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Maddon clarifies view on athlete protests: Everyone has 'right to express themselves'

Brett Davis / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon wasn't aware of the recent inflammatory remarks made by President Donald Trump towards protesting athletes when he called it "dangerous" Saturday when Americans "stop respecting the White House and the seat of the president."

So, ahead of his club's series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers, the 63-year-old opted to clarify his position.

"Like I've always talked about, everybody's got the right to express themselves in the manner which they feel," Maddon told reporters, including ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "I mean, I've always felt that way, and you guys probably get that sense from me whenever you talk to me, too."

He continued: "I have no issues; I'm all into self-expression, and if a player feels he needs to express himself in that manner, then so be it."

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A combative Trump has been the focus of the sports world this weekend, drawing condemnations from a host of teams and star athletes - including LeBron James, Doug Baldwin, and Kobe Bryant - for calling for NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to be fired, urging fans to boycott games, and retracting a White House invitation to the Golden State Warriors after star point guard Steph Curry announced he would not attend.

Maddon, however, "had no idea what the president had said" at his Friday rally in Huntsville, Ala., or subsequently on Twitter, when he opined Saturday at Miller Park that "we need to get our acts together collectively."

While Maddon reaffirmed Sunday his respect for the office of the president, he clarified that he would never fault a player for standing up for what he believes in.

"I have a respect for the government of the United States. I have a respect for the office. I have a respect for the seat of the presidency," Maddon said. "When it comes down to individual battles, I have nothing to do with that. All I'm saying is that I understand why the players responded the way they did. After I read the comments, it was very clear why they would respond the way they did. It's just unfortunate we've arrived at this point where it's so easy to have this dialogue between the highest office in the country and everybody else in such a negative way."

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