Thinking About the NFL

For John, BLUF:  Thinking about the NFL as a business.  A business with a bad business plan.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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I received this item from a friend via EMail.  Being EMail it is totally unreliable, but it has the feel of truth.

THIS DESERVES TO BE PASSED ON.

In 2009 the NFL Denied team ownership to Rush Limbaugh

In 2012 the NFL had an issue with Tim Tebow kneeling for each game to pray, they also had an issue with Tebow wearing John 3:16 as part of his eye-black to avoid glare, and made him take it off.

In 2013 the NFL fined Brandon Marshall for wearing green cleats to raise awareness for people with mental health disorders.

In 2014 Robert Griffin III (RG3) entered a post-game press conference wearing a shirt that said "Know Jesus Know Peace" but was forced to turn it inside out by an NFL uniform inspector before speaking at the podium.

In 2015 DeAngelo Williams was fined for wearing "Find the Cure" eye black for breast cancer awareness.

In 2015 William Gay was fined for wearing purple cleats to raise awareness for domestic violence.  (Not that the NFL has a domestic violence problem...)

In 2016 the NFL prevented the Dallas Cowboys from wearing a decal on their helmet in honor of 5 Dallas Police officers killed in the line of duty.

In 2016 the NFL threatened to fine players who wanted to wear cleats to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11. So tell me again how the NFL supports free speech and expression, all of a sudden...

It seems quite clear based on these facts that the NFL has taken a position against any action by NFL players demonstrating RESPECT for any issue:  For God, social causes such as mental health, cancer, domestic violence, for cops killed arbitrarily for being cops, for the Memory of 9/11...  But, they will allow demonstrations of DISRESPECT for our National Flag, our National Anthem, for America, and for the American People, if it will help mollify a particular Group and its supporters (such as BLM, and other leftists).  That is who and what the NFL has shown itself to be.

Let me be perfectly clear.  I will be watching the SuperBowl.  After all, it is the Patriots and the Eagles.  I would do it, if for no other reason, out of loyalty to the recently passed Mr James C Shannon, Jr.  But I would also do it because I live here in New England and I spent about ten years of my life in the Philly area.  I am committed.

But, I am committed to the game, not the NFL.  The NFL lacks any sense of what it means to be an America, notwithstanding its association with American Football.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff