"Fixing" the National Football League's Political Problem

a reply to: Grambler

Are all subsidies bad? Last I checked, all those billionaires who dump tens of millions of dollars into lobbying for fossil fuel subsidies are still getting them. Can't remember the last time I saw a conservative complain about farm subsidies. What about all the proud announcements from Trump about factories that are only being built because of subsidies?

Personally, I believe that subsidies can serve a purpose and should be evaluated case by case in terms of ROI but it seems to me that when it comes to subsidizing *anything* that upsets conservatives, all of a sudden subsidies become an inherently bad thing. (ostensibly, because again, crickets on the subsidies for conservative-favored anything)

originally posted by: intrepid
Then why didn't you bring it up before this week?

I have.

a reply to: introvert

Sorry I misunderstood.

You said "someone" as in singualar, so I thought you were implying trump.

Yes, people on both sides have used this issue, that's true.

But let's not pretend that when it comes to culture, the left dominated.

Rather it be sports, tv, movies, music, etc, all of this is dominated by the left.

This protest is a flashpoint because the sports media, and atheletes in the NFL have been celebrating these protests, and it turns out that many of the viewers of the NFL don't like it.

I also think trump shouldbt have commented, but the NFL took the bait, and people are fed up with what they view as a lack of respect for the country.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Okay, so you started caring about it when Kaepernick took a knee last year. Last week, last year — the impetus for and conditional nature of how much you actually gaf isn't changed by the precise date.

a reply to: theantediluvian

I usually am against subsidies.

Howevwr, I agree we should look at them in a case by case basis.

What good are NFL subsidies?

As far as conservatives, sure whatever. As if liberals aren't hypocrites too.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Atlantean,

As someone with a mass of farming relatives do you have an idea how little you know of reality?
Honestly, is it Thomas gray thing where you are simply so clueless it’s blissful?
The interrelationship between farming and subsidies is not subtle or nuanaced...

And Jesus dude, the fossil fuel comments are so obtuse I dare not even address them...
I would like you to call the phillips plant in borger or fly to midland and ask the waitress at Dairy Queen to explain it to you...

-Chris

originally posted by: theantediluvian
a reply to: burdman30ott6

Okay, so you started caring about it when Kaepernick took a knee last year. Last week, last year — the impetus for and conditional nature of how much you actually gaf isn't changed by the precise date.

You posted that "I didn't care about this until a week ago" and then used that condition as the basis of your entire argument and post... but things aren't changed "by the precise date" when I say this has been a personal beef of mine for over a year now. 1 week ago versus 1 year ago... not changed by precise date. O_o What manner of counter point sorcery is this, Ante? Your entire point collapses in absence of this weekend's flap being the ultimate motivation here...

a reply to: intrepid

So Kaepernick and the others who were kneeling long before Trump Tweeted were only feeling the animus way back in time?

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: intrepid
Then why didn't you bring it up before this week?

I have.

Fair enough. You didn't answer this part though:

originally posted by: intrepid
This wasn't a serious issue, few were protesting, until this week. Are you saying the escalation of this protest which now includes owners isn't due to Trump?

Now they're on their way to become the "NO FANS LEAGUE"

a reply to: Grambler

But let's not pretend that when it comes to culture, the left dominated.

Rather it be sports, tv, movies, music, etc, all of this is dominated by the left.

No, it's not dominated by the Left. It's dominated by the few that are most vocal.

This protest is a flashpoint because the sports media, and atheletes in the NFL have been celebrating these protests, and it turns out that many of the viewers of the NFL don't like it.

It became a flash point when Trump said what he said. So the NFL stands together as a unit.

I also think trump shouldbt have commented, but the NFL took the bait, and people are fed up with what they view as a lack of respect for the country.

Oh well. I couldn't care less about the NFL or the pansies that get offended by people bending on their knees.

Snowflakes to the left of me, snowflakes on the right, here I am...stuck in the middle not giving a damn.

a reply to: Grambler

and people are fed up with what they view as a lack of respect for the country.

I'm not and as far as I can tell, I'm both a person and not alone. So conversely, it would be just as valid to say that "people" don't view it as a lack of respect and aren't upset. It always seems to me that conservatives rely heavily on the notion that they're the "silent majority" of "real Americans" and therefore, what they want is what America wants and how they feel is how America feels.

In reality, Americans have a difference of opinion. I think the NFL, its owners, coaches and players, should act on their conscience and their business interests in this instance. Let the fans and their reaction to the fans, determine their fate.

Aside from some baseball, pro football is the only sport I watch regularly. I also buy NFL merchandise, for myself and also as gifts. (Falcons fan btw, wife is a diehard Cowboys fan) If the NFL bows to the pressure of Trump, which I find to be an unbelievable ethical overreach by the POTUS (well it would be unbelievable for anyone but Dear Leader), and takes action against players — I'm tuning out and I'm not buying s#.

I would assume that those on the "other side" of the issue will do much the same if they can't compel the NFL to fall in line with what they want (namely, forced displays of patriotism as they deem appropriate).

What the OP suggests is essentially that *our* government use subsidies as a carrot to compel the NFL to comply with the wishes of what *part* of the population wants.

a reply to: intrepid

This weekend's escalation was due to Trump, absolutely. That said, the league has been struggling and losing viewers for the past year, and that has coincided with the protesting. Obviously that isn't all due to the protests, but they've definitely played a role.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

My solution is to watch more football!!! The NFL is great!!!

a reply to: Grambler

What good are NFL subsidies?

I think we'd have to do a little research to know exactly what the subsidies are whether there was a return on the investment.

As far as conservatives, sure whatever. As if liberals aren't hypocrites too.

Sure, that's fair but when it comes to the topic of subsidies, conservatives seem to be uniquely hypocritical.

Well, add this into the already growing animosity toward the NFL because of their refusal to rename their teams to make them slightly less racially offensive, the periodic lawlessness of the players that sometimes ends in murder or suicide or both, and no way to protect the players from having their brains literally bashed into a mush, and you might get some people thinking this plodding, multi-billion dollar sport played by multi-millionaires isn't so hot after all.

They didn't choose to make themselves political though.

I'm sure every team wishes this would go away.

But they had no choice after the President chose to attack them. And if they want to remain viable as teams, as units, they've got to stand together when they are attacked.

The President made this political.

originally posted by: manuelram16
Now they're on their way to become the "NO FANS LEAGUE"

Colts fans were going to burn jerseys this year anyway.........

Just an idea. All of this Op makes me disgusted with the NFL. Here's my idea.

If we go off of the premise that Trump is for the people. He also knows his words have power to the public. As one member stated. Until trump opened his mouth this was all under the radar to the public. So maybe Trump opened his mouth to get this out in the open. The NFL has been basically raping us.

Just a thought.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Of course there are people on all sides of the issue.

Time will tell if more people are upset about the protests or not.

I am betting it will cost the NFL fans and gain them very few, but I could be wrong.

As far as trump over stepping, sure I agree. But I am also tired of the left dominating culture and inserting politics into it (see Emmys, grammys, oscars, sports media, video games, etc.). To me the irs targeting conservative groups was far more troubling.

As far as ending the subsidies, I favor this regardless of what trump or the NFL says or does.