When it comes to the issue of players protesting during the national anthem, few have provided more thoughtful, reasonable explanations about the situation than Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin. On Wednesday, however, Baldwin didn’t have much to say after the new took away the players’ right to protest.
“I’m not surprised,” Baldwin told ESPN 710 in Seattle. The NFL cares about one thing and that’s the NFL. That’s the bottom line. . . . I’m not surprised, I’m disappointed.”
Baldwin also described the rule as tone deaf, and he said he’s been in contact with Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Last year, Baldwin raised a point that will get even more focus now that players and league personnel are required to respect the flag.
“We’re not talking about people who are in the stands drunk during the national anthem with their hats still on, yelling at players, cussing during the National Anthem,” Baldwin said in August, more than a month before President Trump’s comments turned the NFL upside down. “We’re not talking about that.”
We’ll be talking about it plenty as the 2018 season approaches, because the conduct of fans who helped pressure the league into unilaterally removing the players’ right to protest, to the extent it hasn’t been an issue in the past, will be now.
And it means everyone needs to be out of the restrooms, away from the concession stands, out of the concourse areas, at their seats or in the aisles, hats off, hands on hearts, phones in pockets, mouths shut (unless singing or trying to), and solemn respect and reverence for the anthem and the flag. And if teams and players will be subject to fines and other punishment if they fail to comply, fans should be subject to ejection, too.
If you think that sounds ridiculous and unacceptable, congratulations. You’re dangerously close to getting it.