Kareem Hunt and the Power of Belief

by with No Comment FeaturedSports

The short story, “The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether” by Edgar Allan Poe, appeared in the November 1845 issue of Graham’s Magazine. Most literaries wouldn’t cite it as one of their favorites, but it did produce one of the most famous cliche lines ever… “Believe nothing you hear and only one half that you see.” That line was delivered by the head of a private hospital for the mentally ill, which also happens to be the setting of the story. Simply, he was referring to the gossip of others. The head of the institution attempts to place wisdom into one of the patients who is unsure of who to trust and what to believe because of gossip in the hospital.

A combination of opinions, bias, fear, and a host of other elements play into who and what we believe… and the recent Kareem Hunt incident is no different. 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard and/or seen the viral video of Kansas City Chiefs star running back Kareem Hunt shoving and then attempting to kick a woman in a hotel hallway. There should be no debate on what we all saw in the video… but… like with everything else, what some believe will determine the fate of Mr. Hunt and if he should ever be allowed to play in the NFL again. 

For a long time, major historical events have been captured on film. Viewing historical events creates takeaways, takeaways generally aligned with preconceived notions and beliefs. When belief is placed ahead of facts and logic, the results can be terrifying. Not sure what I’m referring to? Well let’s go down memory lane and look at a few historical events in which the video recording clearly showed one thing, yet the aftermath and subsequent events did not fall in line with the recording. 

  • Rodney King beating by five members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The 1991 video recording still wasn’t enough to convict the police officers of excessive force. The jury did not believe the five White officers used race when factoring in the beating of King, instead of following LAPD protocols. 
  • From the mid-1990s until the end of the 2000s, the United Nations sent weapons experts to inspect and determine if Iraq had any weapons of mass destruction. Despite numerous reports AND video recordings of the inspectors showing no signs of active production of weapons of mass destruction, the George W Bush Administration double-downed on its belief that Iraq was linked to sponsoring terrorism against the United States and that it would provide terrorist organizations WMD’s, thus justifying an invasion of Iraq. Thousands of lives lost, billions of dollars spent, and many many many years later, NO such WMD’s have ever been found.
  • We’ve seen this countless times before with police shootings, and the all lives matter crowd famously pushing back with “we weren’t there” and “we don’t know all the facts yet.” Responses designed to circumvent the racial elements in questionable police shootings and to uphold the belief that if the person would have obeyed commands, stated their blood type, and recited the alphabet backward… the victim would still be alive today.

As we can see, those with the ability to control the outcome of incidents will do so to favor and confirm their beliefs. 

Now back to Hunt… 

The video showing Hunt assaulting a woman drums up the infamous Ray Rice video in which he assaulted his then fiancé in a casino elevator. After the offseason altercation with his fiancé, Ray Rice started the following season suspended; however, during his suspension, the casino elevator video was leaked by TMZ. The imagery of Ray Rice knocking out his fiancé was too much to be unseen, and Rice never played in the NFL again. That video forever changed the consequences of domestic violence in all sports, a change welcomed by all if applied appropriately.

Hunt’s fate is still unknown at this point; however, the circumstances should be viewed differently. Hunt’s assault wasn’t domestic, which isn’t and shouldn’t be viewed the same. Hunt’s assault was the result of racial slurs from the woman who also attempted to strike him. The suspension and release of Hunt from the Kansas City Chiefs right after the video leaked is valid. Having consequences for conduct unbecoming of a professional athlete is warranted and necessary. However, the beliefs and preconceived notions behind seeing a 5’11 200-pound Black man striking a 5’3 135-pound White woman is one that will probably place longer and harsher punishment on Hunt than it should. Hunt deserves punishment of some sort, and after such punishment, he should be allowed to play in the NFL again, obviously with strict guidelines regarding his off-field behavior. Anything more than that is a slap in the face of fairness.

Kaepernick… Scam or Sale?

by with No Comment FeaturedSports

“Any calls for Colin Kaepernick to play quarterback again should be given the classic “who dis” response.” 

The quarterback position is the single most important position in all of team sports. The performance of a quarterback sets the tone for winning. Find me a team that’s winning and has a chance to win it all, and you’ll easily find a high performing quarterback.

At any given time during an NFL season at least a dozen teams will be in the need for a starting quarterback. And that need is based on two very simple factors: health or performance.

Since last season there’s been one quarterback waiting for a call that will never be made. That quarterback would easily be an upgrade at starting quarterback for at least half of the National Football League’s 32 teams. Of course, I’m talking about Colin Kaepernick. 

