Appearing on Thrusday’s NBC Today, sports columnist Mike Lupica actually criticized the ongoing protests in the NFL against the National Anthem inspired by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Despite most of the media cheering the disrespectful display, Lupica downplayed the impact: “I don't think it's become a wave, a thing that's sweeping the country. But it’s also not the Freedom Marches, okay?”
He continued: “And I think he really hurt his own cause, Kaepernick did, by even predating this by wearing socks that depicted policemen as pigs. I think it works against what he's trying to say.” Lupica then chastised other NFL players joining in the Black Lives Matter demonstration: “And what bothers me...about this thing is I think other guys are joining in who aren't quite as passionate about this as Kaepernick is and they're sort of treating it like it’s the Ice Bucket Challenge, you know?”
He concluded his thoughts: “So it's a big, complicated, nuanced story, but I – you have to respect his beliefs and his right to do it.”
Here is a transcript of the September 15 exchange:
8:41 AM ET
WILLIE GEIST: We are back now at 8:41 with the great Mike Lupica, he’s one of the country's most prominent sports columnists a bestselling author. His newest book for young readers, Last Man Out, is a story of football, courage, and family. Mike, good to see you my friend.
MIKE LUPICA: Willie, it’s great to be with you.
GEIST: We'll talk about the book in just a second. I want to get you on some sports stuff here. Let's talk about Colin Kaepernick, the protests of the National Anthem that have been going on for several weeks now. The NFL has effectively said, “We encourage our players to show respect, to stand for the anthem, but we support their right to kneel.” How has the league handled this one?
LUPICA: I think they’ve handled it well. I think it’ll stop or they'll take a tougher stance when they start to think it’s bad for business, okay? I respect what he's done. I do. I don't think it's become a wave, a thing that's sweeping the country. But it’s also not the Freedom Marches, okay? And I think he really hurt his own cause, Kaepernick did, by even predating this by wearing socks that depicted policemen as pigs. I think it works against what he's trying to say. And what bothers me, Willie, about this thing is I think other guys are joining in who aren't quite as passionate about this as Kaepernick is and they're sort of treating it like it’s the Ice Bucket Challenge, you know? So it's a big, complicated, nuanced story, but I – you have to respect his beliefs and his right to do it.
(...)
