Tag: sports

But Mike Florio and the rest of the sports media is ignoring the fact that the fans have even more:

The next test comes when millions of fans who haven’t been paying attention to every twist and turn of NFL news witness for the first time the renewed anthem protests, the messages in the end zone, the names on the helmet bumpers, and react negatively to these gestures with insults and worse. The league needs to be ready to show the players that the league truly has their backs when the inevitable blowback comes.

The league can’t and won’t make everyone happy. It needs to be very concerned about making the players happy, because the players’ power includes boycotting games.

Technically, it would be an illegal wildcat strike. As a practical matter, the league would risk horrible P.R. and employee relations by taking the union to court to force players back to work and/or to recover compensation for money lost by scrapped games. Indeed, NFL executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent already has said that the players have the “right” to skip games over social justice matters.

And so the challenge for the league will be to convince teams like the Dolphins that it’s not just talk, and that the league and the owners are truly on board with them. There’s no middle ground, no fence to ride, no needle to thread. If the league isn’t with the players on this, the league necessarily is against them. Unlike ever before, the players realize that they do something about it far more tangible than protest during the anthem.

They can walk out.

Sure they can. But the fans can walk out too. Tens of millions already have. And unlike the players, when a fan walks out, his exit is infinitely sustainable. And no feeble attempts to shame the fans who are rejecting the convergence of the league is going to put one single dollar back in the NFL’s coffers.

It made no sense to boo. It wasn’t political in any way. But even an expression of unity has become political in this upside-down era of ours, because apparently everything must be viewed through a political lens, in the eyes of those who tolerate political viewpoints that mesh with their own but chafe in the face of any political viewpoints different than theirs as an invasion on their “escape” from having to deal with things that make them uncomfortable. So what about a plea for unity makes someone uncomfortable? And if someone is made uncomfortable by an expression of unity, doesn’t that say more about them than about the people striving for something so basic and fundamental? 

Of course it made sense. The players’ action was political. The fans understand perfectly well that the “expression of unity” was just another lie, just another thinly disguised assault on America, Western civilization and White people. And what that very public rejection by the fans who haven’t walked away from the NFL already says is that they are beginning to understand they are in a war on their culture, their society, and their civilization. Even shameless SJWs like Florio know they are in the minority; it’s not an accident that PFT is keeping the comments closed on every post that touches upon the social justice convergence of the NFL.

I didn’t watch one single moment of the Chiefs-Texans game. I didn’t watch a single moment of NFL-related opinion and analysis. I haven’t even read the box score or a single article on the actual game itself. It’s the first time in 45 seasons that is the case. And given what I have read about the game and the importance the media is placing on the crowd’s reaction to the political demonstration by the two teams, I’m very glad to have turned my back on the NFL. 

I am very far from the only one. And the sports media knows it, which is why at least one Sports Illustrated writer is worried about what the backlash they know perfectly well is coming will do to the league:

Today is when the blowback starts. Today is when owners tune in to their morning opinion channel of choice and ingest the inevitable and ridiculous response to Thursday night and how it is somehow, unquestionably un-American. What happens now? What happens if the boos persist? What happens if the polls shift? What happens when the wind changes? 

What happens is the league will eventually submit to its angry fans and ban all political expression by the players. The only question is whether it happens soon enough to prevent the 50 percent decline in TV ratings that is already underway.

 Even Packers fans now have cause to hate the Green Bay Packers.

I am very proud of our players and support their right to peacefully protest as they try to bring about meaningful change in our society. When players kneel, they are not disrespecting the flag or the country, but bringing attention to systemic racism and police brutality. Black Lives Matter is not a terrorist or Marxist organization, and I know that they are trying to bring an end to racial inequality. The NFL has decided to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (commonly referred to as the Black national anthem) as part of the broadcasts for all games in the first weekend.

– Mark Murphy, President and CEO, Green Bay Packers

As it turns out, BLM is, quite literally, an overtly Marxist organization founded by two Marxists.