As someone who is a strong Kaepernick fan for both his playing abilities and being the originator of the recent NFL player protests, my opinion is different than most regarding his push and desire to re-enter the league. My position: (at this point) Kaepernick should not answer a call from a team considering to sign him. 

To be clear, I fully support Kaepernick’s collusion lawsuit against the NFL. But for two simple reasons, I would rather not see him play again.

Health… 

Back in 2015, Kaepernick had his season cut short due to injury. He still played in 2016 which was his last season in the NFL, but it was clear he hadn’t fully recovered. Kaepernick is still only 31 years old, ten years younger than starting quarterback Tom Brady. With almost two years away from football, the absence of the physical toll on his body should have him at 100 percent. But why risk any injury by lining up underneath center again? Those who may have a vendetta against Kaepernick, coaches and players, might embark on a targeting plan against Kaepernick to hurt him with a vicious hit. Just 6 years ago the Saints were exposed for Bountygate, which was a system under Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams where players were rewarded for injuring opposing players. Like I said, Kaepernick should not risk his health. 

Legacy… 

As of today, Kaepernick’s career spans six seasons that produced over 12,000 passing yards and 70 touchdowns. His numbers should remain intact to continue shaming NFL teams and give credence to his collision suit. Since the 2016 offseason, the quarterbacks signed to active rosters range from players who threw for as many yards as I did in college (spoiler I never played college football) to a guy who led his team to an 0-16 record. Yes, for the non-football fans reading this, that quarterback’s team didn’t win a game the entire season when he was the starting quarterback; yet, he was given another try.  

Lastly, it will inevitably take some time to get used to the speed of the game, which could hinder his initial comeback. Kaepernick looks great in a t-shirt and shorts tossing the ball 50 yards, but there’s no simulating the speed of an NFL game. Every single incomplete pass, interception, fumble, failed 3rd conversion, etc., will be highlighted by his very large and influential enemies. I don’t want to give them the pleasure. 

Kaepernick should continue what he’s doing… fighting his case and taking part in the social changes he kneeled for in the first place. His NFL history is written and remains respectable. Unlike his first career in the NFL, he totally controls his second career. And he won’t have to worry about wearing a helmet and shoulder pads to do it. 

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. 

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An Argument To Respect Omarosa?

by with One Comment PoliticsTrump AdministrationWomen's Rights

Should every citizen in this country be offended by the President when he calls a woman a dog?  A Black woman at that, considering the deep history of racism in this country when African-American’s were often referred to as animals in an attempt to degrade and further dehumanize them?  Minus the fringe, most would say yes… we should all be offended.

But this isn’t the first time he’s called a Black woman a dog, a female dog, aka a b***h. In the literal sense, he called hundreds of Black women dogs when he referred to NFL players as “sons of bitches” for deciding to take a knee in protest during the National Anthem.  In the ongoing debate of whether we should take Trump’s comments and tweets literally or figuratively, the media completely missed or ignored his NFL SOB comment as disrespect to their mothers, who all happen to be Black women. Perhaps it’s the American culture of sexism that seems to permeate all groups and often forgets women’s rights, especially women of color.

Despite the early morning tweet attacking Omarosa, which many would call sexist and racist, it’s hard to defend her.  Over the past two decades, she’s built a reputation on being arrogant, extremely rude, and overly confrontational toward anyone who has criticized Donald Trump.  It’s especially hard to defend her if you’re a person of color who doesn’t identify with the current Administration and their policies. In many circles, she’s considered a “sell-out”, and despite the lip service, she’s been cast away as someone who does not have the Black community’s best interest at heart.

And let’s be honest, it’s hard to believe Omarosa’s recent epiphany in realizing Trump is a racist and a bigot. Because for nearly 20 years of knowing him well, including 3 appearances on The Apprentice and her short stint in the White House, she adored him, publicly praised him, and vehemently defended him at every turn.

So for many people, regardless of how sexist, racist, or cruel the tweet might’ve been, they’ve made up their mind that Omarosa is not worth their time or effort. Can we blame them? Truly an important question considering America’s current political climate. Is it possible to remove our disdain for a person and recognize the bigger picture, which is that despite many of Omarosa’s past comments and actions proving to be detrimental and harmless, does she deserve respect and decency? After all, she’s a woman, a Black woman… just like the mothers of those NFL players Trump was referring to when he attacked them and their sons nearly a year ago.

