Steve Tisch on the NFL and the National Anthem

Tony Dungy on the Super Bowl

Lou Holtz on the NFL's Take the Knee Conundrum

NFL Players Pissed Off at Trump

Fox Sports sideline reporter Pam Oliver predicted on MSNBC that NFL players will continue to Take the Knee throughout the regular season.  Oliver opined the protest is about President Trump, while others have pushed a Black Lives Matter motivation or even an anti-American animus.

Former President Clinton spokesman Joel Lockhart, reportedly advised the NFL to shift the symbolic protest to locking arms to show unity during the National Anthem.  Unfortunately, not all players adhered to this crisis management suggestion.  In addition, the lock step pose still did not allay the ire of many patriotic NFL fans. 

It is unclear what sort of behavior that League officials will tolerate.  In the past, the NFL has threatened New York team players  from donning decals  to show solidarity with 9/11 victims.  More recently, the NFL denied the Dallas Cowboys  permission to wear a "5" on their helmets  to remember the fallen law enforcement officers from a shooting.  Yet antics like Odell Beckham Jr. seems to be tolerated.

A better question is what NFL fans will tolerate.  Television ratings are markedly down. Long time fans are publicly burning licensed merchandise and even tickets. 

Trump's Penn State Pandering

While at a campaign event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,  Republican Presidential front-runner Donald Trump confused the crowd of 8,000 by suggesting to bring Joe Paterno back.

Many mock Trump's entreaty, implying that the Manhattan mogul did not know that the legendary former Penn State football coach had been dead for nearly four years, after being ousted in the wake of the Assistant Coach Sandusky pedophilia scandal.  What was more likely is that Trump was referring to the statue of Paterno, which was unceremoniously removed from exterior of Beaver Stadium in University Park.

What was remarkable was how disjointed and desultory that Donald Trump sounded even when reading from prepared remarks. In addition, Trump types are proud that their leader would be beholden to no special interest.  Yet the pathetic Paterno pleading before Keystone voters right before the Pennsylvania primary belies that brag. 

Dispensing Controversy in Mile High Naming Rights

Controversy has long surrounded what to call the Denver Bronco's home.  Many fans wanted to continue to call the new stadium "Mile High" since it was immediately adjacent to the old complex.  But the facility was mostly paid for by local taxpayers and officials wanted to re-cooperate some monies from the big business of sports so naming rights were sold.

When the Bronco's new home was inaugurated in 2001, it was officially known as Invesco Field at Mile High.  The Denver Post did not want to include corporate advertising in their sports coverage, so they would just call it "Mile High Field".  After several years, the local newspaper relented and included the Invesco name.  Nevertheless, Investco transferred the naming rights to the stadium to the Sports Authority in 2011, with the Sports Authority paying the Metropolitan Stadium District $6 million a year.



Things may change with the Sports Authority in the process of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. If the Sports Authority is unable to pony up their payment, naming rights may be up for grabs.  On April 1st, the news broke that one of the earnest aspirants to buy naming rights is a Colorado cannabis dispensary, Native Roots.

As apropos as it may seem to have a marijuana dispensary label slapped on the "Mile High" complex, it may be mooted by federal law.  The federal government considers marijuana a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance under the Controlled Substances Act (84 Stat. 1236), thus advertising would be prohibited. Even though states such as Colorado and Washington (and the District of Calamity) have loosened laws prohibiting recreational use of cannabis, federal laws are still on the books.  State laws also put limits on the outdoor advertising of medical marijuana.

Additionally, the NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell has reaffirmed a League policy which bans marijuana . Considering how the NFL has a reputation problem with so many athletes getting into trouble that it has been facetiously called "The National Felons League" that it is dubious if the league wants to further agitate straight laced fans by having a stadium named the Native Roots Field at Mile High.

Roger Staubach on "The Extra Mile"

The annual Army-Navy game is the last game of the college football regular season.  It is an over a century old rivalry between two military academies.

During the first half of the 20th Century, the Navy Midshipmen and the Army Black Knights were in contention for the national championships.  However, nowadays the five year commitments which academy athletes make to their armed service makes professional sports players about as rare as a rocking horse's manure. Yet players give their all for this annual match-up.  They are inspired to go the extra mile.

