This is Getting too Easy

OK, please forgive me, I didn’t want to write another essay about Trump, but it’s almost impossible now not to as he clearly dominates the news.

No, that’s not completely true. He’s making the news. Out of thin air. Even that isn’t completely right: what we are watching now is a whirlwind, the likes of which will shape our culture in ways we cannot possibly foresee. What’s worse for the left is that they’re making it way too easy for him.

At this point, it’s like stealing candy from children or shooting fish in a barrel. Choose your metaphor or better yet, make up one of your own. They should have seen it coming, all they had to do was read The Art of the Deal. It’s all right there in black-and-white.

Deals are certainly being made but what’s more is that ground is being shifted in unalterable ways. I heard somebody the other day (I think it was Lionel Nation) describe Trump as “The Ratchet”. He ratchets things like a gear wheel but one that can’t be unratcheted. This is not merely pushing the Overton Window to the right, it’s making sure that it can’t go back to the left, at least not for another generation.

He’s laid so many traps for the left that I’ve lost count. And now the National Felons League,* its billionaire owners and its multimillionaire pampered players stepped into it big time.

How does he do it? How does he make it look so easy? After all, once a person reaches a certain age, he begins to look at potential conflicts and scenarios in a certain light. Prudence demands it. You know what I’m talking about: is this the hill you want to die on? We all ask it at one time or another. It just makes sense. Not every engagement is worthy of drama –that’s why we avoid drama queens and ridicule them mercilessly.

Well, the crybabies of the NFL just charged headlong onto a hill that they cannot possibly take. I won’t bore you with the details but it’s not that hard to see the various Gatling guns arrayed against them. First and foremost that the people overwhelmingly agree with Trump. Second, public sporting events are ultimately consumer driven. (Nobody is forced to buy a ticket or turn on the TV.) Third, nobody likes an uppity millionaire whining about, well, anything. Fourth, the First Amendment doesn’t apply in this situation. After all, football players sign incredibly intricate contracts that govern every aspect of their lives –both on the field and off.

In short, they’ve vastly overestimated their popularity. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: don’t drink your own bathwater.

Let me be clear, it’s one thing for a consumer to overlook an occasional lapse in service but by God, if the waiter spits in your soup and you see it then all bets are off. The Spandexed dandies not only pissed on the flag, they’ve announced in bold, Technicolor fashion that they hate America. Well Buddy, the feeling’s mutual: America hates you. Next year, you’ll be playing for Kaepernick’s team. (Oh, what’s that? Didn’t you hear, no one’s hired Kaepernick?)

Look, the vast majority of the people who attend sporting events have crappy, dead-end jobs. Or maybe some of them are on disability. A few are probably retired. I’m luckier than most in that I actually like my job. Having said that, money’s tight for pretty much everybody. And that doesn’t even include beer, pretzels and hot dogs. Regardless, they love sports, football especially. When the average sports fan was little, he most likely played sandlot sports. They –we–live vicariously through these athletes, wishing we could do what they do for a lot more money than we’ll ever make.

In other words, we could complain about our this, that or the other thing but we dare not. Capiche?

And to see these thugs disrespect the flag –the emblem of the country that gives them the opportunity to make a whole lotta money doing something we will never be able to do–is beyond the pale. To bring politics into a neutral arena when we are desperately trying to escape it from everywhere else is damn well unforgivable.

Why are they so stupid? I’m at a loss to explain it. At this point, I’m entertaining three possibilities: 1) Donald Trump is a time-traveler from the future who knows all the possible outcomes and baits his adversaries accordingly; 2) he’s a Jedi master who can mass-hypnotize the left in ways that would do Obi-wan Kenobi proud; or 3) leftists have IQs in the high single digits.

I’ve actually seen leftists drive cars and eat their food without drooling so option #3 doesn’t make sense. That leaves numbers 1 and 2, so I’m going with the first possibility. I honestly can’t think of anything else at this point.

Then again, there’s a fourth option: and that is that they don’t like America, not just her flag. There. I’ve said it: I am questioning their patriotism. I’m not only questioning it, I’m shouting it from the rooftops at the top of my lungs. These ingrates are rat-bastards who deserve nothing less than contempt and obloquy.

To be sure, NCAA standards have fallen so low over the past thirty years in order to recruit from an increasingly dysgenic demographic. It’s gotten to the point that most colleges hire tutors just to show their recruits how to sharpen a pencil. Gone are the days of actual scholar-athletes who went on to practice medicine, law and other professions. (The OB-Gyn who delivered some of my cousins played football for Harvard back in the 50s. That’s how he payed for his education.)

I’m more cynical about the owners however. These guys are billionaires. They may have inherited their wealth or acquired it through other means but they’re not stupid. So why are they encouraging the stupidity unleashed by Colin Kaepernick? Don’t they see that in doing so, the NFL is committing slow-motion suicide?

This is where it gets interesting: the smart thing would have been to get to Kaepernick back when he first started this nonsense and “have a little talk with him”. Like in the back of an alley with brass knuckles doing most of the talking. Nip it in the bud so to speak. Instead, it spread like wildfire and now his protest can’t be contained. So how to make lemonade out of a lemon?

Easy: pour gasoline on the fire. Let it burn up completely until there’s nothing left but charred remains. Then start over again. Get rid of all the malcontents or falling short of that, “renegotiate” their contracts. If that doesn’t work there’s literally thousands of new recruits who will graduate in May of next year. And the May of the following year. And the following year. And every one of them would be tickled pink to stand for the National Anthem working at half the pay.

