Politics in Football, Sports in General

[K-9]

4 hours ago, BillnutinHouston said:

 

The idea that the military is "political" is interesting.  

 

Is the military conservative or liberal?  Before you answer, consider recent statements from Generals Colin Powell, James Mattis, John Kelly, and Admiral William McRaven.

 

 All the generals you listed are not military, they are retired military; civilians.  If they were still active military, they would all have been precluded from endorsing a candidate or criticizing. It is against military regulations to do so. 
 

[Bill from NYC]

I think it is cool for the National Anthem to be played before games, and think that nobody should kneel. If the owners decided to ban kneeling, I would be fine with it.

 

That said, if players want to and choose to kneel, it will not bother me enough to boycott the NFL. If kneeling causes certain players to get in the poor graces of their respective team owner and it ends up costing them in some way, I don't care about that either.

 

 

[Rob's House]

Bringing politics into sports just divides us further.

 

Sports is one thing that brings people of different backgrounds together. It's a unifying bond that allows people who may disagree on any number of things to find a common bond.

 

The problem for some is that when you bond with someone over a shared interest, you start to see their humanity. You realize that despite your differences, you are both decent people with families, feelings, passions, and dreams. If you talk to them long enough you may learn that your differences are quite nuanced based on a different interpretation of complex issues that are presented with cartoon-like simplicity in the political arena.

 

That would be unfortunate for the people who thrive on civil unrest. I think one thing we can all agree on is that the media loves to promote conflict and divisiveness. We may disagree on their motives, but we can all agree on that. This is just one more way to stoke the flames and drive us even further apart into our already disturbingly entrenched camps.

 

 

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, Rob's House said:

 

Sports is one thing that brings people of different backgrounds together. It's a unifying bond that allows people who may disagree on any number of things to find a common bond.

 

 

 

 

Yes and no.

 

How many fights have happened in the stands at games between 2 people that outside of the sports arena may have been friends or have a lot in common besides the teams they cheer for?

 

I have witnessed workplace incidents around sports...my main office is just outside of Foxboro, MA, and have seen people come there from out of town for meetings..have the conversation turn to sports...have it turn to an argument....and still to this day the people who argued there will not even acknowledge each other on conference calls.

[Alphadawg7]

7 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

You raised some good points AD but you are killing me with the bolded LOL!!!!! Great candidates? I beg to differ.

 

Hahaha, well great in comparison to what we got.  There a couple republican candidates that year i felt were quite interesting yet had zero chance.

[Putin]

1 hour ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Hahaha, well great in comparison to what we got.  There a couple republican candidates that year i felt were quite interesting yet had zero chance.

Yes ala Bernie Sanders vs Hillary Clinton (zero chance)

Edited June 11, 2020 by Putin

[HappyBillsFan]

I would like to post on this thread with stats and facts, but I am afraid I will get banned. Can this thread be moved to the PPP for all to engage in in-depth dialogue?

[TheCockSportif]

10 minutes ago, HappyBillsFan said:

I would like to post on this thread with stats and facts, but I am afraid I will get banned. Can this thread be moved to the PPP for all to engage in in-depth dialogue?

 

Why not just post stats then and let people draw their own conclusions?  I've seen PPP a couple of times, but *shudder*.

[HappyBillsFan]

3 minutes ago, Groin said:

 

Why not just post stats then and let people draw their own conclusions?  I've seen PPP a couple of times, but *shudder*.

I won’t say it’s from personal experience... but it is not tolerated. 

[GunnerBill]

6 hours ago, Rob's House said:

Bringing politics into sports just divides us further.

 

Sports is one thing that brings people of different backgrounds together. It's a unifying bond that allows people who may disagree on any number of things to find a common bond.

 

The problem for some is that when you bond with someone over a shared interest, you start to see their humanity. You realize that despite your differences, you are both decent people with families, feelings, passions, and dreams. If you talk to them long enough you may learn that your differences are quite nuanced based on a different interpretation of complex issues that are presented with cartoon-like simplicity in the political arena.

