Share this article! In his latest Twitter tirade, President Donald Trump chastised pro athletes for taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest social injustice. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, … Read more
In his latest Twitter tirade, President Donald Trump chastised pro athletes for taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest social injustice.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these N.F.L. owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired,’” the president said in a speech Friday in Huntsville, Ala.
Trump’s comments drew an impassioned response from African-American football and basketball players, and criticism from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
We reached out to our local professional sports team for their stance.
Individual NBA teams do not have policies regarding the national anthem, Trail Blazers spokesperson Michael Lewellen said. He said NBA policies come through the NBA League office in cooperation with the NBA Players Association and the current collective bargaining agreement.
Lewellen did issue this statement: “The Trail Blazers organization will always respect the collective voices of our players, and the decisions they may make as a team.”
Doing that could conflict with the official NBA rulebook, however, which states: “Players, coaches, and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem.”
We’ll see what happens when the season begins on October 18.
The Portland Timbers could not be reached for comment.
