'11 GA DE Stephon Tuitt (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[Whiskeyjack]

Don't personally care. The flag represents about a million things to millions of people. Our country is proudly individualistic and distrustful of authority (or was). The attempt to make the flag a sacred cow that needs to be respected because of some built-in authority or obligation to the union kind of misses the point of the whole thing IMO.

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[greyhammer90]

.

But no apple pie?

 

[NDVirginia19]

i have never understood anyone getting upset over a flag....i mean no disrespect to anyone who has served(i have many family members who are active duty), i just understand how some piece of cloth gets people so riled up...seems silly to me...i guess i just look at this argument like i tell my kids all the time....ignore whatever it is that their brother or sister are doing and they will stop...the fact people get so up in arms regarding this, just continues to make it a bigger issue

As an active duty service member, I don't give a damn if people want to alter it or do whatever. But also I don't think anybody should give a shit about any single active duty service member's opinion as if it's a monolithic group with monolithic ideals. Honestly the thing that probably pisses active duty or veteran military members the most is pointing to the opinion of one active duty service member saying 'He doesn't think its offensive, therefore its not offensive'. Just my $0.02

 

[Domina Nostra]

I'm all for Tuitt. Standing against the crowd requires courage. Standing with the crowd does not. Tuitt has courage, and he's right. This is an excellent country, despite its faults.

It would be better if athletes kept their political opinions to themselves. It's s form of escape from normal life, and the talk risks ruining it.

If you fell you need to talk, do it off the field. ESPN will DEFINITLY give you a HUGE platform. Keep the game day free of politics. The idea that on the field is your only chance to express yourself is LAZY nonsense.

I could even take a one time gesture. But the every game nonsense has pushed me to the brink. I doubt I'll be watching pro sports this year.

And Colin Kaep is a pure sell-out. Making yourself a social justice icon is one thing. Cashing in on it directly is pretty pathetic. But putting your SJ image on Nike apparel, when their stuff is made by people who have no rights is literally unconscionable. Get a clue.

And as for the flag just being a piece of cloth, that's nonsense. They wouldn't be doing it, and no one would be reacting, if it was just a piece of cloth. It's not complicated. It's a symbol. It stands for the country. As a symbol it allows us to show honor to the country, or to disparage it. If someone disparages it, don't confuse your apathy with some kind of level-headed virtue. It's just apathy.

As an active duty service member, I don't give a damn if people want to alter it or do whatever. But also I don't think anybody should give a shit about any single active duty service member's opinion as if it's a monolithic group with monolithic ideals. Honestly the thing that probably pisses active duty or veteran military members the most is pointing to the opinion of one active duty service member saying 'He doesn't think its offensive, therefore its not offensive'. Just my $0.02

Right. You should care about an active duty service member's opinion, as one active duty service man's opinion. You should care about one veteran's opinion as one veteran's opinion. You should respect it because people who have served the country deserve some respect. But there is are a whole lot of different opinions among the troops--and there are even a few bad apples.

 

[greyhammer90]

I'm all for Tuitt. Standing against the crowd requires courage. Standing with the crowd does not. Tuitt has courage, and he's right. This is an excellent country, despite its faults.

It would be better if athletes kept their political opinions to themselves. It's s form of escape from normal life, and the talk risks ruining it.

If you fell you need to talk, do it off the field. ESPN will DEFINITLY give you a HUGE platform. Keep the game day free of politics. The idea that on the field is your only chance to express yourself is LAZY nonsense.

At the risk of getting into an argument over something that I really don't feel that strongly about, this argument has never made any sense to me. Until 2009, no NFL player stood for the national anthem because players actually stayed in the locker room as the anthem played. The players were moved to the field during the national anthem because it was seen as a marketing strategy to make the athletes look more patriotic. The United States Department of Defense paid the National Football League $5.4 million between 2011 and 2014, and the National Guard $6.7 million between 2013 and 2015 to stage onfield patriotic ceremonies as part of military-recruitment budget line items.

So if you're as passionate about keeping political statements out of sports as you claim, you should've been banging this drum in 2009. It appears that the issue isn't that it's politics invading the sacred gameday, but more that it's not your politics.

 

[NDohio]

i have never understood anyone getting upset over a flag....i mean no disrespect to anyone who has served(i have many family members who are active duty), i just understand how some piece of cloth gets people so riled up...seems silly to me...i guess i just look at this argument like i tell my kids all the time....ignore whatever it is that their brother or sister are doing and they will stop...the fact people get so up in arms regarding this, just continues to make it a bigger issue

Kinda like a mask?

next thing you'll be asking for posters on here to return their US flag underpants

Had a friend get arrested and kicked out of Ohio State back in the 80s for wearing a flag on Halloween...He is a lawyer now...

Don't personally care. The flag represents about a million things to millions of people. Our country is proudly individualistic and distrustful of authority (or was). The attempt to make the flag a sacred cow that needs to be respected because of some built-in authority or obligation to the union kind of misses the point of the whole thing IMO.

If the flag already represents individuality why the need to individualize it by altering it?

 

[Crazy Balki]

Keep crying tears for Kap. No one in America is allowed to stage political protests at work in uniform. All Kap got out of it was a mutimillion endorsement from Nike to play martyr.

