US sports world hits back at ‘bum’ Trump after tirade

LOS ANGELES, California — President Donald Trump triggered a backlash from the US professional sports world on Saturday, withdrawing a White House invitation to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors after condemning NFL players protesting the national anthem.

A day after Trump had decried activist National Football League stars as “sons of bitches” who should be fired for kneeling or sitting during renditions of The Stars and Stripes, the US leader turned his ire to basketball’s reigning champions and star player Stephen Curry.

Curry said Friday he would not attend a White House reception if his team was invited in accordance with a tradition that stretches back several decades.

Trump responded with an early morning Twitter salvo on Saturday.

“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” he wrote.

Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Trump’s outburst drew a stinging response from across the NBA, with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James among the first to weigh in.

“U bum @StephenCurry already said he ain’t going!” James wrote on Twitter. “So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up.”

U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017

The NBA Players Association also rallied swiftly behind Curry.

“Steph: consider this withdrawal a badge of honor!” NBPA executive director Michele Roberts wrote on Twitter.

The Warriors said they would plan their own trip to Washington instead of visiting the White House.

“We accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited,” the team said in a statement.

“In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion — the values that we embrace as an organisation.”

Warriors general manager Bob Myers said Saturday he was surprised by the invitation being pulled.

“The White House visit should be something that is celebrated,” Myers said. “So we want to go to Washington, DC, and do something to commemorate kind of who we are as an organization, what we feel, what we represent and at the same time spend our energy on that. Instead of looking backward, we want to look forward.”

Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr, after his team’s first practice of the season: “These are not normal times.”

Leading figures across the NBA have been among some of Trump’s most searing critics in the US professional sports world.

Curry’s Warriors teammate Kevin Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, said last month he would boycott any trip to the White House, accusing Trump of escalating racial tensions.

“I don’t respect who’s in office right now… I don’t agree with what he agrees with,” Durant said.

Trump’s spat with Curry and the Warriors came less than 24 hours after the president raged against NFL players who have protested the national anthem.

The NFL has seen a surge in activism by players since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick last year refused to stand for The Stars and Stripes in a protest against law enforcement aggression against minorities.

In a tirade in Alabama on Friday, Trump said players who protested the anthem should be dismissed.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired!'” Trump told a rally.

“You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’ And that owner, they don’t know it, (but) they’ll be the most popular person in this country.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reacted with dismay to Trump’s comments.

“Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players,” Goodell wrote.

An unrepentant Trump, however, doubled down on his criticism in further remarks on Twitter.

“If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!” Trump wrote.

If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

…our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

Others condemned Trump’s choice of words to describe the anthem protesters.

Kaepernick’s mother, Teresa Kaepernick, responded on Twitter: “Guess that makes me a proud bitch!”

https://twitter.com/B4IleaveU/status/911436659907948544

Several NFL players also lined up to condemn Trump’s latest rant.

“It’s a shame and disgrace when you have the President of the US calling citizens of the country sons of a bitches,” Minnesota Vikings running back Bishop Sankey wrote on Twitter.

Trump also bemoaned what he called a decline in violence in football, noting that it’s “not the same game” because players are now either penalized or thrown out of games for aggressive tackles.

“No man or woman should ever have to choose a job that forces them to surrender their rights,” DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Saturday. “No worker nor any athlete, professional or not, should be forced to become less than human when it comes to protecting their basic health and safety.”

Trump has met with some teams already in his first year in office.

Clemson visited the White House this year after winning the College Football Playoff, some members of the New England Patriots went after the Super Bowl victory and the Chicago Cubs went to the Oval Office in June to commemorate their World Series title. The Cubs also had the larger and more traditional visit with President Barack Obama in January, four days before the Trump inauguration.

North Carolina, the reigning NCAA men’s basketball champion, said Saturday it will not visit the White House this season. The Tar Heels cited scheduling conflicts.

Warriors forward Draymond Green said the good news was that Golden State won’t have to talk about going to the White House again — unless they win another title during the Trump presidency.

“Michelle Obama said it best,” Green said. “She said it best. They go low. We go high. He beat us to the punch. Happy the game is over.”