“Every critic will have to bow down to President Trump.”  

One-Sided (Foolish) Loyalty

by with One Comment Featured

Jackie Robinson and Muhammed Ali probably rolled in their graves after hearing Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott speak about the national anthem debate…

“We’re the Dallas Football Cowboys, America’s Team. We stand for the national anthem.” – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys starting running back

You work you’re entire life to fulfill a childhood dream – a dream that less than 1% get to live. You get there, you realize the average shelf life for said career is 3 years, so you focus on staying healthy and doing the best you can in arguably the most competitive sport in the world. Most people get that.

But read a book, watch a documentary, realize your pro football opportunity is possible because of your athletic ability. That athletic ability, which allows you to run fast, jump high, and throw a ball 70 yards was gifted to you by God or whomever you believe in, not Jerry Jones. Jerry does sign your checks, correct… but let’s hope those checks last long beyond your NFL career. Let’s hope if or when one of you gets hurt (because the injury rate in the NFL is 100%), that Jerry returns the loyalty during your contract year when you’re trying to get paid. Let’s also hope he’s just as loyal when you have a bad statistical season… and there’s a talented rookie who’s making rookie minimum in comparison to your millions, and fans are calling for him to replace you, which would make room in the cap for younger/cheaper players, or better free agents.

The business of professional sports is brutal, and history tells us Jerry won’t be as loyal. Just look at recent history… the Celtic’s had no problem shipping Isaiah Thomas out of town, and you could make the argument that his career has went downhill ever since. How about DeMar DeRozan? Despite being in his prime, being the all-time leader in several statistical categories for the Toronto Raptors, and literally putting that team on his back, they had no problem sending him to San Antonio. (At least NBA players can rely on guaranteed contracts.)

But why such one-sided loyalty? Are these athletes that young, naive, or that beholden to the lifestyle and income that they’re willing to say and do whatever it takes to stay there, or not upset ownership? Maybe it’s all of the above, or maybe it’s something else.

Either way, Jackie Robinson, Muhammed Ali, and countless others who risked their lives and paved the way for guys like Dak and Ezekiel to play in these pro leagues and sign such lucrative contracts, deserve better.

You Can’t “Uninvite” Us, We Weren’t Coming

by with No Comment FeaturedSports

The Philadelphia Eagles, like any professional sports team that wins a World Championship, were invited to the White House to celebrate their accomplishment. As a team with vocal players like Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Long, it came as no surprise that many of them chose not to attend the event, scheduled for today. When President Trump was made aware of the low team attendance that was expected, despite the fact that several Eagles publicly stating that they wouldn’t attend shortly after winning the Super Bowl, he “rescinded” his invitation citing the Eagles’ dislike of the NFL’s new national anthem policy.

Related: Anthem Penalties: We Are Who We Thought They Were

In the White House statement, Trump again associated standing for the national anthem with patriotism and respect for the military. It is unclear whether he is just too narrow-minded to understand the full depth of the issue, or if he just doesn’t care and sees this matter as a win for his base. Either way, he conveniently ignores why the players were kneeling during the national anthem last season, which was in protest to social injustice and police brutality (not to mention that the Eagles’ players did stand for the anthem every game last season). While Trump likes to argue that these men do not care about their country, a strong argument could be made that they actually care more about their country than he does because they recognize injustice and are actively working to address it and make positive changes.

Trump has made it clear that he does not have the ability to understand things past their face value. The Eagles decision not to attend, prior to being “uninvited,” is a sign that they’re doing something right as a group, which has proven to be active in combating social injustice in America. I hope to see them continue to speak up and support causes they believe in, regardless of the bullying tactics that Trump uses to discourage positive discourse.

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Anthem Penalties? They Are Who We Thought They Were

by with No Comment Featured

Don’t let em off the hook. 

We’ve all seen it and laughed each time we watched it. I’m referring to the classic line, “The Bears are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!”, press conference rant by the late great NFL head coach Dennis Green. To recap, Coach Green was referencing his Arizona Cardinals blowing a 4th quarter lead vs the top team in their conference, and eventual Super Bowl-bound Chicago Bears. Chicago was down 20 and made a great comeback to win the game, one of the greatest in the regular season.

Related: [2017 In Review] Kaepernick Vs. The NFL… The LCR Responds…

Keeping with the NFL theme, this week the 32 NFL owners and commissioner Rodger Goodell have concluded players must stand for the playing of the national anthem or face punishment.

