Cowboys issue statement about flag

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said emphatically yesterday in an interview that his players will stand for the national anthem and not disrespect the flag, and if they do, the player or players will not play. The topic was raised after Vice President Mike Pence left Sunday's game between the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers after more than 20 Niners knelt during the national anthem. At the Cowboys' Sept. 25 a couple of weeks ago, Jones joined the team on the field in taking a knee and locking arms prior to the anthem. During the anthem, Jones stood arm-in-arm with the players. That gesture was in response to President Donald Trump's comments that NFL owners should fire players who disrespect the flag by not standing during the national anthem. Jones has specifically said about kneeling though, “I'm very supportive of the team, but under no circumstances will the Dallas Cowboys -- I don't care what happens -- under no circumstances will we as an organization, coaches, players, not support and stand and recognize and honor the flag. Period.” NFL players who have demonstrated during the national anthem over the past year have said that they are protesting police brutality and racism -- not the flag or the anthem itself.

In Other News Richard H. Thaler of the University of Chicago was awarded the Nobel Prize in economics on Monday for his contributions to the field of behavioral economics. Thaler, 72, was cited for his research in the psychology of economic decision-making. His theory explains "how people simplify financial decision-making by creating separate accounts in their minds, focusing on the narrow impact of each individual decision rather than its overall effect," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. His 2008 book "Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness," which he wrote with law professor Cass Sunstein, became a popular hit. The authors argued that by understanding how people make decisions, behavioral economics can be used to tackle many of society's major problems and influence public policy. Both The Economist and the Financial Times ranked it the best book of the year. It also influenced how governments made decisions. In 2010, the U.K. established a Behavioral Insight Team, what became known as the Nudge Unit, to create policies to nudge British citizens to make better choices that would save the state money. Thaler was an adviser. And the Obama administration issued an executive order in 2015 titled "Using Behavioral Science Insights to Better Serve the American People." The Indianapolis Colts unveiled a statue of Peyton Manning outside of Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday in commemoration of the legendary quarterback's historic career. For his career, Manning ranks first all-time in passing yards (71,940), passing touchdowns (539) and fourth-quarter comebacks (45)…among other things.