Many people believe that Donald Trump is merely stoking the impassioned flames of his base when he repeatedly attacks black football players for having opinions about America. I can see their point – I mean, Trump does love to deflect, and why pay attention to North Korea or Puerto Rico when there’s a big, shiny, identity-politics controversy staring you in the face? But what I always come back to with Trump is that he’s not half as clever as he thinks he is. He keeps tweeting and making statements about the NFL and Colin Kaepernick and “sons of bitches” because that’s what he’s thinking about: how successful black people should be “grateful” of what they have and never complain.
So what does the quarterback for the KKK’s favorite football team think? Tom Brady was – and probably still is – a Trump supporter. But he also has feelings. While Tom Brady couldn’t give a sh-t about what Trump does to women, immigrants, Muslims, black people and anyone who isn’t a white supremacist, apparently the bridge too far for Brady is when Trump tries to tell him what to do on a football field.
In a new interview, Tom Brady spoke out against his friend President Donald Trump’s recent comments about NFL players protesting during the national anthem.
“I certainly disagree with what he said,” the New England Patriots quarterback, 40, said on Monday, September 25, during his weekly appearance on the Boston sports radio station WEEI. “I thought it was just divisive. Like I said, I just want to support my teammates. I am never one to say, ‘Oh, that is wrong. That is right.’ I do believe in what I believe in. I believe in bringing people together and respect and love and trust. Those are the values that my parents instilled in me. That is how I try and live every day.”
“I think everyone has the right to do whatever they want to do,” Brady, who stood during Sunday’s national anthem, said on WEEI. “If you don’t agree, that is fine. You can voice your disagreement, I think that is great. It’s part of our democracy. As long as it is done in a peaceful, respectful way, that is what our country has been all about.”
Don’t give Tom Brady a bloody cookie for this. While I have no problem with what he says here, it’s too little, too late as far I’m concerned. Sure, Tom Brady says the right thing one time. Good for him. But he’s only taking this position because it affects him directly as a football player. Everyone else that Trump mocks, bullies and marginalizes? That’s all fine.
Also, here’s basketball player John Wall breaking down why the white faces of the NFL – and he name-checks Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady specifically – need to come forward and stand up for all the players in their league:
John Wall calls on Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers to take a stand
(via @CSNMA) pic.twitter.com/acsl4J8OY2
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 25, 2017
As for Bigly Clampett’s tweets, here are some more from Monday:
.@CNN is #FakeNews. Just reported COS (John Kelly) was opposed to my stance on NFL players disrespecting FLAG, ANTHEM, COUNTRY. Total lie!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
Tremendous backlash against the NFL and its players for disrespect of our Country.#StandForOurAnthem🇺🇸
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
Trump also retweeted this image of Pat Tillman. If you know anything about Pat Tillman’s life, his idiosyncratic political views, his sacrifice and the the shambles that followed his death by friendly fire, you should be appalled by this. Tillman’s widow is appalled and she wants her husband’s name out of Bigly’s mouth.
NFLplayer PatTillman joined U.S. Army in 2002. He was killed in action 2004. He fought 4our country/freedom. #StandForOurAnthem #BoycottNFL pic.twitter.com/k1FXHRoozY
— Ⓙay (@jayMAGA45) September 24, 2017
Photos courtesy of Getty.
The juicer story is JerrY Jones and the Cowboys. They got booed for kneeling before the anthem. Proving that these racist Trumpsters are really just mad black athletes have the nerve to protest.
I think the juiciest story is Trump bragging to the heads of right wing organizations about how this has “really caught on.” He’s delighted that he was able to stoke the flames of racial divisiveness. He is truly a sick f*cker.
i noticed this, too. literally, there is no right way for black people to protest without racists whining about it. horrible.
yeah, the only folks allowed to protest are white folk, with tiki torches and confederate/nazi flags. after all, those are “fine people”.
Can someone tweet Trump that Puerto Ricans are American citizens? He seems to have forgotten this. Or maybe Fox and Friends can remind him? There are only so many ways to get his attention.
Wanda Sykes tweeted that the NFL players should go to PR and take a knee there since that’s all he seems to be focused on.
