The NFL
Tiredtraveler
Solo PL
I just wanted to play devils advocate and bring some of the things I hear from angry fans I work with everyday.
Virtually all feel that the players and owners have forgotten the fans that have given them their fame and money.
The players and owners get huge tax breaks and make huge amounts of money and the ones who complain the loudest are the ones that do the least.
The fans also see that if they did the same thing these guys are doing at work they would receive repercussions.1st amendment not withstanding while at work you have to abide by the rules at work. You may not post signs, break out he prayer rug to Mecca, walk around with your johnson hanging out, shit in the middle of the lunch room table, make political statements, campaign etc on company time IF it is against the rules and conditions of your employment, laws, and common decency
Your employer is PAYING you for your time and while you are being paid you must do as they say withing the rules of employment and law. To me kneeing down during the anthem is the same as talking on your phone during a team meeting: you stop if told to stop or face discipline.
I personally am not big a pro sports fan and definitely not a televised sports fan.
My main reasons for picking on them are:(these are what I have heard from fans I work with who are regular watchers and attendees)
(beside po'ing y'all)
1) taxing to build a single use facility to be used to benefit one private entity(franchises are worth billions why can they not build their own?)(yes i know a few do own their own buildings but most pro teams do not.)
2) failure to follow their own rules (winners can do what ever they want despite their contracted rules)
3) greed of league/associations/players/owners/politicians(ticket prices, souvenir prices, right down to parking prices)(I personally do not know how much tickets are nor do I know how much jerseys cost)
4) not fulfilling the terms of agreed contracts by players, owners, franchises, etc.
5) covering up criminal behavior if you are superstar(domestic abuse, rape, gun fights, drug abuse, assault,up to but not including murder)
The media and others by calling the boycotting fans 'racists', etc., etc. is really just fueling the the anger of the fans.
If the players and owners do not wake up they are going really hurt themselves like MLB and NHL did who are still suffering from fan anger.
Sorry if I gave offense it is fun to be provocative in the extreme.
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27 comments
SJG
https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/…
Harry Edwards
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/9/25/d…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Edwa…
:'-(
Speaking of accomplishing goals. I gave them the benefit of the doubt; Kaepernick et al wanted to start a conversation; so when is the dialog starting? Taking a knee is that it? I realize the latest uptick was due to President Trump baiting the NFL players, which is a little different that Kaepernick & Boyer's compromise.
Well I bought into an gave them an open mind. Except I don't think anyone wants to to start a dialog. Pity.
I starting to think it's not about BLM or police shootings. I'm starting to wonder if it's really a black [working class] culture vs white [working class] culture. And maybe the flag and anthem symbolizes culture that they are protesting.
I know sometimes looking at video recordings of police encounters with blacks that go sideways. Prior to President Trump's reset on political correctness, this was hard to discuss openly. But sometimes it seems that some of black culture is it's own worst enemy. Maybe that is too charged to say. But since the players won't start the dialog, maybe I should.
Sadly, I think the machismo in black culture doesn't let them question or confront this, lest one look weak or acting white.
Anyone comment? Am I off base? Wrong hypothesis? What do you think they're protesting? No rong answers.
The NFL got rich off the support of the ( mostly white ) working class fan. They may have lost much of this base and they don’t know how to get it back.
It isn't the message that offends, it's the timing!
This is not something that I am going to run by anybody. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people who are oppressed. If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know hat I will have store up for what is right." --> END QUOTE
@Steve Wyche, NFL media reporter, wrote: "[Colin Kaepernick] said that he had discussed his feelings with his family and, after months of witnessing some civil unrest in the U.S., decided to be more active and involved in civil rights for black people. Kaepernick, who is biracial, was adopted and raised by white patents and siblings."
^^^ Since the dialog seemed to stop there, I'm not sure the they're protesting what they're saying they are either. Seems to be a black culture thing, I think maybe I'm wrong. I am fairly certain they don't know exactly why they're protesting either.
I do agree the league has been trying to be more inclusive, like @Mark94 writes. It started with trying to court women as viewers and women as apparel shoppers at the NFL Shop. So it would make sense that social justice warrior culture would be possible extension of that.
RE: SJWs: Good luck with that.
That got me thinking. What if they see the anthem and flag as white culture and they want to replace it? Maybe. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.
The said hit it is not like these pro athletes can't use the rest of the day or the rest of the week for their philanthropy, outreach, awareness, and protest. It's not like they don't have. Thousands or millions of Twitter followers or millions of dollars to make an impact.
I think Jerry Jones built the Cowboys' stadium with his own funds too.
San Jose State, 1968 Olympics Monument
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/purdy/files…
SJG
Close, but no banana!
"To aid Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones in paying the construction costs of the new stadium, Arlington voters approved the increase of the city's sales tax by 0.5%, the hotel occupancy tax by 2%, and car rental tax by 5%. The City of Arlington provided over $325 million (including interest) in bonds as funding,[21][22] and Jones covered any cost overruns. Also, the NFL provided the Cowboys with an additional $150 million loan, following its policy for facilitating financing for the construction of new stadiums." wikipedia
I think it would be interesting to find out how many of the MILLIONS those protesters are paid they use to fight against their "issues"? Or even their time. I'm quite sure many of the players do, but those guys are usually "doers", not protesters.
I learned that dividing line when volunteering with the food trucks / food charities. Many elites won't roll up their sleeves because it means actually working with disadvantaged and having to go to their homes and do hard work and mentoring.
Some elites would rather do "glorious tasks" where their seen for very little effort or because they actually have thinly veiled contempt for the underclass. Other normal people like me don't mind will actually do the thankless grunt work that gets no recognition. The elite volunteers would rather pass out food and snap photos to send to social media avoid the shoulder-to-should work.
I wonder into which camp these millionaire athletes fall? Time and actions will tell.
And yet, there exists another community 100% unwilling to accept any responsibility. Lets just call it 50/50. :)
Most, I would venture a guess, the latter.
I think kapernick(and others) has donated money but thats not saying much. Even still, they do more than the fucking politicians!!!(republican and democrat)
If I need to explain it to you, then you likely wouldn't understand!