House Under Fire...

With the Stanley Cup Final possibly ending tonight, we look ahead. Not to the off season, (as a Sens fan that's far to ominous...) no, to something perhaps even more dramatic: The White House visit. Or, possibility thereof. You see what used to be a cheesy, all be it unique opportunity, for athletes to take a few pictures and hand over a jersey to the Commander and Chief has dramatically changed since Donald Trump took office. When former NFL quarterback (why a guy who lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance is still a former quarterback is another story all together) Colin Kaepernick started taking a knee during the national anthem a few seasons ago to raise awareness about police brutality and social injustice towards African Americans, outrage soon followed. Outrage drummed up by the man in the Oval Office who outright lied about what Kaepernick was protesting, and framed him and others who followed as sons of bitches, who ought to be fired. How very Presidential. After this, teams like the NBA’s Golden State Warriors outright refused to visit with him, and this week President Trump dis-invited the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles before they could no-show the occasion, which is tantamount to the class bully inviting everyone over, only to cancel the event in order to be spared the inevitable embarrassment.

With game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight in Las Vegas, the Washington Capitals are one win away from hoisting Lord Stanley’s mug for the first time in franchise history. A Stanley Cup championship team, in his own back yard no less, not going, especially a hockey team where politics are avoided like the plague, seems impossible. But there is that potential, however unlikely. That said,when they or the Vegas Golden Knights do in all probability do go, not everyone is likely to make said trip. DeVante Smith-Pelly of the Capitals, one of the few black players in the NHL spoke up recently, making his feelings on Trump’s behaviour clear. “The things he spews are straight up raciest and sexiest. Some of the things he said are pretty gross…It hasn’t come up here, but I think I already have my mind made up.” Doesn’t sound like a man sitting on the fence. Earlier in the season Winnipeg Jets Captain Blake Wheeler, an American, spoke out on twitter as well, after Trump blasted NFL players for kneeling. It’s not often we see this in NHL, whose leaders generally freeze faster than an idle puck whenever politics are brought up. For many it’s refreshing. For others, it’s yet an example of the “stick to sports” or “shut up and dribble” mentality the President’s defenders cling to rather than face reality. However, years ago a hockey player on the other side of the isle made waves and many are trying to now compare the circumstances.

A number of people have pointed out, in the wake of many teams now choosing to boycott or abandon the White House visit, (you know, before its rescinded) that they’re being praised by the media for their actions while Tim Thomas was vilified by those same folks, for skipping the Bruins trip after their 2011 Stanley Cup win. Thomas wasn’t the first athlete to do so, and lets all remember, it is a free country and individuals are still able to do as they like, unless of course that’s kneeling in protest...That said comparing those two issues makes about as much sense as Democrats voting for Trump in the midterm elections.

Thomas skipped the visit and was grilled on why, eventually releasing a Facebook message saying he disagreed with the politics of President Barack Obama, certainly well within the realm of reasonable. Now, was Thomas called out in part because of his right leaning politics countering a well like Democratic President? By some, without a doubt, and to be fair athletes from other sports had skipped out on various Presidents before citing personal disagreements with particular policies or scheduling conflicts. However, the bigger issue was that in doing so, Tim Thomas ended up making it about Tim Thomas. The cardinal sin of the hockey world: putting himself before the team. He was an outlier. He wasn’t protesting a specific issue, trying to fight for a cause, nor had he presented any particular agenda. He simply didn’t like the guy in charge. Which is fair. I’m sure some other Bruins players weren’t Obama supporters either. So why cause a scene? What purpose did it serve other than to seem petty? To be an unnecessary distraction? Over the years whether it was Regan, Bush Sr. or Clinton, you honestly believe every athlete in attendance wanted to be there? That they all supported the guy in charge, Democrat or Republican?  As Michael Jordan famously said, “Republicans buy sneakers too!” They saw it for what it was, at least before Trump took office, a harmless if corny photo-op that, generally, wasn’t particularly politicised by either side. A perfunctory sort of pat on the back with a few mediocre jokes forced in to cut through the awkwardness.

Then in 2016, shortly after the Cubs won the World Series, and Trump was elected, the conversation came up amongst friends and the million dollar question was posed: “If you were invited to the White House to celebrate a championship, would you go?” At the time, I said yes. That though I vehemently disagree with the politics and behaviour of the man in charge, I respect the office and could put personal feelings aside. Also the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most famous buildings would be special. Teams seemed to agree at first as well, a contingent from the Cubs went. Most of the New England Patriots went. Considering the close relationship between the owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belicheck and the President this wasn’t a shock. They were however, minus Tom Brady, though he is as far as I know, he’s still friends with the President. The Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, in a scene more awkward than me trying to get a date, showed up as well, all be it after much consternation and debate, (not to mention a questionably timed tweet). This visit was a perhaps the most scrutinised  as it was just after, as only The Donald can, he’d started speaking…

