Bears Hall of Famer Hampton refuses White House invite

IceHogsFan

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I always liked the Danimal... even more so now.



Former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Dan Hampton won't be attending the team's visit to the White House next month. The Hall of Famer told WLS-890 in Chicago that his decision is based on a "personal choice."



President Obama invited the 1985 Super Bowl championship team to visit Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The Bears had been scheduled to meet with President Reagan in January of 1986, but the Challenger disaster forced the White House to cancel the planned meeting.

Hampton gave three reasons for not attending:



1. Wives and children of the players weren't invited.

That does seem like an oversight by whoever planned the meeting. Granted, children of the players are most likely adults by now so it's not like a 5-year-old is getting snubbed, but surely the White House could have pulled out some more folding chairs for the event.



2. He says he's "not a fan of the guy in the White House."

A frequent reason given by those who decline White House invites, whether it be for Obama or any president who came before him. This sounds lame and takes a tremendous lack of perspective. Declining an opportunity to go to the White House and shake hands with the President of the United States because you don't like the guy's opinion on health care seems petty. Does Hampton not have any friends who are Democrats?



3. "It was 25 years ago. Let it go."

I'm sort of on Hampton's side on this one (though not enough to make it a valid excuse for declining). It's not like every Super Bowl team was going to the White House back then; the Bears were only the second team to get the invite. The 25-year-old canceled visit is a thinly veiled excuse to invite the team from Obama's adopted hometown for a visit. What about other championship squads? Where's John Riggins' and The Hogs' invite? The 1974 Dolphins can't get any love?! (And Florida's a swing state, Barack!)



http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Bears-Hall-of-Famer-Hampton-refuses-White-House-?urn=nfl-wp8216
 

MassHavoc

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This is Special person... You get invited you go... I love the last part...



"It was 25 years ago, let it go" hahahahahahahahahahahahahah says the man who owes his entire career after football to that 25 years ago.
 

IceHogsFan

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You get invited you go...



Disagree



I respect the office but not the man behind the curtain. This is purely political posturing for his Chicago cronies........ As Dan said, it was 25 years ago. I am glad that someone calls it like it is.
 

MassHavoc

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Bullshit, if he was invited to a summit on economic stimulus or Obamacare, then you can turn it down. This is just an invitation to the White House. I hate when celebrities (or in this cause pseudo celebrities) try to make political statements out of meaningless things. Like pop stars who tweet things because someone says it's bad. If he really wanted to do something about it, he should have went, and tried to have a conversation with the President. You don't get this opportunity but maybe once in a lifetime for whatever reason. I may disagree with a lot of stuff he does but if I was ever asked to go, I'd go. I'd have my eyes a open as possible to see all that I can, learn all that I can learn, and take any pictures they'd let me. I'd do the same for Castro, Chaves, the Prime Minister or any country. It's as much about being informed and clued into a whole shit ton of things that most people will never in their lifetime get to see. Pulling back that curtain just a little to see the wizard.
 

MassHavoc

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What political statement is he making?
 

fanof19

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It's no different than turning down any other invitation. I got an invite to an event where the grinch was chairman. a letter with his signature. I called and declined and asked that they take me off their mailing list. When they asked me why, I said that I didn't like the chairman of the event. Hampton doesn't like Obama, so he doesn't want to go. Why is that a problem? The fact that the media picked up on it and it making it news it what I find funny.
 

Variable

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Yeah I don't get it either. Especially in that article where it lists his reason for not wanting to go because he's not a "big fan of the guy in the White House" and it goes on to say that it's a petty reason and laughingly compares a friend Hampton might have who is a Democrat to a person who makes decisions concerning the life and death of countless people. Petty? No, not wanting to meet with a liar where so many others ignore that and do it because of that person's job title would seem to me to be the opposite of being petty. It's admirable. It shouldn't be, but because the majority would ignore things like that and smile and shake that person's hand, it becomes admirable to not do that.
 

dlrob315

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It's no different than turning down any other invitation. I got an invite to an event where the grinch was chairman. a letter with his signature. I called and declined and asked that they take me off their mailing list. When they asked me why, I said that I didn't like the chairman of the event. Hampton doesn't like Obama, so he doesn't want to go. Why is that a problem? The fact that the media picked up on it and it making it news it what I find funny.



Hampton made it the news, he is the news and used his pulpit to make sure everyone knew his feelings. It would be different if it were you and then the media picked it up and made it a big deal. Hampton wanted to put that out there, he could have just kept it to himself and not go! He will not be the first athlete to decline one of these trips!



So the only statement he could be making is: look at me, I am just like others who do not like the President. So the bottom line, just another self absorbed celebrity starving for attention. That's what they do! His antics are not noble nor admirable!
 

MassHavoc

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Bingo.



Wrightman puts politics aside for White House reunion



By Fred Mitchell, Tribune reporter

9:32 a.m. CDT, October 6, 2011

Former Chicago Bears tight end Tim Wrightman is looking forward to Friday’s celebration of the Super Bowl XX team at the White House.