This is the one I admire. Dale Earnhart, Jr. of NASCAR has come out on the right side. NASCAR fans are, by and large, trumpists, and Dale is receiving a lot of hatred, but he took a stand.
http://twitter.com/dalejr/status/912284220067893248
Yes that was brave of Dale especially after Richard Petty (perfect name for him) threatened to fire anyone who dares to speak out against racism and use their right to free speech.
Good for Dale but I don’t believe this effects his bottom line as IIRC he is no longer racing. Maybe someone could confirm or deny that. I read yesterday he was retired and tried to look it up and couldn’t find anything definite.
I don’t think he was worrying about his bottom line, he was doing what he thought was right. He had to know that in the world he had spent his career in he was going to be the target of a lot of hatred. He’ll lose a lot of fans and maybe some friends. He didn’t have to speak up, but he did. Many cheers for him.
This is his last season, and rumor is that he may go into broadcasting or other work behind the scenes. No doubt he’ll have lots of offers.
So he may not have as much on the line as a driver, but may remain connected to the sport. And the sport needs him, as attendance is down at many tracks, and Junior has been voted most popular driver each year for well over a decade.
Like I said, good for him.
It could affect his bottom line though -because he’s getting a talk/announcer type gig. He’s going to be commentator for 2018 for NBCs Nascar coverage. I know this because my mother is in love with the guy.
It most certainly could affect his bottom line. Even after he retires from racing, I have no doubt his endorsement deals will continue. Even people who know nothing about nascar (me), know him. He has endorsement deals just like any athlete. Now he may very well be set for life at this point, and even if he never earned another penny, he’d probably live in the lap of luxury for the rest of his life. However, It’s very brave of him to publish that tweet and risk future endorsements.
and if no one has watched Greg Popovich’s comments from yesterday, please do.
dude was ON FIRE.
Thanks for the nod to this gentleman! I found these clips and they made my morning!
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2735100-gregg-popovich-usa-is-embarrassment-amid-donald-trump-anthem-controversy
“There has to be an uncomfortable element in the discourse for anything to change, whether it’s the LGBT community or women’s suffrage, race, it doesn’t matter.” Greg Popovich
Agreed, his words were powerful.
Wow, and the response from “Casey Cliatt” directly after: “And owners also have the right to fire employees who participate in said protest.” Off topic, but I’m sure the trumpaloonies would have tge same attitude if a woman complained to her employer/s for being sexually harassed in the workplace. I bring this up because a junior reporter here is in the middle of a legal battle for this very thing.
Can no one – anyone – stop trumpalumpa from shooting his mouth off and inflaming every situation? Where is The Special Advisor to the President, and why can’t she specially advise him to shut the eff up? Incompetence must be passed down in DNA.
My job doesn’t require me to stand for the anthem on the clock, and I would hope that if they did I would be able to opt out without having to fear being fired.
Trump tweeting about 20 times about this in the last few days. Someone needs to take his phone away!
Many people do believe they have the right to fire someone for filing a sexual harassment complaint, Trump & his sons included. Which is why the federal statute on harassment & the workplace and many state statutes contain provisions for steep punitive damages for those who do. A judge can find there was no harassment or discrimination but can find the employer guilty of retaliation. Retaliation fines can be much steeper than the actual damages awards.
Bet they were singing a different tune when it came to Phil Robertson and Paula Deen.
@lightpurple – and Betsy DeVos just defunded college and university sexual harassment programs and counselling for women who have been victims of assault. When will this madness end…..
Please Tom gets no cookies or props. Neither do the owners that put out supportive statements even though many donated to trump and his campaign. They are just mad that the black men won’t just throw the ball for their entertainment. They DARE to speak up on issues that affect their lives.
Nah. F that. All the vets I know support an anthem protest. The hypocrisy is astounding.
Yeah I’m also side-eying Brady and co. hard. Especially when they still try to have it both ways.
That being said I love how it’s spreading to other spots now in what seem legit shows of solidarity 😊😊😊.
Yea it does. Although the NBA has been protesting for a while now. Whole teams have worn BLM shirts and ones with police violence victims on them. The kneeling Kaep can take credit for. But I would argue that the NBA and some of its coaches have been vocal since before Kaep took a knee.
The NBA has ALWAYS been vocal.
