President Donald Trump doubled down on denouncing protests by NFL players and rescinded NBA star Stephen CurryB次元官网网址檚 White House invitation on Saturday, a series of tweets that quickly inflamed football and basketball stars and even prompted LeBron James to call the president a B次元官网网址渂um.B次元官网网址�
Trump started by announcing that Curry, the immensely popular two-time MVP for the Golden State Warriors, would not be welcome at the White House for the commemorative visit traditionally made by championship teams. Later, Trump reiterated what he said at a rally in Alabama the previous night that NFL players who kneel for the national anthem should be fired.
U bum already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
B次元官网网址� LeBron James (@KingJames)
The Warriors said it was made clear to them that they were not welcome at the White House. They said that when they go to Washington this season they will instead B次元官网网址渃elebrate equality, diversity and inclusion B次元官网网址� the values that we embrace as an organization.B次元官网网址�
Curry had said he did not want to go to the White House anyway, but the Warriors had not made a collective decision before Saturday.
Following a tweet Saturday, James clarified his stance on the issue in a video.
"ItB次元官网网址檚 not about dividing. We as American people need to come together even stronger.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� responds to B次元官网网址檚 comments.
B次元官网网址� UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted)
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Saturday he was surprised by the invitation being pulled.
B次元官网网址淭he White House visit should be something that is celebrated,B次元官网网址� Myers said. B次元官网网址淪o we want to go to Washington, D.C. and do something to commemorate kind of who we are as an organization, what we feel, what we represent and at the same time spend our energy on that. Instead of looking backward, we want to look forward.B次元官网网址�
Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his teamB次元官网网址檚 first practice of the season: B次元官网网址淭hese are not normal times.B次元官网网址�
TrumpB次元官网网址檚 latest entry into the intersection of sports and politics started in Alabama on Friday night, when he said NFL players who refused to stand for B次元官网网址淭he Star-Spangled BannerB次元官网网址� are exhibiting a B次元官网网址渢otal disrespect of our heritage.B次元官网网址�
Several NFL players, starting last season with then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have either knelt, sat or raised fists during the anthem to protest police treatment of blacks and social injustice. Last week at NFL games, four players sat or knelt during the anthem, and two raised fists while others stood by the protesters in support.
Other players have protested in different ways over the past season since Kaepernick began sitting during the 2016 preseason.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,B次元官网网址� Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added, B次元官网网址淲ouldnB次元官网网址檛 you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, youB次元官网网址檇 say, B次元官网网址楪et that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! HeB次元官网网址檚 fired.B次元官网网址�
On Saturday, Trump echoed his stance.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
B次元官网网址� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....
B次元官网网址� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Plenty of other current and former stars from across sports weighed in Saturday. Richard Sherman of Seattle Seahawks said the presidentB次元官网网址檚 behaviour is B次元官网网址渦nacceptable and needs to be addressed.B次元官网网址� NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly backed his leagueB次元官网网址檚 players, calling TrumpB次元官网网址檚 words B次元官网网址渄ivisiveB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� as did New York Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who also said the presidentB次元官网网址檚 comments were inappropriate and offensive.
B次元官网网址淒ivisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,B次元官网网址� Goodell said in a statement.
Trump also bemoaned what he called a decline in violence in football, noting that itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渘ot the same gameB次元官网网址� because players are now either penalized or thrown out of games for aggressive tackles.
B次元官网网址淣o man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights,B次元官网网址� DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Saturday. B次元官网网址淣o worker nor any athlete, professional or not, should be forced to become less than human when it comes to protecting their basic health and safety.B次元官网网址�
Trump has met with some teams already in his first year in office.
Clemson visited the White House this year after winning the College Football Playoff, some members of the New England Patriots went after the Super Bowl victory and the Chicago Cubs went to the Oval Office in June to commemorate their World Series title. The Cubs also had the larger and more traditional visit with President Barack Obama in January, four days before the Trump inauguration.
North Carolina, the reigning NCAA menB次元官网网址檚 basketball champion, said Saturday it will not visit the White House this season. The Tar Heels cited scheduling conflicts.
Warriors forward Draymond Green said the good news was that Golden State wonB次元官网网址檛 have to talk about going to the White House again B次元官网网址� unless they win another title during the Trump presidency.
B次元官网网址淢ichelle Obama said it best,B次元官网网址� Green said. B次元官网网址淪he said it best. They go low. We go high. He beat us to the punch. Happy the game is over.B次元官网网址�
Reynolds reported from Miami. AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in Oakland, California contributed to this story.
Catherine Lucey And Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