Wrightman posted the following message on his Facebook page and also shared this message with the Tribune to counter the position of his former teammate, Dan Hampton, who says he does not plan to attend the White House event because other family members were not invited and he is “not a fan” of President Barack Obama.



Here is Wrightman’s message:



“Why I’m going to the White House: Out of all the players from the ’85 Bears arriving on October 7th, I would probably say I am the most conservative. I live in the reddest of red states (Idaho) and I make a living with guns (owner of Lazy Bear Ranch)…I am also not a fan of the policies of the current President; however this is a celebration for the achievement of a great football team not a political rally.



“I mean, did you really think it was appropriate for Marlon Brando to not accept the Oscar? I can differentiate between celebrating our team, the President and the Institution of the Presidency. Of course I played on the ‘smart side’ of the line of scrimmage. This is the Bears’ once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has been given a second chance. Some people don’t realize our initial trip in 1986 was canceled because of the Challenger space shuttle accident. I think it was a classy thing for Obama to right the misfortune of our team. Besides, the White House is not President Obama’s house, it’s the people’s house.



“Some of my more notable teammates have stated various reasons they will not attend…and they have every right to have their own opinion and reasons for not going. ‘I’m not going because they didn’t invite our wives…’ Well, would you take the wife you had when we won or the newest one? ‘It was 25 years ago, let it go…’ Will you stop doing car commercials that say you were a Super Bowl Champ? And so what if it was 25 years ago …If winning the Super Bowl is so easy, how come the Bears haven’t won since?



“Further, I’m not so arrogant to think that by going to the White House people are going to believe I endorse the President. Nor do I believe my invitation will cause people to vote for President Obama just because I visited the White House. This is a great opportunity for me to see my fellow teammates one more time and as a conservative I never take myself out of the game. I always want an opportunity to discuss and to debate my positions. You never know whose mind you might change and decisions you may influence. Being together as a team and a country is the only way we can get through our current predicament… GO BEARS!”



fmitchell@tribune.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...-white-house-reunion-20111006,0,2689142.story
 

JOVE23

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I thought Steve McMichael was the one doing car commercials?



Man, Hampton Comes Alive! when this invite stuff pops up.
 

MassHavoc

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I thought Steve McMichael was the one doing car commercials?



Man, Hampton Comes Alive! when this invite stuff pops up.

Nope, and straight from

The Official website of Dan Hampton NFL Hall of Fame Defensive Tackle and Super Bowl Champion from the Chicago Bears

www.danhampton.net



"Super Bowl XX Champion, Danimal is available for meet and greets, autograph signings and special appearances at your next event. To book the Dan Hampton for your next event call us at"
 

MassHavoc

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Yes but that doesn't change that Hampton is the spokesperson for Chevy and Firestone. And you'll notice he doesn't mention being a superbowl winner, or Chicago Bear? Closest thing is the Former "monster of the midway" tag. Unless you were just posting it cause it's a ridiculous commercial?
 

dlrob315

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Hampton should drop his Chevy (GM) deal for the obvious reasons.



Make a stance and go all the way....don't cherry pick.
 

bubbleheadchief

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Okay here is one thing, while I was in I was always told you respect the Title, you dont have to respect the man. That went for anyone in a postion of authority above me, up to and including the President of the United States. Simply put, if I ever had to do anything that POTUS was at, I saluted the POTUS, not Johnny Dangler or whomever was in. And I did not have to shake his hand if I didnt want to.

Dan Hampton is citizen of the United States, and free to make his own choice on whether to accept an invitation fowarded by the POTUS, he is not an indentured servant having to run because his Lordship called him. He doesnt like the guy, so be it. Stick to your guns Dan. Yes it is a rare chance, but if you dont agree with the man or his politics, dont go.
 

dlrob315

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Okay here is one thing, when I first heard Hampton’s statement, I was always told you respect the right of free speech; you don’t have to respect the man. That went for anyone who spoke their mind, up to and including Dan Hampton. Simply put, if I ever had to do anything that Dan Hampton was at, I would go and respect his freedom of speech. And I would not have to shake his hand if I didn’t want to.



I am citizen of the United States, and free to make my own choice on whether to accept Hampton’s non-sense, I am not an indentured servant having to except his bullshit rants. I don’t like the guy, so be it. I will stick to my guns. Yes it is a rare chance to meet Dan Hampton, but if I don’t agree with the man or his bullshit, I will chose not to shake his hand.
 

MassHavoc

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Okay here is one thing, when I first heard Hampton’s statement, I was always told you respect the right of free speech; you don’t have to respect the man. That went for anyone who spoke their mind, up to and including Dan Hampton. Simply put, if I ever had to do anything that Dan Hampton was at, I would go and respect his freedom of speech. And I would not have to shake his hand if I didn’t want to.



I am citizen of the United States, and free to make my own choice on whether to accept Hampton’s non-sense, I am not an indentured servant having to except his bullshit rants. I don’t like the guy, so be it. I will stick to my guns. Yes it is a rare chance to meet Dan Hampton, but if I don’t agree with the man or his bullshit, I will chose not to shake his hand.

Fail
 

dlrob315

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I will work on something else.



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