Drew Brees: Controversial comments

[billrooter]

So as a white person Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion, one that I agree with. Racism goes both ways, it just isn't covered so thoroughly by the media when it is the other way around. This is a complete S&it S%how in my opinion. What exactly did he say that was wrong, the National Anthem IMO is never a place to protest?

[Kirby Jackson]

Oh man, seeing as the last 2 Brees threads were shut down I’m sure this one will last...

 

While I do think that we should have this discussion on here it can’t be on the main board. It’s WAY too divisive of a topic. Maybe PPP? Either way, this topic is going to do nothing but divide up the board and people are going to say some uncomfortable/uneducated stuff. 
 

I’ll just leave on this. Brees has never been the person that everyone thought. He has maintained a squeaky clean image but was never “Breesus” as some believed. There are some skeletons in that closet that have been tucked away. This may not end well for Drew...

Edited June 4, 2020 by Kirby Jackson

[FireChans]

3 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Oh man, seeing as the last 2 Brees threads were shut down I’m sure this one will last...

 

While I do think that we should have this discussion on here it can’t be on the main board. It’s WAY too divisive of a topic. Maybe PPP? Either way, this topic is going to do nothing but divide up the board and people are going to say some uncomfortable/uneducated stuff. 
 

I’ll just leave on this. Brees has never been the person that everyone thought. He has maintained a squeaky clean image but was never “Breesus” as some believed. There are some skeletons in that closet that have been tucked away. This may not end well for Drew...

Of all the dumb things that NFLers have said over the years, I don’t find what Brees said to be particularly egregious.

 

The real problem (for him) is that he pissed off his teammates. He needs a real Rememeber The Titans moment 

[billrooter]

Oops had no idea that they were shutdown, my bad. I just seen on NFL network what he said and the response and I was wondering what I was missing.

Edited June 4, 2020 by billrooter

[SoCal Deek]

Are these now the Bickering Saints? This just might be the Bills year after all! Now....we just need Mahomes to do something similar. ??

Edited June 4, 2020 by SoCal Deek

[Kirby Jackson]

1 minute ago, FireChans said:

Of all the dumb things that NFLers have said over the years, I don’t find what Brees said to be particularly egregious.

 

The real problem (for him) is that he pissed off his teammates. He needs a real Rememeber The Titans moment 

He’s public enemy number 1 in New Orleans at the moment. This comes months after his work with Focus on the Family, a group that supports conversion therapy. 
 

Keep in mind New Orleans is 60% black. He can’t possibly be as tone-deaf as he has let on over the last year. That’s who he is. That’s why you haven’t seen players shocked, just mad. Brees was being called on to say something and he could have EASILY stepped around the question. “I support the cause that Kap was fighting for. I stand with him to fight systemic racism.” Now that would have been a weak response but not a tone-deaf one. He could have went right back to sticking his head in the sand. 
 

The point being that those guys have always respected Drew Brees the player. Drew Brees the man is not beloved by his teammates. That’s been true for over a decade.

[aristocrat]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBA1P3gHpT_/?igshid=1qstwzxn87p2n

 

[billrooter]

2 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Are these now the Bickering Saints? This just might be the Bills year after all! Now....we just need Mahomes to do something similar. ??

Ravens would work as well.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

11 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Oh man, seeing as the last 2 Brees threads were shut down I’m sure this one will last...

 

While I do think that we should have this discussion on here it can’t be on the main board. It’s WAY too divisive of a topic. Maybe PPP? Either way, this topic is going to do nothing but divide up the board and people are going to say some uncomfortable/uneducated stuff. 
 

I’ll just leave on this. Brees has never been the person that everyone thought. He has maintained a squeaky clean image but was never “Breesus” as some believed. There are some skeletons in that closet that have been tucked away. This may not end well for Drew...

 

Yeah, this is a tough one because it's 100% football related and it absolutely should be discussed on the main board.

 

The reason the other two threads got locked is that they quickly degraded into what really amount to personal insults and attacks on anyone with a different view than the person writing.

 

I would love to hear anything you feel you can share about Brees skeletons, I know you do have some connections.