Ted Cruz's Sporting Analogy Over the GOP Surrender Caucus

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) gave a blistering hour long speech on the Senate floor pertaining to procedural votes which set the stage for passing a "Clean" C.R. (Continuing Resolution).

To illustrate how Republican Congressional Leadership is acting like the Surrender Caucus in allowing full funding for President Obama's unwise and extra-constitutional actions with Obamacare, Executive Amnesty and the Iran Nuke Deal, Senator Cruz resorted to a football analogy. 

Senator Cruz has not endeared himself with his colleagues for calling them out on show votes which are meaningless but letting government growth legislation pass without objection. But if Cruz can successfully convey this Congressional Kabuki show to primary voters, he may score with frustrated populists, Tea Party Conservatives and RON Paulesque "conservatarians".  

9/11 Reflection on Red Bandannas and Teamwork

 

 While there is nothing new about Welles Remy Crowther's aphorism from his high school yearbook, the way that he put the maxim into action in his life was remarkable.

Welles Crowther was a lacrosse player in secondary school in Nyack New York and later for Boston College's varsity team.  Crowther was associated with always wearing a red bandanna, a penchant he acquired as a child.   Due to his smaller stature, Crowther was physically overmatched by his competitors, but made it up with enthusiasm and teamwork.

Off the field, Crowther also embodied the heart of a servant.  Crowther joined the volunteer Fire Department at age 16.  Even after landing a job as a equities trader, Crowther expressed an interest in changing careers to join the New York City Police. In fact, a partially completed application to the NYFD was eventually found in Crowther's apartment

On September 11, 2001, a 24 year old Welles Crowther was at his office on the 104th Floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center when the first airplane struck the other building.  That horrible event prompted him to put his professional pursuits aside and channel teamwork.  Crowther was on the 78th floor Sky Lobby of the South Tower when the second plane struck.

Crowther striped to a t-shirt and wore a red bandanna to cover his nose and mouth. Crowther immediately acted as an impromptu team leader to rally the walking wounded to a functioning stairwell.  Survivor Judy Wein remembers hearing: "Anyone who can walk, get up and walk now. Anyone who can perhaps help others, find someone who needs help and then head down." Crowther was seen carrying a woman on his back. He  led them down to the 61st floor where they were met by First Responders who got them to a functioning elevator on the 40th floor and the rest of the team escaped the towering inferno.

After escorting people down 16 flights of stairs, Crowther ascended the stairwell again to help more "team mates". Crowther's group of First Responders had the "Jaws of Life" and were prepared to lift debris to help trapped victims. According to survivors,   Crowther's remains were found with other firemen who were on the 78th floor Sky Lobby when the South Tower collapsed.  Crowther's courage and teamwork may have saved a dozen lives.




Crowther's story might have been lost in the alluvia of fragmented memories of 9/11. But six months after the atrocity, the New York Times published an account from a survivor who remembered a detail about a mysterious man with a red handkerchief organizing a makeshift triage.  This red bandanna memory gave Crowther's grieving parents some solace about their son, simultaneously  providing closure and confirmation of  their son's solid character.

In 2006, Welles Crowther was posthumously named an honorary New York Fire Fighter for being a 9/11 Angel. Boston College sponsors an annual Red Bandanna Run for the Welles Crowther Trust. The American Heroes Channel will soon award an Inaugral "Red Bandanna Award"  for exemplifying the American spirit during a nationally televised Boston College football game on September 18th.


So often, sports can become base, reduced to a boxscore, vexing whether the home team will make the playoffs or speculating about the latest New England Patriots scandal.  But sports can be much more than those pedestrian pastimes.

As we reflect on the anniversary of 9/11, Welles Crowther's exemplary life shows the deep values that can be derived by sports. Welles Crowther's dedication to teamwork was cultivated by coaching on the field but was inculcated into his life.  Crowther not only thought of others at a tragic time, but was conditioned to rally and help "team mates" at a test match of life.

