Troy Aikman is firing back at those accusing him of being anti-military, after he and his broadcast partner Joe Buck were caught on a hot mic criticizing a military flyover of a near empty stadium.
As Breitbart Sports reported on Monday, Buck and Aikman were recorded on a hot mic as military jets soared over Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. A stadium that, due to coronavirus restrictions in the State of Florida, was only about 20 percent filled.
The gas-guzzling jets making the flight over a nearly empty stadium prompted Buck and Aikman to marvel at the sight in a conversation that was, unbeknownst to them, live.
Aikman: “That’s a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover.”
Buck: “That’s your hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work.”
Aikman: “That stuff ain’t happening with [a] Kamala-Biden ticket, I’ll tell you that right now partner.”
Those comments were perceived by many on social media to be an unpatriotic shot at the flyovers as being a waste of taxpayer dollars. On Tuesday, Aikman took strong exception to that characterization of his remarks.
“I love a flyover but It was odd to see one over a mostly empty stadium,” Aikman said.
“But I am an unwavering patriot that loves this country, has always respected our flag, supported the men and women in the armed forces as well as those in uniform who serve & protect and for anyone to suggest otherwise doesn’t know me, my beliefs or what I have stood for my entire life.”
It was this reporter’s opinion on Monday – disagreed with by many – that Aikman and Buck’s comments were not criticisms of the military. Instead, the two were reacting to their unique position of being high atop a stadium with roughly 15,000 people in it while these elite planes and pilots perform a dramatic flyover that happens to cost taxpayer money.
It seems that the comments from Buck and Aikman – neither of whom has a reputation as a social justice warrior – were pretty innocent.
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