 

I would also love to leave this thread open - even though it didn't start as neutrally as the two that were closed - but people, remember - you are talking to other PEOPLE.

 

The very Heart of being an American IMHO is that we accept that we can all have different views. 

[Gugny]

20 minutes ago, billrooter said:

So as a white person Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion, one that I agree with. Racism goes both ways, it just isn't covered so thoroughly by the media when it is the other way around. This is a complete S&it S%how in my opinion. What exactly did he say that was wrong, the National Anthem IMO is never a place to protest?

 

Hello, part of the problem.

[billrooter]

 

6 minutes ago, Gugny said:

 

Hello, part of the problem.

Why because we have different opinions, are you allowed to protest on the job or during the Anthem? IMO it is a slap in the face to everyone who has ever defended our rights.

Edited June 4, 2020 by billrooter

[FireChans]

5 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

He’s public enemy number 1 in New Orleans at the moment. This comes months after his work with Focus on the Family, a group that supports conversion therapy. 
 

Keep in mind New Orleans is 60% black. He can’t possibly be as tone-deaf as he has let on over the last year. That’s who he is. That’s why you haven’t seen players shocked, just mad. Brees was being called on to say something and he could have EASILY stepped around the question. “I support the cause that Kap was fighting for. I stand with him to fight systemic racism.” Now that would have been a weak response but not a tone-deaf one. He could have went right back to sticking his head in the sand. 
 

The point being that those guys have always respected Drew Brees the player. Drew Brees the man is not beloved by his teammates. That’s been true for over a decade.

At the same time, Drew has a right to his opinion. His opinion wasn’t hateful or hurtful. More ill-timed than anything.

 

These guys are under a lot of pressure to speak up and use their platform, but we forget they are not MENSA members.

 

But yeah. 100% agree, very stupid. Especially in what could be your final year, this could fracture their locker room.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

23 minutes ago, billrooter said:

So as a white person Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion, one that I agree with. Racism goes both ways, it just isn't covered so thoroughly by the media when it is the other way around. This is a complete S&it S%how in my opinion. What exactly did he say that was wrong, the National Anthem IMO is never a place to protest?

 

What I find interesting is the move from Drew Brees is receiving crap for his opinion, to your take here "Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion"

 

Sure, Brees has a right to voice his opinion, but if it's an opinion that his teammates or NFL players in general disagree with or even find deplorable, they have a right to voice theirs too.

 

Free speech does not mean Freedom from consequences.

 

As far as Right/Wrong, when did the National Anthem and Flag become so sacrosanct?  They are symbols.  Why can't symbols be an appropriate place to protest?

Some people see the Flag and Anthem as supporting the military and any protest as dissing the military.

 

They have a right to that view, but it would be nice (in the "right to voice an opinion" vein) if they could recognize that others see the Flag and Anthem as having nothing to do with the military - they are symbols of our country, and if the people in question see the country as having a systematic problem, why shouldn't they protest?

4 minutes ago, billrooter said:

Why because we have different opinions, are you allowed to protest on the job?

 

I'm not allowed to protest on the job, and my personal viewpoint ultimately came down to concluding that the NFL and the teams as private businesses had the right to set conditions around job performance and say to players you must stand respectfully or stay out of sight during the anthem.  They are on the clock, and IMO employers have the right to set conditions for how employees behave on the clock and on the business premises.

 

But that doesn't mean I agree with people who claim to protest the flag or anthem is never appropriate or hang all sorts of other stuff around it.

[SWATeam]

1 minute ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

What I find interesting is the move from Drew Brees is receiving crap for his opinion, to your take here "Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion"

 

Sure, Brees has a right to voice his opinion, but if it's an opinion that his teammates or NFL players in general disagree with or even find deplorable, they have a right to voice theirs too.

 

 

100%

 

For some reason, many love to make the argument that their free speech is being infringed upon because they receive criticism.  LIke people have the right to say any dumb thing they want, but others don't have the right to call them out on it?

