Trump for MVP?

by with One Comment FeaturedNFLSports

We made it! We’re in our third week of 2021, and 2020 has not come back to life yet. 2020 was special and given I’m a sports fan, I could not wrap up 2020 without using a sports analogy. 2020 was a lot, and dozens upon dozens of events, people, and places made it special. And just like in professional sports, there are countless great players who turned in a great season, but there’s always one player who can stand out for a particular reason, that person being the most valuable person of the year. 

Before giving my MVP award for 2020, I wanted to give a backdrop to the thought process. 

We all know Peyton Manning, before Papa Johns and Nationwide Insurance commercials, was once a very good NFL Quarterback. Such a great Quarterback, that he was considered by some to be the 2011 MVP, which was not surprising for an eventual winner of five NFL Most Valuable Player awards. However, in 2011, Peyton Manning DID NOT play a single game. In the 2010 season, Peyton led his Indianapolis Colts to a 10-6 record clinching a then NFL record ninth consecutive postseason appearance. Coming into the 2011 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts were usual favorites to compete for a Super Bowl, mainly because of the reliant greatness of Manning. In the Spring of 2011, Peyton underwent a series of possible career-ending neck surgeries, given he was 35… the Colts released him. The Colts went 2 -14 without him. A record that gave the Colts the number one pick in which they drafted Andrew Luck. Peyton, he made out okay going to Denver and winning another Super Bowl. 

So it wasn’t Peyton Manning’s actual gameplay in 2011 that made him so valuable, it was what he DIDN’T DO (keep that in mind for later) that made him so great. If Peyton doesn’t get cut by the Colts, the Andrew Luck pick is now for my beloved Washington Football team to pick, and instead of Robert Griffen III, we get Andrew Luck. Denver doesn’t get Peyton and has to seek other QB options, meaning they don’t face the Panthers a few years later in the Super Bowl. And so on and so on. 

Get it??? So now for the actual 2020 part of the 2020 wrap up. 

Like it or not, Donald Trump was a major part of your life in 2020. Yes, Trump literally trumped every person, place, or thing that took place in 2020. 

Like the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head during the Vice Presidential debate, it took me a while to write a 2020 wrap-up. Just as never in history had a fly and a human-made contact and neither reacted to it, 2020 was simply that, a year in which events unfolded unlike never seen before. The lion share of those events centered around Covid-19 and only one person bears the most responsibility for the United States’ response to the virus… 

Trump. 

He’s the MVP of 2020, and here’s why.

Time magazine got it all wrong. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris should not have been selected as “person of the year.” This is not a slight against them, I voted for them. To be candid, it’s because the Biden/Harris ticket won primarily off the disastrous handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by Trump.

No way, Joe Biden… if “the safe government job you got out of college as opposed to taking that internship at MTV” were a person… even wins the Democrat nomination. The Democratic nomination seemed to be going the way of Progressives like Sanders and Warren; however, once COVID-19 and the dangers of both the virus and lack of leadership from Trump hit, most saw the only goal in 2020 was to vote out Trump. Whoever was most “fit” to make that happen, all who didn’t storm the US Capitol Building… really didn’t care who that was. 

As early as Feb 2020, Trump was made aware of the dangers of Covid-19 and decided, for political purposes, to ignore it. Granted, Trump has ignored any and all relevant issues since becoming POTUS, but 2020 was his Jay-Z’s Blueprint album. He went all out in a classic way… Trump ignored to address the problems of the nation in the areas of health, science, race relations, police brutality, the environment, immigration, energy… the list is too exhausting to continue. All of these elements led to a historic turnout amongst voters, Georgia going blue… twice! Sports arenas and courts dotted with “VOTE” and “BLM” messaging, just to name a few. Trump’s actions of 2020 have seemed to spawn a sense of activism and political awareness not seen since the 1960s. 

Post-election, Trump has acted like a true disgruntled employee. First, by making constant outlandish attempts to overturn the election. Trump and his Four Seasons Total Landscaping Rewards Member friend, lawyer, and hair color expert, Rudy Giuliani, made every attempt to overturn the election claiming fraud. Fraud in which no one on the Trump team could ever produce any sort of evidence proving there was fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election. 

Back to the Peyton and the 2011 Indianapolis Colts… Trump’s 2020 magnum opus year was a year like Peyton’s in 2011. Similar to Peyton never taking a snap in 2011 and it having ripple effects throughout the entire league for seasons to follow, Trump’s inability to lead has effected the entire country… particularly his inability to immediately respond to COVID-19 has led to more than 300,000 Americans dying and counting, not to mention a host of failed policies and procedures in which the ramifications will be felt for years to come. Who knows how different 2020 and the years to follow would have been if the dangers of COVID-19 were immediately addressed by Trump when he was first told.

And then there’s January 6, 2021. An event in which the 2020 MVP became the most dangerous hype man for. An event, at the most, was an outright Coup d’etat, and at minimum, a terrorist mob. An event that shows the 2020 MVP, may not play many games in 2021, but please believe he’s still got some sacks to deliver to the American people.

Similar Read: My Reaction to the Storming of Capitol Hill

IS KAEPERNICK THE NEW FACE OF CAPITALISM?

by with One Comment FeaturedNFLSports

While everyone is excited about Kaepernick being the new face of Nike, and rightfully so, we must realize the capitalism at play, and ask a pivotal question, what is Nike going to do regarding real change now that they stand to profit from Kaepernick’s Civil Rights protest?

