Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract

Thirty3 · 07-07-2023, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido

Sorry, but I don't get the "diva" crap claimed about Thomas. Name one thing that he ever did or said that could be defined as being a diva. Seriously. Just one thing. Keep in mind that "divas" are defined by a ongoing pattern of publicly drawing attention to themselves and being demanding.

Don't know how to upload- maybe someone else will. See CBS article:
titled:
" Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to week 6"

Here is one small piece of article:
" Thomas also was said to be talking back to coaches, including head coach Sean Payton." the article goes on about his suspension.

Seems like diva behavior to me.

Look I wasn't out to hurt the guy. THOUGHT MY POST WAS GIVING HIM PROPS to get past his past transgressionS. Evidently some never thought this was a problem. Others as evidenced by posts following yours did.

AsylumGuido · 07-07-2023, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Thirty3

Don't know how to upload- maybe someone else will. See CBS article:
titled:
" Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to week 6"

Here is one small piece of article:
" Thomas also was said to be talking back to coaches, including head coach Sean Payton." the article goes on about his suspension.

Seems like diva behavior to me.

Look I wasn't out to hurt the guy. THOUGHT MY POST WAS GIVING HIM PROPS to get past his past transgressionS. Evidently some never thought this was a problem. Others as evidenced by posts following yours did.

Yes. You identified the one and only time that Thomas lost his cool to the best of my knowledge. The incident did include arguing with coaches. Gardner-Johnson was reportedly hounding him to the point he blew his cool and retaliated. He wasn't the first player to have this happen to him in practice and won't be the last. The team obviously had to teach him a lesson to hold that temper. It seems to have worked well. But, I still don't see where this lone incident defines him as a diva when there are no indications anywhere else.

By the way, here's the link to that CBS article.

Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to Week 6

Something else to keep in mind. As the article also points out, Thomas was trying to play through the injury at the time which had to have been weighing pretty heavily on his mind. It's no excuse for blowing his top, but it does add a bit of background to the whole incident.

Also from the article ...

"I've spoken with Mike [ Thomas]," Drew Brees told reporters following New Orleans' overtime win over the Chargers on Monday night. "Mike and I talk a lot, both in person and in the locker room, through text message. We're always communicating. And so, at the end of the day, Mike is a big part of this team. And he is going to be a big part of this team moving forward. We had an incident, and Sean (Payton) addressed it. And many of the leaders have spoken with Mike as well. And we're going to be all good."

Keep in mind, also, this was after the whole supposed deal between Thomas and Brees.

subguy · 07-08-2023, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido

Exactly where did I ever say or even vaguely imply that I was personally involved in conversations? Brees himself said that he talked with Thomas and Jenkins soon after and cleared the air.

And why does it seem like every other post by you involves trying to ride my ass? Go back and look at your last 100 posts. Can we not just be as adult as Thomas and Brees here? Other than a couple of posters we're all Saints fans.

AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander.

Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same.

I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude.

Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see.

AsylumGuido · 07-08-2023, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by subguy

AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander.

Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same.

I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude.

Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see.

That's fair. Honestly, I have been trying to address that perception. I have rewritten more responses in the past six months than I have in years. The issue may be that I have written quite a bit in most of my jobs before my retirement and it has all been fact based reporting or declaration of conclusion. In most cases my "clients" wanted answers and I had to give them definitive replies. Or I was reporting on events and simply had to state related facts.

It's just hard for me to ignore something stated by another as fact when I know for a fact that it is incorrect. That's something my jobs all required me to address with confidence. 30 years worth of application is hard to change. I'll try to be more "diplomatic".

SmashMouth · 07-08-2023, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by subguy

AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander.

Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same.

I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude.

Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido

That's fair. Honestly, I have been trying to address that perception. I have rewritten more responses in the past six months than I have in years. The issue may be that I have written quite a bit in most of my jobs before my retirement and it has all been fact based reporting or declaration of conclusion. In most cases my "clients" wanted answers and I had to give them definitive replies. Or I was reporting on events and simply had to state related facts.

It's just hard for me to ignore something stated by another as fact when I know for a fact that it is incorrect. That's something my jobs all required me to address with confidence. 30 years worth of application is hard to change. I'll try to be more "diplomatic".

