NFL Patriots meet Trump without Brady
Kraft hands president jersey with No. 45 on it
WASHINGTON, April 20, (RTRS): While some players stayed away in protest, the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Wednesday made the traditional visit to the White House where team owner Robert Kraft lauded his longtime friend, President Donald Trump, and likened his long-shot victory to the Patriots’ own.
While other players had suggested political reasons for not attending, quarterback Tom Brady, the game’s most valuable player, said family matters kept him away. He posted a wedding photo of his parents on Instagram and wished them a happy anniversary.
The White House celebrations were overshadowed by the suicide of the Patriots former star Aaron Hernandez, who hanged himself on Wednesday in a prison cell where he was serving a life sentence for murder, prison officials said.
The Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime in February to be crowned National Football League champions.
Players who stayed away included Martellus Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, Devin McCourty and Chris Long. They had suggested directly or indirectly that they were not fans of Trump, whose national approval rating hovers around 43 percent in the latest Reuters/Ipsos polling.
Kraft compared the Patriots’ victory to Trump’s win in the November 2016 election and handed him a jersey with number 45 on it representing the 45th president of the United States.
“This year’s championship was achieved after falling behind by 25 points,” Kraft said. “In that same year a very good friend of mine for over 25 years, a man who is mentally tough and hard-working as anybody I know launched a campaign for the presidency against 16 career politicians facing odds almost as long as we faced in the fourth quarter. “He persevered to become the 45th president of the United States.”
With the Patriots lined up behind him, Trump said: “No
Kraft
team has been this good for this long.”
“You pulled off the greatest Super Bowl victory of alltime.”
One player made an impromptu appearance at a White House press before the official ceremony. Tight end Rob Gronkowski stuck his head in the door of the briefing room as Press Secretary Sean Spicer was holding a televised press briefing.
He jokingly asked Spicer whether he needed any help, drawing laughs. Spicer — an avid Patriots fan — responded “I think I got this. But thank you.”
Trump has particularly close ties to the Patriots, counting owner Bob Kraft and Belichick as friends. One of Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” hats was spotted in Brady’s locker in 2015.
During the South Lawn ceremony, Trump recounted reading a supportive letter from Belichick on the eve of the election, while Kraft saluted the president as a friend for decades.
“It is a distinct honor for us to celebrate what was unequivocally our sweetest championship with a very good friend and somebody whose mental toughness and strength I greatly admire,” said Kraft. The team presented the president with a personalized “Trump” No. 45 jersey and a helmet from the February’s Super Bowl, the first such game to go to overtime.
Kraft was one of at least seven NFL team owners who gave $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural committee, a new fundraising report shows. Others include the owners of the Houston Texans, the Washington Redskins, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the LA Rams. Kraft gave the money via his Kraft Group LLC.
After the triumphant victory, tight end Martellus Bennett quickly made it clear he was not coming to the White House and other teammates followed. toe-loop, grabbing a stunning 103.53 points, ahead of Nathan Chen of the United States with 99.28 points.
Uno, who snatched a silver at the world figure skating championship earlier this month, confessed that he failed to stay focused while skating.
“I’m glad to produce a good performance although I did not have a good concentration,” Uno said.
“I want to display at least similar levels of performance in the free programme” on Friday, he said.
Hanyu sank to seventh with 83.51 points as he failed to nail his opening quadruple loop and lost his balance in a quadruple Salchow.
“I feel so frustrated,” the Sochi gold medallist said. “I will try hard tomorrow, by turning pressure and expectations into power.”
Both Japan and Russia have 44 points after the first day of the threeday competition, but Japan was assumed first due to technical regulations. The US team followed them on 43 points.
Evgenia Medvedeva, who successfully defended her women’s world championship, finished with 80.85 points in a Russian one-two with Elena Radionova on 72.21 points in the ladies’ short programme.
Japan’s Mai Mihara was third on 72.10 points, succeeding a triple lutz and triple toe-loop.
“I’m so glad to earn 72 points as I was aiming at 70,” Mihara said. “I want to produce this year’s best performance in the free programme.”
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan performs during the short program for the men’s singles at the World Team Trophy figure skating competition in Tokyo on
April 20. (AFP)