Robert Kraft, owner of the Patriots and Dump supporter put out a very strong statement against Dump’s words. I think that should’ve been included here because I felt if any owner needed to speak out it was Kraft.
He said
I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the President on Friday. I am proud to be associated with so many players who make such tremendous contributions in positively impacting our communities. Their efforts, both on and off the field, help bring people together and make our community stronger. There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics. I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal. Our players are intelligent, thoughtful and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful.
or nor should Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. they did a “have your cake and eat it too” bit with the kneeling BEFORE the anthem. Jerry Jones is a Drumpf buddy, and he’s all about the $$$.
Agreed. At first I was like “wow good move” but then I was like…nah they don’t get cookies for that either. I had to let it sit with me before assessing
And NY Jets owner Woody Johnson is tight with Trump, supported him throughout his campaign, and took an ambassador gig that Trump offered him.
Several trumpsters on fb shared Jerry Jones saying he’d fire anyone who knelt last year. He absolutely wants to have it both ways.
Nicole, thought the same thing. I was like “good job” then I read the fine print…”BEFORE the anthem”. no cookie for you!
Kitten, absolutely. I was glad to see both Rex Ryan and Kraft (drumpf buddies both of them) speak out against what he had said.
100% shannon sharpe put it down yesterday about the team owners and he was so so so right. they aren’t in solidarity for shit – they just don’t like being told how to handle their business.
Shannon Sharpe has been on fiyahhh lately 🙂
It’s pretty weak sauce from Brady considering he has nieces that are black. I assume privilege has blinded him to the challenges they’ll face as young women in “Trump’s America”. Not everything can be fixed by throwing money at it. Attitudes must change and protections must be in place. It’s incredibly frustrating that more people don’t get it.
He should have taken a knee last season.
“I certainly disagree with what he said,” Is what my wife told me to say, said Tom.
That’s EXACTLY what I thought. The p-whipper has definitely been at him to take a stand. I wonder how she can stand being married to such a f*cking bonehead?
Howard Stern was a friend of trumps before he was elected. I like Howard and still do. I don’t particularly care for Tom Brady, but I don’t think he should be dissected under a microscope for every single action or reaction he has to the orange devil. He’s simply deflecting our attention from the fact that he is leaving Puerto Rico in the dark, hungry and helpless. I doubt this draft dodger gives two f’s about the flag, he just doesn’t get it. And, thanks to McCain. Yeah he’s a rich guy, but he was a POW and trump said he wasn’t a hero. F him. John is giving him a nice no to his healthcare and I love it.
Meanwhile Colin who started this kneeling movement first sat on the bench in protest. But then he met with veterans who told him kneeling is a better way to protest because it shows respect for those who have served and died. So the Dotard is just using this to distract us all from the daily disasters of his administration from health care, North Korea, Puerto Rico, and Jared and Ivanka’s emails. Oh and Paul Manafort getting indicted. LeBron’s statements at his press conference were very inspiring. He could totally run for office.
Aaron Rodgers posted a picture of him taking the knee on Instagram. This is really backfiring on Trump. The entire Cowboys staff, roster and even Jerry Jones took the knee last night (given, before the anthem, which i have issues with, but props to Jerry Jones regardless). The fact that Trump is doubling down on this stupid NFL mess just shows how petulant he is. He just can’t stand the fact that he’s wrong and this is reflecting poorly on him. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico….
I think he’s doubling down because football is more in his comfort zone than what a POTUS should really be focusing on. The fact that he can’t seem to understand that the protests are about social injustice makes it even worse. He is an utter idiot and I think he’s doing this to keep his base fired up since he really has nothing else.
He already tweeted about Jerry Jones. He was pissed they took the knee as a sign of unity, but very happy with himself they stood for the anthem. He doesn’t care about victims of disasters, people without healthcare, anything relevant to a healthy society. He cares about football patriotism…..at least at the moment because he is successful in dividing and trying to conquer. Pathetic evil sociopath, it’s my mantra every day, but it’s true.
Did you see his tweets about Puerto Rico??? What a psycho.
