THE BATTLE HEATS UP – AT 11:28 A.M. ET:  The battle between the president and the National Football League over on-field protests is growing.  Basketball players are involved.  A baseball player went down on his knee.  Team owners, including Trump friend Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, are denouncing the president.

It wasn't a battle the president needed, and the hypocrisy is flowing.  Of course team owners are denouncing the president.  There's a racial overtone to the protests, and team owners must show at least some solidarity with black players...or else.  From Daily Mail: 

Scores of NFL players have started kneeling during the national anthem in defiance of President Donald Trump just hours after he urged fans to boycott the league in his growing feud with athletes.

Players from both the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars took a knee ahead of their game at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday.

Those who didn't kneel linked arms in a show of solidarity as the national anthem rang out through the stadium.

No players were kneeling during the playing of God Save The Queen - the British national anthem.  

Trump had earlier called for fans to boycott the NFL if players didn't stop 'disrespecting' the US by kneeling during the national anthem. 

Trump had earlier denounced the protests by NFL players and rescinded a White House invitation for NBA champion Stephen Curry in a two day rant that targeted top professional athletes and brought swift condemnation from league executives and star players alike on Saturday.

Early Sunday morning, Trump continued his Twitter tirade and called for an NFL boycott.

'If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!' Trump tweeted.

'...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.'

Jaguars owner Shad Khan joined his players on the field on Sunday and was spotted linking arms with them in a show of unity. Khan was among the owners who donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration.

COMMENT:  The president is right and the players are behaving like immature brats.  They "take a knee" while our national anthem is played.  There are men and women their age, in the armed forces, who aren't taking knees.  They're taking bullets.  The president might note that.

Let's see if Americans vote with their dollars.   I think many will.

A big deal is being made over the players'  "First Amendment rights."  It's a phantom.  We all, as citizens, have those rights on our own time.  But these players are working for private organizations, wearing the uniforms of those organizations.   Private organizations can make reasonable rules that may forbid political activity on company time.  Even private universities have no obligation to extend the protections of the Bill of Rights to their students.

September 24,  2017