President Donald Trump doubled down on denouncing protests by NFL players and rescinded NBA star Stephen Curry91裸聊视频檚 White House invitation on Saturday, a series of tweets that quickly inflamed football and basketball stars and even prompted LeBron James to call the president a 91裸聊视频渂um.91裸聊视频�
Trump started by announcing that Curry, the immensely popular two-time MVP for the Golden State Warriors, would not be welcome at the White House for the commemorative visit traditionally made by championship teams. Later, Trump reiterated what he said at a rally in Alabama the previous night that NFL players who kneel for the national anthem should be fired.
U bum already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
91裸聊视频� LeBron James (@KingJames)
The Warriors said it was made clear to them that they were not welcome at the White House. They said that when they go to Washington this season they will instead 91裸聊视频渃elebrate equality, diversity and inclusion 91裸聊视频� the values that we embrace as an organization.91裸聊视频�
Curry had said he did not want to go to the White House anyway, but the Warriors had not made a collective decision before Saturday.
Following a tweet Saturday, James clarified his stance on the issue in a video.
"It91裸聊视频檚 not about dividing. We as American people need to come together even stronger.91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� responds to 91裸聊视频檚 comments.
91裸聊视频� UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted)
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Saturday he was surprised by the invitation being pulled.
91裸聊视频淭he White House visit should be something that is celebrated,91裸聊视频� Myers said. 91裸聊视频淪o we want to go to Washington, D.C. and do something to commemorate kind of who we are as an organization, what we feel, what we represent and at the same time spend our energy on that. Instead of looking backward, we want to look forward.91裸聊视频�
Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his team91裸聊视频檚 first practice of the season: 91裸聊视频淭hese are not normal times.91裸聊视频�
Trump91裸聊视频檚 latest entry into the intersection of sports and politics started in Alabama on Friday night, when he said NFL players who refused to stand for 91裸聊视频淭he Star-Spangled Banner91裸聊视频� are exhibiting a 91裸聊视频渢otal disrespect of our heritage.91裸聊视频�
Several NFL players, starting last season with then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick, have either knelt, sat or raised fists during the anthem to protest police treatment of blacks and social injustice. Last week at NFL games, four players sat or knelt during the anthem, and two raised fists while others stood by the protesters in support.
Other players have protested in different ways over the past season since Kaepernick began sitting during the 2016 preseason.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 a total disrespect of everything that we stand for,91裸聊视频� Trump said, encouraging owners to act. He added, 91裸聊视频淲ouldn91裸聊视频檛 you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you91裸聊视频檇 say, 91裸聊视频楪et that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He91裸聊视频檚 fired.91裸聊视频�
On Saturday, Trump echoed his stance.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
91裸聊视频� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect....
91裸聊视频� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Plenty of other current and former stars from across sports weighed in Saturday. Richard Sherman of Seattle Seahawks said the president91裸聊视频檚 behaviour is 91裸聊视频渦nacceptable and needs to be addressed.91裸聊视频� NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell strongly backed his league91裸聊视频檚 players, calling Trump91裸聊视频檚 words 91裸聊视频渄ivisive91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� as did New York Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who also said the president91裸聊视频檚 comments were inappropriate and offensive.
91裸聊视频淒ivisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities,91裸聊视频� Goodell said in a statement.
Trump also bemoaned what he called a decline in violence in football, noting that it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渘ot the same game91裸聊视频� because players are now either penalized or thrown out of games for aggressive tackles.
91裸聊视频淣o man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights,91裸聊视频� DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Saturday. 91裸聊视频淣o worker nor any athlete, professional or not, should be forced to become less than human when it comes to protecting their basic health and safety.91裸聊视频�
Trump has met with some teams already in his first year in office.
Clemson visited the White House this year after winning the College Football Playoff, some members of the New England Patriots went after the Super Bowl victory and the Chicago Cubs went to the Oval Office in June to commemorate their World Series title. The Cubs also had the larger and more traditional visit with President Barack Obama in January, four days before the Trump inauguration.
North Carolina, the reigning NCAA men91裸聊视频檚 basketball champion, said Saturday it will not visit the White House this season. The Tar Heels cited scheduling conflicts.
Warriors forward Draymond Green said the good news was that Golden State won91裸聊视频檛 have to talk about going to the White House again 91裸聊视频� unless they win another title during the Trump presidency.
91裸聊视频淢ichelle Obama said it best,91裸聊视频� Green said. 91裸聊视频淪he said it best. They go low. We go high. He beat us to the punch. Happy the game is over.91裸聊视频�
Reynolds reported from Miami. AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in Oakland, California contributed to this story.
Catherine Lucey And Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