I don’t follow him on twitter, I stalk him. One of those be close to your friends, closer to your enemies things…..he makes it seem like it is somehow the people of Puerto Rico’s fault. He has no mercy, he has no heart, no soul. Can you imagine living in the dark, no food, nothing, not even hope and he belts out ten or twelve tweets about the flipping take the knee. Karma has to come around and get him. I envision the evil ones in Ghost who are carried away to hell by the demons screaming and kicking. This will be you donnie.
Yup the Greek furies. I don’t wish death on any of these morons. Financial bankruptcy to the point of homelessness is what I want for them and their spawn. Maybe one of the Trumpanzes will take them in and support them? What? They can’t afford it? No surprise there.
I am sick to death of these jackals trotting out dead soldiers in some quest to gain moral superiority. Yes, it is especially egregious in Pat Tillman’s case, but it is always despicable.
Using them as shields to deflect criticism of policies or rhetoric is disgusting on a viceral level, to me. They are not here to agree or disagree, lets not cheapen their memories or sacrifice in a gross attempt to change the topic from racism to patriotism.
Craven vultures, the lot of them.
Edited to add… it is hard for me to get too exited about Tom Brady saying words. He has to turn around and answer to a lot of teammates. Maybe listening to THEIR expierience helped spoiled white boy see outside his bubble. Big Maybe.
*thunderous applause*
I never post on facebook, but yesterday I spent the day asking what most of these people do for vets in addition to standing for the anthem. Also asking those burning up their jerseys and team gear why they weren’t donating them to hurricane victims or homeless vets. No straight answers were found.
And you won’t ever get one. They don’t want to help, they don’t care about the welfare of of living soldiers, or the families of the dead. They want to co-opt the bravery and sacrifice of those that actually know what those words mean as their own and believe baying on facebook about other people doing hard work equal to the actual doing of it.
None of which has a damn thing to do with why the football players were taking a knee. But they don’t want to acknowledge that CK may have had a point, so its dead soldiers and American flags ad nauseum.
One good thing that came out on my FB feed is that many vets are supporting taking the knee. They all pretty much say the same thing, they didn’t fight for the flag or anthem, but for the rights of the citizens and that includes being able to protest.
Oh they post silly stuff like “Share if you stand up for our vets” instead of putting their f*cking money where their FB mouths are. I’m a breast cancer survivor and do walkathons to raise money for breast cancer research. This year I raised close to $1,000. NONE of the FB people dropped a dime in my bucket but every effin’ day I get another “Share if you hate breast cancer” post. I literally had to hold myself back from posting “Do you honestly think this is going to help cure a deadly disease I ACTUALLY HAD????” I didn’t of course but it enrages me.
There was a story yesterday about a guy who worked for the Buffalo Bills crew for 30 years who quit his job in anger over the Bills players kneeling. This average Joe probably making 40k a year cut off his nose to spite his face. Over a 3 minute exercise in free speech. I hope he goes bankrupt like his idol, Trump.
I saw that. I also have an acquaintance who made a huge deal on FB about being “so ashamed” about her beloved Steelers “disrespecting the flag” and how she’s boycotting them. I cannot believe that THIS would be the thing she’d speak out so passionately about, versus anything Trump has unleashed upon us.
@esmom
Two friends on FB who happen to be-shocker-white men said yesterday that’s it! No more NFL for me! I’m over political FB fights because it seems unproductive and both people just double down on their own narrative but what I really wanted to write was, ten years ago if someone told you that you were going to stop watching football because Donald Trump said to do so would you have believed that? When oh when is Mueller going to indict him????
I have a “friend” (wife of dh’s old friend) who was on a posting storm about how horrible it is that our veterans are being disrespected and Trump is right. I didn’t even bother to comment. She’s ignorant and wrong.
Nope. No bloody cookie for you, Brady. Take a stand or take a seat.
What has Eli Manning said on the issue? He locked arms and stood..has he made a statement? Nah. What about Andrew Luck? Has he weighed in?
Ben Roethlisberger has already come forward saying he regrets that the Steelers didn’t come out for the anthem: “As a team, it was not a protest of the flag or the Anthem. I personally don’t believe the Anthem is ever the time to make any type of protest. For me, and many others on my team and around the league, it is a tribute to those who commit to serve and protect our country, current and past, especially the ones that made the ultimate sacrifice”.