The first thing, I think, is that we actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular are trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on, sort of, ideological theories. And I think that what we really tried to do is build a movement that could be utilized by many, many black folk.

– Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors

And even if you try to tune it all out, the sports media has no intention of letting you pretend it’s just a game or escape the social justice propaganda.

Stephanie Druley, executive vice president for event and studio production, said ESPN’s policy is to cover the anthem when it is newsworthy, and that the crew will not shy away from covering protests about social justice. “We don’t see the social justice movement as political; it’s social justice,” Druley said.

That’s all right, you say. I’ll just watch college football instead, you say. Yeah, so, about that:

The Big 12 is set to debut its 2020 fall football social justice campaign and commissioner Bob Bowlsby says that campaign will consist of players possibly on the field for the national anthem, public service announcements to run on stadium scoreboards and a social justice message on jerseys. According to ESPN, Big 12 players “will be wearing a social justice message on the front left of their uniforms, as well as a black Big 12-branded unity sticker on the back of their helmets.” 

They know you hate what they’re doing. Making you accept what they’re doing is the whole point. 

Yesterday, for the first time in 30 years, my fantasy football league drafted without me. They also drafted without the reigning league champion. 20 percent of the fantasy league left because we simply aren’t watching enough NFL football or paying enough attention to the rosters to be able to reasonably compete in the league anymore. Last year, I dropped my NFL GamePass subscription. This year, I don’t even know if I will watch a single game from start to finish because the politics have finally gotten too much for me to stand. And I am very, very far from alone in this regard.

The BLM cheerleaders in the sports media are talking bravely, as they usually do before the reports of declining ratings begin to appear. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk in particular is trying to talk himself into the idea that the NFL and BLM can stand up to President Trump and the widespread disapproval on the part of white football fans.

The NFL can’t simply wander into this crowded minefield without a plan for handling the inevitable explosions. Frankly, the plan needs to be to fight back. Supporting the players means more than simply saying, “We support the players.” Supporting the players means standing up to anyone and everyone who will try to bully or attack them.

At a time when some owners are trying to thread the needle regarding support for player protests while also hoping that they choose to stand for the anthem, the more awkward needle to be threaded with a big, fat camel relates to the broader notion of having their players’ backs while simultaneously cramming money into the President’s front pockets. The latest Trump (son) tweet reconfirms that support for players and support for the President cannot be reconciled.

If the NFL once again stands silent in the fact of a torrent of tweets and other attacks, the disconnect will become even more glaring.

Of course, despite the posturing, Florio appears to have a pretty good idea that NFL Week One is going to be a catastrophe. He shut down his comments on that post after only six had been posted. The NBA’s TV ratings are currently down 40 percent from just two years ago, so it’s not at all impossible that the NFL will soon find itself on a similar downward trajectory. In Corporate Cancer I noted that 2/20 and 10/50 appear to be the year/percent ratio pattern once an organization becomes fully converged.

Now, I have no sympathies for, and nothing in common with, the clumsy gammas who hate all “sportsball” because it reminds them of their low social status. It’s not at all good that America’s sports have been stolen from the very nation that created them; this is a sign of cultural defeat. But submission to and acceptance of that defeat is even worse, which is why it will be encouraging to see more and more NFL fans refusing to accept the SJW-NFL wearing the skinsuit of the sport that it once was.

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, I didn’t leave the NFL, the NFL left me.

UPDATE: It could be worse than anyone imagines, as this letter to Outkick indicates:

I’ve been part of a fantasy football league for the past 20 years with the same 9 guys. Fantasy Draft Day is the most fun day of the year – we all get together, away from the wives, drink, eat, and re-live the glory days. Needless to say, we’re all huge NFL fans. I recently sent an email, like I do each year, alerting the guys to the date and time of the upcoming fantasy draft. Much to my surprise, 7 of the guys are dropping out of the league and all of them cited the SAME reason – they’re tired of the NFL’s embrace of politics.

If you’re driving away 70 percent of your most hardcore fans, you’re in serious trouble. 

