The NFL Rejects A ‘Controversial’ Ad From A Veterans Organization

The Super Bowl is right around the corner. I’m pumped for obvious reasons. (Goooooo Pats!) I’m also really excited about eating my body weight in loaded nachos. That’s always fun.

I reeeeeeeeeeeeeally don’t want them make any of it political. Just play ball.

Speaking of not getting political, the NFL has rejected an ad from the American Veterans organization, because it’s too political. What was so political about it? The one-page ad said the words “Please Stand.”

Here’s the ad:

The NFL rejected it.

“The Super Bowl game program is designed for fans to commemorate and celebrate the game, players, teams and the Super Bowl,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told USA TODAY Sports by email. “It’s never been a place for advertising that could be considered by some as a political statement. The NFL has long supported the military and veterans and will again salute our service members in the Super Bowl with memorable on-field moments that will be televised as part of the game.”

Here’s the thing. The NFL has been making a political statement ALL YEAR by supporting the players who choose to disrespect our vets by kneeling. So that’s a really lame argument.

AMVETS feels the same way.

Joe Chenelly, executive director of AMVETS, said players who protest by kneeling during the national anthem are exercising their free speech and that AMVETS only wanted to do the same.

“The protests are very much out of our purview,” he said. “We were not looking to comment on those. This is part of our Americanism program” in which the organization conducts seminars in schools and with youth groups on the proper way to display, care for and respect the flag.

McCarthy said the NFL tried to work with the organization.

“We looked to work with the organization and asked it to consider other options such as ‘Please Honor our Veterans,’” McCarthy said. “They chose not to and we asked it to consider using ‘Please Stand for Our Veterans.’ Production was delayed as we awaited an answer. As the program was going to production, the organization asked about including a hashtag” — as in #PleaseStand — “and was informed that approval would not be provided in time and was asked to approve the ad without the hashtag. The organization did not respond and the program ultimately went into production to meet deadlines.”

The organization is really ticked. Marion Polk, the AMVETS national commander, wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and said in part:

“Freedom of speech works both ways. We respect the rights of those who choose to protest as these rights are precisely what our members have fought — and in many cases died — for. But imposing corporate censorship to deny that same right to those veterans who have secured it for us all is reprehensible and totally beyond the pale.”

As much as I don’t want politics in football, the NFL can’t say it doesn’t want to be political when it made political maneuvers ALL SEASON LONG. That’s all I’m saying.

h/t USA Today