New York Knicks: Joakim Noah Braces for Colin Kaepernick Treatment

After skipping out on Thursday’s dinner with Army Cadets, New York Knicks center Joakim Noah has been dealing with backlash similar to Colin Kaepernick.

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah isn’t just going to shut up and play ball. On Thursday, he didn’t feel comfortable at West Point where the team held training camp. As a result, he took an anti-war stance and went back to his hotel, per New York Daily News reporter Stefan Bondy:

"It was more just getting off the bus. It was a lot of activities, a lot of things, and I just didn’t feel comfortable. So I decided to go back to the hotel. I’m grown. I didn’t mean any disrespect. It is what it is. I didn’t feel comfortable being in that environment, so I went home."

Of course, this doesn’t sit right with our nation nearly a month away from electing a new president—at a time of heightened patriotism. Keep in mind, Noah has dual citizenship in the United States and France. He also talked about not understanding patriotism wrapped in the superiority complex, per Bondy:

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“Noah said he shuns both war and the nationalistic pride. As a man of a variety of backgrounds, Noah said he ‘“doesn’t understand patriotism.”’

“I don’t feel like one country is better than another one or that I’m ready to die for a flag or a country,” said Noah.

Noah’s stance ties into San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s stance due to politics intertwining with the sports world and colliding with national pride and the military.

Those who disagree with the Knick center’s decision have expressed it with politely and some with vitriol:

Then, there’s the question about whether Kaepernick’s stance led to Noah expressing his views:

Whatever the case, Noah’s teammates have his back 100 percent. Point guard Derrick Rose, his teammate for eight seasons with the Chicago Bulls, came to the center’s defense:

"He’s a caring guy, a loving guy, and the last thing he wants is the attention that’s coming to him from everywhere about him about anti. And that’s something he’s not."

Rose’s words will likely fall on deaf ears as many see Noah’s gesture as a direct disrespect to the troops even though he says it’s much deeper than not eating dinner with Army Cadets.

Rookie center Marshall Plumlee enrolled in Duke University’s ROTC program and said he respects Noah’s decision, nothing more, nothing less.

Unlike Kaepernick’s kneel during the National Anthem, Noah won’t have to deal with scrutiny throughout the season. Once the regular season tips off, most, if not all, will be forgotten, especially if the Knicks look good on the court. Nonetheless, with all the demonstrations and peaceful protests across the sports landscape, you can expect more symbolic references to specific causes throughout the season.

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The Toronto Raptors locked arms before their first preseason game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Months ago, forward Carmelo Anthony said the team will bring attention to broad interests as a group, per New York Times reporter Scott Cacciola:

"We want to do it in the right way. Whatever we do we want to do it as a collective group. I don’t know what that is yet. We’ll figure that out. But we want to do it all together."

Whether people like it or not, sports have become fair grounds for brief protests and demonstrations—some drawing ire and others very mild. Either way, it’s not going to stop outspoken athletes like Noah from expressing his personal views or prevent Anthony from using his platform to quell racial tensions within our borders.