An Open Letter to Steeler Nations by Art Rooney

Actually, while the NFL rule book doesn't, the NFL game operations manual does make mention of the proper conduct for the Anthem.

http://time.com/4955704/nfl-league-rulebook-a62-63-national-anthem-rule/

The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem.

During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.

 

Yeah Jack that is the one being passed around as the final word on the matter when it really isn't so cut and dry and hence the confusion. I mean it's like getting pulled over and asking the cop if you broke a law and he says no but the owners manual clearly says you should wait until you reach 15mph before shifting from first to second so that's why I stopped you.

 

I don't know, thorn, it looks pretty cut and dry to me. Whether or not the NFL, Goodell and the owners want to enforce it as such is another matter.

 

Your taking the rational approach to this by suggesting that people are going to check their emotions at the door when they are not. There's alot people that are not even Footbal fans that are waiting in the wings for a reason to jump onto a cause to protest because they don't like Trump and they may show up outside stadiums with banners and Pickett signs because they have nothing better to do. The fact that this all started over one player then more players joined him because of racial equality and injustices, but mostly for Police brutality last year because a few players got roughed up by Police which is a civil matter, but because they are NFL players they wanted to use their sport and platform to address this and by doing that the decision was to do it during the National Anthem which they knew would piss people off in hopes to getting people to jump on board and start a crusade with mainly other black athletes and it back fired initially because you had black athletes questioning Krappernutts black heritage "am I black enough" being that his mother is white. Several retired players came out verbally and were asking the question: how can you relate to me and my struggles when you are not even full black!! How can you compare your "silver spoon" in the mouth upbringing to mine where I didn't know where my next meal was coming from. It stewed for a year and here we are with a full blown situation that is likely to get worst before it gets better. The million dollar question is what is the ultimate plan going forward??? There probably isn't one is my guess just figure it out as we go along. This thing has given our country a black eye with no solution insight imao hope I'm wrong.

 

They went to an appeals court on proper ball inflation and that's an actual rule so I imagine that if this was serious enough that it would be in the rule book and the potential fines clearly defined instead of a passage in the production manual that doesn't talk about who is getting fined and says to remind them coaches and players about public scrutiny. Heck they have clear rules in the book for sock height why is this not in there?

 

Technically correct it is not in the "rule" book but it is a policy given out to all 32 teams since 2009.

page 62-63 of the "NFL rule book" dictates that during the national anthem, players must stand, face the flag, hold their helmet in their left hand and refrain from talking. Failure to follow this policy can result in fines, suspensions or forfeiture of draft picks.

So, is it true?

Technically, yes. But it's not in the "NFL rule book."

While this language does not appear in the 2017 Official Playing Rules of the National Football League, which is available in its entirety online, it is a part of the game operations manual, which is distributed to all 32 teams, according to NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy.

McCarthy said that the policy has been in place for several years, pre-dating protests that began during the 2016 season.

"It’s policy, it’s not a rule. I think where people are getting confused is, rules, that’s like holding or defensive pass interference, that’s a rule. This is policy," McCarthy said.

 

Thorn, I absolutely agree with your assessment, and to answer your question...yes I feel it is just as disrespectful. Honestly, it may be more disrespectful. I am older and can remember a time when everything did stop for the National Anthem. Instead of hiding in the concourse, people would walk out into the open just to pay respect. In a way, I can almost give the players a by on the National Anthem and here is why - I go to an event to watch men or women play a sport or entertain me. If they are more focused on entertaining me than paying honor to the flag so be it. Unfortunately, we have turned this and our focus in the wrong direction...why have we made this about players and the flag? We all have our own view of honor. I stand and respect the flag, I don't ask others to do the same (I'll do it for them if I have to...I love this country enough for me and the next guy).

 

First off, I have been a member of this site for several years now and prior to that read it daily.

I am a police officer and have served so proudly for 25 years. I have never violated my oath to the Constitution and I have never witnessed so called police brutality. I think it might happen in this country given its size and population but we on the left coast are paid as professionals and we are professional. I will not risk 100k a year to violate some criminals rights and if the people who work for me do, they will be gone. There is no code of silence, we police our own and remove the sh!t heads.

Further more my grandfather fought in WW2 and earned a purple heart fighting for this county. My father served during the Vietnam war and my brother during the first gulf war. All three of these men also served honorably as POLICE OFFICERS. I am a proud third generation western PA kid and my parents and grandparents are from the Burgh. I was raised as a Steelers fan because they were a hard working flag loving blue collar team. Unfortunately now we have a bunch of crybaby multi millionaires protesting what, their hatred of the country that allowed them this opportunity to work hard and make millions playing a kids game. They are protesting our flag, our military and ME. They hate me because I am a police officer trying to keep the peace. I am not the one calling 911 to report crimes involving anyone including black people. I am not the victims or witnesses reporting what they have seen. I respond to calls, establish facts and act accordingly. By their definition I am not the racist the victims and witnesses who called are so leave me out of it. There is no better time on this planet and no better country to be a minority and if you don't believe me visit other places and study the history of our world. That does not make us perfect, all men have flaws but this country is trying and succeeding like no other.

Because my team whom I have loved for 44 years hates me and my family why would I watch or spend money on them? I travel with a group to one home game and one road game each year. As a group we spend 20k a year supporting our team. This group consist of police officers, Iraqi war vets and their spouses. We have decided as a group to no longer give our money to a team or league that hates us. I have stored all of my memorabilia and am deciding weather to destroy it or let it collect dust.