[Coach Tuesday]

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

What I find interesting is the move from Drew Brees is receiving crap for his opinion, to your take here "Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion"

 

Sure, Brees has a right to voice his opinion, but if it's an opinion that his teammates or NFL players in general disagree with or even find deplorable, they have a right to voice theirs too.

 

Free speech does not mean Freedom from consequences.

 

As far as Right/Wrong, when did the National Anthem and Flag become so sacrosanct?  They are symbols.  Why can't symbols be an appropriate place to protest?

Some people see the Flag and Anthem as supporting the military and any protest as dissing the military.

 

They have a right to that view, but it would be nice (in the "right to voice an opinion" vein) if they could recognize that others see the Flag and Anthem as having nothing to do with the military - they are symbols of our country, and if the people in question see the country as having a systematic problem, why shouldn't they protest?

Yes, agree completely.  And when you shut down an avenue of peaceful protesting such as kneeling for several seconds in support of a cause, you indirectly funnel the outrage elsewhere, folks feel more powerless and less heard, and protesting takes on a more chaotic, destructive form.  

[billrooter]

6 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

What I find interesting is the move from Drew Brees is receiving crap for his opinion, to your take here "Drew Brees now has no right voicing his opinion"

 

Sure, Brees has a right to voice his opinion, but if it's an opinion that his teammates or NFL players in general disagree with or even find deplorable, they have a right to voice theirs too.

 

Free speech does not mean Freedom from consequences.

 

As far as Right/Wrong, when did the National Anthem and Flag become so sacrosanct?  They are symbols.  Why can't symbols be an appropriate place to protest?

Some people see the Flag and Anthem as supporting the military and any protest as dissing the military.

 

They have a right to that view, but it would be nice (in the "right to voice an opinion" vein) if they could recognize that others see the Flag and Anthem as having nothing to do with the military - they are symbols of our country, and if the people in question see the country as having a systematic problem, why shouldn't they protest?

I do see what your saying no doubt, but to me the Flag is a symbol many have given their lifes for and it's disrespectful to not only them but their families as well to protest during the anthem.

 

8 minutes ago, Jaraxxus said:

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by billrooter

[Hapless Bills Fan]

8 minutes ago, billrooter said:

 

Why because we have different opinions, are you allowed to protest on the job?

 

No, because you made the segue from "Drew Brees taking crap for his opinion" to "Drew Brees has no right to voice his opinion" and put your opinion as a statement "the National Anthem is never a place to protest". 

Understand that different people have different views on that.  It doesn't make them un-American.  The very heart of being American IMHO is the Free Speech right, including the right to protest national symbols.

 

[SWATeam]

1 minute ago, billrooter said:

I do see what your saying no doubt, but to me the Flag is a symbol many have given their lifes for and it's disrespectful to not only them but their families as well to protest during the anthem.

 

 

And many gave their lives so that we may live in a free country where protests are allowed.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1st rule of protest is a protest is supposed to be uncomfortable.

 

 

 

 

[Kirby Jackson]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Yeah, this is a tough one because it's 100% football related and it absolutely should be discussed on the main board.

 

The reason the other two threads got locked is that they quickly degraded into what really amount to personal insults and attacks on anyone with a different view than the person writing.

 

I would love to hear anything you feel you can share about Brees skeletons, I know you do have some connections.

 

I would also love to leave this thread open - even though it didn't start as neutrally as the two that were closed - but people, remember - you are talking to other PEOPLE.

 

The very Heart of being an American IMHO is that we accept that we can all have different views. 

I really don’t want to go too far down that road but know a bunch of guys that were/are on that team. My ex and his ex (not Brees another player) were best friends and we became close (I was supposed to be in their wedding but it didn’t happen). He’d get a few drinks in him and start telling stories. Brees is pretty fake I’ll just leave it at that. His image isn’t who he is.

 

In terms of the thread this has to be tough for y’all. It’s arguably the biggest football story of the offseason and it’s so divisive what do you do? Hopefully we can all remain respectful.

 

My opinion is that Brees knew what he was doing. He could have stepped around it easily. Now he’s backpedaling and trying to save face because they’re burning his jersey in New Orleans!! He went from messiah to pariah in minutes. He got caught up in a moment of honesty. What’s that Maya Angelou quote? “When someone shows you who they are believe them?”
 

