The players kneel. The president tweets.

And the great divide over protests during the national anthem at NFL games grows even wider.

So far the players 鈥?at least a handful of them 鈥?aren't backing down. A few took a knee in the first weekend of exhibition games http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-daryl-worley-jersey , at least two raised a fist during the anthem, and several stayed in the locker room as their way of making a statement.

The NFL reacted by doing nothing, at least publicly. The league's hastily adopted new policy on protests during the anthem is on hold while it holds talks with the players' union on an issue that figures to grow more contentious with every game.

That didn't stop President Donald Trump from weighing in on Twitter, calling for any player who doesn't stand during the national anthem to be suspended without pay.

For Trump, it's an issue that resonates with his base. For the protesting players, it's an issue of social injustice that needs to be raised.

The divide is not only splitting the country, but splintering the NFL.

"I think there are a lot of people that are supportive of the players and then there are a couple of people that have been very vocal against it," said Duane Brown, one of three Seahawks who protested. "Those people have power. We'll see what happens."

What has happened so far is that the protests that began with Colin Kaepernick taking a knee before a 49ers game two seasons ago show no signs of disappearing entirely. If anything, the first preseason games show that while most teams fell in line with the desires of their management, there are some players who aren't going to back down.

And that could cause major problems not only for protesting players but a league trying to keep its dominant place in American sports.

"The NFL is caught, they can't really win either way," said Eric Schiffer, the CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, a Los Angeles-based brand and crisis management firm. "They've now come to the conclusion they were alienating conservatives and attempted to mitigate it. But they have only so much they are able to do without alienating the core of their product, which is the players."

The fact the protests have been turned into something they were never intended to be is a big reason why a resolution will be so difficult. Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem to protest social injustice against minorities, but Trump and others have portrayed it instead as a protest against the anthem itself and the country it stands for.

Still, an NFL spokesman said the league and the players' union are involved in "constructive" talks to resolve the issue. But they're in a battle with time, with the start of the regular season just a few weeks away.

They might want to start with one of the few good suggestions offered publicly so far. It came from Kenny Stills, the Miami wide receiver who took a knee during the national anthem in the Dolphins first preseason game.

Give Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid jobs, Stills said, and let players know you're serious.

"You can't say as a league you support the players and their protests and then blackball the players who initially started the protests," Stills said. "To come to the drawing board and talk about solutions Womens Alejandro Villanueva Jersey , we need to start there as a league, and then we can start drawing up other solutions to some of these other problems."

Employing Kaepernick and Reid shouldn't be that much of a problem. Both are NFL players at the highest level, and both seem to have been blackballed from the league 鈥?at least unofficially 鈥?because of their protests.

Offer them up to every team in the league. Waive any salary cap to do it, and there should be some takers.

If no team bites, assign them through a lottery.

After that, it gets easier. Offer players something in exchange for not protesting during the anthem 鈥?perhaps a 30-second commercial spot to highlight social injustice at halftime of every nationally televised game.

The guess is players would respond favorably, partly because they have little alternative. By now they surely understand that their original cause has been hijacked and that they 鈥?along with the NFL 鈥?are in no-win situations.

Their points can still be made, and perhaps find a more receptive audience.

And, just maybe, the tweets will stop.

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org or ://timdahlberg If you want to get an insight into what makes Eli Manning tick, watch the two-time Super Bowl MVP work with kids at a summer football camp.

Talking about football to three or four dozen attentive young players is something the New York Giants quarterback enjoys, whether the topic is hydration, catching passes, doing things in practice so they become second nature in games, focusing or simply just getting better.

Manning doesn't talk very long. He gets his thoughts across and gets to the stuff he wants to do. He gets a ball from the coaches at the Offense-Defense camp at Kean University and starts throwing little seam routes to players.

After a water break, there is a 7-on-7 drill and Manning hooks up with a receiver deep for a touchdown that will be someone's lifetime memory.

"It's fun to see them get ready for their upcoming season," the 37-year-old Manning said. "They are out here practicing trying to get better and it's fun. Hey, I was that kid not too long ago. You kind of still feel you are that kid in the sense of getting ready to go play a game and play football and improve.

"For these guys it's not about going to college. It's about being a good high school player. Hey, I want to be a good NFL player. It's whatever league you are in."

By Manning's count, he will be starting his 23rd training camp when the Giants report for workouts in roughly two weeks. It will be his 15th season with New York, and this one should be interesting.

The Giants have a new coach in Pat Shurmur, a new offense and defense and a revamped roster.

Manning knows there are going to be a lot of questions. Can the team overcome last year's 3-13 record that led to the firing of Ben McAdoo and the hiring of Shurmur? Can they get back to the playoffs? Can he still function being closer to 40 than 30?

They are legitimate questions, but Manning is more concerned with today.

"I am not concerned with two years or how long I play Youth Jordan Akins Jersey , I am concerned about this year," Manning said.

"I am focused and excited about having a great year this year, making good decisions, running this offense, getting our team ready. That's the focus. That's the concern. That's all. I am excited about it. It's good when you are not worried about the hoopla and all the other things going on. I am worried about doing my job and winning football games."

Manning has been getting ready for this camp like any other. Training has become a year-round job and the techniques are different.

When he was a youngster in New Orleans, hydrating meant going for a swim and drinking a soda. Now, the hydration starts a week before camp begins. Liquid is taken before, during and after practice, something that he imparts to the players as a spokesman for Gatorade the past 14 years.

Still, he insists training camp is fun, especially the competition.

"That's the great thing about football," Manning said. "What you did last year doesn't matter, whether good or bad. It's all about what you can do this year. I am excited about the guys we have, the new coaches. I have been texting with the guys and everyone is excited to get rolling and see what we can do this year."

The new offense should be interesting. The line seemingly has been solidified with the addition of left tackle Nate Solder and guard Will Hernandez, the second-round draft pick. Running back Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick, has the potential to be a game breaker.

Receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who is coming off a broken ankle that ended his season in early October, has looked good in some videos from California, where he has been running around shirtless with fellow wide out Sterling Shepard and Barkley making one-handed catches.

"I know they will have to make some adjustments. We do practice with our shirts on with the Giants," Manning quipped.

Manning said the Giants worked hard in the offseason and he is excited to see what happens this year.