We Need to Talk About the NFL National Anthem Protests

There was a ton of things that happened in the sports world this weekend, and I will cover it all this week. But today, I have to talk about the biggest thing, and that was the mass protests prior to kickoffs at all the NFL games this weekend.

I LOVED all the protests that happened. When that moron came out and called Colin Kapernick a "son of a bitch" at a rally in Alabama, that was one of the lowest marks in American history. This golfing oaf goes to one of the most racist states in America, holds a rally, which is insane, and calls out an African American that was using his free speech better than most. I thought that was going to set all social media ablaze, but after Steph Curry said that he wouldn't visit the White House, after KD and Andre Iguodala had already said the same, that dip shit says some of the most childish shit I have ever heard. He "rescinded" the invite before it was even given out, and he took to Twitter to do it.

First off, cancel this douchebag's Twitter account. People have been thrown off Twitter for much, much less. All this orange piece of human garbage does is incite hate on your website. Suspend his account. And like a child that has been told that a friend of his or hers is not coming to party and says, "I didn't want them here anyway", that is exactly what this asshole, racist blob of flesh did. He is the mean guy or girl from high school. He is the frat boy that gets upset when he gets rejected and talks behind that person's back. He is the guy at your job that NO ONE wants to hang out with. He is THE WORST.

I was so happy to see all the love and support that Steph Curry got from athletes and all other people across the world. Everyone was stomping on the monster that presides, when he isn't golfing or staying at one of his tacky ass hotels, in the White House. A lot of athletes came to Curry's defense, but LeBron's was the best. He called him a "bum", and said, "it was an honor to come to the White House until you got there". He dunked all over that hateful piece of trash. It was glorious.

After the big time backlash for pulling the invite, later in the day, the UNC men's basketball team that won the tournament last year also declined their invite. Woo Hoo! Again, I was thrilled. This horrible person in office craves the support and attention from athletes, and they are spitting in his face, and I couldn't be happier. The Pittsburgh Penguins had to be the one downer, saying they'd go to the White House, but then I remembered that hockey is stupid and filled with idiotic white guys. No one cares about hockey or NASCAR or any white trash sport. The fact that the NFL, NBA and now even the MLB are coming out against this "administration" is truly great. With all the Steph Curry and LeBron James and the NBA making statements saying that they will not only accept, but stand behind people that protest, I was very happy.

Then the whole "son of a bitch" stuff came back up. After that failed business man attacked Curry and James, again on Twitter, he said some BS about any player that "kneels during the anthem should be suspended or fired", I was so stoked to see the response. I had to work yesterday, but I was able to follow all the anthem protests via my phone, and boy were they plentiful. The Ravens and Jags started off the day with the majority of the players kneeling during the anthem. We were off to a great start. Then, the Steelers upped the ante, by all of the players, excluding one veteran, staying in the locker room for the anthem. From there on out, it was a sea of players sitting, kneeling or locking arms. Hardly anyone had their hands on their hearts during the anthem. Again, I was so happy to see these millionaires taking a big, big stand. Even guys like Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers participated in the protests. This was great. After a ton of NFL players took to Twitter to bad mouth the guy Russia got to be "president", they took to the field and showed their solidarity for each other, and protested this hateful and hurtful "government". Hell, even Robert Kraft, Shad Khan and Rex Ryan came out and chastised this oaf, and they all supported him.

As I stepped back and watched and was thrilled at what I was seeing, I did have a few things that crept into my mind that I wished had happened in addition to the mass protests. I wanted every NFL player to kneel. I'm fine with the locking of arms, and I love the sitting down, but I wished every single player took a knee. That would have been awesome. I was also upset at ESPN for giving Rex Ryan a lane to talk abut someone that he supported, but they tried to drag Jemele Hill's name through the mud for saying the same things on her personal Twitter account. They can't just pick and choose when they want someone to do what they say. And a little part of me wanted all the teams to protest like the Steelers. That would have been amazing. But all in all, I was very happy with what I saw yesterday from the NFL, for the most part. People always say, "don't mix sports and politics", but now is the perfect time to do this. Sports figures are more famous than ever, and they hold a ton of weight with younger generations. I love that they are showing young kids that it is okay to rebel against what most of the country considers a hurtful, hateful, racist, homophobic and Islamophobic "government". I've been incredibly embarrassed to be an American for 8 months now, but with these athletes, owners and commissioners coming to the support of their players yesterday, it was a step in the right direction.

