Coach Tomlin Wanted War Hero Villanueva to Hide in the Locker Room

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Update: There is an update to this story. The Steelers decided to come out and not stay in the locker room. They ended up in the tunnel and were directly behind Mr. Villanueva in the tunnel. They hid in the tunnel. For his part, Mr. Villanueva didn’t realize he was out front and his team wasn’t right behind him.

Coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is disappointed in one of his players. He told his team that whatever they wanted to do about the anthem was up to them but he wanted 100 percent participation in whatever they decided or nothing.

It was one player, former Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva, who was the lone man to come out into the tunnel and stand for the anthem while his team stayed in the locker room. [Update: Mr. Villanueva now says coming out and standing for the anthem was a misunderstanding. He never meant to do that. He is embarrassed by it]

When asked by a reporter about Villanueva coming out for the anthem, Tomlin said, “Like I said, I was looking for 100 percent participation, we were gonna be respectful of our football team.”

Respect for our flag, our military, Mr. Villanueva’s service, and our country would have have been nicer. The players were showing tremendous disrespect for Mr. Villanueva who sacrificed so much for his country. [Update: Mr. Villanueva doesn’t see it as disrespectful]

“This team will not be divided by this,” Tomlin said emotionally.

Who is dividing it?

Villaneuva played in college at the United States Military Academy before going on to become an Army Ranger. He served three tours in Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014, before later joining the Steelers.

These football players are becoming part of the Trump Resistance, which is a hard-left political movement. This mass revolt against the country’s anthem was allegedly in response to the President saying he felt players who don’t stand for the anthem should be fired.

Tomlin called the times divisive. He is right. People showing such disrespect for the United States is very divisive. They obviously hate half their audience and the country.

Perhaps Tomlin prefers this immature jerk.


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Greg
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Greg
6 years ago

That rule is a hoax. The 2017 NFL rule book I downloaded has nothing about such matters and only details aspect of game play.

http://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2017-nfl-rulebook/

michaelrbuley
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michaelrbuley
6 years ago
Reply to  Greg

Really, isn’t the main point that, if you want to take political stands in your workplace, in front of your customers, you’re going to lose some of them?

they injected politics into the workplace. If I do it in my work, I will lose customers. so I don’t. I have the right to do it if I want. There are consequences if I do.

Athletes have every right to do it in the workplace. I will defend their right all day long. Protest anywhere, any time. That freedom is critical.

I will not defend their seeming presumption to protest in the workplace, and there not being consequences.

V.Lombardi
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V.Lombardi
6 years ago

The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the NFL League Rulebook. It states:
“The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem.
“During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition…
…It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure 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.”
Maybe Roger Goodell and the rest of the NFL forgot this rule.

Greg
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Greg
6 years ago

WHAT??

The military was paying the NFL for fly-overs and that payola has ended and NOW there are NFL player protests? Isn’t that interesting. Earlier I was driving and heard on Rush that a man’s 7 and 11 year old wanted the TV turned off after seeing the disrespect at the beginning of the game. These two young kids have more clarity than many adults, especially those players.

michaelrbuley
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michaelrbuley
6 years ago

Remember that the real goal — the useful idiots haven’t a clue — is to remove the anthem, and the flag, from America. And to make showing patriotism a very negative thing, perhaps criminalized at some point. The goal is to destroy America from within. When you destroy all the institutions, all the symbols, all the history, the pride, the patriotism … America is easy to finally conquer. Without firing a shot.

Frank S.
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Frank S.
6 years ago

Alejandro Villanueva, a REAL HERO, understands taking life threatening sacrifices. The others, including his teammates, play a kids game for huge dollars.