That is very big of you - thanks.
Thanks, Foxtrot’s.
At least he stood for the anthem.
What is great about this country is the right to make a peaceful statement.
[QUOTE=iberianfan;8851346]
What is great about this country is the right to make a peaceful statement.[/QUOTE]
It is. And what a great country for everyone to be able to voice what they feel about such a statement (made on 911 and calling away attention from the tragedy). Thank you military for giving your lives so people can smack you in the face.
Some teams who are making the same statement, waited intentionally until after 911. But that’s a whole 'nother thread.
[QUOTE=Rackonteur;8802668]
I have read what all you have said on this thread. I rethought what I had said, and I watched the rest of his swims. I wanted to post here that I had done a 180-degree turnaround in my opinion of him but, knowing COTH, I figured I’d be ripped to shreds so I chickened out.
Just now I Googled him to see how he’s enjoying the rest of the Olympics, especially after hearing how Simone and Aly were planning to spend the rest of theirs.
He’s back in the States. Back “home” in Arizona. The news announcer sounded so pleased and proud to say that now that Michael’s Olympics are done he is ready to be a volunteer assistant coach. Michael himself has said a lot about how these Olympics let him go out as he’d wanted to 4 years ago, that he couldn’t after London, but now he could because he’s done so well here.
So. This Olympics that gave him all these medals, some with his teammates, have let him quit while he’s ahead. And he can’t even stick around for the closing ceremonies. He doesn’t want to stay and celebrate there with his teammates – ALL his teammates, not just his swimming buddies. He’s had his fiancee and son and mother there all this time; would a few more days have made that much difference? I doubt it.
I can understand Ryan Lochte leaving. If the Brazilian government were after my passport I’d get the heck out of Rio too.
But Michael Phelps is the star of the show for a lot of people. He owes it to those people to stick around and be there for them when these Games close. I saw a cute video of him photobombing a superfan’s pic earlier today and I thought, What a nice thing to do. Even though according to that story he’s as hard to get to as a rock star or a politician or royalty.
So I’m gonna go out here, back to my original opinion with which I started this thread. He should have stayed and joined his teammates celebrating his country’s experience at these Games. The fact that he chose not to shows me once again what he is made of. Great way to start off teaching sportsmanship to those youngsters he’ll be assistant-coaching at ASU.
Not.
ETA: Here is that news story. Those anchors were so excited and enthusiastic, and Phelps was just rude. If he wants to “get his family home safe” that badly he should have bodyguards and PR men to talk to those reporters. How much danger is his family in at that little airport, and why did he suddenly want to shave? He has been on camera plenty of times unshaven all through the Olympics. Oops, I forgot. He’s not at the Olympics anymore. 
http://www.azfamily.com/story/32781475/olympic-swimmer-michael-phelps-returns-from-rio-now-ready-to-coach-at-asu[/QUOTE]
(I’m just reading through this now so forgive me for quoting a comment from a month ago) You know that a lot of athletes don’t stay for closing ceremonies or only fly in for their events, right (off the top of my head, I know for a fact that one of the javelin competitors for the U.S. didn’t go for opening ceremonies, going to attack her, too?)? Now it sounds like you’re just searching for reasons to hate him. If you’re attacking him for wanting to return home to get his 3 month old baby back in a routine then you better be attacking the people who competed a day or two before closing ceremonies and didn’t participate in them … unlike Phelps, whose events ended a week before the Games were over.
[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;8851457]
It is. And what a great country for everyone to be able to voice what they feel about such a statement (made on 911 and calling away attention from the tragedy). Thank you military for giving your lives so people can smack you in the face.
Some teams who are making the same statement, waited intentionally until after 911. But that’s a whole 'nother thread.[/QUOTE]
I don’t get this statement at all. Anyone alive during 911 isn’t going to forget it or have their “attention called away from the tragedy” because of a person kneeling during the national anthem at a football game. We all remember 911 quite well thanks.
Civilians died that day, not so much the military. Unless you believe that 911 remembrance is now a “war” memorial…If you choose to remember it as such then fine. Not all of us do.
Can you please get back on track with this thread please? If you want to discuss football, or the military, or 911, please start your own thread, in OT. This thread is in the Olympics forum.
Well, OK. 
It seemed like a complaining about lack of respect during the national anthem Olympic thread, so we’d better keep it specific right? :yes:
[QUOTE=Rackonteur;8852835]
Can you please get back on track with this thread please? If you want to discuss football, or the military, or 911, please start your own thread, in OT. This thread is in the Olympics forum.[/QUOTE]
I forgot to quote…
Just to clarify a detail here. This was news to me.
[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;8792573]
Hand over heart, perhaps a lawyer can direct to a better link:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/301[/QUOTE]
INDENT all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and
(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.
(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1263; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, §?595, Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4475.)[/INDENT]
That legislation is listed originally as 1998. For those of us who learned our national anthem protocol in the latter half of the 20th century – 50s through most of the 90s – it was not recommended by law at that time to place hand over heart. In addition, note the word, “should.” So, recommended, not required.
News to me too. I definitely learned my anthem protocol way before '98!
Wonder why it was changed?
He was just honored at the Baltimore football game on Sunday. He ran out onto the field with the team. They also had other Olympic swimmers who got to come out onto the field - they all wore Ravens jerseys. And everyone stood for the anthem, and everyone yelled the “O” part of “O say does that…” It was fun (other than losing).
Just Glad They’re Married
I’m glad they’re married. They’re a nice family.
