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Patriots Players Skipping Out on White House Visit

Discussion in 'Football: NFL, College, High School' started by CallMeTheDream, Feb 9, 2017.

  1. CallMeTheDream

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    Fulgore likes this.
  2. J.R.

    J.R. Member

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    http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-to-patriots-list-of-conscientious-objectors/

    Running back LeGarrette Blount is the latest to say he’d pass on the traditional trip to the White House, telling the Rich Eisen Show he wasn’t comfortable with visiting President Donald Trump.

    “I will not be going to the White House,” Blount said. “I don’t feel welcome in that house. I’ll leave it at that.”

    So far, we know Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty, Dont’a Hightower and Chris Long won’t be making the trip, and running back James White didn’t sound too fond of the idea himself.

    At some point, it might be Bill Belichick and Tom Brady out there playing catch in the Rose Garden.​
     
    Fulgore and CallMeTheDream like this.
  3. ipaman

    ipaman Contributing Member

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    Good, this stupid tradition needs to die!
     
  4. Astrodome

    Astrodome Member
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    No big deal. I never understood the media's fascination of the personal opinions of athletes and Hollywood. Score touchdowns and make movies please.
     
    awc713 and mick fry like this.
  5. DreamShook

    DreamShook Member

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    The white house visit was probably the only reason I was actually rooting for another NFL team not named the Texans. I was simply rooting against the Patriots because of what they represented. I hope a more diverse group stays home though.
     
    Astrodome and Bennie Anders like this.
  6. Fulgore

    Fulgore Member

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    Didn't Brady decline to meet Obama a few years ago?
     
  7. sammy

    sammy Contributing Member

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    Yeah.
     
  8. zeeshan2

    zeeshan2 Member

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  9. Newlin

    Newlin Member

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    What do the Patriots represent to you?
     
  10. mtbrays

    mtbrays Contributing Member
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    Spin zone, courtesy of the one and only PFT Commenter: what if Brady's support for Trump is all a ploy to get Bob Kraft's ring back from Vladimir Putin?
     
  11. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

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    LOL. Athletes like to go to the Whitehouse. It didnt come a political issue until a member of the Ravens decided he didn't like Obama. Brady used some BS excuse to not visit the last time the Pats went. It is funny, that the Cavs and especially the CUBS all rushed their visits to the WhiteHouse to Avoid Trump. Trump is going to have issues getting teams to attend. It will be interesting to see if Universities threaten their players to force them to go or just not go at all. As for Pro players, Don't except the NBA or WNBA champions to go to the Whitehouse at all. The World Series champion will be interesting to, with all the Hispanic players.
     
  12. ipaman

    ipaman Contributing Member

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    I don't care what you think. It's a stupid tradition and a waste of time. Some of the athletes are more popular than any sitting POTUS anyway. It's silly and a waste of time and money. What's next, Grammy and Oscar winners? Stick to Disneyworld.
     
  13. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    Since people seem to want to politicize the tradition at this point, I would just cancel every one of them. It was meant to be an honor at one point, but it's pretty clear that as of the last several years athletes don't deserve that kind of honor anymore. I was never an Obama supporter, but if I was asked to go to the White House for an event like that I would on general principle. You only disrespect the institution and yourself by being a little b*stard about it, not the person.
     
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  14. juicystream

    juicystream Contributing Member

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    I wouldn't go. It isn't disrespectful. It would be disrespectful for me to go. This isn't the D&D (yet), so I won't go farther than that.
     
  15. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

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    Regardless of political affiliation most people respected the man Obama (except Tom Brady for some reason), they respected the man George W Bush.

    Not a lot of people respect the man that is Donald Trump.
     
    Buck Turgidson and J.R. like this.
  16. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    Like I said, it's not about the man, it's about the office. If the players don't have enough respect for the office to show up anyway, they should't be allowed to go in the first place. Then again I understand that is a military mindset that most civilians would struggle with, so it's probably not fair for me to use that as the standard. I understand that a much more emotional and irrational response is probably what should be expected.
     
  17. MystikArkitect

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    Normally would agree.

    These aren't normal times and this isn't a normal President. Glad they are taking this stance and letting the world know that America won't stand for someone like that guy. Hope they all do it and wear Nordstrom clothing while doing so.
     
    RocketWalta likes this.
  18. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

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    You can't separate the institution from the man. The man IS the institution. He basically controls everything about the institution, from who he hires to what he does. This isn't congress where hundreds of people make up the institution, the executive branch is one person.
     
  19. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
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    You may not be able to, but I can promise you that there are plenty who can understand the principle that I'm talking about. Like him or not, he's the president just like the other turds before him. Disliking or not respecting the person who holds the office of the president (or any other office) is nothing new.....even if perhaps it's something new for some.
     
  20. Yaosthirdleg

    Yaosthirdleg Member

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    http://www.businessinsider.com/patriots-owner-robert-kraft-loyal-to-donald-trump-2017-1

    For Kraft especially, the relationship is puzzling to many since Kraft is a life-long democrat and donated to President Barack Obama's campaigns.

    While Belichick and Brady have largely stayed mum on the subject, Kraft opened up about his loyalty in an interview with the New York Daily News. Kraft brought up the time his wife died and how Trump was one of the few people who was truly there for him, a time that seemingly cemented Kraft's loyalty to their friendship.


    "When Myra died, Melania and Donald came up to the funeral in our synagogue, then they came for memorial week to visit with me," Kraft told the Daily News. "Then he called me once a week for the whole year, the most depressing year of my life when I was down and out. He called me every week to see how I was doing, invited me to things, tried to lift my spirits. He was one of five or six people that were like that. I remember that."

    It is hard to hear that story and not understand why their bond goes well beyond politics.
     
    MONON, raining threes and Houstunna like this.

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