Brees knows damn well that the kneeling was never protesting the flag, military, America, etc... The idea came from a conversation with Nate Boyer, a green beret, and Kap. That’s why the backlash has come so hard. No one is asking Drew to kneel. They were asking him his thoughts on what Kapernick & co. were trying to achieve. His comments showed that he either doesn’t understand or doesn’t care to understand what the goal was. He has had years to be having conversations with guys like Malcolm Jenkins about “what can I do to help?” He could have done all of that without ever having to take a knee. 4 years later, he still believes that it had anything to do with the military? He’s either completely tone-deaf or he didn’t care to listen. 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Kirby Jackson

[machine gun kelly]

My observation on Brees’s comments is simply love one another as you’d want to be loved.  Demonstrate peacefully and lawfully to bring attention to a real deep seeded problem.  Someone placed in another thread how can you not kneel for the flag, but supposed to kneel for the symbol of Christ.  Regardless of you’re spiritual or religious beliefs, kneeling in any of the Christian faiths or in the Muslim faith is simply a sign of reverence for you’re higher power. I understand kneeling during the flag is a peaceful way of demonstrating contempt for injustices primarily directed at the police.  
 

I personally think people of all faiths, race, ethnicity, and creed should peacefully and lawfully demonstrate as MLK did in the 60’s.  He’s one of my heroes, just like what Gandhi accomplished for his country.  Looting is wrong and against the law.  There is no justifying it.  Kneeling during the flag is disrespectful, but players have a right to do it, just like burning a flag. It shows a tremendous disrespect for people and their families who fought for their country like my dad and two uncles in Korea, my other uncle during Vietnam.  Thankfully they all made it back, but some of their friends didn’t.  There are a lot of ways for athletes who have a bigger pulpit and I applaud them for using their voice to bring to light injustices.

 

I won’t bore all of you with details, but my best rep in Tallahassee was disrespected in front of me more time than I can count when in Southern GA.  I felt horrible for him and not that he needed it spoke up for him with some racist doctors.  I told those doctors, and my rep, that account is fired and he is not go back and endure those biggest.  He’s such a good man, he said Dan, I can take it.  I told I can’t and won’t.  My point that I have embedded into my generation is to never participate or allow off color remarks etc.  Thankfully they have and even my daughter adopted from China was brutally teased over the Pandemic.  Needless to say the Principal suspended several students at a Christian school.  It’s only a small example of what people of color have endured and is a sign of a lack of intelligence and a narrow minded view of life.  So did Brees say anything wrong?  Not in my eyes, but I respect others who feel differently.  What is insane is every patrol guide across America strictly forbids Choke holds of any form and I sincerely hope that officer goes away for 25 to life for Murder 2.

 

I truly feel terrible for the family and friends of Mr. Floyd, and want to believe if that happened here in FL in front of me I’d intervene even if it meant me getting arrested.  I know he is in my prayers, and hope something good comes out of respectful demonstrations win the day.  If everyone just treated others like they do at Xmas time (you know how people are just a little nicer to each other at that time) how much better would all of us be as a community.  I know I am normally a very kind person to my fellow man, but will work a little harder at going the extra mile for those of all backgrounds.

[billrooter]

1 minute ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

No, because you made the segue from "Drew Brees taking crap for his opinion" to "Drew Brees has no right to voice his opinion" and put your opinion as a statement "the National Anthem is never a place to protest". 

Understand that different people have different views on that.  It doesn't make them un-American.  The very heart of being American IMHO is the Free Speech right, including the right to protest national symbols.

 

I do understand that people have different opinions that is what this whole discussion is about.

[billrooter]

4 minutes ago, SWATeam said:

And many gave their lives so that we may live in a free country where protests are allowed.

But the timing of those protests is what I disagree with not the protests themselves.

[Kirby Jackson]

If you guys think this was “an innocent mistake by a good guy” I’ve got a bridge for sale. 

