Profiles in arrogance: the 1972 Dolphins

Jim Langer, Bob Kuechenberg and Manny Fernandez decide to skip White House visit honoring 1972 Dolphins, who missed their original trip due to Watergate.

Damn I wish someone, anyone, would go undefeated, just so these sonsabitches will STFU.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-08-17/sports/fl-dave-hyde-white-house-dolphins-0818-20130817_1_white-house-president-obama-bob-kuechenberg

 

I don't care if you can't stand the guy in office, meeting the president should be an honor.

 

If only they could have gone the first time and shook President Nixon's hand.

 

It looks like they had a large contingent for a 40-year-old team.

I could see skipping a photo-op with a dictator, but with an elected President you disagree with? What do you prove?

 

You prove that you are an asshole

 

For the zillionth time, these jock pagaents at the WH need. to be ENDED. The president. should and does have better things to do.

Our society is overobsessed with sports and the president shouldn't participate in that fixation.


Much less a team from 40 years ago. Give me a fucking break.


As far as the players boycotting, good for them. The president is a public employee, not a demi-god.

 

The 1972 Miami Dolphins. We just can't rid ourselves of these motherfuckers, can we?

 

This is exactly correct. All of it.

Well, except for the misspelling and the superfluous periods.

Damn, Starman, you and I are like twins or something.

 

That you don't want to be part of a politician's dog-and-pony show?

 

I blame David Tyree for failing to let us turn the lights out on these clowns.

 

Here's the thing. Every President is two Presidents. One is the elected political leader of the country, who is fair game for any and all opposition. The other is the ceremonial head of state, who does crap like this because we don't have a monarchy to fob it off on. Boycotting ceremonies is about as pointless a political act as there can be. It's not like Obama cares.
Point of history: Wasn't Nixon the President who started these sports team White House ceremonies? Now it's a tradition no President can get rid of, because fans of whatever team is the first to win a title that doesn't get a Rose Garden visit will raise holy hell.

 

I don't know much about Langer and Fernandez, but in the quotes I've read and sound bites I've seen of him on TV, Kuechenberg has always struck me as an arrogant ass. The best example was the special they did on the classic Chargers-Dolphins playoff game, when he mocked Kellen Winslow for being helped off the field after the game.

That said, I agree that the whole champions at the White House visits have gotten pretty tired. Problem is, every president know if he's the one who stops it, a lot of sports fans will be pissed. (Mr. Gee's already made that point, I see.)

Oh, and Michael, I'm not sure, but I think I remember these photo ops really started picking up when Reagan took over.