The members of this site can agree or disagree with me but this is the way I feel and it won't change. I do not care what the players and the league do in the community as they are a tax free organization and need to do things like that to avoid taxes. I do not care if Ben is sorry and maybe with time this will change but for now the wound is too great. Mike Tomlin and Mr. Rooney's comments only fueled my anger. I believe that I am the silent majority and I hope that we vote with our dollars. Locally the seahawks viewership was down 26 percent this weekend and I hope that continues. My department sent an open invitation to any of teh players (Seahawks) to come ride with us, see what our perspective is and give real solutions to their perceptions. The hawks however have not responded.

I wish all of the members on this site the best whether you agree or disagree with me. I do not know if I will ever forgive my beloved steelers or not. I do not not if I will ever watch another game again but as of now I don't believe I will. Good luck to all of you, and God Bless the USA.

 

One more thing i am trying to find an email to the front office. If any of you know please let me know, thanks.

 

I will remind all that the NFL does control what the players can do ie their first amendment rights. The NFL did not let the cowboys pay tribute to 5 officers slain in Texas and the did not let Deangelo Williams honor his mother. They can and do control the players until they disrespect police officers who are trying to do good. I did not serve in the military but I have bled and had bones broken for this country. I have had people try to kill me just because I am a cop. So the players disrespect to me and my brother and sister for largely false reasons (Fergerson is the biggest lie of all) angers me. The argument that the NFL cant stop them is not true, they can. When your not at work palying football do and say what ever you want. But when you are at work be professional.

 

Because now its being done as a political statement to breed hatred for a group, the police.

 

I rarely post but have loved my Steelers for 40 years! Never served in military, but my dad landed on beach 6/9 and told me horror stories he lived as they marched to Berlin. Brother is retired military... never would I disrespect any of those guys that put their life on the line so I could live FREE! And the entire NFL disrespected ALL of them. And for what? Honestly, I'm with Tomlin and sick of the BS. I just wanted to watch my Steelers on Sunday but had to watch a bunch of bs along with it. Kap started all this ****, damn I hate that guy. Today's society all about being pc and don't say this or say that because it might "offend" someone. But the NFL as a whole had no problem offending all those true heroes. I wish they had just sat back and said "you know what? Maybe trump is right. Maybe we should stand in locked arms and pay tribute to the military and great nation we live in. You don't like your job? Get another one. Don't like USA? Go somewhere else. Ban me if you want cause I really don't care. People worried too much about being pc and offending someone that's gonna complain about something anyway. And btw, I'm white male and cops will beat my a$$ too if I'm at wrong place at wrong time... Wonder what Lambert thinks about all this...

 

Thank you for your family's service and thank you for everything you do as police officers protecting us ordinary citizens. I have family members that served in the military including WW2, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Some of them also have become police officers. Deep down I don't think the Steelers hate you, your family or any of us. In trying to keep politics out of the Pittsburgh Steelers (which we all want for all sports), they stayed in the tunnel thinking they could be immune from what was going on and in my opinion made a huge mistake. Everyone makes mistakes and hopefully they learn from those mistakes. Don't destroy your memorabilia and hopefully the Steelers' future actions can help heal the wounds felt by you and many Steelers fans today.

 

We will ALL be watching closely.

 

I support you 100%

 

I feel very sad and lonely these last few days. Some time ago I went into the water cooler forum and shared that my wife was going through a difficult time and one of the things bothering her was the time I spent on here. I had to step away for a bit and look to my family. These things have a tendency to go in cycles and 3 weeks ago it came around again where she feels this one thing is hurting or family and our marriage, maybe it is I don't know, but I still come on every day and talk to many of you because I consider you friends and I don't use that term easily or foolishly. I like talking football and hockey and life, the give and take, so to see this come to pass makes me sad and yet I don't blame the team for this.

I said yesterday that my life has real problems and this is just one of them, maybe not even the biggest, that kneeling or saluting during a football game doesn't even compare to those problems. However to be truthful it is a problem because it affects many of those on here who I connect with so it does affect me. So it is my hope and belief that all this will with the passage of time be forgotten.

So do what you feel you must, as I look to my family as well, I hope to see you all on Sunday and beyond and if not be well. Thanks one and all for the company-

Josh

 

What happened to the "no political talk," TTF? Or....wait, I get it. No political talk that you don't agree with.

 

Dude and the real tragedy of it all is that now tons of people won't know who to start on their fantasy team! LOL!

 

I absolutely think those people need to be on their feet and attentive. They even say "Please stand and remove your caps" before it starts. You are a guest at Heinz when you go there and you should comply with that the same as if someone you were visiting asked you to remove your shoes. Monday afternoon I walked in to the National Archives again, which is my favorite place in DC not named the Tomb of the Unknown, and there were tons of people talking really loudly at the Constitutional display and it flew all over me. It is even requested that you remain quiet in there. A few years ago I was in there with just a few people and me and this Jewish man and his son stood there and solemnly talked about the Constitution together and it was so cool. Also a few years ago I witnessed the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown break off his route and call out the people who were talking too loudly there. It was freakin' awesome!

 

Maybe it's been discussed and I just missed it, but why were the players told by Tomlin that they had to be unified in whatever decision they made yet The coaches weren't unified? Half the coaches and the training staff weren't on the sidelines either.

 

thank you for your service sir.

 

I don't know that it has been discussed Glenn and I don't think Tomlin will address that. I do know that something similar was asked of Ben at the press conference and there seems to be some confusion even among long time vets as to what the coaching and support staff are doing after the final words to the players in the locker room and when they take the field. Ben said they do a team prayer and Will Gay does a rah rah kinda thing and no body watches the coaches as they leave the room. It's a good question though.

 

Yeah I seen that and Ben's press conference.
I'm not necessarily complaining or criticizing Tomlin. Just trying to get a better understanding of the thought process behind what appears to be a double standard.