Tag: NFL

While They Kneel …

Dateline October 9th, 2017

While a fraction of NFL players continue choosing to kneel as a protest to racial injustice and cases of police brutality during the singing of the national anthem, a majority of Americans find their actions repugnant, misguided or ill-timed. Many of these same “kneelers” have life experiences dramatically different from ordinary Americans who show the proper respect and courtesy to the national anthem and presentation of the flag. It is not lost on most Americans that the “kneelers” are living a privileged life playing a game earning millions of dollars every year. As a matter of fact the average salary for an NFL player is $2.1 million a year. The average American household income in 2016 was $55,775. This disparity is quite eye-opening, perhaps players should consider this fact.

Many of the kneeling players talk about using “their platform” to highlight this issue that Colin Kaepernick began (so much for putting the team first). But what they fail to realize or simply don’t care (at this point likely the latter), they are alienating their paying customers. People go to football games or watch football games on TV to … wait, wait, wait … to watch football! People don’t want players polluting the game with their various political causes or personal agendas. They want to be entertained and distracted from the challenges in their life by simply watching a game, un-politicized.  Players have a right to support causes and make statements as they see fit but the reality is they should be respectful of their fan base and not divide them through a lack of professional decorum during the national anthem or presentation of the national colors.

The NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has failed to lead. One would expect a much better performance from an executive making over $34 million annually. The NFL Executive Committee has failed to lead. Team ownership has failed to lead. The NFL brand is badly damaged. Locker rooms housing elite privileged millionaire athletes in their 20’s are running and ruining the league because the NFL is not enforcing its own rule requiring players to stand and show respect to the national anthem and flag. Fan viewership and attendance is down. Fan bases are burning team jerseys, turning off their TVs and reclaiming their Sundays. The mighty NFL has been sacked by their fan base ultimately because their fan base loves America and it appears the NFL does not.

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Pigs at the Trough

Dateline September 10th, 2016

“Regiment, Attention!” I have a message for you from Blackjack Pershing. Now pay attention. “Parade rest!”

The following cable was received from Blackjack earlier today. Message reads:

“I am coming at the Colin Kaepernick (CK) National Anthem debate from a different perspective. Many years ago an old school business executive I knew had a way of describing clueless entitled executives: Pigs at the Trough. While in most organizations it takes years for these creatures to evolve and emerge, it seems the NFL has developed a fool proof way of producing them quickly.

Over the last several years we’ve watched the classic Pigs at the Trough (PATT) model unfold, while Stan Kroenke and the NFL owners made fools of several cities like St Louis, competing to keep a failing franchise team in their town. In classic PATT mode, the owners met in secret and decided that self interest was once again in their best interest.

Now we have CK and others deciding to use their fame and national TV audience to make a statement and it fits the same pattern. By now you know the facts so they will not be repeated here. Other more logical options for CK to follow his conscience were obvious.

Go ahead and google ‘Colin Kaepernick house and cars’. See what comes up. We have a young individual that enjoys a privileged life style only available in the United States. Look at CK’s life narrative and try to imagine it happening anywhere else. Much more difficult. His story makes his ‘protest’ absurd by any logical standard.

Analysis: CK has everything but wants more. CK is over indulged. CK is enabled by sycophants playing to his biases. CK knows his career is likely in question due to failing performance. CK misses the attention he had when he was winning. CK needs more than the money, he needs attention and constant fame. CK wants to be important. CK has convinced himself he has a message that the rest of us need to hear. CK’s enablers have never given him a reality check. CK hasn’t checked his biases against statistics. CK is a Pig at the Trough, who has been given much but it will never be enough. Money, recognition and fame were not enough for this PATT. He has to have more. It’s more than ego. Its greed that goes way past money, although he may be setting himself up for speaking fees once his failing career finally comes to an that will sound like squeaking flatulence.

His enablers include the national sports media. The most recent and robust example might be the WSJ article by @jasongay that was a long and complicated 16 point justification for an illogical protest. Really? All that tortured rationalization for a PATT that was unable to string together several articulate sentences to talk through his actions after his first ‘protest’? There was a time when defending the un-defendable was left to government prosecutors.

His enablers also include a paralyzed culture of ethics at the NFL. From the top executive down to the coaches, the majority have not made any clear and pointed statements criticizing this behavior. See a recent summary here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/08/29/what-nfl-coaches-are-saying-about-the-colin-kaepernick-controversy/

Once again: Pigs at the Trough. And maybe these PATTS, the top executives, owners and coaches are the worst PATTS of all. The CK’s of the world are many; chowderheads that think their new found wealth also makes them a guru; NFL leaders should know better; they get paid to develop these kids into more than just players: responsible role models, if not just decent citizens. They don’t speak up due to the politically correct and corrupt culture of the NLF. They lack character and play it safe for the sake of their high incomes and notoriety. PATT’s of the first order.

While I am generalizing I will will admit there have to be good and decent players and leaders across the NFL. The question for fans is really how much can you put up with and for how long. While I have never been a huge football fan, I did pay attention to several teams and the post season. My interest is about zero right now. For those more passionate – what will you do as your country is denigrates? Just hope it gets better? Sadly, Pigs at the Trough are never satisfied. They just want more.

My advice: turn off the NFL. Get off the couch. Go outside. Let others know your disgust with this growing group of BIG FAT PATT’s.” End of Cable …

“Regiment, Blackjack has spoken. He has been heard. Heed his words.”

“Regiment, Attention! Sergeants Major, take charge of the Regiment.”

CSM, “Yes Sir!”

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