The anti-American anthem protests made for a disastrous NFL season.
In light of a sharp decline in viewership, the league and a majority of owners caved into the demands of the protesters.
But one vocal owner is fighting against the unpatriotic efforts of a group of players.
Houston Texans owner Bob McNair has been one of the main figures at the center of the disrespectful anthem protests.
McNair did not approve of the protests, and used the common phrase “the inmates are running the prison” to describe the situation.
McNair was cowed into apologizing for the tepid comment, but says he now regrets that action.
From Breitbart:
Houston Texans Owner Bob McNair does not regret using the expression “inmates running the prison,” when referencing the NFL anthem protests last year. However, he does regret apologizing for using that expression.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, McNair said that he still does not see anything wrong in what he said. Nor, does the Texas billionaire believe that others should have told him to apologize for saying it.
“The main thing I regret is apologizing,” McNair said. According to the Journal, McNair claims the “inmates” reference was directed at NFL executives who were acting, in McNair’s view, as though they had more power than the owners. “I really didn’t have anything to apologize for.”
As to his choice of words, McNair said, “In business, it’s a common expression. But the general public doesn’t understand it, perhaps.”
McNair also took exception to the story former Texan Duane Brown told Pro Football Talk last year, about McNair’s conduct following the election of President Barack Obama in 2008.
Brown told PFT that McNair lamented Obama’s election in a team meeting. McNair claims that no such thing ever happened.
“I don’t go into meetings and express views like that,” McNair said. “I never said that. He has no problem saying things that are not true.”
According to Pro Football Talk, “McNair also denied talk that he would keep the Texans from signing players who kneeled for the national anthem. McNair says he does think, however, that politics should be kept off the football field. McNair’s own comments, however, may make the players who disagree with him decide they need to make their statements more strongly.”
Colin Kaepernick, the ringleader of the protests, is currently suing the NFL for collusion, a ridiculous claim when considering his decline in play coupled with his radioactive persona.
McNair was deposed in the suit, yet still publicly stated his opinion on the matter. If there were collusion, McNair wouldn’t openly say that he believes politics should be kept off the field.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was another owner who took a bold patriotic stance and hammered commissioner Roger Goodell for his inaction on the matter.
Jones eventually dropped his crusade against the commissioner, and was “repaid” with heavy legal fees. For the sake of the league, hopefully McNair won’t be forced to toe the left-wing activist line.