While the cynical may smirk at the truism that "There is no 'I' in team",  Welles put that principle into practice sacrificing his life for the sake of others.  Those are the virtues which make sports meaningful.

h/t: ESPN

Why the Red Card on the F.I.F.A. World Cup of Corruption?

In the wake of Attorney General Loretta Lynch pulling out a red card on 14 F.I.F.A officials for an alleged World Cup of Corruption, Russian President Vladimir Putin opined that the Americans were offsides. 

It is bizarre that Putin purports that the United States is culminating a three year investigation in order to interfere with the F.I.F.A. election of Joseph Sepp  Blatter, but that sort of agiprop distracts from the Russians continuing to mass heavy firepower on the Ukrainian border. But then again, Putin's Russia used the Sochi Winter Olympics as cover for initially invading Crimea in 2014.

To answer why the Department of Justice issued a 47 count indictment over F.I.F.A. corruption, it is worth noting that the plots were hatched in the United States and utilized the U.S. banking system.  It is wrong to think that the F.I.F.A. case does not affect American politics either.  The United States missed out on winning the 2018 World Cup to the Russian Federation's Sochi bid and the out of the box award to Qatar in 2022.  The U.S. would be a natural backup in case either the Russian or Qatari bids fall through.

Moreover,  the Clinton Foundation received between  $50,000 and $100,000 and partnered with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association.  President Bill Clinton was said to have been so upset at the US losing the 2022 World Cup bid to Qatar that he smashed a mirror.  But the Qatar 2022 tried to make it up by giving the Clinton Foundation  $250,000 and $500,000 as well as the Qatari government pitching in between $1 million and $5 million.

This may only be the beginning of the F.I.F.A. fallout. Suddenly the business of soccer has become very exiting.  Goooooooooooool!

h/t: Steve Bell

Obama Tosses a Pick When Greeting Patriots on the White House South Lawn

President Obama, fresh off a Florida photo-op in the Everglades for Earth Day, resumed his role as Celebrity in Chief by greeting the New England Patriots on the White House South Lawn in honor of their Super Bowl victory.  Mr. Obama must have been warming up for the Nerd Prom (a.k.a. the White House correspondence dinner) as he tried a few jokes that fell flat.  

It certainly is friendly banter to wish that Beantown would allow the Windy City to win a championship or two.  Joking that Gronk should keep his shirt on seemed like a hip towel snap. But making a Deflate-gate joke falls flat.  This photo op was supposed to honor the victory of the Patriots, yet Mr. Obama threw a pick and forced his guests to react nervously.

Jon Stewart is leaving the Daily Show in August.  Perhaps Mr. Obama ought to audition for that role.  At least he might get better writers. But doing the Daily Show might be difficult for President Obama  to squeeze in between rounds of golf.

Michigan Football Head Coach Jim Harbaugh Fights for The American Sniper Showing

It is as rare as a rocking horses manure that a campus screening of a Hollywood major motion picture makes the news, much less the sports section, but we live in interesting times.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor was scheduled to show "The American Sniper", the 2014 highest grossing motion picture about a Navy Seal who served four combat tours .  But the "American Sniper" screening was cancelled because of an open letter published by some U of M Muslim students which claimed that the Chris Kyle biopic ab that the film about the decorated Navy Seal was about “a racist who took a disturbing stance on murdering Iraqi civilians.” Aside from that blood liable, the letter worried that  American Sniper "not only tolerates but promotes anti-Muslim … rhetoric and sympathizes with a mass killer.”

So what does the University of Michigan, an institute of higher learning which sports the motto: Artes, Scientia, Veritas, do in a civil clash of ideas. The first instinct of the U of M Administration was to censor the controversial.  University officials canceled the showing and apologized for potentially making Muslim students feel unsafe.  The University planned to show Paddington instead, no joke.

After the Ann Arbor University Administration suffered from widespread derision over the politically correct pusillanimous decision, U of M backpeddled and promised to eventually show "The American Sniper" but only in a "safe space".

So allow for protests and ideological indoctrination afterwards.