“A player, if he chooses, can have the name of a Black person wronged in a confrontation with police emblazoned on the back of his helmet. End zones will have “It Takes All Of Us” on one end line, “End Racism” on the other. Coaches and game officials will be able to wear patches on their cap with the name of a Black victim, or with one of four messages: “It takes all of us,” “Black lives matter,” “End racism,” “Stop hate.” As for the helmets, players can choose either a Black name or one of the four preferred phrases offered: “Stop hate,” “It takes all of us,” “End racism,” “Black lives matter.”
– Peter King

Embracing this social justice cause should totally help with all those soon-to-be-former fans who were infuriated by the league and the teams kowtowing before the anthem kneelers. Or should that be Anthem Kneelers?

“We’re in a different sporting world, and for all those who want people in the NFL to stick to sports, you’re going to have to watch—and listen to—a different game this year.”

They’re going to have to watch? Wanna bet? I can only speak for myself, but I’m out.

This is why owners should crack down hard on protesting players and league employees. Neither the league employees nor the players actually harbor any genuine respect whatsoever for people expressing their beliefs, if those beliefs happen to be different than their own politically correct propaganda.

Real Salt Lake owner Dell Loy Hansen said he felt “disrespected” by his players after they made the decision to not play against LAFC on Wednesday.

The club opted to sit out Wednesday’s MLS contest in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wis.

Real Salt Lake and LAFC decided not to play as a show of solidarity with NBA, WNBA and MLB teams who also opted to protest racial injustice.

“All I can say is they supported other issues nationally; they clearly did not support our city or our organization,” Hansen said on Wednesday. “It’s a moment of sadness. It’s like somebody stabbed you and you’re trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward. That’s what it feels like. The disrespect is profound to me personally.”

Hansen and Real Salt Lake recently brought 40 employees back into the organization following a slate of furloughs in April. But Hansen said that decision may be reversed after Wednesday’s strike.

“We will not be inviting fans back to the stadium in the future, so tomorrow. …I start cutting 40 to 50 jobs again,” Hansen said. “We would not go through the risk of inviting people back to have that kind of an outcome.”

A Thursday report from The Athletic detailed Hansen’s history of racist comments since he took over as Real Salt Lake’s owners. MLS issued another statement in response to this story, announcing its intentions to investigate the matter.

“We are deeply concerned about the allegations made in a report published this evening concerning language used by and the conduct of Dell Loy Hansen. Major League Soccer has zero tolerance for this type of language or conduct and will immediately commence an investigation.”

The MLS Players’ Association released a statement in response to The Athletic’s story, calling Hansen’s remarks “sickening” and demanding Hansen be forced to sell the team if the allegations are substantiated.

We’re supposed to believe that anti-American beliefs are not only acceptable, but laudable, while simply preferring your own kind is justification for violating your property rights.

There is absolutely no place for social justice in any civilized society. Social justice is intrinsically anti-Western. Don’t respect it, don’t compromise with it, and don’t tolerate it.

The inmates genuinely believe they are running the asylum:

The entire NBA season is currently at risk of being cancelled, with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers both reportedly voting to boycott the remainder of the 2019- 2020 season as a way to protest police brutality and racial injustice.

The chaos began Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks announced that they would not take to the floor for their afternoon game against Orlando Magic.

The Bucks’ decision forced the NBA to also postpone two other games scheduled for Wednesday evening.

The move threw the season’s playoffs into disarray, and an 8pm players meeting was called to discuss how to move forward.

According to The Athletic reporter Shams Charania, the closed-door talks were extremely tense, with teams unable to find consensus on how to continue with the rest of the season. They lasted for three hours.

The Lakers and Clippers allegedly voted to boycott all remaining games, while most other teams voted to continue.

According to Charania, NBA star Udonis Haslem ‘spoke to the room and essentially asked how the season would continue without the Lakers and Clippers. LeBron James then walked out. The rest of Lakers and Clippers exited behind him.’

One veteran sportscaster told ESPN that the entire basketball season is now ‘in jeopardy’.