Get the picture?

As for the American flag itself, I hate to say I told you so. (No, that’s not true but I actually like to say “I told you so”.) So here goes: I told you so. I knew it wouldn’t stop with the Confederate flag. Please take the time to listen to Minister Louis Farrakhan, from a speech given way back in 2000. He actually offers some sage advice on the proper respect that should be given to the emblems of a nation, even one which you don’t particularly like.

*For those who are interested, here’s some interesting stats on the arrest rates in the NFL:

http://nflarrest.com/

Comments

  1. Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says

    Only in Trump’s America would kneeling be called disrespectful.

    • Good one, Bishop Tikhon! Thanks for a good laugh, from yours truly. Your wit shows no sign of decline! But surely, Your Grace, as a former military man, and most likely a man who respects tradition, standing during The National Anthem is a no brainer, even if President Trump is not your cup of tea.

    • This is a football game. They’re not kneeling in reverance. They’re taking a knee to run out the clock.

      How respectful would it be if I went into a liturgy and started kneeling while everyone else was standing?

  2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/15/ann-coulter-called-trump-an-emperor-god-now-she-calls-him-the-worst-negotiator/?tid=hybrid_content_2_na&utm_term=.739c46047357

    Coulter seems to have bailed on him due to the DACA amnesty thing. I don’t really blame her. He needs to find the same Wedge and courage he shows with the NFL with respect to Latino immigration and the Wall.

    That being said, as an American of Slavic ancestry, I have often “given up” on American due to its manifold sins with respect to the liberal rejection of God (and country). I have seen the Republicans simply as enablers to this perpetual madness. Nonetheless, my uncle Ronnie and my Greek godfather are Marines. Notice, I didn’t say “were Marines”, I wrote “are Marines”. Once a marine, always a marine.

    Ken, my godfather, has an American flag flying in his front yard 24/7 with track lighting to illuminate. Probably been that way since they’ve lived at their current location.

    I’m not the most patient person so I have been willing to write off “real Americans” for not standing up and overthrowing the liberal Borg in its murderous, abortionist, feminist/matriarchal, family destroying, enfeebling sick ideology. And “real Americans” should pause and simply swallow a healthy gulp of shame for what they might have been done the last 50+ years that the spiraling down the toilet has gone on.

    Nonetheless, hope springs eternal. We all know how the eschatological story ends and can take some satisfaction in that. I continue to believe Trump was somehow anointed by God to make one last pass at America and see if He could still find “a few good men”, even the proverbial ten or less that might have stayed His hand in the past:

    “And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.” – Genesis 18:22-33

    From The Deer Hunter:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwl4xV6wuRI

    If he succeeds with North Korea, everyone will know he’s Батя:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzu__B8E8ZU

  3. George this mess began not about the flag, or patriotism. Colin Kappernick wanted to protest police brutality, and a few players followed his lead, last year. Sympathetic owners respected their right to protest, and gave the green light, in what seemed like support. Later for some reason no owner wanted to hire Colin, a quarterback that is equal, to a third of the QBs playing, and equal to all 2nd stringers. So then the protesting/ kneeling turned from police brutality to racism from big business, and more took a knee. Well game ratings went down and Americans began calling the kneelers un-American. This of course proved the point, that the kneelers were making. You see it’s not about the flag, and, patriotism, it’s hidden racism by the general white population, that have no respect for black rights. Now of course it didn’t take long for our white patriotic, modest, and respectful President Trump long to react, and so he just proves, with his insensitive comments, that this country is racist from the top on down. Not only that, Trump has no respect for the office of The Presidency, with his crude comments. He calls a league of players, that is 75% black, and of which, 95% were black kneelers, “son of bitches” and better they be un-employed. All said in Alabama(racist, confederate flag central) in front of a nearly 100% white cheering crowd. If this doesn’t prove we live in a racist nation, nothing will, and that’s the point George. We must realize the reality, that we live in a racist nation, and until the vast majority of African Americans decide we are not, the flag, our racist authored Constitution,our slave owning founding fathers, and current racist nation, deserves no respect, pride, or allegiance.

    • Just in case anyone might think I’m Bi-Polar. Comment above is sarcasm, and a parody of left leaning thought process on the subject matter. Of course I understand the left and their cohorts in the media will use and lie to African Americans to continue their leftist progressive agenda of tearing it all down(Constitution, freedoms, state rights,religion, and social traditions) so that they may rebuild our nation into a socialist utopia. Well we all know how that story ends, think Animal Farm. First convince blacks and hispanics they are victims, then use the media to guilt gullible white Americans our nation IS Evil and Racist, and then patience. Trump has thrown them a big curve ball, but how long will that last?

      Tolerance is their bait, fake love their comradery , drugs and false idols their domination, racism their call to arms, ignorance their fuel, hate and division their weapon of choice. Ironically I quote the words of Public Enemy: DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

    • George Michalopulos says

      Dino, your’s is a thoughtful reply. Unfortunately, you’re being too charitable to Kaepernick and his fellows.

      For one thing, there is no “police brutality”, instead there is far more “brutalized policemen” than the other way around. Google Heather Mac Donald’s latest monographs on the sheer terror that police have to deal with in trying to bring some peace to the modern inner city.

      As for the “sympathetic owners” I’m not buying it. When the Dallas Cowboys wanted to wear a ribbon to commemorate the five Dallas cops who were assassinated last year, they were forbidden from doing so. It seems that “free speech” only goes one way.