We're all family here at the end of the day. It's ok to ride each other's arses for fun and giggles once in a while...

jnormand · 07-08-2023, 12:23 PM

I really think it should be noted that Drew Brees is the absolute professional. I really feel like he just stayed professional throughout the entire ordeal with Jenkins and MT because he knew that he wasn’t bigger than the team and getting into a pissing match with them would’ve further divided the team.

I honestly don’t think he actually came to terms with all this. I think he forced himself to conform for fear of being destroyed by his teammates and media. (I wish he would’ve held his ground. I would’ve respected that much more.)

Imo, he just layed down. Just like everyone else does for fear of reprisals and being canceled.

I love Drew but that was pretty cowardly. And he just never seemed the same after that.

AsylumGuido · 07-08-2023, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by jnormand

I really think it should be noted that Drew Brees is the absolute professional. I really feel like he just stayed professional throughout the entire ordeal with Jenkins and MT because he knew that he wasn’t bigger than the team and getting into a pissing match with them would’ve further divided the team.

I honestly don’t think he actually came to terms with all this. I think he forced himself to conform for fear of being destroyed by his teammates and media. (I wish he would’ve held his ground. I would’ve respected that much more.)

Imo, he just layed down. Just like everyone else does for fear of reprisals and being canceled.

I love Drew but that was pretty cowardly. And he just never seemed the same after that.

In my opinion Drew acted like an adult and admitted that he misunderstood the meaning behind the protests. He shared that he learned that they had nothing to do with the flag itself, nor the military, at all. It was just drawing attention to the ongoing injustices in a way that would garner attention. I personally came to the same understanding after talking with friends that experienced, and continue to experience, those injustices. It seems that there are several people out there that have never come to that understanding for one reason or another.

I actually have more respect for Brees than ever. It takes real balls to admit when you are wrong (in his interpretation of the actions) and to take the steps to admit the same. In my opinion, based upon what has been shared by Brees and his beloved teammates, I believe he came to terms with it all soon after the misunderstanding came to light. I just wish others had the same maturity.

saintsfan1976 · 07-08-2023, 02:05 PM

Brees wasn't "wrong". Stop saying that.

He may have been insensitive to others' feelings on a particular subject but he was not wrong in his feelings or beliefs.

I never heard a teammate address his comments as "hey, we view things differently", instead there was an immediate, loud group of people forcing him to "change" his views.

AsylumGuido · 07-08-2023, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by saintsfan1976

Brees wasn't "wrong". Stop saying that.

He may have been insensitive to others' feelings on a particular subject but he was not wrong in his feelings or beliefs.

I never heard a teammate address his comments as "hey, we view things differently", instead there was an immediate, loud group of people forcing him to "change" his views.

He absolutely wasn't wrong about his feelings. Not at all. I don't believe anyone said he was including Brees himself. He was, once again, according to himself wrong about his interpretation of what the protests were about. Lots of people were wrong about that. Lots of people are still wrong about that. Brees never changed his views. He did, though, come to an understanding of what the the protest was about and how it had nothing to do with his views of God and country.

For those interested here's his complete statements:

I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused.

In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.

This is where I stand:

I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.

I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today.

I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.

I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement.

I will never know what it's like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.

I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy.

I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening...and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen.

For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.

And then in a video:

"I know that there's not much I can say that will make things any better right now. But I just want you to see it in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments that I made yesterday. I know that it hurt many people, especially friends, teammates, former teammates, loved ones, people that I care and respect deeply. That was never my intention. I wish I would have laid out what was on my heart in regards to the George Floyd murder, Ahmaud Arbery, the years and years of social injustice, police brutality and the need for so much reform and change in regards to legislation and so many other things to bring equality to our black communities. I am sorry and I will do better and I will be part of the solution. And I am your ally. And I know no words will do that justice."

AsylumGuido · 07-08-2023, 03:45 PM

From the same article Demario Davis responded:

Saints linebacker Demario Davis responded to Brees' first apology during a Thursday morning appearance on CNN.

"Hearing Drew's apology, and that's the first I heard it, I think that is a form of true leadership. And I would say it because that's taking ownership," Davis said. "What we had hoped the first time was that Drew would elaborate more on racism and the sentiments of the black community, and he admitted he missed the mark. So for him to come out and say I missed the mark, I've been insensitive but what I'm going to do is start doing is listening and learning from the black community and finding ways that I can help them, I think that's a model for all of America. Because historically, in general, most of America has missed the mark in not hearing the cries.

