This is pretty sad that any of the 13 teams that were paid could not have done it as a public service, but also another example of how our government officials just piss away our tax dollars. Pretty disappointed that the Jets took the money and just didn't honor these people on a weekly basis on their own. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...-teams-paid-salute-soldiers-article-1.2217057
If we had a draft in place, I could see teams and other public entities honoring people who enter the military. But, we don't. People sign up willingly. It's their job. They get paid, and get great benefits on top of it. It's their choice. They shouldn't be honored any more than anyone else who goes to work every day. And, don't give me any "defending my freedom" bullshit. My freedom has never been threatened by anyone other than US government.
This article names the teams and the amounts paid: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/05/which_nfl_teams_are_getting_your_federal_tax_dolla.html
Funny that the same article says that Jets built a complex for veterans spending over $1M of own money... Yet somehow DailyNews decided to bury this.
Its dumb from both sides. If a pro team doesnt want to "honor" a soldier then they shouldn't even be asked to. Plus it really isnt honoring them by just mentioning their name during a timeout for a round of cheap applause. Cops and firefighters dont get recognized unless national tragedy happens. And the government shouldn't be offering any sum of money, not to mention a small sum to a pro team, for a 10 second pat on the back everyone in attendance forgets about 2 seconds after it happens. And this isnt an attack on the goverment or military or anything. There are just better ways to truly honor these people.
Oh btw the military like every other branch of the government funds extremely frivolous ways of doling out money so they can meet their previous year's budget, otherwise they lose money the next year, it may be the most glaring example of how the government puts itself more in debt every year. Of course the Jets are the only team out of 14 teams to get named by a politician from ARIZONA??? Lame topic.
+1 I think the Jets should be focused on football and sports and leave politics and religion out of it.