While the weekend's news cycle was dominated by responses to President Trump's comments on anthem protests and celebratory White House visits, the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to clear the air on their own impending trip to D.C.
As this year's reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Pens have decided that they still plan on visiting the POTUS at the White House despite all the controversy surrounding the presidency's recent remarks. The team released a statement via their website on Sunday morning.
The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House. We attended White House ceremonies after previous championships - touring the historic building and visiting briefly with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama - and have accepted an invitation to attend again this year.
Any agreement or disagreement with a president's politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways. However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.
That statement drives home the message that the organization is choosing to set aside politics for the purpose of celebrating the team's achievement and showing respect to the Office.
Whether or not you agree with that sentiment, it's interesting that the team decided to make the announcement on Sunday while so many instances of protest were emerging from across the NFL -- including Pittsburgh's own NFL team deciding not to take the field for the national anthem before their game.
It's possible the Penguins were just trying to get ahead of seemingly inevitable questions from the media regarding their visit, but choosing to make the announcement when they did could come off as tone-deaf to some.