"These are not new cries coming out on behalf of the black community. The black community has been crying for a long time. Now it's turned into a global outcry that it's time to stand up for black lives and make sure that they're not being killed in the streets and putting an end to racism and systematic injustice that's plagued this country for so long."

Davis continued: "And for him to admit that he was wrong and say, you know what, I can do better and I will do better, I think that is leadership at its finest. It's not easy to come out and admit when you're wrong. For a long time, I feel like a lot of people have taken that posture of not wanting to admit that they're wrong. And for him to do that, I think that's very symbolic of America, especially all the ethnic groups that aren't people of color, or black people, in understanding, hey, it's OK. You might have gotten it wrong, but don't get it wrong now.

"And that's what we have to be as a country. We can't get it wrong this time. We all have played a part also in helping try to direct the narrative away from the issues. We've all played a part in that, in getting caught up in different topics. At the end of the day, police brutality in America is a problem, racism in America is a problem, systematic injustice is a problem. And the reason why there are millions of people of all different backgrounds, all different colors, all different ethnic groups in the streets right now protesting, and around the world protesting on behalf of black lives, is because it's a global outcry. Because racism exists, systematic injustice exists, police brutality exists, especially around black people, and we need to fix it. And that's the most important thing."

07-07-2023, 03:15 PM	#161
Thirty3 1000 Posts + Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 1,255	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by AsylumGuido Sorry, but I don't get the "diva" crap claimed about Thomas. Name one thing that he ever did or said that could be defined as being a diva. Seriously. Just one thing. Keep in mind that "divas" are defined by a ongoing pattern of publicly drawing attention to themselves and being demanding. Don't know how to upload- maybe someone else will. See CBS article: titled: " Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to week 6" Here is one small piece of article: " Thomas also was said to be talking back to coaches, including head coach Sean Payton." the article goes on about his suspension. Seems like diva behavior to me. Look I wasn't out to hurt the guy. THOUGHT MY POST WAS GIVING HIM PROPS to get past his past transgressionS. Evidently some never thought this was a problem. Others as evidenced by posts following yours did. jnormand likes this.
Thirty3 1000 Posts + Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 1,255

07-07-2023, 03:59 PM	#162
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,220	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by Thirty3 Don't know how to upload- maybe someone else will. See CBS article: titled: " Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to week 6" Here is one small piece of article: " Thomas also was said to be talking back to coaches, including head coach Sean Payton." the article goes on about his suspension. Seems like diva behavior to me. Look I wasn't out to hurt the guy. THOUGHT MY POST WAS GIVING HIM PROPS to get past his past transgressionS. Evidently some never thought this was a problem. Others as evidenced by posts following yours did. Yes. You identified the one and only time that Thomas lost his cool to the best of my knowledge. The incident did include arguing with coaches. Gardner-Johnson was reportedly hounding him to the point he blew his cool and retaliated. He wasn't the first player to have this happen to him in practice and won't be the last. The team obviously had to teach him a lesson to hold that temper. It seems to have worked well. But, I still don't see where this lone incident defines him as a diva when there are no indications anywhere else. By the way, here's the link to that CBS article. Michael Thomas breaks silence on suspension for punching Saints teammate prior to Week 6 Something else to keep in mind. As the article also points out, Thomas was trying to play through the injury at the time which had to have been weighing pretty heavily on his mind. It's no excuse for blowing his top, but it does add a bit of background to the whole incident. Also from the article ... "I've spoken with Mike [ Thomas]," Drew Brees told reporters following New Orleans' overtime win over the Chargers on Monday night. "Mike and I talk a lot, both in person and in the locker room, through text message. We're always communicating. And so, at the end of the day, Mike is a big part of this team. And he is going to be a big part of this team moving forward. We had an incident, and Sean (Payton) addressed it. And many of the leaders have spoken with Mike as well. And we're going to be all good." Keep in mind, also, this was after the whole supposed deal between Thomas and Brees.
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

07-08-2023, 08:16 AM	#163
subguy 1000 Posts + Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: FL Posts: 2,095	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by AsylumGuido Exactly where did I ever say or even vaguely imply that I was personally involved in conversations? Brees himself said that he talked with Thomas and Jenkins soon after and cleared the air. And why does it seem like every other post by you involves trying to ride my ass? Go back and look at your last 100 posts. Can we not just be as adult as Thomas and Brees here? Other than a couple of posters we're all Saints fans. AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander. Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same. I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude. Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see. jnormand, AsylumGuido and Rugby Saint II like this.
	Don't want em to get your goat don't show em where it's hid.

