The anthem protest launched by the Cleveland Browns was short lived.
Five days after 12 players took a knee and five more gathered around them for the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner, all players were standing in Tampa for the playing of the song that precedes all NFL games.
Via Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Hall of Famer Jim Brown recently addressed the team and said, “Do not disrespect your country, do not disrespect the flag.”
Reasonable minds differ on whether conscientiously kneeling or sitting during the anthem constitutes disrespect of the country or the flag. Reasonable minds agree that it’s better to kneel or sit for a reason than to haphazardly eat, drink, mill about the aisles, wear a hat, and/or yell profanities at players during the anthem. Which fans do all the time.