Jerry Jones searches for an anthem compromise
jerry #jerry
When Cowboys owner Jerry Jones met with the media for the first time in months, the magic word was “grace.” Now, it could be “compromise.”
Via Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jones said in an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that he’s hoping to find a middle ground when it comes to potential protests during the national anthem.
One possibility would be to kneel before the anthem and stand during it, as the Cowboys did for their first game after the President’s sons-of-bitches attack on players who kneel during the anthem sparked protests throughout the league.
Jones also said he plans to talk about the issue with defensive tackle Dontari Poe, who has vowed to kneel.
Jones’ Tuesday comments come four days after he said this on 105.3 The Fan: “Everybody knows where I stand on the anthem. Everybody knows where the Cowboys stand. But I’ve got everybody’s back around here, too. And we’ll work through it as it comes.”
The time may have come, frankly, for the Commissioner to talk to Jones. At a time when the Commissioner has tried to make it clear that he supports players who protest, the support is meaningless unless the individual team owners feel the same way. Roger Goodell should tell Jerry Jones, in plain and simple terms, that there must be complete support for players when it comes to whatever decision they make, and that there should be no effort to talk them out of it.
Without that kind of guidance/mandate from the league office, Jones undoubtedly will try to sweet-talk and/or strong-arm players into standing for the anthem. Given that Jones plans to host fans for every 2020 home game (Texas currently allows up to 50-percent capacity for sporting events), Jones won’t want to set the stage for fans booing and/or boycotting in the event that kneeling happens.
Frankly, what Jones wants shouldn’t matter. The league should be setting the policy. And if the Commissioner won’t be telling teams what can’t and can’t be said or done regarding the national anthem, what’s the point in even having the Commissioner comment on whether he does or doesn’t support player protests?