Trump Continues Feud With the NFL, as His Media Cheerleaders Push Falsehoods

Today would have been the day that the Philadelphia Eagles – the Super Bowl LII champions – were to be hosted at a reception at the White House, per tradition.

It ain’t happening.

On Monday, the night before, President Trump announced there would be no ceremony to honor the champions, and it’s all due to the National Football League kneeling controversy.

It was known weeks ago that the team would be sending a smaller, representative group to the reception today. Not every player planned to attend. So why did Trump wait until the night before to make a show of it?

Because the event had to be made about him.

“The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow. They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country,” Trump said in a statement.

“The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better,” he continued.

Did those fans get a say as to whether they minded only a portion of the team, rather than the entire team at the event?

We will proudly be playing the National Anthem and other wonderful music celebrating our Country today at 3 P.M., The White House, with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus. Honoring America! NFL, no escaping to Locker Rooms!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018

I promise you, they did not. Trump couldn’t care less about what they want. This was for his ego, and for those who show up today, they’ll get treated to a celebration of Trump, along with vague mentions of the Eagles’ winning performance – heavily peppered with talk of the wrongs of the NFL.

We have had many Championship teams recently at the White House including the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Penguins, New England Patriots, Alabama and Clemson National Champions, and many others. National Anthem & more great music today at 3:00 P.M.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018

Here’s the thing: during the entire past season, when the rhetoric on both sides of the kneeling debate was at peak insanity, no one on the Eagles team kneeled in protest of the anthem.

My own stated opinion is that while I disapprove, personally, with anyone sitting, or otherwise disrespecting the anthem and our flag, I must support what the First Amendment says about free speech and expression.

Further, however, I stand with the NFL’s recent decision to forbid these protests “on the job,” because it has hurt their ticket sales and viewership.

It’s quite possible to be for both freedom of expression, and supportive of free market business decisions.

Now let’s talk about those who would willingly, ignorantly promote Trump’s attack on free speech.

Of course I’m talking about American Pravda… aka… Fox News.

On Monday night, while reporting as breaking news President Trump’s announcement that if every Eagles player would not come to honor him be honored, then all of them would be disinvited, they decided to run footage of scenes from the team’s winning season.

Guess what they found?

Footage of the Philadelphia Eagles kneeling.

http://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1003845673073238016

That’s right. Let’s build up the angst and disgust against the NFL, and the new champions afresh.

Yay, Trump (or something).

Now let’s back up and look at those images, again.

They’re praying.

Nearly every image used in this Fox News reel was Eagles team members kneeled – either a single player, or a small group, with heads bowed, in prayer.

Now, that’s a “protest” I can surely get behind!

The sole image that wasn’t prayer was several players standing with fists raised.

It’s disgusting of Fox News to continue to drive the Trump narrative, even when they’re being blatantly dishonest. Their own footage proved them liars. Was there no point that they could have pointed out that the Eagles team never actually knelt during the entire season of the protests, or that the images being shown were of men engaged in prayer on the field?

I guess it was too much to expect, so for today, there will be a “celebration” at the White House. Just know in advance that it’s not what today was supposed to be.

Another tradition ruined.