07-08-2023, 09:24 AM	#164
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,220	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by subguy AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander. Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same. I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude. Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see. That's fair. Honestly, I have been trying to address that perception. I have rewritten more responses in the past six months than I have in years. The issue may be that I have written quite a bit in most of my jobs before my retirement and it has all been fact based reporting or declaration of conclusion. In most cases my "clients" wanted answers and I had to give them definitive replies. Or I was reporting on events and simply had to state related facts. It's just hard for me to ignore something stated by another as fact when I know for a fact that it is incorrect. That's something my jobs all required me to address with confidence. 30 years worth of application is hard to change. I'll try to be more "diplomatic". subguy and Rugby Saint II like this.
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

07-08-2023, 09:52 AM	#165
SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 38,125 Blog Entries: 29	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by subguy AG I do not need to look back. I agree, I do "ride your ass". Sometimes adding an "IMO" or "I feel" would go a long way to showing humility and not appearing as if your subjective opinion is the definitive answer or the only opinion that matters. That chaps people and then, be it a character flaw in everyone else or you, defensive comments exude and then you stand with your hands up going "what did I do" as if you are an innocent bystander. Whether you are unaware or it is intentional it is the root cause and the outcome is almost always the same. I look in the mirror every day and am honest with myself, and when I am criticized such as you did in the above post, I check myself. At least I have awareness dude. Personally, I don't know you as a real person we may get along fabulously, but in your online persona it is a challenge. I am a Saints fan and love the Saints and that is the only unifying factor I can see. Originally Posted by AsylumGuido That's fair. Honestly, I have been trying to address that perception. I have rewritten more responses in the past six months than I have in years. The issue may be that I have written quite a bit in most of my jobs before my retirement and it has all been fact based reporting or declaration of conclusion. In most cases my "clients" wanted answers and I had to give them definitive replies. Or I was reporting on events and simply had to state related facts. It's just hard for me to ignore something stated by another as fact when I know for a fact that it is incorrect. That's something my jobs all required me to address with confidence. 30 years worth of application is hard to change. I'll try to be more "diplomatic". We're all family here at the end of the day. It's ok to ride each other's arses for fun and giggles once in a while... subguy, AsylumGuido, Rugby Saint II and 1 others like this.

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07-08-2023, 12:23 PM	#166
jnormand 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Free State of Idaho Posts: 5,661	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract I really think it should be noted that Drew Brees is the absolute professional. I really feel like he just stayed professional throughout the entire ordeal with Jenkins and MT because he knew that he wasn’t bigger than the team and getting into a pissing match with them would’ve further divided the team. I honestly don’t think he actually came to terms with all this. I think he forced himself to conform for fear of being destroyed by his teammates and media. (I wish he would’ve held his ground. I would’ve respected that much more.) Imo, he just layed down. Just like everyone else does for fear of reprisals and being canceled. I love Drew but that was pretty cowardly. And he just never seemed the same after that. MatthewT, dizzle88, Thirty3 and 1 others like this.

07-08-2023, 01:06 PM	#167
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,220	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by jnormand I really think it should be noted that Drew Brees is the absolute professional. I really feel like he just stayed professional throughout the entire ordeal with Jenkins and MT because he knew that he wasn’t bigger than the team and getting into a pissing match with them would’ve further divided the team. I honestly don’t think he actually came to terms with all this. I think he forced himself to conform for fear of being destroyed by his teammates and media. (I wish he would’ve held his ground. I would’ve respected that much more.) Imo, he just layed down. Just like everyone else does for fear of reprisals and being canceled. I love Drew but that was pretty cowardly. And he just never seemed the same after that. In my opinion Drew acted like an adult and admitted that he misunderstood the meaning behind the protests. He shared that he learned that they had nothing to do with the flag itself, nor the military, at all. It was just drawing attention to the ongoing injustices in a way that would garner attention. I personally came to the same understanding after talking with friends that experienced, and continue to experience, those injustices. It seems that there are several people out there that have never come to that understanding for one reason or another. I actually have more respect for Brees than ever. It takes real balls to admit when you are wrong (in his interpretation of the actions) and to take the steps to admit the same. In my opinion, based upon what has been shared by Brees and his beloved teammates, I believe he came to terms with it all soon after the misunderstanding came to light. I just wish others had the same maturity. Big_L likes this.
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