Trump, a man who shouts patriotism from the highest peaks at every opportunity, this week couldn’t even remember the words to God Bless America, (a tune school children can recite at will) at a staged ‘Patriotic Event’ to replace the Philadelphia Eagles visit, and he railed on Twitter, again, against the NFL players stance and the league, of predominantly black athletes, for this behaviour. He’d previously called them sons of bitches, suggesting they lose their job or be deported simply for exercising their first amendment rights. All this from an individual who is ONLY president because of said first amendment! A spoiled rich kid eventually growing into a pompous blowhard who made his living as a supposed ‘real estate genius’ bilking people with less money in business deals, only to repeatedly go bankrupt, in between thousands of lawsuits, before spawning a TV Show where he’d spout his now infamous “Your Fired” catch phrase, thus ensuring the impeachment memes will write themselves…And yet he’s attacked those who are protesting not their country, or the flag, the military or the anthem. A conn man who has manage to convince others they’re trying to destroy the nation or are somehow un-American simply because they’re attempting to make things better. They’re simply trying to raise awareness about a social justice issue as civil rights leaders past have done. As LeBron James put it, “He’s using sports to divide us.”

I understand the risk you run taking a stance like this during the anthem, and I’m sure Colin Kaepernick did as well. People, naturally associate it with their country and not paying what they deem due respect to the flag can incite the kind of anger we are seeing, however short sighted it is. Personally I have great respect for the anthem and the flag. I’m the sort of person who stands for our own Canadian anthem and the American one, even if I’m watching at home alone…seriously…and if the NFL players had ever spoken a negative word about their country, the military or the flag, I’d understand the outrage. If their protest had hadn’t been peaceful or they’d tried to incite civil unrest, I would see why others were upset. But the fact of the matter is they haven’t. They’ve been nothing be civil, clear and unified in their coherent message and have paid a great deal of respect and praise to the military in the process. Not to mention, thirty years ago this wasn’t even an issue. The players stayed in the locker room until the anthem was over. Where was the outrage then? The vitriol? This sort of drummed up patriotism can be a double edged sword and is clearly cutting a line through the nation.

In the “Land of the Free” where “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” are supposedly of paramount importance, the administration has made clear it’s their way or the highway. The NFL owners have even admitted they caved into the pressure from the President. Cowards, who’ve abandoned their work force and the notion that: “I may disagree with what you say but I’ll fight to the death for your right to say it.” Instead men like Ted Cruz paint these athletes as spoiled, ungrateful millionaires...though I imagine with his looks I’d avoid looking in mirrors as well…ignoring the fact that they’ve put their blood , sweat and tears into this endeavour, giving back both time and millions of their own dollars to help their communities. Other leagues like the NBA have worked with their coaches and players to create an environment where they feel free to speak up about social issues and be aware of the world they live in, to understand the power they have to make a difference. Does everyone agree with their stances? Of course not. San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich was greeted with a ton of anger by Spurs fans who support Trump, feeling he insulted them with his comments. Steve Kerr coach of the Golden State Warriors, and Popovich protégé, is another outspoken man who is not afraid to go after the President. Stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry have as well and what are they met with in the media? “Shut up and Dribble.” That these predominately black leagues are being singled out or criticised can in no way be seen as a coincidence. If Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers were leading these protests, would the reaction have been the same? And what stance does a predominately white league like the NHL take? Do they have the guts to stand by "Hockey is for everyone!" Or does the John Tortorella "I''d bench the guy!" mentality prevail?

I had a grandfather who served in WW2. I grew up near one of the largest military bases in Canada and know several active service members. To the extent I can, I understand the sacrifices these men and women make on our behalf every day. I have nothing but the utmost respect for what they do. For the freedom they help provide. It’s symbolic that the anniversary of D-Day was yesterday when men and women fought against a man who sought to control those freedoms, to warp people’s minds to his way of thinking. Who realised the tyranny he represented. Part of freedom is the right to peaceful protest. To speak our mind. This right is literally the 1st amendment. They realised that the flag represents not only the military but all those within a nation who seek to uphold it's values.To not be told by the government to leave the country or lose our job because of a dissenting opinion. With Trump there is no alternative. If you don't agree with him you're against him. With all the petulant drama of a teenage soap opera, he sits in his office, like a mad king who has openly suggested he can pardon himself should the Russian investigation prove his collusion, without the slightest notion of diplomacy or reasoning. forcing one to take sides. That said I’m not naïve enough to believe this is a simple conversation. It’s not easy to admit that racism, in this day and age, is still prevalent, that this is ultimately the reason behind the anger. But it is. 

Trump is capable of double speak Orwell could only dream of and convincing people that those who are simply trying to help make things better for others in their own country don’t deserve to live in it isn’t just dictatorial, or scary, it’s more un-American than anything Colin Kaepernick’s stance has ever represented.