What you won't hear from anyone is the absolute hypocrisy of this reality: Nike uses slave labor in China to make products endorsed by Kap and sold to the masses. But yeah...he's an oppressed minority in America. GTFO.

It's a little weird how the common defense for Kaep's protest is that "it's not meant to disrespect the flag", yet this is the same guy who claimed that the 4th of July, aka. our Independence Day, is a celebration of white supremacy. Seems pretty disrespectful to me.

Also, the same guy who apparently thought it was a good idea to wear a Fidel Castro shirt to an interview during game week...in Miami.

 

[greyhammer90]

If the flag already represents individuality why the need to individualize it by altering it?

I didn't say it represented individuality. I said that in my opinion the underlying ideals of the country aren't congruent with giving the flag any particular devotion or reverence. I don't have a problem with people who do wish to give it some sacred status for themselves because they've assigned it their own personal meaning, but I think being offended because of it is a bit of a waste of energy, because it's unlikely the person you're annoyed with has assigned it the same meaning.

As an example, I think your thought of it representing all the people is a beautiful sentiment, but being annoyed because others change it to represent their subculture assumes that they are intentionally attempting to separate themselves. But that presumes they're assigning it the same meaning as you. It's just as likely that the black person/cop/gay person in your example is saying ""I am this thing, but I'm an American above all else." That's also a beautiful thought.

Tl;dr symbols are tricky, so it's difficult for me to be offended by the behavior in the question you originally posed.

 

[BeatSC]

It's obvious Kaep is a douche and I hope he never plays another down in the NFL.

As Trump said if he’s good enough to play let him play. You might see a roughing the passer penalty though. I’m sure he will be protected as if he were tom Brady. Not sure there is someone out there who could bully Tuitt.

 

[AFisch86]

I have tremendous respect for him. Funny how you needed a reason to kneel last year and now you need a reason to stand. Injustices have been occurring since this nation existed but for some reason 2020 is the year where we decide to try and erase history. It’s also curious why people or people with relatives from other countries are the first to defend our flag/country because our country is pretty great compared to most.

 

[dublinirish]

It would be better if athletes kept their political opinions to themselves. It's s form of escape from normal life, and the talk risks ruining it.

Absolute nonsense.

 

[dublinirish]

I have tremendous respect for him. Funny how you needed a reason to kneel last year and now you need a reason to stand. Injustices have been occurring since this nation existed but for some reason 2020 is the year where we decide to try and erase history. It’s also curious why people or people with relatives from other countries are the first to defend our flag/country because our country is pretty great compared to most.

great for who? great for all?

 

[PraetorianND]

great for who? great for all?

His statement wasn't complicated, and it's true by basically every objective measure. America IS better than most other nations.

I'm assuming you're saying that this country is better for one group than another, right? No need to be obtuse, just say it. Rather than force people to try to make your points for you by asking an obvious question, just make your points and provide evidence. It leads to a much more productive conversation, honestly.

Also, doesn't every country benefit one group of people or another in some ways? Point to one country on earth that isn't stratified in some way, or that doesn't have some built in benefit for certain groups of people. You can't, because they all do.

This doesn't make AFisch86's statement any less true by the way. It seems like you're just a glass half empty kinda guy, and that's fine.

America fucking rocks. I'd rather live here than basically any country on earth. That doesn't mean it doesn't have some areas for improvement.

 

[AFisch86]

I would say mostly great for people looking for opportunity. Can’t speak for people’s reason of immigrating to U.S. but the number far exceeds our number of emigrants. So there’s something attractive about our country that they can’t find somewhere else.

 

[Irish#1]

Absolute nonsense.

Not really. I read and see the news everyday. I know what's going on. I don't want an athlete or actor telling me their opinion. Especially when watching sports. Sports is the one thing that brings people from all ethnicities, religions, political views, etc. together as a common bond. When you start bringing politics into sports, you risk dissolving the glue that helps keep us together.

 

[Huntr]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steelers activate Stephon Tuitt from COVID-19 list <a href="https://t.co/hXXDDPYI4D">https://t.co/hXXDDPYI4D</a></p>— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1335265356835921923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2020</a>

 

[BobbyMac]

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1400813869191372800[/TWEET]

 

[zelezo vlk]

Awful news. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

OMG wow. So sad - such a great family - prayers for their strength

 

[irishandy]

Thoughts and prayers to the Tuitt family.

 

[ulukinatme]

Dammit...thoughts and prayers to the Tuitt family.

 

[Irishcop]

I work for Johns Creek PD. I was off duty when this happened but had a very detailed brief on this incident today at roll call. Absolutely terrible.

 

[irishff1014]

This is awful to hear. But unfortunately hit and run accidents are happening way to much right now.

 

[Irish#1]

Prayers to the Tuitt family.

 

[dublinirish]

saw he came back to finish his undergrad degree and graduated from ND this past weekend. Congrats to him

 

[Luckylucci]

That’s awesome. After a breakout 2020 season, I really hope he can get back to form on the field.

 

[irishandy]

saw he came back to finish his undergrad degree and graduated from ND this past weekend. Congrats to him

Fricking awesome! Congrats to Stephon and glad he came back to get his degree.

 

[Dale]

 

[Riddickulous]

Made $55 million before age 30. Good deal.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Wow. Good luck to Tuitt going forward.