NFL Football Cartoons

Monday Night Football: Cowboys kneel before national anthem ( I'm ashamed of these guys.)

Dallas Cowboys players, coaches and staff took a knee prior to the national anthem Monday.  (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

The Dallas Cowboys briefly kneeled before the national anthem ahead of their Monday night game against the Arizona Cardinals, capping off a weekend that saw more than 200 players kneel or sit during the anthem itself.

Both teams had discussed with each other what they had planned to do for the opening of Monday's game, according to ESPN commentators at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday. What they agreed to do was an individual sign of solidarity.

The Cowboys, often referred to as “America’s Team,” along with owner Jerry Jones, stood in the middle of the field before the anthem was sung and locked arms -- then took a quick knee before going back to the sidelines. Boos could be heard in the Arizona crowd.
Then, the Cardinals stood with their arms locked as well, but in the end zone, as a field-length American flag was unfurled. An announcer urged fans to lock arms with those seated next to them, “no matter the color of their jersey.”

Arizona Cardinals standing in front of a giant flag during the national anthem.  (Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

Singer Jordin Sparks then sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” to the cheering crowd. Both teams stood with arms locked for the duration of the national anthem.
Typically, ESPN does not televise the national anthem on Monday Night Football programming -- but the events of the weekend brought the anthem in sharp focus.
More than 200 NFL players made some form of gesture at games on Sunday — many kneeling or sitting on the bench — in reaction to comments and tweets by Trump, who called on team owners to fire players who followed former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's lead by kneeling during the national anthem. Some owners locked arms with players.
Trump's unprompted raising of this issue began with a speech Friday night in Alabama, where he told a crowd of supporters, "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired, he's fired."
He then followed up with a series of inflammatory tweets over the weekend and into Monday, even drawing other sports such as the NBA and NASCAR into the fray.
Kaepernick, who no longer has a job with any NFL team, began kneeling during the anthem in the preseason a year ago to make a statement about social inequality and police treatment of blacks in the United States.
A handful of players had carried on what Kaepernick started; a half-dozen engaged in some form of protest last week.
"It certainly is our hope that people stand during the national anthem, but we also respect their right to make a personal statement or expression of their personal beliefs," NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said in a conference call with reporters on Monday.
"In the first couple weeks of this year, it was a handful of people expressing themselves. We defended their right to do that," Lockhart said. "There were a whole lot of people this weekend doing that, and the only thing that has changed was some comments from someone who lives in Washington."

Odell Beckham Jr. hints that his urination celebration was a shot at Trump

New York Giants' Odell Beckham, right, celebrates with Sterling Shepard after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Philadelphia.  (AP)

New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. hinted Monday that his touchdown celebration where he pretended to urinate in the Philadelphia Eagles end zone was a response to President Trump calling players who kneel for the National Anthem “sons of b****es .”

Beckham responded to a tweet that questioned whether the move was in response to the president's remarks on Sunday, saying “If u seen that, I have to tip my hat to u for thinkin outside the box. #URRIGHTONPOINT impressed.”

The fourth-year receiver was questioned after Sunday’s game on his actions, but did not give a direct answer that it was a response to Trump’s comments.
“I was in the end zone. I scored a touchdown," Beckham said, according to NJ.com. "I'm a dog so I acted like a dog. I don't know if the rulebook said you can't hike your leg. (The referee) said I peed on somebody, so I was trying to find the imaginary ghost that I peed on. But I didn't see him.”
Beckham scored two touchdowns in the game. On his second touchdown, Beckham raised his fist, (black panther salute if you don't know dumb-asses) which many players have been seen doing during the National Anthem.
The Giants lost the game in the final seconds, 27-24.

Collins says no on ObamaCare repeal bill, effectively derailing Graham-Cassidy legislation

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday she will vote against the latest ObamaCare repeal bill, effectively killing the Graham-Cassidy legislation.

Collins' announcement came minutes after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released figures estimating that the legislation would "result in millions fewer people with comprehensive health insurance that covers high-cost medical events."