Even this University of Michigan equivocation did not score well with incoming Wolverine football coach Jim Harbaugh.  Harbaugh took to Twitter to unabashedly show support to Chris Kyle and "The American Sniper".   Harbaugh played college football at "The Big House" of U of M before spending 14 seasons in the NFL then coaching in the NFL, including the San Francisco Giants.  Haurbaugh's bold proclamation about Wolverine Football gives the impression that he will not countenance safe spaces on the football field.

An early scene from "The American Sniper" depicts a life lesson given to a young Chris Kyle about the three types of persons in the world.

It is clear that Coach Harbaugh emulates a sheepdog.  What remains to be seen is if the team which he inherits, which went 5-7 in 2014 (including a Big Ten 3-5 record), are going to transmogrify into Wolverine Sheepdogs or remain collegiate sheep on the sports field?

A better question is what the University of Michigan learns from this episode.

Jeb Bush: Hillary Can't Do the Heisman

Typically, the Heisman refers to an award given to the outstanding college football player in the United States since 1935.  The Heisman Memorial Award trophy is distinct as it is a  lost wax process bronze casting design by well known sculptor Frank Eliscu that depicts a skilled and powerful football player, sidestepping and straight-arming his way to a touchdown.

Sculptor Frank Eliscu and the Heisman Trophy

Recently, when former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, the undeclared Republican Presidential hopeful invoked the Heisman when surveying the 2016 political playing field. Jeb Bush was asked about all of  chaos in the Middle East which the Obama Administration's foreign policy precipitated (namely Libya, ISIS and an inchoate Arab nuclear arms race).  Governor Bush responded that:

 "I think she can’t do the Heisman on the first four years of the Obama foreign policy. She’ll try. I mean, she’s going to, look, this is very Clintonian, I think, to figure out a way to get out of a mess."

Bush invoked the image of the Heisman stiff arming opposition before striding into the end zone for a score. Certainly, the big bench of talented GOP Presidential candidates will seek to stop Hillary from side stepping opposition blocking her way to the South Lawn of the White House despite screens from the Lamestream Media.

It should be remembered, however,  that the Heisman Award is an honor given by sportwriters (journalists) through a beauty contest vote.  There is concern about the Heisman curse that designated winners often do not perform well the big game or during their careers  in pro football despite the honor and the hype of the Heisman. Certainly, parallels can be made to Hillary's proto Presidential campaign and presumed coronation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Seattle Socialist Councilwoman's Silly Scheme for Seahawks Seats

Defending Super Bowl Champions Seattle Seahawks have been successful on an off the field.  Civic pride for the Seahawks in Seattle is legendary, as their fans are considered the 12th man, giving the team a tremendous home field advantage.  Seahawk fans are so loud that their boisterous cheers caused two measurable earthquakes.

However, in the run up to the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers, Socialist Alternative Councilwoman Kshama Sawant railed against the restrictiveness nature of Seattle Seahawk season tickets preventing many unprivileged WeHawk fans from seeing the game in person.

Sawant organized some street theater to illustrate the divide between the Seahawk fans have and have nots with a "13th Man Initiative". The socialist rally on Capitol Hill gathered hundreds of blue and lime clad workers chanting "No justice, no beast".  During their march to Pioneer Square, protesters carried signs reading "We are the 13" and "12th Man, aka Bequeathed Mode".  

Sawant's solution to the Seahawk ticket situation is to share seats among the metro Seattle residents.  According to Sawant: 

“With 3 million people in the Seattle metro area, that’s about 44 people per seat. After this weekend, the Hawks will have played 10 home games, or 41 quarters (remember the overtime versus the Broncos). If you subtract infants and Sounders fans, that comes out almost perfectly to one quarter per person."

Right. And Sawant is supposedly an economics professor.  Perhaps it should be noted that Washington state has legalized the recreation use of marijuana.  College campuses may have been a bit ahead of the pot legalization initiative.

Some claim that this 13th man initiative is just satire.  Where you stand is where you sit.  Street theater might be a lark for an Occupy rally.  As an elected official, such satire is unseemly, especially without denoting that it was allegedly illustrating a point.  If so, what was the point?