[FireChans]

4 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I really don’t want to go too far down that road but know a bunch of guys that were/are on that team. My ex and his ex were best friends and we became close (I was supposed to be in their wedding but it didn’t happen). He’d get a few drinks in him and start telling stories. Brees is pretty fake I’ll just leave it at that. His image isn’t who he is.

 

In terms of the thread this has to be tough for y’all. It’s arguably the biggest football story of the offseason and it’s so divisive what do you do? Hopefully we can all remain respectful.

 

My opinion is that Brees knew what he was doing. He could have stepped around it easily. Now he’s backpedaling and trying to save face because they’re burning his jersey in New Orleans!! He went from messiah to pariah in minutes. He got caught up in a moment of honesty. What’s that Maya Angelou quote? “When someone shows you who they are believe them?”
 

Brees knows damn well that the kneeling was never protesting the flag, military, America, etc... The idea came from a conversation with Nate Boyer, a green beret, and Kap. That’s why the backlash has come so hard. No one is asking Drew to kneel. They were asking him his thoughts on what Kapernick & co. were trying to achieve. His comments showed that he either doesn’t understand or doesn’t care to understand what the goal was. He has had years to be having conversations with guys like Malcolm Jenkins about “what can I do to help?” He could have done all of that without ever having to take a knee. 4 years later, he still believes that it had anything to do with the military? He’s either completely tone-deaf or he didn’t care to listen. 

I actually disagree with your characterization.

 

Why doesn’t Brees get the benefit of the doubt saying something that he believes, even when it will earn him backlash? Because Malcolm Jenkins disagrees?

 

Also, laugh out loud funny that, “it was a Green Beret’s idea” is a real defense. The “I have a black friend” defense. No one person speaks for everyone.

 

Kaepernick went out of his way to be divisive. He wore the pig socks to practice. 

[Kirby Jackson]

1 minute ago, billrooter said:

But the timing of those protests is what I disagree with not the protests themselves.

What timing would you have approved of?

[SWATeam]

3 minutes ago, billrooter said:

But the timing of those protests is what I disagree with not the protests themselves.

I see.  Maybe you could advise on a better time that would be more convenient for you?

[Kirby Jackson]

Just now, FireChans said:

I actually disagree with your characterization.

 

Why doesn’t Brees get the benefit of the doubt saying something that he believes, even when it will earn him backlash? Because Malcolm Jenkins disagrees?

 

Also, laugh out loud funny that, “it was a Green Beret’s idea” is a real defense. The “I have a black friend” defense. No one person speaks for everyone.

 

Kaepernick went out of his way to be divisive. He wore the pig socks to practice. 

He does get the benefit of the doubt for saying what he believes!! That’s the point. Now he’s backpedaling because what he said was incredibly stupid and tone-deaf.

 

If you remember the protest started with Kap sitting. Boyer and he discussed what would be appropriate and that’s where they got to the knee. I never said Kap wasn’t divisive and maybe that’s why the message was lost. Clearly Brees didn’t “understand” the goal. 

[billrooter]

4 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

What timing would you have approved of?

Just about any time besides during the national anthem, how about his own personal time when he wasn't making millions of dollars to play a game?

Edited June 4, 2020 by billrooter

[Kirby Jackson]

Just now, billrooter said:

Just about any time besides during the national anthem, how about his own personal time when he wasn't making millions of dollars to play a game?

So when no one was watching? Got it

 

What better way to get your message to the world than when you are home alone.

[SWATeam]

1 minute ago, billrooter said:

Just about any time besides during the national anthem, how about his own personal time when he wasn't making millions of dollars to play a game?

Yes, protest when no one is watching, cares, or can be offended.

[FireChans]

Just now, Kirby Jackson said:

He does get the benefit of the doubt for saying what he believes!! That’s the point. Now he’s backpedaling because what he said was incredibly stupid and tone-deaf.

 

If you remember the protest started with Kap sitting. Boyer and he discussed what would be appropriate and that’s where they got to the knee. I never said Kap wasn’t divisive and maybe that’s why the message was lost. Clearly Brees didn’t “understand” the goal. 