Video

CBO: Graham-Cassidy bill would reduce budget deficit by $133B by 2026

In a statement, Collins referred to the Graham-Cassidy bill as "deeply flawed," and that health care reform cannot be done properly "in a compressed time frame."
"Sweeping reforms to our health care system and to Medicaid can’t be done well in a compressed time frame, especially when the actual bill is a moving target," Collins said.
"Today, we find out that there is now a fourth version of the Graham-Cassidy proposal, which is as deeply flawed as the previous iterations. The fact that a new version of this bill was released the very week we are supposed to vote compounds the problem," the senator's statement read.
Collins is the fourth GOP senator to come out against the legislation, joining Sens. John McCain, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz who also say they oppose it. However, Cruz aides said the Texas senator is seeking changes to the bill so he can vote in favor of it.
Votes from two other Republican senators, Mike Lee of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, are still up in the air.
All Democrats and independents will vote "no," so opposition by just three Republicans would kill the bill.
Collins laid out her three biggest concerns about the bill, noting cuts to Medicaid, weakened protections to those with pre-existing conditions and pointed out that "physicians, patient advocates, insurers, and hospitals agree that both versions of this legislation would lead to higher premiums and reduced coverage for tens of millions of Americans.
"The CBO's analysis on the earlier version of the bill, incomplete though it is due to time constraints, confirms that this bill will have a substantially negative impact on the number of people covered by insurance," the statement added.
The bill, authored by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. and Bill Cassidy, R-La., was edited during the weekend in what appeared to be a last-minute effort to provide additional funding to the states represented by senators that expressed concerns regarding the legislation.
Graham said information will be released Tuesday regarding a Senate vote on the bill.
GRAHAM-CASSIDY HEALTH CARE BILL GETS LAST-MINUTE REVISION AS SUPPORT STALLS
With only 52 Senate Republicans, GOP leaders knew they didn’t have a chance of neutering a Democratic filibuster on any repeal and replace effort. Under most conditions, it takes 60 yeas to shut off a filibuster.
But once a year, the Senate can sidestep filibuster rules and consider legislation under a process called “budget reconciliation.” Budget reconciliation limits debate to 20 hours and requires only 51 votes to pass a bill.
Budget reconciliation packages are ostensibly good for only one fiscal year. The government’s fiscal year runs out Saturday night, or Sept. 30, and so does the reconciliation measure for health care. Thus, this week’s health care sprint.
The legislation aimed to allow states to set their own coverage requirements, permit insurers to boost prices on people with serious medical conditions and halt President Obama's mandates that most Americans purchase insurance and that companies offer coverage to workers. It also looked to cut and reshape Medicaid.
The collapse of Graham-Cassidy replays the loss Trump and party leaders suffered in July, when the Senate rejected three attempts to pass legislation erasing the 2010 statute. The GOP has made promises to scrap the law a high-profile campaign vow for years.

Trump tweets support for Strange, as Bannon makes best pitch for Moore in Alabama

Bannon blasts GOP establishment's role in Ala. Senate race

On 'Hannity,' the former Trump White House chief strategist slams party leaders for trying to 'destroy' Luther Strange opponent Roy Moore

President Trump late Monday tweeted his support for Sen. Luther Strange in the hotly contested Alabama Republican runoff for U.S. Senate, in a race that has pitted the president against his former strategist, Steve Bannon.

The runoff is set for Tuesday.

Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Strange in Birmingham while Bannon spoke at a Moore rally at the coast.
Taking the stage to prolonged applause, Bannon said Alabama can show the world "that this populist, nationalist, conservative movement is on the rise."
"A vote for Roy Moore is a vote for Donald J. Trump," Bannon said.
Bannon lashed out at negative ads funded by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Bannon said Republican "elites" had put millions of dollars into the Alabama race "to destroy a man."
“It’s very simple,” Bannon told Fox News’ “Hannity.” “This election is $30 million being spent by Mitch McConnell and that crew of corrupt and incompetent politicians and consultants. They raised $30 million in outside money to destroy Judge Moore.”
Bannon mentioned that conservative radio hosts Mark Levin, Laura Ingram and Michael Savage have all voice support for Moore.
Bannon, who was in Alabama during the interview, said he was not there to defy Trump, rather to support his agenda.
Wearing a white cowboy hat and a black leather vest, Moore repeated the conservative Christian themes that he has used his entire public career, quoting Bible passages and Colonial leaders at length.
"All of Washington is watching to see what Alabama does tomorrow," Moore said.
Strange, Alabama's former attorney general, was appointed to the seat previously held by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in February.
Moore is the state's Alabama's chief justice, but was twice removed from that office because of stands for the public display of the Ten Commandments and against gay marriage.
Propelled by his support from evangelical voters, Moore led Strange by about 25,000 votes in the crowded August primary and runoff polls have shown him leading, or in a dead heat with, Strange. Strange looked to help from the White House to try to avoid another second-place finish Tuesday
Trump, who held a rally Friday in Huntsville for Strange, continued his efforts Monday, calling a popular Alabama radio show to campaign.
Trump predicted that Moore, whom he mistakenly called "Ray," would have a "hard time" in the December election against Democrat Doug Jones.
"Luther Strange is going to be a great senator. He already has, and he has already helped me," Trump said on the "Rick & Bubba" radio show.
Walking into the humid hangar to hear Pence, 57-year-old Randy Beasley of Springville said he had been undecided in the race but was swayed to vote for Strange because of his backing from the National Rifle Association. Beasley said he also had concerns that the twice-ousted chief justice "might have more of a negative image for the state."
Although Trump has endorsed Luther Strange, many in the crowd at the Moore rally wore Trump T-shirts or "Make America Great Again" hats.
Chu Green, 71, of Mobile said she arrived five hours early to snag a front row spot just feet from the speaker's microphone. She held up a sign reading: "Mr. President and Mr. V.P. I love you but you are wrong! America needs Judge Moore."
"It's how I feel in my heart," Green said. "I think (Trump) knows he made a mistake. He had an obligation to Strange."