      I’m not buying the “racist nation” stuff either Dino. If America is so racist, then why did white men from the North sacrifice 300,000 of themselves to free black slaves in the South? (I’m going to concede the Lincolnian interpretation of the War Between the States in saying this for the sake of argument.)

      As for Kaepernick himself, he’s had two lackluster seasons and I suspect he began his initial protest to try and squeeze some PR for himself, maybe a book deal. I imagine that’s why nobody hired him. He was never that great to begin with. Certainly not in the class of Tom Brady, Brett Favre or Dan Marino.

      Your last sentence really startled me. To ascribe “racism” to our Founding Fathers is meaningless. Why? Because it’s insane to ascribe modern notions about anything to another generation. If our Founding Fathers were racists then your’s and mine Greek ancestors were even more so. As were the Romans and the Israelites. The ethnic hatreds between Jews and Samaritans are well-known. It’s for this reason that I don’t shy away from ethnic or racial homogeneity in a polity.

      I simply don’t care that Utah is overwhelmingly Mormon, or Oregon overwhelmingly white, or Oklahoma overwhelmingly low-church Protestant, or Vancouver, BC predominantly Asian. If the Mississippi Delta is mostly African-American –fine by me.

      That’s why I don’t want to ever fall into the trap of always trying to atone for the sins of the past, whether real or imagined. To hope that American will one day not be “racist” is an impossible task because the left isn’t interested in healing our nation’s wounds. They’ll simply change the goal-posts and continue to point the finger at us saying “naughty racist! bad racist!” It’s just a shake-down racket at this point.

      Basically, I’ve long come to the realization that the left is not now, nor has ever been, interested in any legitimate good-faith dialogue. For them it’s always about power. They’re totalitarians while we are not. Life has become immensely easier for me once I realized that I can discount pretty much anything they say.

      • Sorry George I thought for sure the last sentence of my post would have been a sure clue my post was satire, and a parody of the leftist thought process. For what it’s worth I enjoyed your reply, and agree completely. Especially police brutality, imagine those poor cops, having to live in fear of their life every day, because some punk has no value for a human life. I also agree, we should not be responsible of the sins of our fathers. I also understand the racist racket, but, I do believe Kaepernick would have been signed without the baggage, but that is not racism, but more, on the owners part, smart hiring practices. Your last sentence is great advice. Again sorry Patrioti, and Christianemou, you were unintentionally punked. You must have thought I lost my mind or had one too many shots of Ouzo! OPA!

        • George Michalopulos says

          Dino, I thought you were being sarcastic but I decided to use it for my own rhetorical purposes regardless.

          Seriously, Folks: we are seeing the left going on a Maoist rampage the likes of which we in the West haven’t seen since the Iconoclastic controversy. I remember watching Greg Gutfeld a couple of year ago say if we keep appeasing these anti-Confederates they’ll eventually go after George Washington. And now they are. And Ben Franklin too (he owned a slave once).

          Lord have mercy!

          • George remember about 10 years years ago when we were exposed to Obama’s church and Pastor Jeremiah Wright? Yet America sleep walked, not once, but twice electing a man who grew up believing leftist hype, and had a pastor, for 20 years, that he looked up, that believed America is evil, and should be damned? Remember Obama’s wife stating she is for the first time in her adult life proud of her country, because her husband was doing well, and she like the change a coming. Now of course they had to denounce Mr. Wright’s comments, and leave his church, to win the big show, but do we really believe the Obama’s beliefs were not far from their Pastor’s beliefs? The seeds of hatred were planted 10 years ago with the Obama’s, and boy have “The chickens have come home to roost!” Just not like Mr. Wright, and Malcolm X intended!

            Let’s take a trip down memory lane, and some of Jeremiah Wright’s comments, of which I’m sure Obama didn’t mind, until he ran for office. At the very least, he knew his Pastor’s political views, and was not repelled by them, but, most likely agreed with most views.

            After Mr. Wright’s long list of America’s historic sins, against all of America’s mistreated races(excluding whites), foreign countries, and women, Mr. Wright, in his infamous sermon, hits us with our countries mistreatment of blacks,WARNING PROFANITY IS NOT BLOCKED OUT:”The government gives them drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes three-strike law, and then wants us to sing, “God Bless America”. No, no, no, not God Bless America. God Damn America-that’s in the bible-for killing innocent people. God Damn America, for treating our citizens as less than human. God Damn America, as long as she tries to act like she is God, and she is supreme. The United States Government has failed the vast majority of her citizens of African American descent.”

            This was Obama’s pastor for 20 years, yet the soon to be Prez played dumb, and said he had no idea, not the man I knew for 20 years. Okay dokay smokey.

            Obama was a man ahead of his time, and one smooth operator. American never saw what was coming, until it was too late. Think about it: Gay marriage, World apologia tour, transgender bullshit, bathroom confusion, but then again he gave us “White Lash”, as CNN Comrade contributor Van Jones cried out, as Trump was elected! So thank you Obama, for at the very least sparing us from Hillary Clinton! Now the chickens have come home to roost! In more ways than one!

            Please forgive me for the profanity

      • I’ve heard the stat that a Black man has more probability of getting struck down by lightening than shot dead by a cop. The probability of being a victim of homicide in urban black on black crime way way exponentially higher by thousands of times and without cops quadruple that a hundred times more but that’s all beside the point I guess cops are supposed to make thousands of perfect arrests everyday against violent criminals, like robo-cop, maybe thats the “dialogue” they always want to have but then they will call you a “racist.”

