Angry NFL Fans Lash Out, Burn Jerseys Over Protests: “You Can Take Your NFL And Shove It”, by Tyler Durden.
With all of the grandstanding and emotional reactions from the NFL over the weekend, the sport’s smartest executives seemingly proved that they have no idea they’re fighting a battle that simply can’t be won.
While it is clear as day to anyone who can disassociate themselves from the emotional response to being verbally attacked by a tweetstorm (as truly ‘terrifying’ as such a thing can be), the NFL doesn’t seem to understand that while almost every American can agree that football is a great sport, roughly 50% of them will vehemently disagree with whatever political stance any given player or league exec decides to publicly announce. And, since the NFL’s future depends on selling overpriced ad spots to massive corporations looking for a consistent number of eyeballs, alienating any group of viewers, for whatever reason, is just bad for business.
“You can take your Kansas City Chiefs and you can take your NFL and you can shove it.”
“Now, think about that and think about the millions a year that you people are making to play a game while we got soldiers overseas that get paid minimum wage to put their lives on the line for that flag.”
“Protest does not belong in our NFL sports. It’s a game.”
So, to all the NFL execs who can’t help but politicize their league, good luck with all those “make-good” advertisements that will come out of your own pockets when your viewership hits an inevitable dip over the coming weeks.
Virtue signaling works better when the targets of the PC scorn and derision aren’t there to hear themselves being dissed. But this time the virtue signalling is being played out in front of paying customers — who aren’t going to stand for it, let alone pay for it.
From a reader in the US:
Why is it so hard to understand that the actions by the players in kneeling are disrespectful? If you make the choice to be disrespectful, why should I be compelled to consider your point of view? Find a respectful way to make your points.
I listened to several media commentaries and they all supported the players. That is easy to explain. They are intimidated by today’s PC culture. If you criticize anyone who is black — no matter how relevant or valid your criticism — you will be labeled a racist. That is what saved Obama at critical comments. If you opposed him or said anything negative about his policies you were called a racist.
These protesting players are doing this while they are on the job. That means I am forced into participation when I turn on the TV. I resent that.
Political protests should play no part in sports. They should be unifying events and now they aren’t. I am not questioning that the players have a right to protest but let them do it on their own time when I don’t have to take part.
Last year the Dallas Cowboys wanted to honor the five assassinated policemen who were shot by a man inspired by Black Lives Matter. That would have been a respectful demonstration but the NFL, which is led by a liberal lawyer, denied it.
Is it too much to ask that on a Sunday afternoon I want to be entertained free from politics? If I am interested in politics there are other channels to watch. These days politics is 24/7.
If the NFL allows this to go on I hope it does hurt their bottom line. In the final analysis there is nothing important or vital about football. I will turn the channel if they keep it up.
hat-tip Charles
