Patriots coach Bill Belichick refuses to accept Presidential Medal of Freedom

[ttyymmnn]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/11/us/bill-belichick-medal-of-freedom.html

In a statement, Belichick said he was flattered to be nominated for the award, the highest civilian honor in the country, because of its past recipients. But he said he has great reverence for “our nation’s values,” represents his family and the Patriots, and has worked with players to combat social injustice.

“Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country that I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award,” he wrote in a statement.

[facw]

@ttyymmnn Good move. A pity about his previous support for Trump.

[Just Jeepin']

Indeed!

https://opposite-lock.com/topic/5201/sorry-to-keep-making-noise-but-the-news-changes-every-5-minutes

[LooseonExit]

@ttyymmnn

This should have been an obvious decision.

HOWEVER

I can't believe the absolute stupidity of Annika Sorenstam accepting the PMoF in secret at the WH the day after the Capitol invasion. Same with Player, but he was a supporter of apartheid until sometime in the 80s, so... Zaharias didn't have a choice of course... Stunningly idiotic way to tarnish your image.

[ttyymmnn]

@looseonexit said in Patriots coach Bill Belichick refuses to accept Presidential Medal of Freedom:

I can't believe the absolute stupidity of Annika Sorenstam accepting the PMoF in secret at the WH the day after the Capitol invasion

I hadn't heard about that. Seems to me that Trump is handing these things out like candy to stroke his own ego.

[Krusty Walnut]

@looseonexit One comes from a country that didn't do anything to stop the spread and the other is a racist. Makes total sense to me.

[fintail]

@ttyymmnn

Who is next on the list? Putie baby? Lil Kim?

I've been expecting more hot takes on the current unpleasantness from the world of pro sports, which seems to be largely populated by people who have lived in an isolated low-accountability bubble most if not all of their lives, and will vote just to lessen their tax liability.

[Krusty Walnut]

@fintail I'm guessing his hair stylist and bronzer applicator.

[MidEngine]

@fintail Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Orr did their pimping for Trump leading up to the election. And fucking Bobby Orr isn't a U.S. citizen, he should keep his trap shut.

[ClassicDatsunDebate]

@midengine My parents had a Bobby Orr edition Chevy Venture that made me car sick if i sat in the back.
True story.

[fintail]

@midengine I've seen that with Orr, I wonder what's up. I know there are Canadian deplorables, but never imagined him as one. Maybe it's a boomer thing, or maybe it's something with more pity the rich tax policy.

I've seen a few US-based NHLers being called out for their social media sympathies. These modern day guys for the most part are babied from a young age, come from relatively affluent backgrounds, and grow up in a system free from real world accountability - I'll wager again fearing taxation.

[MidEngine]

@fintail I never expected it from Bobby, I've met him several times and he seemed pretty down to earth to me. His recent schtick was "think of the grandchildren!" Fuck him, you want a voice get naturalized and vote => I did. As for the NHL'ers there's not much they can do, they play where they're signed to play, but given the choice, yeah they'll work in the U.S. anytime to pay much lower taxes.

The notable thing about hockey players that's ingrained is there's a very low tolerance for players not toeing the line, no one cares how great you supposedly are. You do not put yourself first, and keep your nose clean. Very different from NBA and NFL for sure.

[fintail]

@midengine I'll assume "think of the grandchildren" has something to do with deficits. Anyone who bitches about deficits yet supported the idiotic 2017 tax plan, which has produced virtually nothing for normal working people compared to what it gave to the top few and to corporations, is a world class hypocrite, and likely doesn't actually grasp economics on the macro or micro level.

Yeah, jokes have existed for decades about how hockey players give the same bland zero-information interviews, almost like from a script. Maybe combine that fear of independent thought with the recent desire to adhere to the "I got mine, you can go fuck yourself" doctrine often practiced by those who received endless help starting out, and there might be some rancid hot takes out there. I suspect the game moving from what was a working class pastime where kids didn't need to have means to succeed - today in the age of insanely expensive for-profit "academies" of sketchy academic merit replacing local MHAs for those born lucky, this makes sense.

[Rusty Vandura]

@fintail Olympic -- and homeless -- gold medal swimmer among the Vanilla Isis who stormed the Capitol

[fintail]

@rusty-vandura Ha, I saw that. I think the cult can suck in anyone, I mean, when it appeals to Bobby Orr of all people.

[Rusty Vandura]

@fintail I read an article with an interview of the former olympian and he was candid about how working an actual job was difficult because it did not come naturally to him like the swimming did.

[MidEngine]

@rusty-vandura I can swim, can I quit my job and get paid for it?

[Rusty Vandura]

@midengine Other way 'round: You're finished swimming. Can you hold a job?

[MidEngine]

@rusty-vandura Sadly, yes. I prefer swimming though

[fintail]

@rusty-vandura Probably some of that obliviousness that comes from being out of the real world all your life, living in the coddled bubble of athletic competition, where there's work, but it's different, and there's often someone to bail you out.

Actual jobs don't come naturally to most people. I've been in the normal working world for 20 years and learn things every day, like all of my peers - if we don't, we're in trouble.

[MidEngine]

@fintail https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-icon-bobby-orr-endorses-donald-trump-for-president-with-full-page-ad-175859937.html

[fintail]

@midengine Mystifying. Not even a US citizen.

I wonder if it is some kind of mental decline, or he just is trying to avoid taxes. I'd love to see him put on the spot about answering the objective successes implemented by the outgoing regime.