or different important goals.”
Canucks: Brock Boeser scored his 20th goal in his 34th game Saturday. Boeser, 20, is the fastest Canucks rookie to reach the 20-goal mark. It took Pavel Bure 49 games to reach 20 goals in his rookie season with Vancouver in 1991-92.