Column: Donald Trump has spent life desperately wanting to become part of sports ecosystem
Column: Donald Trump has spent life desperately wanting to become part of sports ecosystem
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WATCH: President Trump arrives via helicopter at Trump National Doral
President Trump arrived at his golf course in Doral, Florida in a helicopter before being guided to his place of stay by secret service.
Trump's efforts to mediate between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have reportedly been unsuccessful, despite two meetings at the White House.
Trump announced the 2027 NFL draft will be held in Washington D.C., despite previously criticizing the league and its players.
The man who single-handedly killed the United States Football League is attempting to fix some of sports biggest issues.
Since starting his second term as president, Donald Trump has:
Met twice with leaders of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf attempting to bring the rival tours together. Trump said in November it would take him "the better part of 15 minutes" to get the two sides to unite. Now, after two meetings in the White House with Trump, the sides are as far apart as they have been since that framework agreement was announced two years ago.
Met with former football coach Nick Saban during Trump's trip to Tuscaloosa to speak at the University of Alabama's commencement ceremonies. Trump listened to Saban's complaints about mishandling of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), and emerged from the meeting considering an executive order to fix the biggest issue impacting collegiate sports.
Met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and discussed his desire to posthumously pardon Pete Rose, who served five months in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges in 1990, believing it could lead to Rose entering the Hall of Fame. It could not. Manfred is considering removing Rose from baseball's permanently ineligible list, which is the only way baseball's all-time hits leader could then be recognized in Cooperstown.
Stood with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and other officials in the Oval Office to announce the 2027 NFL draft would be held in Washington D.C., on the National Mall. 'It's going to be beautiful, it's going to be something that nobody else will ever be able to duplicate,' Trump said. He said this about a draft for a league he labeled "officially dead" five years ago after some of its players protested to show support of the Black Lives Matter movement and Americans who have been oppressed and discriminated against. Trump called NFL players "sons of bitches" and said they "maybe shouldn't be in the country." Now ... everything is "beautiful."
Discussed the possibility of a hockey game between the U.S. and Russia on a call with Vladimir Putin. The conversation, of which the NHL was not aware, came as the International Ice Hockey Federation continues its sanctions on Russia since the country invaded Ukraine. The IIHF extended the ban through 2026 and Russia is not allowed to participate in the 2026 Olympics under the Russian flag.
Apparently, Trump did not listen to the PGA Tour's Adam Scott who "encouraged" the Palm Beach resident to focus on more important issues facing a president than golf (and sports in general). Scott, a player director, was part of the February meetings between Trump; PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan; and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who heads Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which finances LIV Golf.
And if you can't meet with them, join them. Which Trump has done several times since January, appearing at the college football national championship game, Super Bowl 59, Daytona 500, a UCF event in Miami and hosting LIV golfers for dinner in Doral.
Trump's biggest foray into sports ended in humiliation
Trump loves to act like he's fixing everything when, at least when it comes to sports, he has fixed nothing.
In fact, you can go back four decades when his arrogance and ego were responsible for killing the USFL, which at the time included stars such as Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White and future Trump worshiper Herschel Walker.
The NFL's lead attorney, Frank Rothman, and then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle crushed Trump during the trial. Rothman called Trump "such a lousy witness for them, and a great one for us.' Rozelle famously exposed Trump as a liar.
"He was not believable in anything he said," one juror said. "He came off as arrogant and unlikeable."
Trump was volatile and unhinged in the courtroom, according to reports. His attempt to use the USFL as a way toward owning an NFL franchise, which Rozelle made clear never would happen, was so obvious he was not taken seriously.
Trump was so close to realizing his desire to host a men's golf major championship before his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen killed that. The PGA of America moved the 2022 PGA Championship out of Trump's property in Bedminster, N.J., after his actions and words incited his followers to storm the United States Capitol, leading to one of the ugliest days in our country's history.
Trump's fascination and desperate attempt to be part of the sports ecosystem started with a disaster 40 years ago, and it has not gotten much better since.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
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