Ex-FBI Director Clears Papa John’s Founder of Racial Bias, Slams ‘Clearly Inaccurate’ Media

In a detailed rebuke of the news media, former FBI Director Louis Freeh said his exhaustive investigation of Papa John’s founder John Schnatter found no evidence of racial animus, citing corporate transcripts that directly contradict news reports suggesting the pizza executive had criticized NFL players for kneeling during the national anthem.

“A thorough examination … found that the public comments by Mr. Schnatter were neither intended nor can reasonably be interpreted to reflect any racial bias, prejudice, or disrespect for African Americans or people of color,” Freeh wrote in a report slated to be made public Tuesday.

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Commentary: New Evidence Shows Key Fans Unhappy with Sports Leagues Kowtowing to Black Lives Matter

If anyone was hoping that the return of the long-awaited Major League season would lift our spirits and bring us together, they had to be disappointed to learn that we are more divided than ever over the National Anthem kneeling debate. And although President Trump has not chosen to join the burgeoning #BoycottMLB movement on Twitter, the president has joined a growing number of disheartened baseball fans who are unhappy that their favorite teams are taking the knee. Even before the start of the season, President Trump tweeted that he was “looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!”

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President Trump Withdraws Philadelphia Eagles Invite, Plans Patriotic Celebration with Fans Anyway

President Trump

President Donald Trump said, in a statement, that the Philadelphia Eagles team is “unable” to attend a White House ceremony this afternoon because they don’t agree with his belief that NFL players should “proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” The president’s announcement was made Monday evening, just under 24 hours before the 3 p.m. scheduled meeting, Fox News reported. Players Brandon Graham, Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long and Torrey Smith previously said they would not attend. “The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better,” the president said in a statement. “These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony—one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem.  I will be there at 3:00 p.m. with the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus to celebrate America.” Monday night, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted Gold Star families at the White House…

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Veterans Group Denied Super Bowl Ad Time Accuses NFL of Censorship

A decision by the National Football League to deny a veterans group TV ad time during this year’s Super Bowl has the vets group claiming liberal bias on behalf of the league. The ad by AMVETS, “a non-partisan, volunteer-led organization” consisting of mostly World War II veterans according to the group’s website, portrayed images of veterans saluting the American flag alongside the hashtag #PleaseStand.

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High School Cheerleaders Are Now Kneeling During The National Anthem

High school cheerleaders are also kneeling during the national anthem, according to a testimony from two high schoolers in Union City, Calif. Two high school students, Sasha Armbrester and Teana Boston, told NPR’s Youth Radio Friday that they are protesting police brutality at football games. Armbrester, a cheerleader for James Logan High School’s football team, said…

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Commentary: What Does George W. Bush Have in Common with NFL Flag Protesters?

by Jeffrey A. Rendall “Just when I think you couldn’t possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this…and totally redeem yourself!” ~ Harry Dunn, from the film Dumb & Dumber This highly-recognized movie quote certainly applies to a lot of what’s going on around us, though the dumb things people are saying and doing these days are probably not redeemable to even the most forgiving of clueless dunces like the character of Harry Dunn (played by Jeff Daniels in the 1994 classic buddy tale of two lovable idiots stumbling across country in pursuit of true love). Take for example the statements from Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan after NFL owners met last week to try and resolve the national anthem/American flag protest issue. Khan advanced a theory for why President Donald Trump chose to inject himself into the hullabaloo, a hypothesis so absurd it could qualify for exalted status under Harry Dunn’s “couldn’t be any dumber” category. Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports reported last week, “Shad Khan thinks he knows the real reason Donald Trump is so obsessed with how the NFL does business. ‘This is a very personal issue with him,’ Khan, the Jacksonville Jaguars owner,…

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Rep. Diane Black: ‘My Four Seats Will Stay Empty Until the Titans Stand for the Anthem’

Gubernatorial candidate and House Budget Chair Representative Diane Black (TN-06) made news Tuesday on the Hugh Hewitt show when she declared her four season tickets will go unused unless and until the Tennessee Titans stand to honor the flag during the National Anthem. In response to Hewitt’s question regarding her position of the so-called ‘NFL kneelers,’ Rep Black answered, “I have had [season tickets] since the Titans came to town. I actually did not miss a single game when they were in Memphis and we were building a stadium for them. But my four tickets are in the drawer, and they will stay in the drawer. My seats will stay empty until we have an appreciation of our flag, our men and women who fight for this country, and for what this flag stands for.” And then she turned her ire to NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell, saying, “And so I am disgusted with the whole NFL. I applaud Jerry Jones for what he’s doing, and I think all the owners should do that. And I think Goodell’s job should be pulled.” Hewitt pressed Black, asserting his distaste for boycotts, and asking, “Let the players say whatever they want. I just think you have…

