Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was among the professional athletes to criticize Houston Texans owner Robert McNair’s quote about “inmates running a prison” during a meeting about NFL player protests. In comments to reporters and in an Instagram post on Friday, Green referenced President Donald Trump and former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Draymond Green responds to Texans owner Bob McNair: ‘Inmates? That’s unacceptable’
Green lit into the Texans’ owner on Friday, comparing him to disgraced ex-Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
“First they were ‘sons of bitches,’ now inmates?” Green said. “Like I know some inmates. They don’t pay taxes. They’re not community leaders. They’re not [Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins], flying to the White House, and flying to D.C., and doing all these different things to make a difference. They’re not [Colin Kaepernick], donating $1 million. That’s like... come on, man. Inmates? That’s unacceptable.”
He wasn’t finished.
“I wouldn’t personally want to play for someone who views me as an inmate, because I haven’t done anything in my life to be an inmate,” Green continued. “In order to be an inmate, you’re either in a hospital or you’re in prison. I’m not in a hospital, and I’m for damn sure not in prison. So, what did anyone do — and then, some people commented on my post, saying ‘it’s a figure of speech.’ Agree or disagree, figures of speech aren’t OK in 2017. So, if I come out and give a figure of speech that’s not socially OK, I’m gonna get fined. I’m gonna get ridiculed. If I come out and give a figure of speech on anything, whether that’s race, whether that’s sexual orientation, whatever that is. If I come out and give a figure of speech in 2017, I’m going to get ridiculed by any group that’s formed to protect — one’s group — I’m gonna get fined by the NBA, I’m gonna get looked at ridiculously by the community. So why is that OK? I disagree with that. I don’t see anyone out there that’s an inmate. If you’re an inmate, you’re not playing. You know, they pay taxes just like he pays taxes. And if I learned a bit about business, maybe more. So it’s a strong word to use... about someone else’s kids again. It’s crazy.”
Wow! This sure does sound very Donald Sterling-esque. But I’m sure the fans pay to see him play and he’s putting himself at risk of CTE by going out there every Sunday and giving 110%! Inmates? For starters, let’s stop using the word owner and maybe use the word Chairman. To be owned by someone just sets a bad precedent to start. It’s sets the wrong tone. It gives one the wrong mindset. Webster states that an inmate is a person confined to an institution such as a prison or hospital. Not sure these tax paying men should be referred to as inmates- but what do I know?
How did we get here
Ever since Colin Kaepernick took a knee in August 2016 during the national anthem in protest of police killing unarmed black men in the United States, the NFL has struggled to come to grips with its players using their platform to spread awareness of social issues.
McNair’s reference to “inmates” was reported in a recent in-depth ESPN piece on the meetings that took place between NFL owners and players discussing protests during the national anthem.
To some in the room, it was clear [Cowboys owner Jerry Jones] was trying to build momentum for an anthem mandate resolution, and in the words of one owner, “he brought up a lot of fair points.” Jones believed he was one of the few showing any urgency on the matter and seemed to be more frustrated that not everybody was listening than he was passionate about the mandate.
As Jones spoke, Snyder mumbled out loud, “See, Jones gets it -- 96 percent of Americans are for guys standing,” a claim some dismissed as a grand overstatement. McNair, a multimillion-dollar Trump campaign contributor, spoke next, echoing many of the same business concerns. “We can’t have the inmates running the prison,” McNair said.
McNair apologized for his words on Friday, insisting he was not referring to NFL players as inmates and labeling his rhetoric as nothing more than “a figure of speech.”
After McNair’s comments, top Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has not reported to practice.