  4. George Michalopulos wrote
    This is where it gets interesting: the smart thing would have been to get to Kaepernick back when he first started this nonsense and “have a little talk with him”. Like in the back of an alley with brass knuckles doing most of the talking. Nip it in the bud so to speak.

    So George Michalopulos preferred response to Kaepernick engaging in silent, non-violent, non-disruptive protest of police brutality and systemic racism is to drag the uppity black man into an alley and beat him up. Got it!

  5. It’s time to shut the NFL down permanently. Let’s face it, the game has become totally boring with interminable commercials and penalties. They’re just a bunch of stupid jocks who would be flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s if they weren’t blessed with certain physical gifts. Everyone should boycott the NFL until it breaks. They need us a billion times more than we need them. They have proven by their despicable actions they don’t care on whit about the fans. Let the NFL go the way of the dodo bird.

    • You snowflakes better stop demanding football players stand or they will start playing a different song at the beginning of the game. There is no law requiring the SSB. None. It is just a tradition.

      Be careful what you wish for, the SSB might go the way of the dodo. Then the NFL will start playing some football song with a big giant FU to the flag.

      Don’t think it can’t happen.

      It will. Maybe not the NFL, but somewhere, some town is going to stop playing it altogether.

      • George Michalopulos says

        You didn’t catch my quip “slow-motion suicide”? If things play out like you propose, then it’s the NFL that will go the way of the dodo bird, not Old Glory.

      • Tim R. Mortiss says

        Indeed; Charles Blow, in his NYTimes column a day or two ago, says that Francis Scott Key was a racist, and the Anthem is racist. I kid you not, but it illustrates the “process” well enough.

      • Peter A. Papoutsis says

        Cancel DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket: 1-800-531-5000.

        Just do it. – Nike

        Peter A Papoutsis

        • We should also tell our politicians no more tax breaks, and no more money to build stadiums. In the past twenty years state and federal government have given the NFL 7 billion dollars, to build and renovate stadiums.

  6. Michael Bauman says

    George, you are being way beyond charitable to our President. It is just that from even a semi-reasonable position, the Democrats are just crazy.

    For you to attribute intent and volition to the President does not have much evidentiary support. He is just so outside the norm no one knows what to do.

    • George Michalopulos says

      Michael, this was written almost completely tongue-in-cheek. I know that Trump has great political instincts but he’s not a time-traveler or capable of Jedi mind tricks. It’s just that I’m astounded at the level of institutional insanity that appears to infect the Democrats at present. It ain’t healthy. I say this as a former Democrat.

      • Michael Bauman says

        George, my point was that you give the President far too much credit for his political instincts.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Then we’re left with only one option: his enemies are complete and total morons.

          • Michael Bauman says

            The public enemies have always been useful idiots. They have never known since they took public office how to think. All they know is the Democrat mantra followed by viscious attacks with maybe a few spells thrown in. The Repubs are little if any different. That is what ideology does.

            Trump is neither beholden to nor ruled by ideology and seems to enjoy chaos. That throws everybody of balance and sometimes he can take advantage but that does not mean any of it is planned.

            Of course idealogs are quite perdictable so, maybe I.am wrong.

  7. The kneeling isn’t about the flag or the national anthem or about anything patriotic — it’s about perceptions of racial inhustice. President Trump is deliberately misinterpreting the protests, playing to his ‘base.

    American football is a bad thing, anyway. Any ‘game’ in which it’s assumed that its ‘players’ will be hurt — hence the helmets and armor, not to mention all the brain injuries — ought to be made illegal, much as was dueling to the death.

    When the Christian Tim Tebow, an NFL man, knelt to ask the Lord’s help, he was mocked. Now. NFL men kneel to protest what they perceive as police behavior unjust to black people.

    The behavior of these over-paid atheletes — whatever we think of it politically — is a bit out of focus and poorly timed. Expressing themselves during the national anthem is almost guaranteed to create a misunderstanding of what they actually intend to do.

    If they don’t like the way in which they perceive that black Americans are being treated by the police, they should peacefully demonstrate against the police, and leave sports out of it.

    And — in case anyone was wondering — all sports fans are not apes.

    • Tim R. Mortiss says

      Well, I’m a Rugby man myself; played for years. You could look it up– founder and first president of the Tacoma Nomads Rugby Club (still going strong– the club, that is– after 43 years). It’s a rough game, but no helmets and armor. Players do sometimes get hurt, but it is not ‘assumed’ that will happen.

      I strongly dislike the NFL, and big college football, but I like to go to small college games now and then. Even going out of the house, sometimes you get hurt.

      How long do the protests last? Until racial justice has been achieved?

    • Estonian Slovak says

      Well, paraphrasing Karl Marx, Michael Savage said ,” Sports are the opium of the asses!”

  8. Fr. David Hovik says

    People are getting sick of politics injected into everything they watch.
    Up my way, people simply want to “watch a football game.” The players certainly have the right to kneel and the fans certainly have to right to turn off our TV. My wife and I discussed this tonight and we plan to turn off NFL games until this comes to an end. frd+

    • George Michalopulos says

      You hit the nail on the head on a very basic level, Fr. 99.99% of people who watch a sporting event just want to watch a bloody game. Even the average workplace is not a place of refuge from Leninist restrictions.

      Fortunately for me, I was never a NFL fan. Growing up in Oklahoma we always had the Sooners and high school football. I hope the NCAA learns from the mistakes of the NFL and never allows Kaepernickian self-righteousness to take hold. If they do, then we’re sunk. Maybe Rugby will take over as the spectator sport of choice.

