Donald Trump makes a mistake with targeting athletes

Trump and Curry

By JIM PURCELL

According to a headline in the Daily News, my favorite of all newspapers, "President Trump withdraws Stephen Curry's White House invitation, doubles down on NFL players protesting," with the story written by DN staffer Jessica Schladebeck.

Basically, what happened was Steph Curry balked at the rite of his championship team, the Golden State Warriors, visiting the White House. All championship professional teams (and even some NCAA teams) go to the White House to get honored by the chief executive. Well, Mr. Trump, being seen by some as basically not being a strong advocate of civil rights, has garnered a poor reputation in many minority communities. So, Mr. Curry decided not to attend the team event. In response, Mr. Trump made it a big deal that Mr. Curry was dis-invited from the event.

Goodell and Trump

Not retreating from the controversy, Mr. Trump then decided to target the NFL, specifically former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick (known for his on-field protest of the American flag). In response, current NFL chief executive Roger Goodell issues a statement wherein he stated that Mr. Kaepernick was exercising his constitutional rights (in colorful terms criticizing the president).

I have been in both political parties. I was involved in both Republican and Democratic party elections and causes in my home-state of New Jersey. Today, I have no horse in any race. But, I can tell you this: For a president with questionable popularity going after the two biggest sports in the United States amounts to questionable logic. To put it flatly, from what I have seen every day, ordinary Americans are far more supportive of the NBA and NFL than they have ever been of any political party or any president (even the most populat chief executives).

It feels like the president shot himself in the foot with the largest shotgun he could find. I now reside in the Carolinas. Whether it was the Greater New York City Area or anywhere in the Carolinas, the NBA and NFL amount to religions in some places and targeting those critically is a mistake of the "mucho grande" nature.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump did perform the minor miracle of once again making NFL commish Goodell actually look like a 'good guy' again, following his running battle with Patriots future-Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady last year.

Do sports figures amount to political icons? Well, I daresay that if LeBron James made it a point to run for governor of Ohio, I would not want to be the one running against him. It is also a bygone conclusion that, if Tom Brady ever wanted to govern Massachusetts, I don't think there is anyone who would get in his way.

Governing the United States is no picnic. It is hard work. But, I am forced to recall the political wisdom I once learned from the late and great U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), when he told a room full of people: "You're always going to have to fight in politics, by its nature politics is bloodless war. But, the people who stick around for a long time are those who fight the battles they have to, not the battles they want to."

I think Mr. Trump has made a mistake and should worry about the things U.S. presidents are supposed to, which is everything but professional or college sports.