But why would Nike attempt to profit from Kaepernick’s protest? Maybe supporting him and his protest was inevitable. After all, one of their biggest athletes in LeBron James has become more vocal on social issues. They can’t sway too far from his off-the-court mission, right? So despite the perceived controversy, why not sway towards it. As a publicly traded company (NKE), increasing shareholder value will ALWAYS be their number one priority. So odds are management wouldn’t make such a decision that could possibly threaten their revenue if they didn’t believe they could somehow flip it and capture the value they’ve sought to highlight and attach to their brand.

This is an interesting move by Nike considering Kaepernick is actively suing NFL owners for colluding to keep him out of the league, and they (Nike) just signed an 8-year extension to continue being the official sponsor for the NFL’s sideline apparel and game-day uniforms. If you’re Nike it sounds like a hell of a conflict. So why jump head first into this controversial issue?

A few reasons come to mind… 

#1 They truly agree with Kaepernick’s protest, and unlike most brands who are trying to avoid this issue, they realize their involvement at some point is inevitable, so why not be the first brand to get behind it?

#2 They realize the value and potential revenue that can be made from jumping behind this issue. They’ve calculated the risk or potential pushback by being the first brand to do so, and they’re willing to experience the short-term pain in return for long-term gain… or…

#3 Some weird combination of 1 and 2.

Whatever the reason might be, it’s done. Just remember, Nike is a public company (NKE). They don’t make moves without thinking about their shareholders, specifically how to increase shareholder value and ultimately maximize it. So while a publicly traded company in Nike has decided to recognize Kaepernick’s protest, I think we’re within bounds to question how genuine it is if they likely stand to profit from it, and more importantly… what are they going to do regarding real change specific to why Kaepernick decided to protest in the first place, police brutality and other injustices in the criminal justice system? Time will surely tell. 

What do you think? 

(On August 31, 2018, Nike’s stock closed at $82.20. Let’s see how their stock is doing in 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.) 

WALMART (NFL)… IT IS WHAT IT IS

by with 3 Comments NFLSports

“You might not admit it, but you’re going to Walmart within the next few weeks and it’ll probably be to get some items to watch an NFL game.” 

The NFL has the highest average attendance of all professional sports leagues in the world. Yes, even more than European Football Clubs. The Super Bowl is the most watched TV program in America, by a long shot. Backup quarterback Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles upset victory against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LII was watched by 103 million people. There are 320 million people in the United States, so roughly 30%, or 1 out of every 3 people in the U.S.,  watched the Super Bowl. The second most watched sporting event in America is The Olympics, which pulled roughly 30 million viewers, less than 1/3 the viewership of the Super Bowl. 

So yes… even with the debate over protesting, football being linked to permanent brain damage, viewership down, and youth participation down in American cities and towns… the NFL is still very popular and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Switching gears for a minute, Walmart has become the poster child for meager employee benefits and low wages. With that being said, they’re still the premier shopping destination in the U.S.… despite having 20,000 checkout lanes in every store and only 3 being open… despite the shame of being open everyday of the year except Christmas… and despite weekly videos on social media showing “Walmart shoppers” shopping in pajamas using motorized wheelchairs (when they’re not handicapped).

The premier shopping destination in the U.S.… how? 

Walmart’s business model is a relic of the past. It’s a big-box retailer that sells several products that have been linked to animal cruelty. They’ve promoted their social conservatism via the removal of certain magazines, and they’ve chosen to not sell certain artists records that they’ve deemed inappropriate. Approximately 70% of their employees leave within their first year, yet 1.4 million Americans receive a paycheck from them. Yes, 1.4 million people work for Walmart, and they have what we want… known products at the cheapest price. Most Walmart shoppers aren’t the grown women in SpongeBob pajamas like their advertisements suggest. Instead, it’s someone who needs to pick up some cereal or a phone charger, and they need to get all of these items in one place before traffic picks up again.

Everyone shops at Walmart, everyone, most just hate to admit it. 

Speaking of everyone… No other sport in the world has an unofficial holiday like the NFL with Super Bowl Sunday. No matter if you agree with the NFL protests, if you’re a fantasy football guru, or if you’re not totally sure Brett Favre doesn’t play anymore, you’re going to a Super Bowl Party.

Why is that?

Despite steps to make it a safer game, it’s inherently dangerous. The NFL protests have become as great of a contentious wedge issue in this country as abortion. The average career for an NFL player is roughly three years. (Do not be fooled by 41-Year-old Tom Brady, he’s not the norm.) The NFL Players union (the NFLPA) is easily the weakest in all professional sports. And like Walmart, it continues to lead the pack in its respective category.

How?

Well, a touchdown is still an awesome thing to watch. The excitement and buildup of a football game is unparalleled in any other sport. Inevitably, it’s simply a great game and gives an equally great feel. And no matter where you stand with Colin Kaepernick and the player protests, it simply won’t derail that feeling… especially with legal gambling being a thing.

So yes, Walmart and the NFL have a lot of work to do to get better… to better its workforce and public image. But both still provide a need, and unless that need is replaced, both will remain on top. Need proof? Like I insinuated above, Walmart is and will continue to be packed every year in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday, and you’ll most likely be one of their shoppers. 

Subscribe for free to receive similar content.