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NFL May Flag Players Who Kneel For Anthem

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell may signal a penalty on players who disrespect the flag and national anthem. Goodell sent a letter to all 32 NFL teams on Tuesday, Oct. 10 saying the league needs to move on, Business Insider reports. “Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem,” Goodell wrote. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us.” The topic will be discussed at a league meeting next week. Owners may allow players to give input, but they can make a decision without the union’s approval, the Daily Mail reports. The NFL may have already quietly changed its national anthem policy to allow teams to directly players instead of relying on the league to do so, the Daily Mail quotes ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen as saying. The policy now reads, “'[Players’ f]ailure 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.’” Goodell does, however, plan to provide players a “platform,” Business Insider reports.…

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Commentary: Mike Pence Mocked for Principles the Left Just Can’t Fathom

Mike Pence, post-Colts-49ers walkout, has been mocked mercilessly by a vicious left as little more than a media hog and public relations stuntman for daring to leave the game in protest of players’ national anthem kneeling. The left, the suspicious, mega-partisan, ever-political left, just can’t believe that someone would actually stand on principle. Their logic?…

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Colin Kaepernick Tweets Winston Churchill’s Famous ‘Lies’ Quote in Response to Reports of Him Standing for the National Anthem

More than a year after Colin Kaepernick first starting kneeling during the national anthem, he is unemployed and looking for NFL work. After reports spread that Kaepernick would stand for the national anthem if a team gave him a chance, the man himself has responded: A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has…

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The NFL’s Downfall is an Opportunity for America!

As a long-time sports fan, I’ve watched the NFL self-destruct before my eyes over the past few weeks with a sense of both sadness and hopefulness. Hopefulness? I’ll get to that. In truth, I’m not nearly the fan of sports that I once was. As a kid it was such a thrill to go the baseball game, or basketball game, or football game. All levels were exciting to watch, from youth to high school, to college, to the pros. But especially the pros. Professional sports has always had its good and bad. The good is that one gets the chance to see the best athletes in the world compete at the highest level—that’s entertaining and inspiring! The bad—which is more pronounced than ever—are the contract disputes, nasty player attitudes, steroid abuse, criminal acts, drunk and abusive fans, and so on. I suppose one could say, “The thrill is gone!” But this year, the NFL has reached a new low—players actually kneeling, sitting, and even eating during our national anthem! Just ten or even five years ago, this would be unheard of. But today’s society is constantly reaching new behavioral lows. Worse than seeing the players disrespect our flag is seeing…

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Anheuser-Busch Hesitates: ‘We Have No Plans to End Our NFL Sponsorship’

At the very beginning of the NFL players’ National Anthem “revolt” in mid-September, Anheuser-Busch–once a multi-generation family-owned American business, but now owned by an international conglomerate based in Belgium–posted a short statement voicing their concerns, considering the company’s long-standing partnership with the NFL as one of their largest advertisers. The original statement reads, in full: We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season. We are not yet satisfied with the league’s handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league. The updated company response, as of Tuesday afternoon, now includes the following statement, suggesting that their dissatisfaction with the NFL protests has not yet reached the stage that would cause the company to withdraw its lucrative sponsorship: We have many long-term sports partnerships, including our NFL sponsorship, and while we may not agree on everything, we still believe in the power of sport to bring people together and overcome their differences. We have no plans to end our NFL sponsorship. (emphasis added) The company’s latest statement, however, may not be the last word on the question of…

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Titans’ Delanie Walker to Fans: Stay Home

The Tennessee Titans’ tight end Delanie Walker may believe money grows on trees, for he apparently does not think ticket-buying fans pay his salary. The NFL player smack-talked his team’s fan base earlier this week when he said those who are upset about high-salaried players kneeling for the national anthem should stay home, Fox News Insider quoted from other media reports. Or perhaps the athlete thinks people pay to hear his political opinions rather than watching him compete in a sporting event. “OK. Bye,” the tight end was reported saying about Titans’ fans. Walker has a two-year, $13.3 million contract. Coach Mike Mularkey told the media that he thought it was a team-wide decision to remain in the locker room Sunday, Sept. 24. The Titans media office declined to comment to The Tennessee Star on Walker’s remarks and referred to their Sept. 24 statement: “As a team, we wanted to be unified in our actions today. The players jointly decided this was the best course of action. Our commitment to the military and our community is resolute and the absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn’t be misconstrued as unpatriotic.” Jessie James Decker, the country singer and wife of…

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