      • Michael Bauman says

        George, with the recent arrests of college coaches for fraud and bribery I think the NCAA has a lot more to worry about than protests.

        All big-time sports ling ago ceased to be about the games themselves. Now they are about money: advertising, gambling and fantasy.

        The trio of free agency, fantasy games(gambling) and uniform providers have taken the game out of the sport.

        Might as well just go to computer simulations and be done with it.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Agreed. All this professionalism/thuggery makes me pine for Chariots of Fire or Rudy.

          • Peter A. Papoutsis says

            Cancel DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket: 1-800-531-5000.

            Call now and cancel your football subscription.

            Peter A Papoutsis

      • Michael Bauman says

        Personally I think Addidas ought to be brought up on RICO charges.

        First major coach to fall-Rick Pitino of Louisville who was on a short leash for the sexual procurement for recruits scheme one if his assistants had.

        Let the high school players who want go to the NBA, make the big time college age BB programs an official minor league of the NBA not related to schools at all and get back to actual college athletics. I know. Dreaming.

        Do the same with football. College baseball is a minor sport because MLB already has minor leagues and there is a three year commitment to college for baseball players.

        Very close to no longer watching any sports as they all have become advertising/gambling enterprises and little else.

      • Peter A. Papoutsis says

        Cancel DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket: 1-800-531-5000.

        Go on you know you want to. Just do it.

        Peter A Papoutsis

  9. Fr. George Washburn says

    Has anybody here heard of a politician “wrapping themselves in the flag.” Why would such nice, honest, straightforward people be suspected of such a thing? Hint: this second question should not be taken or answered literally.

    • Bishop Tikhon (Fitzgerald) says

      Fr George, those are the same people who complain that kneeling is disrespectful. Should those athletes have stood up erect, holding fists up in the air?

      • George Michalopulos says

        It really doesn’t matter at this point, does it Your Grace? They have removed their masks. We now see them for the ungrateful and unpatriotic wretches that they are.

  10. Kaepernick’s protest was never about isolated incidents of police brutality or racial injustice. He hated all police officers. He wore “pigs” on his socks for an NFL game. His heroes are communist/socialist figures such as Che and Castro. He is a supporter of the terrorist organization BLM. And yet all these self-absorbed millionaires are following his lead. And of course the media supports them all. This is nothing less than a trajectory toward the dismantling of our great Republic and the destruction and re-writing of the constitution because the first version was written by “slave owners.” I find it ironic that we are hearing so much support for free speech……and yet conservative speakers are shut down at our universities. Free speech is only applicable when it suits the leftists? Hypocrites! Brood of Vipers! It is possible that we are on track for our own “Bolshevik Revolution.”
    I stopped watching the NFL long ago for various other reasons.
    I’m very happy that I did.

    • George Michalopulos says

      To all the “upright” NFLers out there: revenge is a dish best served cold. You’ll find out what I mean when you’ve all joined Kaepernick at the unemployment line. Then your Bachelor’s of Arts in Basket-weaving will be what you fall back on.

      Good luck with that.

      • I think all of the professional jocks and their schmaltzy, jock sniffing owners should be required to serve on the front lines of the US armed forces for four years before they’re allowed to play their silly little games, then, and only then, can they protest the American flag to their heart’s desire.
        Boycott, boycott, boycott all their stupid little games.

  11. Interestingly Steph Curry now has found himself involved with this mess appearing “front and center” on cover of Sports Illustrated. He I believe got a little more than what he bargained for. “Terrible” he says, “Where is Kaepernick? He should be the front and center guy on the cover, he started the whole knee thing” quoting roughly his response. Problem there is Kaepernick isn’t playing for anyone so he can’t “take any knee” anymore ever since the Niners got rid of him and there were no other takers in the league. Curry however, along with Brady are probably the two top pro players in team sports in America today. So, having Steph “front and center” that makes more sense you can suppose but Steph has never taken any knee himself so far as we know. Kap no longer can and Steph never has. However, Steph was somewhat vocal about “voting” not to go to the White House to hob-nob with Trump for half an hour or whatever along with teammates, some shoulder slaps a few laughs and smiles, usual thing. So now he gets to be the “civil rights” activism cover poster guy something I think he really has no use for and quite possibly for rest of his career when stuff comes up be the “go to” guy for the media to get the quote on whichever matter Steph does not need to detract from his 3 point shot. Maybe it would have just been better to go to the White House after all yuk it up with the Trumpster for a bit, just a bit and then call it a day, he just may be thinking that, anyway, oh well.

  12. Cy, read the article as well. The rich young adult jocks, who are idolized, and get a stage front and center, simply because they have incredible playing skills, with different types of balls, still have a lot to learn. First they are clueless and being used by the media, and politicians, that’s clear when the SI cover, did not use Kaepernick. They don’t realize that when you jump into the political pig pen or swamp as Trump calls it, you’re going to stink like the rest of the pigs. Worse, when you bite the hand that feeds you, you’re done. No going back now. The divide has been set. I will give you a good example, myself.