The particulars of how the rule should be implemented and the corresponding penalties haven’t been mapped out just yet. And though owners and commissioner haven’t consulted the NFLPA (NFL Players Association) with this ruling, they did state if players did not want to stand they could wait in the locker room. See, that was nice of them.

And this is where the Dennis Green reference comes into play. The NFL owners are who we thought they were. Yeah yeah I know some owners have come out and stated they would pay the fines of their players. Some owners have expressed they believe in the players’ right to protest, and others are somewhere in between, reluctant to order players to stand but concerned about the bottom line… money.

These expressions come from a collective of owners whose average age is 70, that’s the average… 70. They make Congress look like Freshman orientation. They’re ALL billionaires and ALL except Shahid Khan are White. In other words, they literally have nothing in common with their employees, the players. And they don’t care to have anything in common. As Dennis Green said, “we let them off the hook” and the NFLPA is on the verge of doing so if they let the owners get away with enacting such a draconian rule without their consent and input.

The NFLPA must not allow the narrative to be spun around as if the players have presented a problem with kneeling during the anthem to protest injustices against Black people in America. They must not allow the virtually lost point of the protests, that they have NOTHING to do with the American flag or anthem directly. It has everything to do what the protests were about. If the protests were for cancer, the storyline would have lasted a week and nothing else would have been said about it.

The owners are exactly who we think they are. They’re a bunch of super rich old men who have allowed the national anthem protests to empower and transform the role and importance of players, specifically Black players. They want that power back, not to mention they completely disagree with why the protests started in the first place. The NFLPA once had a lead with the protests and now the owners are staging a comeback. Don’t allow the owners to come back and snatch victory away in the fourth quarter. The stakes are too high.

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NFL Owners Cave to Trump… “Show Respect”

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

You can tell me where to line up. How to defend a certain play. Even what I should eat before a game. All that falls under what we call “coaching,” and the NFL probably does more of it than any other professional league. But when the NFL, or any organization in America for that matter, starts telling their employees what and who they should respect; as Americans, we should all question them and the current state of our country that makes anyone think it’s acceptable to render such a “rule.” This is America, and in America, it’s our right to stand… or not.

In 2018, the fact that our government, our institutions, or an employer, regardless of how powerful they might be, can make such demands is troubling. Times change, and democratic nations must make sure that change is always progressive and inclusive.

The NFL owners are a wealthy-predominantly-white-older-group of men. To say they lack diversity is an understatement. More than 70% of their players are Black, but it’s clear they didn’t consider their opinions, or consult their Union, prior to voting on this issue.

There’s only one reason for such a ruling. And believe it or not, it started at a Trump rally in rural Alabama. Yup, Donald Trump has done it again. The seeds he sowed months ago by rallying his base over this non-political issue and calling NFL players sons of bitches, has now blossomed and come to fruition. Despite many NFL owners being caught on tape at recent meetings criticizing Trump for his comments regarding their league and players, they’ve essentially caved to his far-right isolationist demand.

“All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.”

…That’s the language released from the league office this morning.

Show respect for the flag and anthem. Because in America, we now threaten your employment and income if you choose to exercise your constitutional right.

But… there’s an exception… Players will not be required to be on the field during the anthem. So say 45 of the 53 active players decide to stay in the locker room week after week during the anthem, and Trump gets back on his bullhorn to criticize them and the owners for allowing them to do so via their new rule, should we expect the owners to be strong and not cave in this time? Probably not.

Gotta love strong-arm patriotism that ignores constitutional rights.

[Expect LCR Contributors to weigh in.] 

Eagles Decline the White House

by with One Comment FeaturedSports

This past week Philadelphia sport fans have been celebrating the city’s first Super Bowl Championship, FINALLY! Along with post-win celebration comes, usually, the invitation to the White House. Some Eagles players have already publicly stated that they have no intention of going, and that’s their right.

The notion that teams or team members who respectfully decline the White House are anything but respectfully allowed to do so, is misguided frustration about ideas of tradition, patriotism, racism, and a variety of other ‘isms. Citizens can be critical of the country or unsupportive of the president and still love, respect, and support the country, as well as respect the office of the president. These ideas are not mutually exclusive.

They have every right as a team to decline the invitation. Their decline was respectful, and they’re are allowed to say no. Respect for anyone, even the president, does not mean acquiescing to every request and whim.

Response: Tell us what you think! Should sports teams be able to decline White House invitations?