This is hilarious. What a brave and stunning move by LeBron James! It certainly couldn’t happen to a nicer league.

If we’re really fortunate, this may inspire the NFL players to shut down their workplace as well, given that the NFL Commissioner Goodell has been kowtowing to the league’s Negros almost as obsequiously as the NBA’s Silver.

PAC-12 and the rest of the NCAA to follow soon, I expect:

The Big Ten has voted to cancel the 2020 college football season in a historic move that stems from concerns related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple people with knowledge of the decision confirmed to the Free Press.

The sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the decision. A formal announcement is expected to Tuesday, the sources said.

The presidents voted, 12-2, Sunday to end the fall sports in the conference. Michigan and Michigan State — which both has physicians as presidents — voted to end the season, sources said. Only Nebraska and Iowa voted to play, Dan Patrick said on his radio show Monday. 

And this will help considerably with regards to popping the higher education bubble:

At stake is at least $4.1 billion in fiscal-year revenue for the athletics departments at just the 50-plus public schools in the Power Five conferences — an average of more than $78 million per school — a USA TODAY Sports analysis of schools’ financial reports to the NCAA shows. That’s more than 60{4e01b0bc4ab012654d0c5016d8cbf558644ab2e53259aa2c40b66b3b20e8967d} of these schools’ combined total annual operating revenues, based on amounts reported for the 2019 fiscal year.  

While I hate Juve with a passion that is only exceeded by my loathing for Manchester United, I have nothing but respect and admiration for their relentless expectations of excellence. The Italian champions just fired their second manager in two years for the crime of only winning the Serie A title.

Juventus fired coach Maurizio Sarri on Saturday after his first season in charge ended with the team’s Champions League exit. Despite winning the Italian title, Sarri paid the price for the round-of-16 loss to Lyon on Friday.

“The club would like to thank the coach for having written a new page in Juventus’ history with the victory of the ninth consecutive championship, the culmination of a personal journey that led him to climb all the divisions of Italian football,” the team said.

Serie A success won’t be enough for the club’s gamble to be validated, given that it’s won nine straight domestic titles, and the last two have been followed by managers hitting the exit. Champions League success is the ultimate goal, and since Cristiano Ronaldo was acquired from Real Madrid two years ago to help Juventus return to Europe’s summit, its Champions League performances have ended in a quarterfinal exit under Massimiliano Allegri and a last-16 exit under Sarri.

This relentless and remorseless pursuit of excellence is the philosophy that I hope to inculcate in Castalia, in Unauthorized, in Infogalactic, in the LLOE, in my own writing, and in every other project in which I am involved.

And it’s fascinating to see Andrea Pirlo who was a brilliant manager on the field for the Mondiale-winning Azzurri as well as six Seria A-winning teams, ascend to the highest level of club football management. It will be interesting to see if Il Maestro’s on-field skills translate effectively to the sidelines or not.

It looks as if there will be no NCAA football this fall:

The MAC was the first domino. And it may end up being big enough to knock the other ones over. Multiple reports indicate that college football season will be scrapped within the week.

I would anticipate that if the NCAA season is canceled, the NFL season will soon follow suit. Fortunately, thanks to the SJWs, little of value will be lost.

I wouldn’t have even thought it was possible to SKI down K-freaking-2!

A super-athlete’s mission become the only person to ever descend the world’s most dangerous mountain on skis has been turned into a feature length documentary.

In 2018, Andrzej Bargiel made history when he clicked into his bindings 28,000 feet up the side of K2 in Pakistan and didn’t once take them off until he was safely off the mountain. Following a treacherous 60-hour ascent without supplemental oxygen, the Polish mountaineer had to make his way back down ‘as quickly as possible’ to escape the notorious ‘death zone’ above 8000m (26,200ft).

He then dodged ice falling ‘at the speed of bullets’ to reach the Messner Traverse, a barely-climbed narrow route with deep caverns on either side, and on to the crevasse-filled Kukuczka-Piotrowski route back to base camp.

Don’t ever count Europeans out. They aren’t just crazier than you think, they are crazier than you imagine.