 

That would be unfortunate for the people who thrive on civil unrest. I think one thing we can all agree on is that the media loves to promote conflict and divisiveness. We may disagree on their motives, but we can all agree on that. This is just one more way to stoke the flames and drive us even further apart into our already disturbingly entrenched camps.

 

 

 

Politics is already everywhere in sport though. 

[HappyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Politics is already everywhere in sport though. 

Yes and No... it doesn’t have to be. 

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, HappyBillsFan said:

Yes and No... it doesn’t have to be. 

 

In theory it doesn't but in practice name me a multi billion dollar industry that is apolitical? There isn't one. 

[HappyBillsFan]

3 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

In theory it doesn't but in practice name me a multi billion dollar industry that is apolitical? There isn't one. 

In presenting a game, showing highlights, and talking about player’s performances/potential... there doesn’t need to be any politics. Just saying that everyone does it, so we should inject our point of view, is malarkey. 

 

[TheCockSportif]

2 minutes ago, HappyBillsFan said:

In presenting a game, showing highlights, and talking about player’s performances/potential... there doesn’t need to be any politics. Just saying that everyone does it, so we should inject our point of view, is malarkey. 

Yikes... are you looking for a sympathetic shoulder?!

 

No.  If I was looking for a sympathetic shoulder I wouldn't have joined.  So we're clear.

 

Whatever is stuck in your craw: post it.  Or start a thread in PPP.  If it's so bad that you know that you would get banned, then that's your answer.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Groin

[GunnerBill]

Just now, HappyBillsFan said:

In presenting a game, showing highlights, and talking about player’s performances/potential... there doesn’t need to be any politics. Just saying that everyone does it, so we should inject our point of view, is malarkey. 

 

Where are the politics in game highlights? 

 

And my point is you either think politics have no place, in which case you are naive or you are laisez faire and say allow it in, or you take the view a lot wish to take which is "only politics I agree with". 

[HappyBillsFan]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Where are the politics in game highlights? 

 

And my point is you either think politics have no place, in which case you are naive or you are laisez faire and say allow it in, or you take the view a lot wish to take which is "only politics I agree with". 

Congrats... you agree there are no politics in highlights. I knew you could do it

6 minutes ago, Groin said:

 

No.  If I was looking for a sympathetic shoulder I wouldn't have joined.  So we're clear.

 

Whatever is stuck in your craw: post it.  Or start a thread in PPP.  If it's so bad that you know that you would get banned, then that's your answer.

You almost had me, you stalwart detective! 

[NoSaint]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Where are the politics in game highlights? 

 

And my point is you either think politics have no place, in which case you are naive or you are laisez faire and say allow it in, or you take the view a lot wish to take which is "only politics I agree with". 

right. The most common aspect of all this isn’t I hate politics, it’s I don’t like being challenged. 

[stuvian]

what I liked about Kaepernick's protest was that he said nothing.He just kneeled and did his job. No one can rightfully claim he delayed the game. His protest was silent yet spoke volumes. 

 

I didn't have a problem with the Mexico CIty Olympics US track team flying the Black Panther salute. The US gov't was busy assassinating black leaders at that time.

[ChasBB]

The NFL and its franchises receive millions of dollars per year from the US military: https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/amount-money-military-gives-nfl.html/

 

It's such a good promotional opportunity for the military that I don't see the arrangement changing, but I would love to see the US military give the middle finger to the NFL and just end all of their promotional events and affiliations with NFL franchises until such time as the NFL takes a firm stand against protesting the American flag, the anthem and our nation.

 

I won't be attending or watching any games this season - not until the political BS stops.  Kinda bummed-out about that because the Bills have a promising team this season, but, at least for me, this feels like the right thing to do.  I've been a fan since the late 60's, so maybe a year away will be good while the NFL comes to the realization that they are destroying their own brand.  I'll likely still lurk around here, but not giving my dollars to the NFL in the form of tickets, merchandise or watching their paid television advertising - not this year.