    I grew up in San Francisco, always a Niners, Giants, and Warriors fan, but football was my passion. Growing up I played high school, and one year of college football. I realized after one year of college football, even though I had the size, and height to play as a offensive tackle, I lacked the speed, to get very far. The dream was over, but the passion never died, watching my favorite team and the greatest team sport. Race and politics never divided us. As you know Cy, San Francisco has every race, and nationality possible. My teammates reflected that, and there was never any problems. We could talk and joke about our differences, and no one got offended. One of my favorite Senior memories, was when a black player on our team, signed my yearbook, and his comment was that our friendship, had completely changed his view of white people, I will never forget his comments. Not mushy, in fact his first line which I loved was, “Dino, when I first met you I thought you were just another big fat ass cracker….” You see when a group of people understand it takes teamwork, with a common goal, all the political bullshit, and race baiting is pushed aside, for the common good. The media, and political powers that be, want us at each others throat, while they continue to rob us blind.

    Now every football team has fans. In the NFL these fans have made a lot of people millionaires, and billionaires. Fans who are not rich don’t have much in assets, but the one thing they hold dear, especially since the don’t have much, is love, and pride of country, anthem, and the flag. The NFL as a whole gave it’s fans a taste of how much respect they don’t have, not only for the flag, and country, but for the fans, that have made them millionaire, and billionaires.

    Now that it seemed safe for the owners, to join in on the protests, why, because now Trump is the target. Fans, and the so called oppressed say,that doesn’t fly, know why? Because Kaepernick still does not have a job. This has now blown up in their face, for the phonies they are, media, and politicians as well. Media looking for ratings, and magazine sales, and politicians of course, votes.

    When Colin Kaepernick, took a knee, I was not happy, but let it fly just in case it was a one and done, but no, then he puts on the pigs dressed as cops socks, and the Fidel Castro, and Malcolm X shirts, and gets on a soap box how great the leader of Cuba was, compared to our racist country! Done with the Niners, and now done with the entire NFL. When your given the big F.U. and then accused to be a racist, if you don’t agree with them, time to say goodbye to the hypocrites. Boycott, make your voices heard!

    • Ok, mostly agree with you on all that. I myself have no plans to go to Levi for any games or buy any NFL merchandise but I may channel surf see if Niners can knock someone off eventually. Still have those weekly picks to make for the pool I’m in already paid for. No “fantasy football” schlock, forget that, their industry will have some big losses I mean who is going to want to have lets say Marshawn Lynch on their fantasy team? But my original point is about the SI cover, Kaep is not on it because he has no knee to take anywhere unless it is his own living room watching the game and Steph should no better than to squawk.

      I’m curious to see what happens with Chicago Green Bay tonight and Aaron Rogers and fans locking arms? Lets see. Network television is going to have to scramble in order to find someway to spin the thing then after that the game itself no need to watch or maybe just catch a few downs .. for the pool.

    • Dino,
      The NFL can’t win. Demographics alone will kill the NFL. The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about is that most of the fans are white while at least 70% of the players are black. There will be more and more blacks and fewer whites playing in the future. Any league that hsa majority blacks sees a steep decline in ratings. Look at the NBA. Is anyone interested in the NBA anymore? The NFL’s hey day was when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were playing. It’s not white supremacy; it’s life. For blacks to show disrespect for the flag means the NFL is on a steep decline; nothing can stop it. Perhaps soccer will take the NFL’s place. By the way, I’m not speaking for myself; I love my African American brothers and sisters.

      • George Michalopulos says

        As do I, Cyprian. Brilliant analysis by the way.

        • Thank you George; I was worried about my post, but I did some research to see if my theory has an statistics to back it up. From what I’ve garnered, Black Lives Matter is really hurting the NFL. The majority of NFL fans are white, and older. Social justice activism and disrespect for the American flag is odious to them. These white fans don’t want to see black power salutes, black athletes kneeling during the national anthem, and politics in NFL games.
          Statistically speaking, Black Lives Matter is totally wrong about the police. They do not kill disproportionate amounts of blacks in comparison to whites. It is a statistical fact that blacks commit way more violent crimes than do other groups. The biggest killer of black people is other blacks. When it comes to interracial violent crimes it is 87% blacks against whites. The problem is in the black community itself and not ” The Man” oppressing the black community. Blacks have more economic opportunity in the US than in any country in the world. It is time for the black community to take responsibility for their own lives, and stop using scapegoats. The US has largely transcended the mountain of its racist past. I feel love and compassion for my black brothers and sisters as I do all people.

      • Cyprian, I think you meant NBA’s heyday. Now for me, what do I care what color of skin is under that helmet,or shorts and tank top, I don’t. I want to witness a good game,with the best players, and get my mind off the grind of life for a couple hours, and enjoy some time with family, and friends, or even by myself at times. Football/basketball are great sports. Now if your saying a good majority of white Americans will slowly stop watching NFL games simply because the majority are black, I disagree, or suggesting the NBA was more fun when we had a white superstar, against a black superstar, that at the very least is race tribalism/culturalism, and at worse just racism. Don’t buy it, nor accuse you, simply disagree most whites won’t watch black athletes, for the simply reason of color or culture. A good majority will stop watching only when we are lectured by said black athletes, how racist/evil we, and our country is, and use/disrespect our flag and anthem to make their false statements. They have been brainwashed, and unknowingly are being used by the media, government and their education(or lack of)system. Now I also don’t believe the NBA is shrinking in popularity simply because it is a black majority league, quite the opposite, it has improved, but they are not kneeling yet, like the NFL.

        In my opinion, your comment is suggesting, what the race baiters are saying. That the majority of white America dislikes, can’t or won’t relate to black Americans, or, are just simply racists, and thus, won’t watch if they can’t witness athletes of their own race. Your comment, “It’s not white supremacy;it’s life.” Please explain, so that I understand your view better. If anything exposure to our black brothers is the best way to tear down the barriers.

