NFL Owners Fumble Ball with New Anti-Protest Edict
The new NFL policy issued yesterday by Commissioner Roger Goodell and unanimously approved by all 32 team owners, bans on field player protests but allows players to remain in the locker room during the national anthem as a form of protest. The policy, which was developed without any player input, is the clearest indicator of whom the real patriots are and what the owners truly value. The owners' position is the NFL is their business and as business owners their bottom line is what is important. The owners in fact do have a right to implement the policy. However just because you have the right to do something doesn't mean that you should. Issuing a unilateral edict does not generally bode well for employee-management relations. They have successfully shaped the perception that the player protests are against the flag and by extension the U.S. military and the country. The perception has been aided and abetted by President Trump, right wing conservatives, FOX News and others that see the protests as the perfect tool to crank up their voting base. The owners are intelligent people that clearly understand what the protests are all about so their must be something else at work.
While I am certain that there are some owners that are more progressive in their thinking and actions, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie comes to mind, the thought that most of the NFL owners are wealthy, white, old and male and have a "good old boy" mindset cannot be minimized as a factor in their actions during this era of protests. The argument that the player protests resulted in lower ratings, lost revenue and other ills for the league during the 2017-2018 season, is a red herring argument at best and a straw man argument at worst. In case you missed it, even though ad revenue was down 1.2 % last season, the owners recently inked a record breaking $3 billion broadcast agreement with FOX to broadcast its Thursday night games for the next five seasons according to CNBC. Thursday night games are usually the lowest rated of all NFL broadcasts, so imagine what the NFL and its owners are raking in for their more highly rated broadcasts. So clearly the financial bottom line is not an issue for the owners.
The owners real bottom line is what conservative pundit, Laura Ingraham said best and I paraphrase , shut up and tackle. She actually said "Shut up and dribble" in reaction to a LeBron James comment on a social issue. It reflects a long held mindset that permeates throughout the history of race relations in America. The idea that highly paid, "pampered", "spoiled" African American athletes should use their high profile sport to "complain" is an outrage! They are disposable bodies that come and go and owners are in charge. After all despite playing a dangerous sport that may cause brain disease, it's the owners that take the "real " risk--financial. So shut up and do your job. The ridiculous idea that African Americans should be grateful for an opportunity that they really didn't earn is present in all aspects of American society from the office to the gridiron. So the idea of an athlete, an African American athlete that makes more money in a day than most Americans make in a year has the audacity to speak about an police brutality,an issue that some Americans don't see as a real problem, is perceived as a bridge too far. In fact, in an unguarded moment, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair compared the players to inmates during last season. It appears that the owners don't see the players as their equals so how dare they express an opinion or champion social justice especially while wearing the NFL shield.
Still there are others like New Orleans QB Drew Brees, that openly agree with the players message but wish to tell them when, where and how to protest. In other words don't interfere with my life with your issue. Don't mess up my commute to work, my night in the city and definitely not my football Sunday. This position is as old as the protests. It was heard during the civil rights demonstrations in the 1960's and in Ferguson, Missouri recently. The very purpose of a protest is educate the public, get make enough people uncomfortable until they react and help bring about change. Sorry Drew.
So I return to the question, who are the true patriots? In a country founded on protests and continually made better by civil unrest, is it those that risk their careers (see Eric Reed and Colin Kaepernick et al) by peacefully protesting to make the country better or those that seek to stop them because the protests don't fit their agenda? The answer is obvious. The players protest because they love America and know it can be an even better country for everyone. The real bottom line which the owners and every American should embrace is that racism is everyone's problem. Until the majority of white Americans including powerful people like the NFL owners, not only see racism, social injustice, police brutality as their problem and decide to take fundamental steps toward real change by their words, deeds and votes, America will continue to suffer. Right now in 2018, after nearly 243 years of existence, after many great accomplishments we still don't have it completely right. The curse of racism is holding America back. We are not tapping into the potential of every citizen. That core belief is at the very heart of the players protests.
I understand that the NFL has pledged $90 Million to help with various causes that are important to NFL players but what a powerful day yesterday could have been if Commissioner Goodell and all of the owners in conjunction with the NFLPA, announced that in addition to dedicating a month to a great and deserving cause like breast cancer awareness, they were also going to join in an ongoing partnership with the Players Association, legislators, law enforcement, community activists and others to champion the cause of social justice or begin throw their considerable power behind changing minds and hearts and educating people about racism. Sounds impossible but when America has worked together, we have found cure for diseases and yes landed men on the moon. What a powerful message would be delivered if on opening day, high profile white players like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and JJ Watt following the example of Eagles defensive end, Chris Long joined with their protesting African American teammates in a show of solidarity. Those ideas when put into action would go a long way toward creating greater unity and equity and a much better America which after all is what almost every American wants.
Michael S. Nixon
Copyright PolitiComm 2018
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