HOCKEY COACH: IF YOU DON’T STAND, YOU’LL SIT

“If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game,” is what Team USA hockey coach John Tortorella said when asked about the Colin Kaepernick protest

Newsday
September 7, 2016

If you don’t stand, you’ll sit.

That’s what Team USA hockey coach John Tortorella said when asked about the Colin Kaepernick protest.

The former Rangers coach told ESPN, “If any of my players sit on the bench for the national anthem, they will sit there the rest of the game.”

Tortorella will be coaching the United States team in the World Cup of Hockey, a two-week tournament that begins Sept. 17.

EDITOR’S NOTE: During the World Cup of Hockey games, the teams stand during the playing not only of their country’s anthem, but also for the opposing team’s national anthem.

The National Hockey league has teams in Canadian and U.S. cities. The teams are composed of Canadian, Russian, Swedish, Czech, American and players from several other countries. All NHL players stand when the Canadian or American anthems are played, regardless of what country they’re citizens of. I am sure the NHL would not tolerate any player sitting down while the Canadian or American anthem was being played.

And before you start saying hockey is a white man’s game, please note that there are some outstanding black players in the NHL.

So, shame on the National Football League for its support of Kaepernick’s stand up by sitting down protest!