Will the Team be Invited by President Biden to the White House?

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deliveryman35

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Not trying to veer off into a political discussion, but I'm curious if the new president will be extending the traditional invitation to the team to visit the White House following winning the National Championship.
 
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81usaf92

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Without getting political take in consideration President Biden hasn’t really had a lot of time this week to set it up. If I’m not mistaken we always saw Obama in some March or April time frame. It really wasn’t until Trump that people started to seeing POTUS within two weeks of the national championship.

If we are invited I’m hoping two things.
1) Tubby has to be shamed into coming
2) They don’t serve our boys McDonalds as a presidential meal.
 

deliveryman35

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No Chance for that this year. If love for them to get to but I’m guessing they have plenty of stuff on their plate. Hopefully they could later on. Probably virtual like was mentioned.
I think you are right. I did not factor in the pandemic. I'd be shocked if it is an in-person visit by the team to the White House and anywhere in the vicinity of a 70+ year old president.
 

selmaborntidefan

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In all sincerity - and I've been saying this for years - this is a tradition (like sacrificing virgins) that needs to die a quick death. I understand it's supposedly some big treat for players, etc, but let's be honest: it's little more than a sleazy politician trying to soak up some favorable press and identifying himself with "the winners" of an athletic contest.

This is no longer the 1970s, where the closest most players from rural Alabama will ever get to the White House is the $20 bill in their wallet. If folks want to go, they can.

This is just a tradition that needs to go the way of the dodo bird, and I was saying this LONG before it became the hot button issue it has been in recent years. Hell, while it wasn't the first time, what really got the ball rolling on this was President Carter wanting to identify with the US Olympic Miracle on Ice team on the day before the 1980 New Hampshire primary. Without that convenient backdrop, I'm not sure this thing ever gets going like it did. And then, the college from his home state just happens to win the CFB national championship. And the very next year, the guy who was governor of the largest state - and had been a baseball radio announcer as his first job - watches the Dodgers win, so they now have to come to DC.

(If it wasn't for loose connections like that, I'm not sure this would have become a thing. But it needs to stop, and the last guy plus the pandemic are the perfect reason to simply stop this attempt at identifying with winners).
 

Crimson1967

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I agree this is something that needs to end. As politics get more and more divided it becomes a big headache. I doubt many of the Redskins were big Reagan supporters but they went. Now players won’t go if they don’t like the president. Obama invited the 1985 Bears and a couple refused to go. Golden State wouldn’t go because they didn’t like Trump. Some players will boycott now because of Biden.

Just stop it. Unfortunately, if Biden decides not to revive the custom when the pandemic ends someone will make a political issue of it.
 

Down4ttown

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Wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they never go to the WH again. Sports have no business in politics and people using a platform like sports to speak out on politics is ridiculous. Keep it about the game.
 
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selmaborntidefan

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I agree this is something that needs to end. As politics get more and more divided it becomes a big headache. I doubt many of the Redskins were big Reagan supporters but they went. Now players won’t go if they don’t like the president. Obama invited the 1985 Bears and a couple refused to go. Golden State wouldn’t go because they didn’t like Trump. Some players will boycott now because of Biden.

Just stop it. Unfortunately, if Biden decides not to revive the custom when the pandemic ends someone will make a political issue of it.
And in the modern day, there's two other things (related) that go along with it:
a) social media permits everyone to be a self-centered star, so they get attention for going/not goin
b) outside groups who don't like the leader pressure schools/teams to not go and "send a message," which is pretty dumb.

Side note: when the former Yale first baseman took over for the Gipper, the Super Bowl was played two days later. Between those two days was.....Saturday....as in SNL. One of the skits - and it was pretty funny - had the 49ers winning and Reagan calling and interrupting Bush's call with Bill Walsh and them arguing. It made light of the whole thing.
 
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Ole Man Dan

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I agree that the WH visit no longer serves as something really big time by the players. Politicians see it as a political event.
It would benefit football in general if these visits ended.
 

81usaf92

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And in the modern day, there's two other things (related) that go along with it:
a) social media permits everyone to be a self-centered star, so they get attention for going/not goin
b) outside groups who don't like the leader pressure schools/teams to not go and "send a message," which is pretty dumb.

Side note: when the former Yale first baseman took over for the Gipper, the Super Bowl was played two days later. Between those two days was.....Saturday....as in SNL. One of the skits - and it was pretty funny - had the 49ers winning and Reagan calling and interrupting Bush's call with Bill Walsh and them arguing. It made light of the whole thing.
Honestly there are a lot of traditions that probably should end with political overtones associated with sports. One is a pretty obvious....

They all serve the same purpose(s). Political advancement and faux patriotism claims. But I still value meeting the president for college athletes despite who is in office . Because most will never get the opportunity to meet a person of that level of power and influence like POTUS
 
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RT27

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We went to the only meeting that matters the Title game itself, I am mad covid ruined a big party and parade for the champs.
 

B1GTide

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Guys, that kind of access to the White House is pretty danged cool. Forget the politics - the history in that building is amazing. Heck, the history in that entire part of the city is worth a month of your time.

If these players can go in a safe way, they should. They may never get another chance.
 

AlexanderFan

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Guys, that kind of access to the White House is pretty danged cool. Forget the politics - the history in that building is amazing. Heck, the history in that entire part of the city is worth a month of your time.

If these players can go in a safe way, they should. They may never get another chance.
Exactly. Love the person in there or hate the person in there, you don’t turn down a chance to see where some of the greatest decisions in history have been made, the center of the greatest nation to have ever existed in history. You’re a fool to turn that down for political Facebook clout.

I hope they get to go somehow.
 

B1GTide

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I love how everyone is voicing their opinion on this. Everyone is entitled to it. But I try to put myself in the player's shoes. What do they as an individual think? I think some would be in awe of going to the White House and other's wouldn't.
No one is saying that they should be forced to go, just given the opportunity.
 
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