  13. Cy, your an honest man, it will be hard for me not to peek in every now and then. Good news is I just read that no one sat or knelt tonights game. Instead both teams locked arms. Maybe there is hope. If you really need to cheat pop into a good Irish pub, and catch a few minutes. Drink some Bass Ale, so that you look bitter the whole time your watching.

    • George Michalopulos says

      I saw that Ari Fleischer yesterday said that the NFL should “declare victory” and stop any more protests. From a marketing standpoint, that’s a brilliant suggestion. Of course they won’t do it, either because a) they’re gullible to cultural Marxism or b) they’re true believers.

      I’ve come to the conclusion that the cultural Marxists simply want the NFL to crumble and to see the mystique of the National Anthem obliterated once and for all. It’s a two-fer for them. The fact that there will be hundreds of unemployed black former millionaires is nothing but collateral damage. At the end of the day, that’s the role that all useful idiots play.

      • http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/26/black-america-blames-white-america/

        This was in the Washington Times:

        “I know of no white person alive today in the United States who has ever legally owned a black slave, or any slave for that matter. Almost 700,000 mostly white men died 160 years ago to end slavery. Jim Crow ended generations ago. Yet black America, for the most part, is still locked in inner-city gang violence and economic hardship. Why?

        * * *

        Blacks are around 15 percent of the population. Depending on what study you look at, they commit around 40 percent to 50 percent of violent crime in America. Of course, there is going to be a problem with police. And, of course, there are some bad policemen. However, those bad apples do not kill black people statistically anymore than they kill white people. Even Harvard said that recently. If you were a cop, and you had to work in a neighborhood infested with crime and murder, wouldn’t you act differently than in a neighborhood where there was little crime? The most effective thing black America could do to improve its relationship with police is to significantly reduce violent crime where they live. Yes, that means change the culture of where you live and your community.

        * * *

        The problem is this generation has been taught an agenda of cultural Marxism by our education system. They’ve been taught to be a victim, and it’s still going on. All you have to do is watch the young black, female student at Yale screaming at the college president to understand that. Blacks in America don’t even know how good they got it.”

        It does need to come out as a sort of cathartic mess, I suppose. Black Africans were brought here by whites as slave labor in emulation of Muslim Arab practice. They were freed for economic motives related to Northern industrial production – a desire for low-cost labor, cheap cotton and external tariffs on the import of foreign textiles. There were a few religious abolitionists in the North but they were a relatively small cadre and they simply did not have the Bible on their side. American slavery and indentured servitude were patterned after the slavery of the Old Testament period.

        America was not founded on racial equality at all and none of the Founders saw the lofty language of the Rights of Man apply to blacks. Lincoln wanted to deport them to Liberia. Reconstruction set blacks over whites in the Southern legislatures and provoked the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. “White supremacy” was a reaction to black supremacy.

        In retaliation for their lands having been decimated for Northern greed, Southern whites took out their frustrations on the only ones they had access to – the blacks among them. Before the Civil War, 9 of the 11 most prosperous states in the Union were in the South. The economic devastation wrought on the South by the war and its aftermath has often been likened to twice that of the Depression. Horrible deprivation.

        So Jim Crow segregation was instituted since no one in the American South (or anywhere in America, for that matter) had invited Africans in as welcome neighbors. Different race, different culture, different habits . . . remember that we are not talking about enlightened late 20th or 21st century people here. Everyone, including most blacks, was a racist by modern standards. In the North, segregation was also widespread but it was usually accomplished by restrictive land covenants and private limitations of access to blacks.

        The Warren Court overturned segregation in a scathing, guilting opinion aimed to shame Southern whites. Thus began the modern Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, riots, etc.

        Heart of Atlanta, the case that upheld the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was seen at the time as the death of federalism. It was understood in the legal community that if Congress could do this under the Commerce Clause, it could do anything and there was no longer anything left of state sovereignty.

        That is how race has been handled by the elites in America – very, very badly. And the chickens are now finally coming home to roost.

  14. So true, George, First the left went after school prayer, pledge of allegiance, now the national anthem, and secretly the NFL, and football at all levels in the end. Hope you enjoy flag football if they have way. They never end at chipping away at American traditions, especially Christian based ones. Don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to notice that Halloween is becoming a huge holiday among adults, that was once all about children. It rivals Christmas it seems in adult participation, expense, time, and excitement. Everyone screaming trick or treat, and Happy Halloween, but try saying Merry Christmas, and just wait for the dirty looks, in urban areas. If your in retail, it’s not allowed, as you might lose your job. Happy Holidays is the new mantra, PEUKE! I fully believe that Islam, was born of Satan, it seems so is the liberal leftist movement today. Of course the false idols of pro sports, Hollywood, the internet/social media, and of course that smart phone that ever person has at least one of, is and will be of Satan in and at the end. Look at the cult following at Comic Con, it’s like some kind of Christian revival in it’s growth, fervor. a second Halloween for all to celebrate.

    My point? Football/NFL is one of the great American traditions left. It goes against all the left believe in. They hate expressions of masculinity, strength, and patriotism. They hate the presence of the military at games, being honored. So they use dim witted athletes to help their cause, in the name of equality. So sad. I really enjoy a good football game and find no pleasure boycotting the NFL, so I hope, some how, the NFL decides not to be used. All this and I’m not even touching on the new assault with the head injuries. Here come the lawyers, lawsuits, and new rules and regulations. Soon it will be Flag-Football or no Football at all.