No, he doesn’t. Not one person who disagrees with what Brees said anything close to defending his comments. They haven’t expressed that they understand where HE’S coming from. It’s been basically blind rage.

 

There’s this idea in this country that if you have “bad opinions,” rather than come to a middle ground, you should be shouted into the stratosphere. Did Ed Reed calling Drew Brees a “sucka” 15 times change anyone’s mind or do anything positive? No.

 

He’s backpedaling because it’s a good PR move.

[billrooter]

2 minutes ago, SWATeam said:

I see.  Maybe you could advise on a better time that would be more convenient for you?

I am not the only one that thinks it was disrespectful to protest during the national anthem and it has nothing this do with convenience.

[RiotAct]

just an observation: I think a lot of people, especially on social media, have been throwing the term “racist” around without truly understanding what it means.

[SWATeam]

Just now, billrooter said:

I am not the only one that thinks it was disrespectful to protest during the national anthem and it has nothing this do with convenience.

You are allowed to think whatever you want.  And if you give your opinion, others are allowed to give theirs.  That's how it works.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, billrooter said:

I do see what your saying no doubt, but to me the Flag is a symbol many have given their lifes for and it's disrespectful to not only them but their families as well to protest during the anthem.

 

I understand your point of view.  Understand I come from a family with several military veterans and live in a neighborhood with military vets/current guardsmen and with LEO and LEO relatives, and that many of them (I won't claim I know the opinions of all) do NOT see it that way.

 

They see it as "we put our lives on the line for America" and what America means to them - which means a free country with freedom of speech and space for different opinions.  Revering that is different than forced or mandated reverence for the Flag as a symbol of that country.   Military Veteran and former Navy Chief Warrant Officer Jim Wright put it very well IMHO when he reiterated the phrase "those of us in uniform used to say, “I don’t agree with what you said, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” " 

 

I personally don't think many of our fallen soldiers (and LEO) gave their lives for the flag.  Some gave their lives because they were drafted and had no choice.  Some gave their lives because they saw the military (or becoming a LEO) as their best option to better themselves and their families.  And some gave their lives because they think America is worth fighting for - but to some of them, that America worth fighting for means an America where it's OK to protest, including protesting the anthem or flag.  I personally don't think too many of them gave their lives for a Symbol. 

I do know the Flag is an important symbol to many - I just can't escape the observation that many who seem the frothiest about flag-waving and equating reverence for the Symbol with reverence for the Country, did in fact NOT serve and have NOT put their bodies in harms way for it nor have their family members.  And many who are the frothiest about it also are either ignorant of, or willfully disregard the Flag Code and disrespect the flag in all kinds of ways from putting it on plates and covering it with ketsup to putting it on flip-flops and striding it into the muck.  That actually really bothers me - as in REALLY bothers me - but I usually manage to refrain from opining a gristly fate for those who do stuff I disagree with.

 

There are (IMO) really two broad points of view here - you are encapsulating one of them, and I am (probably not very well) encapsulating another.

 

Returning to football - I think Brees has 100% right to say whatever he likes, but again - freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences, from clap-back or disagreement.

 

 

 

[teef]

Just now, RiotAct said:

just an observation: I think a lot of people, especially on social media, have been throwing the term “racist” around without truly understanding what it means.

we have people on this board who do the very same thing.  

Edited June 4, 2020 by teef

[SWATeam]

Just now, Jaraxxus said:

 

This is absolutely, unequivocally correct.

 

So others are not allowed to give their opinions on your opinions?

[Gugny]

28 minutes ago, billrooter said:

 

Why because we have different opinions, are you allowed to protest on the job or during the Anthem? IMO it is a slap in the face to everyone who has ever defended our rights.

 

I "defended your rights," and I never felt a face-slap.

 

Stop telling veterans, or anyone else, how to feel.

 

This isn't about a goddamn flag, an anthem or the military.  You've had four years to figure that out.

 

[billrooter]

2 minutes ago, SWATeam said:

Yes, protest when no one is watching, cares, or can be offended.

Seems as if alot of people are seeing the so called protests that are going on now doesn't it?