But why is all the attention on white QBs?
Good on Brady. For whatever reason, aside from CK, he seems to be the player that most people are focused on when it comes to kneeling during the anthem. Really weird that people insist on giving him a platform on this subject instead of black players but such is life in the US.
Brady supported the black players on the Patriots all last year when they staged their own forms of protest, which did not involve kneeling. Phillip Dorsett had no problem linking arms with him. The Pats have a player who is a spokesperson on this issue: Devin McCourty. I don’t understand either why everyone seems to need a white guy to speak for the team on this. McCourty speaks quite well, quite personally, on the subject and knows a great deal more about it than Brady. Also, if Brady was the racist everyone who doesn’t know him claims he is, I really believe former players like Randy Moss, Deion Branch, Willie McGuinnest, and Vince Wilfork would have no problem calling him out.
There is no doubt Tom Brady has a target on his back and it is ridiculous. He is the GOAT of quarterbacks and deserves a hell of a lot more respect than he gets. If I lived in the area and this was my team, I would be livid. Leave him alone. Geez.
I want Tom to stick it to Trump so bad. Please oh please help convince him Gisele!! I know he feels he has to tread lightly, but most of the deplorables are now letting us all know they are boycotting the NFL so please stick it to that man baby Tom. You got the rings boy, you will be in the HOF as one of the GOATs. Maybe when he retires he will say “I regret that friendship.”
He has never endorsed a political candidate. NEVER. When he says he is not political, he really means it. Bush tried. Kerry tried. Romney tried. Trump tried. He does not endorse and goes out of his way to say nothing political. Yes, he golfed with Trump. He also golfed with Kerry. And he spends lots of time with Anthony Shriver, who, last time I checked was a member of the very liberal Kennedy family. He does care about his team. He does care about his teammates and he sticks up to and defers to them. And he should defer to them. Donta Hightower and Devin McCourty are far more capable of speaking to the issues of being black men in the United States than he is.
^^^ THIS!
McCourty should 1,000% have the podium on this issue. He’s been the most consistently outspoken and he’s a far more articulate and thoughtful public speaker than Brady.
“He has never endorsed a political candidate.”
He has made it a point throughout his career to avoid politics but all of a sudden everyone wants him to be political? I mean, don’t get me wrong I would have LOVED it if he took a knee because unlike some of the younger players who don’t have established careers, Brady has the notoriety and the clout to take a stance. People wouldn’t stop watching the Pats because Brady took a knee. That being said, it’s silly to expect him to suddenly break away from the image he has maintained for 16 years. Given his past silence on all matters political, this is as much as you can expect from him, which is already far more than a lot of other high-profile white football players.
But again, don’t look to white QBs to be the voice on this. Black players are leading this movement and should be given the mic on matters regarding race-based violence.
In terms of Brady being a “racist” well of course he is. He’s also a cheater, a Trump voter, an abuser…
I think he’s even a devil-worshipper who eats puppies for breakfast and punches kittens for funsies.
/s
@kittem, there is also the issue of the knee brace he wears. Kneeling in a knee brace is difficult and may be a reason why some aren’t kneeling but there are other ways to protest or show solidarity.
I didn’t even think of that, LP, good point.
@kittem, credit goes to my colleague who does workers comp. She thinks half the sports surgeons is cringing over the kneeling while the other half is salivating at the prospect of more work. Most of those guys have had knee injuries
I was wondering why you kept calling me “Kittem” haha.
Sigh.
I took yesterday off so today is my Monday–does that excuse work?
Ben is trash. I just wish more white players would take a knee. If Trump doesn’t respond, it’s harder for him to claim this isn’t about racism. I mean the deplorables are already selling their season tickets and burning their jerseys. They said they are going to go to the games and walk out en mass if any player kneels next week. That kind of reminds me of their boycott Starbucks by buying Starbucks nonsense lol.
My friend lives in Steelers territory and said there was a Steeler’s graveyard where people were putting their jerseys and towels to burn on Sunday. Another friend saw a video of some man ripping up his Ray Lewis jersey and throwing it on his statue outside of the Ravens stadium (wasn’t Ray Lewis involved in a murder) she said most of the people who demanded Ray Rice be forgiven and given a second chance are calling Terrell Suggs a thug, a monkey or the n word and burning his jerseys.
