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Oh, National Football League. You make it hard to forgive you, although I keep doing so.
I think I said I was done with you last year. Then I came back because, well, just because you were there and I couldn't resist you. But . . .
1) Aldon Smith and the 49ers. He crashed his car into a tree at 7 in the morning. I don't so much care that he was drinking, but he drove while intoxicated, endangering other people. The 49ers say they care about his well-being as a person, but they are not deactivating him for this game. He is apparently going to play today, THEN maybe go to rehab. My love for the Niners will be tarnished if they do play him.
2) If rumors are true, the NFL exerted pressure on ESPN to back out of developing a documentary with PBS on concussions. I don't know if those rumors are true, but they fit with the general pattern of issues we have seen regarding concussions recently and a growing discontent over how the league has addressed the matter.
3) Our nation's capital's football team continues to use a racist nickname straight out of Manifest Destiny. Although I suppose someone with a dark sense of humor might find that fitting, I don't like the fact that the Commissioner continues to support the name. The reason why no one in the league wants to change it, of course, has to do with money and merchandising, in the guise of "tradition." I don't accept that as sufficient reason.
So, these reasons are making me consider boycotting the NFL, by which I mean I would not watch another game and I will continue to never buy football merchandise. It isn't like it was a realistic option for me to actually attend a game live, due to expense, so my "boycott" would be little more than poking a hole in a river.
As I say this, of course, Green Bay versus Cincinnati is on the TV, but at least it is on mute.
Okay, so maybe I'm just a hypocrite, talking big about being done without doing anything. I know I talked about breaking up with the NFL last year. But this year, with NBC Sports giving me fantastically improved access to Premier League Soccer, well, that gives me a more than adequate substitute in terms of weekend sports.
NFL, time to clean up your act, or I really will be done for good.
The Flag And Free Speech . . . About The Flag
7 years ago
3 comments:
I'm sure you've got them trembling this time!
Hmmmmmmm. All understandable points, Mr. Hallett. And most (if not all) of them I completely agree with. However, I must ask a question. Have you ever threatened to stop watching MLB as a result of the most corrupt, despicable, putrid commissioner (and an awful human being) in our lifetime? A man who administers the only American sport that undermines the fundamental democratic principle of fair play (lack of a salary cap, Selig's doing)? Ignored a maaaaaaaajor steroid problem that ruined the game until Congress finally forced his hand? Orchestrated the ousting of the man he would replace by accusing him of being a symbol of MLB owner collusion - something of which Selig was a major component? Named himself commissioner after a 6-year (joke of a) search for a new commissioner and, only after great pressure as a result of the conflict of interest brought about by his ownership of the Brewers, sold them.........to HIS FUCKING SISTER!!!??? Again, I agree with your sentiments but a blind eye must not be turned to similar realities in sports you favor (we won't even talk about the racism and breech of that fundamental democratic principle of fair play found in soccer; all, like with MLB's baseball and NFL's football, more to do with business and people than the sports themselves, of course). As with the other sports corporate entities, it must be said that most of them are elements of corporate and capitalistic policy and incentivizing and, as such, are faaaaaaar from NFL-specific. Also, I'm beginning to believe that Mr. Snyder will have to change the name of the Redskins (I won't mention the Tomahawk Chop in Atlanta by the way in order to leave your beloved MLB out of it :) ). And, yes, it's about time that happens.
Well, I'm not so enamored with baseball after a Dodgers fan was killed in a fight in SF the other night. But yes, the Tomahawk Chop is quite offensive, although, to play the devil's advocate, at least Braves as a nickname is just the actual term from that society, and not a racist derogatory term imposed by oppressors. And you are right; I have let other sports off the hook for many, many, many distasteful practices, as you mention. Maybe I should break up with them as well. As for racism in soccer, yes, that is always distasteful.
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