The 13th Man ticket sharing idea is about as idiotic as the living wage initiative which Sawant championed to raise the Emerald City's minimum wage to $15 an hour.  Seattle's City Council unanimously passed the $15 minimum wage and chose to fully implement it in April 2015, even though liberally minded restaurant owners warn that the drastic wage increase will decrease labor and threaten small business survival in the city.

Sawant gained notoriety for her involvement in the Occupy  Wall Street movement.  It seems like the "13th Man Initiative" is ersatz opposition which injects  class strife and partisan politics into sports successes.  The NFL has been plagued with politically correct controversies which are peripheral to football, like political pressure and  Obama Administrations machinations to force the Washington Redskins to change their name and football players engaging in the "Hands up don't shoot" meme ala Ferguson.

It is a pity that rabble rousers and progressive political animals continue to use sports as a platform for forcing their politics into sports rather than allowing the teams to build unity among the community. Alas the 13th man initiative is the odd men as the are people who can not root  for their team without playing victim (for not having tickets), "raising consciences" and politically dividing the Seahawks fan base.

Harry Reid on the Redskins

In the wake of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's swift and severe punishment of L.A. Clippers' owner Donald Sterling's racist rant made in private, politicians rushed to jump in on the Politically Correct civic circus. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) used some of his floor time on the US Senate to rail against Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder's intransigence about changing the team name.  

When Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson (D-Sacramento) crowed about "what sports can do", he gloated that President Obama and Vice President Biden expressed support for doing something to rectify the situation.

What form of polity is a government which nudges businesses to order society to their desired goals?  With the myriad of problems which face the Federal government and the Senate's inability to act, the Majority Leader ought to concentrate on legislating rather than dictating sports team nicknames. 

Obama's Super Ego on Super Bowl Sunday

Two weeks ago, The New Yorker published an extensive article about President Barack Obama.  During this wide ranging interview, Mr. Obama was quoted as saying:

"I would not let my son play pro football … These guys [NFL Players], they know what they're doing. They know what they're buying into. It is no longer a secret. It's sort of the feeling I have about smokers, you know?" 

Not exactly a hardy endorsement of the sport, especially as there is a war on football.

Yet on Super Bowl Sunday, the Obama White House has the temerity to post this picture on Twitter

It is bad enough to have a politician being duplicitous.  But why does Mr. Obama feel compelled to insert himself  into every facet of popular American culture.   And we get to watch his interview with Fox New's Bill O'Reilly at 4:33 pm as part of the pre-game.

There is a name for a person who seems himself reflected everywhere.  It even has a mythological flare. 

The Metamorphisis of Narcissus by Salvador Dali (1937)

Howard Cosell on Sports and Religion

 

Rep. Runyan Retreats from the Pork, Perfidy and Poseurs in Congress

The Politico Magazine published a piece by Representative Jon Runyan (R-NJ 3rd) titled: “Fourth and So Long– I spent 14 years in the NFL.  Here’s why I’m quitting Congress after four.”  The two term Congressman from Southern New Jersey peppers his apologia with plenty of football analogies  to underline his anguish with trying to govern in the District of Calamity (sic).

While Runyon’s retirement had previously been announced in November, 2013, Runyan’s Politico piece on the eve of the NFL Pro Bowl and Super Bowl week, highlights how lessons learned from the gridiron and the rest of reality are ignored in Fantasyland on the Potomac.

Runyan railed against the lack of teamwork between the beltways.  Rep. Runyan revealed: 

Believe it or not, there are members of Congress who actually want to govern and get stuff done. Unfortunately, there are others whose agendas and strategies serve to advance their own interests and expand their donor base.

The former Philadelphia Eagle Offensive Lineman likened politicos advancing their own agendas rather than the general welfare as guys playing to get to the Pro Bowl rather than the Super Bowl.  But this indictment is not reserved for petty partisan politics.  Runyan expressed resentment at how views which he voiced in a closed caucus meeting about working together were leaked before the meeting even ended.

