Bozo the kKklown Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 By Evan Grossman Quote Are they going to burn John Elway jerseys in effigy in Denver? Maybe when hell freezes over. But when Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall knelt for the national anthem last season, his No. 54 jersey was torched outside Mile High Stadium. He was one of many players who took on political issues in the last year that were punished for it. So when Elway sent a letter of recommendation recently on behalf of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on company letterhead with the Broncos team logo, he used the team, their colors, and their place in popular culture to advocate for politics. He used his celebrity and the team he works for to influence the appointment of a Supreme Court justice who will determine how laws are interpreted. So why is it OK for teams and executives to advocate for issues but not for their players to do the same? There's nothing wrong with leveraging your social platform for political issues, but now Broncos fans are going to have to ask themselves if it's OK for Elway to exercise the same freedom of speech they punished Marshall for a few months ago. It's highly unlikely Elway will be treated the same as Marshall was, not just because his name is John Elway. "Neil has demonstrated tremendous intelligence, character and fairness," Elway wrote of Gorsuch, a Colorado native. "His credentials, integrity and sound moral compass are major reasons why he's already received so much bipartisan support for his nomination." Elway concludes with "Neil is a big Denver Broncos fan, and I can tell you that I'm a big fan of his." Gorsuch is a conservative. He is against abortion and a woman's right to choose. He is against organizations like Planned Parenthood and he defended the use of torture under the George Bush administration. Oh, and he is a big Broncos fan, as if that has anything to do with how he will serve as a Supreme Court justice. While Elway, a Republican who once toyed with the idea of running for office, has every right to support Gorsuch or anyone else, he shouldn't use the Broncos to advance his beliefs. Imagine for a minute Carmelo Anthony marching in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray waving a Knicks flag. Imagine the blowback Colin Kaepernick would get if he hung San Francisco 49ers banners up at his Know Your Rights camp. Imagine Tom Brady and Bill Belichick attending a Donald Trump rally dressed head-to-toe in Patriots garb. Rest of the article in the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justice98 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I think this should be more of a story, if only for the grief athletes get for even being remotely political about anything. That article does open with some hyperbole for effect, but being political and what you are political about kinda matter. Gorsuch isn't offensive enough to engender the kind of emotional reaction that some of these other political causes do. Maybe if he were vocal about overturning Roe v Wade, or something and Elway used the team to support that, it might be different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Elway's a piece of ****, so there's that. But anyhow, this would be like the general manager of a privately held business using the businesses letterhead to endorse a political official. If it were the owner I wouldn't mind, but how does the manager get the same privelages as the owner? I don't think the employees (aka players) should enjoy this benefit, but why should the manager of the business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why am I Mr. Pink? Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Shouldnt have done it under the Broncos letterhead. John Elway can be political in his personal capacity and being a HOF 2x champ, his personal capacity carries great enough weight as is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 If Bruce Allen could bring us a couple new Lombardis, I wouldn't care if he used Redskins letterhead to endorse Hull Hogan for the supreme court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balki1867 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 10 minutes ago, Riggo-toni said: If Bruce Allen could bring us a couple new Lombardis, I wouldn't care if he used Redskins letterhead to endorse Hull Hogan for the supreme court. The Hulk's been pretty friendly with the Iron Sheikh in recent years- I'm not sure that's going to play well with this administration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Wiggles Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Hulk would be a great and impartial Supreme Court Justice. Real Americans First Brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 This thread needs more @Broken TK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Is it different for owners than it is for employees? yes. Yes it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfitzo53 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 8 minutes ago, zoony said: Is it different for owners than it is for employees? yes. Yes it is. Trying to understand what point you're making in terms of Elway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 10 minutes ago, dfitzo53 said: Trying to understand what point you're making in terms of Elway. I thought he was the owner guess not guess elway will have to answer to his owner of the private business then. I'm fine with that. This is a dumb article that that attempts to paint some kind of a social issue that isn't there. Let's worry about the issues that actually exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Wait, I thought SCOTUS wasn't political? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justice98 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 1 hour ago, balki1867 said: The Hulk's been pretty friendly with the Iron Sheikh in recent years- I'm not sure that's going to play well with this administration. Trump doesn't want a war of words with the Iron Sheik tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozo the kKklown Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 2 hours ago, zoony said: Is it different for owners than it is for employees? yes. Yes it is. 2 hours ago, zoony said: I thought he was the owner guess not guess elway will have to answer to his owner of the private business then. I'm fine with that. This is a dumb article that that attempts to paint some kind of a social issue that isn't there. Let's worry about the issues that actually exist. You have completely missed the point of the article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 1 minute ago, BenningRoadSkin said: You have completely missed the point of the article. No i get it Black player waves a broncos flag at a **** the pigs rally, controversy White GM writes a letter endorsing scotus candidate, okay Because racism and ****. Like i said, dumb article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozo the kKklown Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 9 minutes ago, zoony said: No i get it Black player waves a broncos flag at a **** the pigs rally, controversy White GM writes a letter endorsing scotus candidate, okay Because racism and ****. Like i said, dumb article sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 The examples aren't really the same. Sure, they have to do with the Broncos in the sense that colors and logos are a common theme here. BenningRoadSkin trying to stoke another race debate? Shocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Is it really shocking that a GM form a professional sports team in Colorado is supporting a SCOTS nominee from the 10th Circuit (seated in DENVER, COLORADO)? And a player using a platform on gameday, in uniform, to support a cause is WAY different than a GM writing a letter using team letterhead. The GM writing a letter on team letterhead is more akin to a player announcing support for a cause by saying, "Come join Player X, Starting position for Team Y, in support of...." That happens all the time. By associating the team he plays for, it implies the team supports the cause. Does that mean the team actually endorses the cause? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozo the kKklown Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 Of course its different. It has to be different because you lot lack empathy and compassion. 2 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said: The examples aren't really the same. Sure, they have to do with the Broncos in the sense that colors and logos are a common theme here. BenningRoadSkin trying to stoke another race debate? Shocking. because you are blind and lack empathy and compassion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 1 hour ago, BenningRoadSkin said: Of course its different. It has to be different because you lot lack empathy and compassion. Normally, you offer evidence to support the reason you come to a conclusion. When you accuse the opposite POV of being non-empathetic and uncompassionate, that usually indicates a lack of evidence. How is a GM using team letterhead different than a player using his player status to promote a cause? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why am I Mr. Pink? Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 25 minutes ago, Popeman38 said: How is a GM using team letterhead different than a player using his player status to promote a cause? The actions arent different. The reaction is. I think that was Benning's point. But the reaction is different I suppose bc one act is visible and another is not. If Elway got up on the mic before a home game and started talking about how great Trump was .. the reaction would be much stronger than a letter no one really knows even happened or existed. Keep politics out of sports all together imo. Players, GMs, beer guys etc can be political all they want in their personal capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balki1867 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 If Elway's actions aren't visible then why did he even bother to write the letter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 24 minutes ago, balki1867 said: If Elway's actions aren't visible then why did he even bother to write the letter? We wanna play that game? Why is it OK for 501(c)3 charities to write letters opposing his appointment? They are forbidden by law, and risk their task exempt status, by endorsing or opposing a political candidate. Oh wait, a SCOTUS nominee is not a political candidate. Further proof that Elway did not enter the political process by supporting a SCOTUS nominee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I think you can best gauge a man's character the same way you gauge a horse's health. Look at the teeth. Elway wins this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why am I Mr. Pink? Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 20 minutes ago, Popeman38 said: We wanna play that game? Why is it OK for 501(c)3 charities to write letters opposing his appointment? They are forbidden by law, and risk their task exempt status, by endorsing or opposing a political candidate. Oh wait, a SCOTUS nominee is not a political candidate. Further proof that Elway did not enter the political process by supporting a SCOTUS nominee. Lame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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