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On the surface Oren Burks Jersey , the responses to the somewhat surprising decision of Nike to make Colin Kaepernick a face of the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” slogan aren’t surprising at all. On the same day the NFL issued a statement about Kaepernick so manicured and delicate that it largely states nothing, President Donald Trump offered up predictable criticism of the advertising effort. But the President ad libbed a caveat that, if heeded by his base, could go a long way toward ending the controversy created by Kaepernick’s decision to stop standing for the national anthem.

“I think it鈥檚 a terrible message,” Trump told TheDailyCaller.com in an Oval Office interview regarding Nike’s decision to partner with Kaepernick. “Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent.”

That relationship apparently doesn’t give the President’s opinion any extra weight. The office he occupies obviously does.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a terrible message that they鈥檙e sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there鈥檚 a reason for them doing it, but I think as far as sending a message, I think it鈥檚 a terrible message and a message that shouldn鈥檛 be sent,” Trump said. “There鈥檚 no reason for it.鈥?/p>

But then he seemed to acknowledge that there is a reason for it, even if he disagrees with that reason.

鈥淎s much as I disagree with the Colin Kaepernick endorsement Jonathan Stewart Jersey , in another way 鈥?I mean, I wouldn鈥檛 have done it,鈥?Trump said.聽鈥淚n another way, it is what this country is all about, that you have certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn鈥檛 do, but I personally am on a different side of it.鈥?/p>

Saying that peaceful protest “is what this country is all about” is a far cry from the knee-jerk reaction from then-candidate Trump that maybe Kaepernick should find another country. And it possibly represents an acknowledgement that Kaepernick and others have the right to peacefully protest during the anthem without being called unpatriotic, un-American, or unfit for continued residence here.

There’s no way the President will be surrendering his all-too-handy device for rallying support and/or distracting from other subjects. But if anyone heeds the viewpoint regarding this country being all about exercising certain freedoms, maybe attitudes regarding Kaepernick and other NFL players who choose to peacefully protest during the anthem will begin to change.

Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly says contract extensions for center Nikola Jokic and guard Will Barton are among his offseason priorities and he hinted coach Michael Malone might be in line for one, too.

The Nuggets have increased their win totals from 30 to 40 to 46 under Malone but they extended their playoff drought to five years when they lost in overtime at Minnesota in the season finale this week.

”This is the most confident I’ve been in our core group since I’ve been here Jameis Winston Jersey ,” said Connelly, who’s been in his post in Denver since 2013. ”I think we have the makings of a team that can enjoy sustainably high levels of success.

”I think there’s going to be some pretty interesting financial decisions we’ll make this offseason.”

Jokic was drafted in the second round in 2014 and signed a three-year, $4 million deal a year later. The Nuggets have a $1.6 million fourth-year option, which they can decline this summer and instead give Jokic a max contract.

While that would crimp their budget next season, it would keep their star away from free agency.

”He’s a guy that’s been tremendous in how quickly he’s developed and a guy that we love and he loves Denver. So, the sooner we can get his signature on a long-term contract, the better,” Connelly said Friday.

Connelly also lauded the versatile Barton’s growth, and said, ”we hope we can get something done. He’s our guy. We love him and I think if he’s back in a Denver jersey Jonathan Cooper Jersey , it’s good for both him and the team.”

Malone has a year left on his original four-year deal he signed in 2015. Although he wouldn’t commit to an extension for his coach this summer, Connelly made it clear how he feels about Malone and his staff, suggesting it would be foolhardy to view a 46-win season as a disappointment or a fire-able offense.

”I think Coach and his staff have done a wonderful job,” Connelly said. ”We’ve got to continue to challenge each other. We’ve got to get better. This press conference is premature. We can’t keep having it after the regular season.”

In praising Malone, Connelly cited his 16-game improvement over two years and the development of the team’s core young players, emphasizing the difficulty in coaching a young team.

The Nuggets played better than any team in the West over the last dozen games and took a six-game winning streak into the season finale against the Timberwolves. That marked the first time in franchise history that the Nuggets had posted six straight wins against teams with winning records.

Yet, their inability to close out a seventh straight victory left them lamenting a dozen or so games they frittered away during a trying season in which free agent addition Paul Millsap missed 44 games and second-leading scorer Gary Harris missed 11.

”I thought 46 wins would have us firmly in the playoffs, in a pretty good spot,” Connelly said. ”I’m certainly disappointed we didn’t make it. … But as I reflect on the season and the growth that we’ve shown, I’m unbelievably proud of our team.”

Yet Ben Gedeon Jersey , he’s also running low on patience.

”I thought we had extended stretches of very good basketball. I think at times we had games that were inexcusable, and those games come back to haunt you,” Connelly said.

Echoing Malone, Connelly said this season was never a ”playoffs-or-bust” undertaking, but next season certainly will have that feel.

”I think we’re there,” Connelly said. ”How many times can you be the bridesmaid?”

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