The national anthem has been a topic of conversation over the past couple of weeks and it is for good reason. The debate has raged on about our freedoms and what we have been provided as a country.
[link_box id=”22277″ site_id=”17″ layout=”link-box-third” alignment=”alignright”]Head coach of Team USA’s World Cup of Hockey team John Tortorella has made it abundantly clear where he stands and what he would do to anyone that sits or kneels during the national anthem. Naturally, as the media caught word of Tortorella’s stance, questions then started to file in to different players asking for their stance.
The most recent player to weigh in? Dustin Byfuglien.
Byfuglien is the lone African American on Team USA, so his opinion is one that would be of interest to many.
When asked, Byfuglien had this to say about Tortorella’s comments when he spoke to Puck Daddy:
“Everyone has the right to do whatever, Torts will say stuff, but he has the right to do whatever. For the most part, guys will stand and respect the flag.”
Byfuglien believed that Tortorella wasn’t trying to stop any sort of protest. He just pointed out that it isn’t the team’s goal.
“You still do it, but you take your chances.”
Byfuglien has been in this league long enough to see plenty of players go through it and he knows when and where to avoid controversy. He deftly avoids the question here but also let’s his feelings be known in the quote. The tango between media and players is always fascinating. It only gets more interesting when there is an elephant in the room like Tortorella’s comments. Where exactly do you go from here?
It puts the players in an awkward spot and only adds fuel to the national debate. What a precarious spot to be in.