07-08-2023, 02:05 PM	#168
saintsfan1976 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10,832 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Brees wasn't "wrong". Stop saying that. He may have been insensitive to others' feelings on a particular subject but he was not wrong in his feelings or beliefs. I never heard a teammate address his comments as "hey, we view things differently", instead there was an immediate, loud group of people forcing him to "change" his views. jnormand, Rugby Saint II, dizzle88 and 1 others like this.

07-08-2023, 03:42 PM	#169
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,220	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract Originally Posted by saintsfan1976 Brees wasn't "wrong". Stop saying that. He may have been insensitive to others' feelings on a particular subject but he was not wrong in his feelings or beliefs. I never heard a teammate address his comments as "hey, we view things differently", instead there was an immediate, loud group of people forcing him to "change" his views. He absolutely wasn't wrong about his feelings. Not at all. I don't believe anyone said he was including Brees himself. He was, once again, according to himself wrong about his interpretation of what the protests were about. Lots of people were wrong about that. Lots of people are still wrong about that. Brees never changed his views. He did, though, come to an understanding of what the the protest was about and how it had nothing to do with his views of God and country. For those interested here's his complete statements: I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused. In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character. This is where I stand: I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference. I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today. I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community. I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement. I will never know what it's like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right. I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy. I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability. I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening...and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen. For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness. And then in a video: "I know that there's not much I can say that will make things any better right now. But I just want you to see it in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments that I made yesterday. I know that it hurt many people, especially friends, teammates, former teammates, loved ones, people that I care and respect deeply. That was never my intention. I wish I would have laid out what was on my heart in regards to the George Floyd murder, Ahmaud Arbery, the years and years of social injustice, police brutality and the need for so much reform and change in regards to legislation and so many other things to bring equality to our black communities. I am sorry and I will do better and I will be part of the solution. And I am your ally. And I know no words will do that justice."
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill

07-08-2023, 03:45 PM	#170
AsylumGuido 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bossier City, LA Posts: 26,220	Re: Michael Thomas agrees to restructured contract From the same article Demario Davis responded: Saints linebacker Demario Davis responded to Brees' first apology during a Thursday morning appearance on CNN. "Hearing Drew's apology, and that's the first I heard it, I think that is a form of true leadership. And I would say it because that's taking ownership," Davis said. "What we had hoped the first time was that Drew would elaborate more on racism and the sentiments of the black community, and he admitted he missed the mark. So for him to come out and say I missed the mark, I've been insensitive but what I'm going to do is start doing is listening and learning from the black community and finding ways that I can help them, I think that's a model for all of America. Because historically, in general, most of America has missed the mark in not hearing the cries. "These are not new cries coming out on behalf of the black community. The black community has been crying for a long time. Now it's turned into a global outcry that it's time to stand up for black lives and make sure that they're not being killed in the streets and putting an end to racism and systematic injustice that's plagued this country for so long." Davis continued: "And for him to admit that he was wrong and say, you know what, I can do better and I will do better, I think that is leadership at its finest. It's not easy to come out and admit when you're wrong. For a long time, I feel like a lot of people have taken that posture of not wanting to admit that they're wrong. And for him to do that, I think that's very symbolic of America, especially all the ethnic groups that aren't people of color, or black people, in understanding, hey, it's OK. You might have gotten it wrong, but don't get it wrong now. "And that's what we have to be as a country. We can't get it wrong this time. We all have played a part also in helping try to direct the narrative away from the issues. We've all played a part in that, in getting caught up in different topics. At the end of the day, police brutality in America is a problem, racism in America is a problem, systematic injustice is a problem. And the reason why there are millions of people of all different backgrounds, all different colors, all different ethnic groups in the streets right now protesting, and around the world protesting on behalf of black lives, is because it's a global outcry. Because racism exists, systematic injustice exists, police brutality exists, especially around black people, and we need to fix it. And that's the most important thing." Big_L likes this.
	“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill