There’s a thing we like to call “reading the room.” It’s basically an ability to gauge how something will go over with a group of people before you do it. On Monday, the NFL was set to cut down 21 ornamental cherry trees in Nashville, Tenn. to make room for their NFL Draft stage.
When the public found out about that, they were not thrilled. The NFL was informed Sunday that they could move healthy trees, not cut them down or kill them to make room for their stage. The league thought it had bought off the City of Nashville by offering to plant 200 new trees, but the the actual people of Nashville weren’t having it. Because, seriously. What kind of monster would want to do that?
Yes, it’s just trees, but the draft is a frivolous enterprise and only held for three days. The stage the NFL would construct would immediately be torn down the second Mr. Irrelevant’s name is mentioned at Pick No. 254 (currently held by the Arizona Cardinals). Killing those trees would just be a sinful waste.
Nashville’s NFL Draft organizers on cherry tree uproar: 'We were wrong and we apologize' https://t.co/AVUsUzJyPK
— Tennessean (@Tennessean) March 31, 2019
And all this was supposed to happen right before Nashville’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival on April 13. Sometimes, the NFL and corrupt politicians can try to pull stuff that will just blow your mind.
The Nashville Tree Foundation (yes, it’s real), helped stop the senseless cutting. It’s president, Noni Neilsen, released a statement celebrating the city’s decision.
“We don’t plant trees for ourselves,” Neilsen said. “We plant them for our grandchildren. They take a long time to grow and their benefits grow as they grow.”
Congratulations Nashvillian!!
Our fast public outcry even on a weekend ( why did they announce on Friday??🤫🤫🤫hmm)
Has been heard! https://t.co/M9ZRW1zapL
— Susan Hicks Thetford (@Susan_Thetford) March 31, 2019
Apparently, there are some trees that are in poor health or dying. The NFL will be asked to replace those with healthy trees when it replants the moved trees in Riverfront Park and other new locations across the city.
The NFL Draft will open on Friday, April 25 and run through Sunday, April 27.
