Great news - from the Cleveland, Ohio FOX affiliate:
Cleveland police, EMS unions refuse to hold flag at game after Browns players kneel
There is new fallout from the fierce debate over Cleveland Browns players kneeling during the national anthem.
Cleveland safety forces have backed out of a plan to hold a large flag on the field for the opening game.
A dozen Browns players created a firestorm during a recent preseason game by not standing during the anthem. They created the largest demonstration in the NFL during the anthem since former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick started his protest more than a year ago.
And two reactions to this little tantrum:
EMS union president Daniel Nemeth said it sounded great until a group of Browns players took a knee during the anthem.
"This hit home with me. I am a veteran, an 8-year veteran with the U.S. Marine Corp. So, to disrespect the flag by taking a knee is not something I was going to be a part of," Nemeth said.
We tracked down police union president Steve Loomis out of state at a police convention.
"I’m here at a national police convention, and soon as they hear that I'm from Cleveland, the first question is ‘What about those stinking Browns?'" Loomis said. "So if the ownership of the Browns and the league are going to allow that type of stuff to happen, and then come to us and say, ‘We want you to help us with the flag,’ that's hypocritical. We're not gonna participate.”
Good - let the adults act adult and the children demonstrate their childishness. It will be interesting to see the teams finances in six months - a lot of people are turned off by this kind of behavior. It is not edginess, it is just disrespectful.