Victor Cruz takes a shot at Kaepernick for not standing; Rex Ryan says pay homage
Rex Ryan was talking to his players today about the National Anthem and before his practice on Sunday he made sure to let his team know that the National Anthem pays homage to the soldiers that fight for us.
“You’ve got to look at the gifts that we have, the opportunity that we have to play a great game is through the men and women that serve our country,” Ryan said before practice on Sunday. “And I think that’s an opportunity right there just to show respect.”
“Any time when I talk to our team about that, if there’s personal beliefs or whatever that keeps you from doing it, then I understand,” he said.
“That’s kind of our way of giving thanks,” Ryan said. “It’s an important thing for me.”
Victor Cruz the Giants wide out on the other hand is a Puerto Rican who looks at the Flag a lot differently.
“The flag is the flag,” Cruz said. “Regardless of how you feel about things that are going on in America today, and the things that are going on across the world with gun violence and things of that nature, you’ve got to respect the flag, and you’ve got to stand up with your teammates. It’s bigger than just you, in my opinion. I think you go up there, you’re with a team, and you go and you know you pledge your allegiance to the flag and sing the national anthem with your team, and then you go about your business, whatever your beliefs are.
“Colin is his own man, he decided to sit down and that is his prerogative, but on a personal standpoint, I think you have to stand up there with your team and understand and it’s this game and what’s going on around this country is bigger than just you.”
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