Lets keep it up. Lets keep fighting. With good people making good choices and fighting for the right things, we can be better. Hell, we could even return to some kind of normalcy if we keep fighting the injustices that the current "government" keeps trying to push on us. Lets keep getting our voice out there. Keep protesting and keep fighting.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. For the very first time in his entire sports writing life, he is on the same side as Roger Goodell. Trump is so bad that he made Ty and Goodell agree on something.

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We Need to Talk about the Awesome Jemele Hill

Respect it all, or not at all

ESPN is in the news once again for being shallow, callous, timid and stupid.

Jemele Hill had the right to tweet whatever she wanted to the other day, and for ESPN to come out and apologize on her behalf was an absolute joke. Hill is right. That monster, and monsters, that are currently in Washington right now are the biggest bunch of racist assholes that may have ever been in office. And yes, I'm counting the people that were in the government in the 19th and early 20th century. What we have in office right now is a terrifying group of horrendous racists, homophobes, yes men and women, people who will not chastise and condemn white supremacists, people who want to roll back long lasting Title IX laws. Basically, we have the scum of the Earth trying, and failing, to run this country. These morons are more interested in denying climate change, claiming that there is fault on both sides when talking about Nazis and trying to fatten their own pockets. This current "government" has no clue.

So yes, I stand with Jemele Hill. She can say whatever the hell she wants when she goes on her own personal Twitter account. I don't care that she is a Michigan State grad, she was using her free speech and ESPN decided they needed to chastise her. This is horrendous. Why do they constantly do stupid stuff like this? Is it the fact that Hill is a big time face of the network now, and she is even bigger when it comes to football? Most definitely.

ESPN is so in the bag with the NFL and the owners that they will not let anyone that talks about football say one bad thing about the higher ups. Look at what happened to Bill Simmons when he called out Roger Goodell. The same Roger Goodell, when asked about Colin Kaepernick, said he wasn't a "football expert". Did ESPN go out and protect one of their most popular employees? Of course not. They fined, suspended and eventually fired him. Look what happens when Tony Kornheiser bad mouths the NFL on "PTI". He gets suspended and loses a good chunk of money.

The thing with Hill though, she wasn't attacking the NFL. She was going after the "president", which the majority of the country does now. That oaf is not fit for the position that he is in right now. Everything Hill tweeted was one hundred percent correct, and I have thought the same things many times over the past 7 and a half months. Hell, I have said as much on the "X Millennial Man" podcast, and written about it more than enough on the website. Hill was in no way out of line.

I would have taken it even further. That goon in office right now is a cancer to society and many, many people are saying the exact same thing that Hill tweeted the other day. I have no problem with what she said, as previously stated, and not many other people do either. In fact, she has gotten a wealth of support from many people, including big name people. Colin Kaepernick is one of her biggest supporters. Michael Rappoport has become one of her biggest aides, especially on Twitter. I love the videos he has been making since all this came out. Many political pundits have agreed with her. She has so much more support than anyone could have ever imagined, but ESPN does not care about that.

I ask again, why?

Why did ESPN feel like they had to come out and issue an apology? Can grown people not speak their mind anymore if they work there? Is the talent supposed to keep their mouth shut no matter how bad the injustice is? Do we live in the 50's again where no one can talk back? Is it because she is a woman? I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I think the answer to all these questions, at least from ESPN's side, is yes, and that is a crying shame. Did they issue the apology because that douchebag in office has a bunch of NFL owners in his hip pocket? Yes, and that is horrifying. ESPN is more worried about sponsors and money than letting a grown woman speak her mind. What a crock. Apparently the only time grown people can talk at ESPN is when they are told too. That is ridiculous as well. Let these people talk. They have minds of their own and they should be allowed to express their feelings while not at work, which is exactly what Hill did. We most definitely do not live in the 50's anymore, so speak your mind Hill. You are extremely popular with the younger viewing audience, so even if ESPN is stupid enough to let you go, you will get picked up quick. Hell, it may be for the best. As far as her being a woman, I think that most definitely had something to do with this. ESPN got scared when Erin Andrews started to speak her mind, but she got out and got a better gig at Fox. Like I just said, Hill will get a job in half an hour if she leaves or is let go at ESPN.

This is all ludicrous and a just flat out stupid. Keep speaking your mind Jemele Hill. You have the right to free speech, and that is something that no one, especially not ESPN can take away from you. I stand with Jemele Hill.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He likes to hustle people at pool. His trick is to convince someone that Ty can pull of a trick shot of hitting a ball over a stack of money. When the money is down, Ty grabs it and runs. It doesn't always work

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