I feel compelled to write this blog about the NFL.  The NFL is a business comprised of owners, players, season ticket holders, and then just plain old fans.  In reality, it’s entertainment where the elite of the sport are paid to perform each weekend in hopes of winning and progressing into the playoffs and ultimately the Super Bowl.  There is wide spread TV coverage and some of these players are role models for our children.

Almost every sporting event in America has always started with the playing of our national anthem.  Fans who are there stand and some sing along while others remove their hats and place their hand over their heart.  This is done to pay respect for those who paid the ultimate price so that we can be there and enjoy the event that is about to be started.  Respect is what it is all about; respect for deceased soldiers that gave their lives to protect our precious freedoms.

Lately it seems as if has become a fad for some NFL players to take a knee when out national anthem is played.  This shows the ultimate disrespect to the soldiers who died in foreign wars, in foreign countries, and far away from their families so that the very people refusing to stand can play the game they love, while getting paid a lot of money.

This behavior must not be allowed to continue.  The display of respect for our country and flag and for those who died for it outweighs your privilege to display your disapproval of whatever you find wrong with our country.  Football legend Jim Brown said it best when he said, “I’m going to give you the real deal: I’m an American,” Brown said. “I don’t desecrate my flag and my national anthem. I’m not gonna do anything against the flag and national anthem. I’m going to work within those situations. But this is my country, and I’ll work out the problems, but I’ll do it in an intelligent manner.” http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/25/jim-brown-criticizes-kaepernick-style-protests-dont-desecrate-my-flag.html  Jim went on to say, “You have to understand there’s intelligence that’s involved, OK? I can’t be two things at once that contradict each other. If I sign for money, then the people I sign with, they have rules and regulations.”  Jim Brown is exactly right.  These owners invest a lot of money to run these franchises.  Cities invest a lot of money to keep these franchises to provide much needed revenue.

So here is my message to Roger Goodell and the owners.  If you want the NFL to continue to be as profitable as it currently is, you best see to it that the players all stand for our national anthem.  If they choose not to; then let it be known that they will be fined 30,000 dollars for each occurrence.  They still have the right to choose, they will just have to pay for it; but not near as much as the dead soldier paid to allow him to do it.