The Root has an exclusive confirming what eagle-eyed observers already may have noticed in those photos of Big Wet President’s fast-food feast for the national champion Clemson Tigers: A whole lot of people on the team didn’t want to go in the first place, and a good chunk of the team ended up not going at all.
By The Root’s numbers, about 74 percent of Clemson’s African-American players chose not to go to the White House. It was, according to the players, their choice: No one had to go to the White House, and coaches didn’t openly try to make players attend.