I know one prominent white player knelt (was it Smith? I can’t remember off the top of my head). Eli is my quarterback and I don’t expect him to say anything. His big brother’s boy is the one and only deplorable Papa John. You know their dad is probably a really big Trump fan too!
Yeah ITA and I said something similar in my comment above. I wish Brady would have knelt—but I didn’t expect that he would. I don’t think he would have faced a ton of backlash here in NE so he wouldn’t be taking a huge risk like some of the red state players IMO.
But in lieu of kneeling, issuing statements of public support for taking a knee is better than nothing at all.
Those racists–I mean, people–who are burning jerseys are f*cking hilarious. Extreme Snowflake-ing, huh?
As I sit here adorned in my favorite TB12 jersey I am loving this so hard. Why is it that certain athletes are being taken to task for not doing enough when others haven’t said dick? Tom respects his teammates and wisely allowed my other favorite Patriot, McCourty to address the kneeling issue. Why are other QB’s not being dragged as well or other players for that matter for not speaking up?
It’s ridiculous that we expect athletes to be the end all be all sometimes. We want them to make a statement and when they do it isn’t enough if it doesn’t align with exactly what is “expected”. So we expect them to speak up and when they do we tell them to shut up. It’s a no win.
They play a game for a living. Yes, they have a wider platform that can be used to bring attention to issues but we shouldn’t expect them to solve the worlds problems.
What drives me crazy is that all these people (mostly men) were fine with the dog fighting ring, the drunk driving, the drugs, the domestic abuse, the cheating and an actual murder by players and the league condoning and covering it up. But players kneeling during the national anthem is what they are upset about. Priorities.
I was done with the NFL when a player dragged his unconscious girlfriend out of an elevator after hitting her so hard she passed out then having the NFL trying to cover it up.
^^^This!!^^^
Kneel and you are a bum.
Beat the hell out of your SO, Welcome to the team!
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2017/05/01/nfl-draft-domestic-violence-joe-mixon/101176656/
I read an interesting article from the BBC that said Trump has beef with the NFL because he used to be an owner of a team in a lesser league and he sued the NFL for some reason and lost. I also heard that he tried to buy an NFL team in 2014 but was outbid. While I think this is his normal deflection technique, he’s got a long-standing grudge against the NFL.
Yup. The man can hold a grudge.
Also, is there anyone he HASN’T sued at this point?
These people who think the players should be fired or suspended for expressing their opinions were sure singing a different tune when it came to Phil Robertson and Paula Deen.
He had a USFL team in the 80s and reportedly led a disastrous idea to go head to head with the NFL. USFL set up their league to play during springtime (thus, year-round games).
Enter a certain orange business ‘genius’, who aggressively promoted moving games to fall. He thought the USFL owners would end up with a huge payout (that the bigger, established league would buy out the little upstart league). Didn’t happen, and USFL folded.
Newsweek and Fortune have new articles about the debacle. This tweetfest has inspired several outlets to dig up how his rush to cash in, crashed the USFL.
he wasn’t just outbid. the NFL didn’t want him in because he was a “scumbag huckster”. read the newsweek story about it.
his beef against the NFL is a long-term one.
Chris Long from the Eagles gave an interview about his teammates taking the knee. He put his arm around his Malcolm Jenkins, who protested by raising his arm.
This is what Chris Long had to say about his teammates taking a knee:
“This is not an anti-police protest. We are talking about a comprehensive fight for equality,” Long said. “We are thankful for our police officers, we just want to have accountability.”
This is Chris Long’s response when asked why The Dotard is targeting the NFL and players who take a knee:
“Didn’t he try to become an NFL owner once and didn’t have the money? Maybe he’s bitter about that,” Long said.
Long was on the Patriots last year. He participated in the protests organized by Devin McCourty and declined to go to the White House.
Tom Brady can miss me with this two years too late tepid response. He has every opportunity to do the right thing and speak out against Trump. So why didn’t he? Because he thinks a lot like him. Both men think rules don’t apply to them. I was never a fan but after reading the full investigative report from Deflate Gate I am convinced more than ever than he’s an uber douche.