    • George Michalopulos says

      It astounds me Dino at how easily those athletes were duped into listening to their Alinskyite masters. We shouldn’t be surprised that so many of them are unpatriotic given the anti-American education (such as it was) that they received.

      Still, you’d think that they’d be smart enough to go along with the charade given the fact that they’re bloody multimillionaires and that’s what’s called for if you’re employed in that particular field. And now they are on the cusp of losing it all. If they’re lucky they can play a sandlot game with Kaepernick in some rundown inner city park. For free.

      The Greek in me still can’t wrap his head around the fact that they were that friggin stupid.

      • Interestingly though, I have yet to see a “single knee” in College Football ? Hmmmm.
        Why? College ball at the level of Ohio State Alabama Clemson Oklahoma all large crowds large audiences at home and on the tube. Then you have liberal California the Berkeley Bears (?) no knees! Berkeley and no knee!? And UCLA Stanford USC …. where are all the “knees”? …. I will tell you. These guys want to get drafted and play in NFL.

        They want to go as high in the draft as they possibly can, each notch means something to them, dropping down one or two or three for a knee (?), nope, don’t think anyone wants that deal. No one has made this observation in the media or asked this question yet so far as I know, where are all the “college knees” ? .. They know the answer.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Cy, it’s not just that (though you are correct): the towns in which college teams play are heavily dependent upon a successful season. As I wrote last year regarding the inanity at Mizzou, the NCAA will not allow any more such nonsense as it would devastate these towns as well as the univerities.

          Mizzou for instance has had such a devastating decline in enrollment that they’re actually renting out dorm rooms to out-of-towners who attend home games.

          I can’t stress this point enough: a successful football program (like OU’s) helps keep the entire university afloat and thereby frees up state funding for education to those localities which are in dire need of assistance.

          • Ripple down effect, essentially. HEY! The Warriors! No kneeling and no
            interlocking arms!

            Golden State just stand for the anthem. I surmise Steph Curry was non-plussed
            at being “front center” SI cover no mood kneeling or arm interlocking. Kap should have been there in the middle .. but he is unemployed and you and Brady are the top two team pro players in America. So good. Back to normal.

            • Actually seems like both Dreymond Green and Klay Thompson aren’t all anti Trump. Curry has articulated his objections he’s right, sons of bitches calls moms bitches female dog mother of basketball player out of wedlock. But its like “son of a Gun.”

              So far looks good. The rightwing is kicking but. I support cops more than vets
              personally, vets are lots of guys not drafted but self enlist and wind up in wars
              enacted by the globalists “weapons of mass destruction” of no need or necessity for US mainland.

  15. Here is my dream come true:

    The NFL folds.
    And families go back to Church and spend quality time together on Sundays.

  16. “Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history(and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom-Lucifer”

    Got to love Alinsky’s personal acknowledgement to Satan. As we know George, most kingdoms are NOT worth the price. Fortune and fame do not make those athletes any wiser, than the rest of us, in fact it separates us even farther, as their bubble insulates them from reality.Same with movie stars, which is why it is so easy for them to point fingers, and lecture us how the world should be run.
    Don’t get me going on the Greek in you, the GOA, can’t even manage money freely given to them,and parish councils squabble over peanuts, while NY headquarters builds 50 million dollar shrine/church and can’t operate with a 30 million dollar budget. Talk about people in bubbles. Lord have mercy on me, as I don’t care disparaging our Bishops, and Patriarch, but it truly is depressing. Pray, pay, and obey is ok, but please Lord, knock some sense into our leaders!

  17. I have absolute, incontrovertible and unassailable proof that there is a God and that His proclivities are just as we traditionalist orthodox have imagined. I submit it here to you all to day in the form of this interview with Noam Chomsky which is just too delightful for prime time:

    https://www.alternet.org/chomsky-trumps-1-goal-president?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=idealmedia&utm_campaign=alternet.org&utm_term=68734&utm_content=2147055

    One can literally feel the pathos that Trumpism is causing his soul in every line from every fiber of his being. It is delicious beyond description. I am almost ashamed.

    I did not think I would ever live long enough to see this type of vindication unfold. I’m moved beyond mere words and was down on my knees thanking God for His Graciousness right here in the public library where I perused the story online on my laptop.

    I will, however, give Chomsky credit for not going out (aged 89) without a fight. Little chance of repentance but pray for him nonetheless.

    Слава Богу в вышних!

  18. Austin Bay wrote this about Trump’s North Korea remarks and it sounds reasonable:

    http://observer.com/2017/10/donald-trump-threats-corner-north-korea/

    It also explains a lot about Trump’s general style. He likes to play good-cop/bad-cop with him as the bad-cop (bad cop’s gotta have the teeth and Trump is the president) while his people play good cop, trying to reign him in and prevent him from landing on anybody too hard.

    I always assumed that it was some type of theater and this article goes a long way toward revealing the method in Trump’s madness which even the WP is starting to appreciate, though not approve or accept. I used to joke with a guy with whom I’d go out drinking that we would tell any bouncers or rowdy wannabes that he was my bodyguard. The natural question is, “He needs a bodyguard?”. To which comes the chilling reply, “I’m not here to protect him from you, I’m here to protect you from him.”

  19. George Michalopulos says

    If you want to understand how incredibly bad we are being served by our leaders, please read the following by Nassem Taleb, the guy who came up with the Black Swan theory:

    http://nassimtaleb.org/2016/09/intellectual-yet-idiot/#.WeX97WhSxPa

    (BTW, he’s an Orthodox Christian).