[L] Rep. Runyon surveying Sandy damage in Seaside Heights, NJ with [L] Vice President Biden and [R] NJ Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno

Rep. Runyan  also anguished over Congressional efforts to “restore the shore” after Super Storm Sandy hit the Jersey shore and New York in October, 2012.   The legislative vehicle which emerged from the Senate was laden with pork to draw votes, like for fisheries in Alaska.  When the House delayed its vote on Sandy relief into January 2013, Rep. Runyan took to the floor of Congress to say that his district was: “[G]round zero for Sandy and suffered horrific damage. My constituents and I are extremely disappointed  that at this time of need this Congress has failed to act.”  As  a pork free Sandy relief bill reached the House of Representatives, the bill earned 179 nay votes from the GOP, even though many of them  had previously asked for natural disaster relief for their districts. 

Another major factor which Runyan cites for deciding not to seek a third term in Congress is revolves around the sacrifice of family time to be in Washington.  This was recently echoed when  House Budget Chairman Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI 1st) was  interviewed by New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan.  Cardinal Dolan expressed admiration for Rep. Ryan’s commitment to that he would spend weekends at home with his family.  Rep. Ryan noted: “ I’ve turned down a lot things over the years which might have been good for the career, but not good for the family.”

Outside analysts may be tempted to attribute Runyan’s retirement to facing a hard re-election race.  While New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional is a nominally Republican swing district (R+1), Runyon has run well in it, winning by 13% in 2010 and by just under 9% in 2012 while still garnering 53% of the vote.  

Cynics might scoff at Runyan’s reason for wanting to spend more time with his family.  Yet reading the record in it’s entirety, Rep. Runyan made a compelling case for taking his place on the sidelines.  May his sentiments for working together and pursing the good of the public be an inspiration for others.  

Barack Obama on Football

President Barack Obama gave an extended interview to David Remnick of the New Yorker.  Commenting on the Miami Dolphins-Carolina Panthers game in the background on Air Force One, The President responded to a question concerning the controversy over concussions and football by conceding that he would not let his son play pro football. Mr. Obama  is a big sports fan thus he  begrudgingly blessed other playing pro football as he chewed on some Nicorette gum. 

Two curiosities about Mr. Obama's throwaway football comments.  Firstly, Barack Obama does not have a son, despite demogoging that his son would look like Travon Martin during the George Zimmerman trial.  Secondly, Mr. Obama tried to cast aspersions about individuals accepting risk, like smokers and football players.  

Obama's risk acceptance analogy is tenuous .   Daniel Flynn's recent book "The War on Football: Saving America's Sport" debunks the supposedly unique cranial dangers of football.  Statistically, cheerleaders are more prone to concussions than football players.  Moreover, science can not make a causal connection between football and CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).  This factual discrepancy could be cured if one were both intellectually curious as well as being intellectually honest.

But if President Obama honestly felt that people should be free to do what they choose, as long as they understand the risks--then why are almost all Americans being forced into Obamacare approved health plans? Perhaps the Little Sisters of the Poor do not need and feel morally compelled to not pay for contraception, sterilization and abortifacients?   They must comply or they risk ruinous fines unless they comply.  

The other odd phenomenon is Mr. Obama's persistent allusions to a hypothetical scion.  Having an imaginary friend is a trait which most people grow out of in  adolescence . However, Harry Reid has justified Obamacare and the Senate Majority Leader smeared GOP Presidential nominee Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) based on the word of an unseen friend. 

Dennis Miller had a more charitable tongue-in-cheek  take on Barack Obama's football prohibition for his "son".

Pelosi's Fools Gold on '49er Fandom

During House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 12th) weekly press availability, she steered the colloquy to sports in order to inject some hometown boosterism in anticipation of the San Francisco '49ers NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks.

 To prove her '49ers bona fides, Pelosi showed off her "14" charm which supposedly in honor of '49ers great Joe Montana.

 

The problem is that Joe Montana wore the number "16" when he played in the City by the Bay.

 Perhaps it is a good thing that Mrs. Pelosi is no longer the House Whip, where knowing numbers and being able to count matters.

Pelosi's home of Pacific Heights and the rest of the CA-12 is so liberal (D +34)  that such a stumble would have no impact on her re-election.  But Pelosi's fandom fumble reveals the fools gold of her '49ers fandom.

H/T:  Hotair.com