…he’s just a slob! “I have a big problem journalistically with essentially questioning someone’s patriotism in a report without giving the person a chance to respond,” protests the Washington Post’s Jason Reid, criticizing an unattributed AP item that blasted Redskins FB Mike Sellers for throwing the American flag to the ground during pregame introductions before last night’s New England/Washington exhibition game.
I did not realize this occurred. Even if I had witnessed Sellers (above) drop the flag, I would not have made that a big deal about it because I have spoken with the man repeatedly, which is my job as a beat reporter, and am familiar with his background. Sellers’s father was a career military man, and I just don’t get the sense he would intentionally do something to degrade the flag.
“It’s been brought to my attention, carrying the flag out yesterday, that I didn’t put it in the proper spot after carrying it out. I meant no disrespect,” Sellers said. “My father retired [from the military] 30 some years almost, I grew up as an Army brat, I know the conduct when it comes to the flag and I made a mistake by setting it down the way I did and I’d like to apologize if I offended anybody out there.
“I was asked to bring it out last minute, didn’t know who to give it to, got hyped up, and put the flag down. Like I said, if I offended anyone, I apologize. That’s not me. I grew up in a military background. I know what it is to respect the flag, and I apologize. It was in the heat of the moment.”
It all seems like a big misunderstanding, but it doesn’t help matters that Bill Belichick can’t give a straight answer about whether or not the flag will be good to go in Week One.