This is beyond delusional. Whether you agree with the politics of the players or not, make no mistake. The players control the leagues. The leagues don't control the players.

I don't even know how the league would go about replacing "players who make everything political with others who dont." Are you suggesting that if Lebron (or the next Lebron) got too political, he would render himself unemployable in the NBA. That's laughable. If the player is better than marginal, he will be employed. If the player is good enough, there will never be a shortage of teams willing to pay the player to pay. Kaepernick was easy enough to owners to pass on because he was marginal. Absent his politics, it's probable that he would have been a backup QB with some team. But if Colin Kaepernick had been a mid-tier NFL starter at the time of his protests, he would have been employed in an instant.

Well they probably won't get forced out of playing but they will be disadvantaged somehow whether that be playing time, salary or endorsements.

And certainly I think that is one of the things that players should be protected by the leagues in their dealings with the clubs/teams if they choose not to be political in the performance out there in the sport they play whether they do or do not privately support the poltical cause that is being trumpeted.

Right, exactly, just look at LeBron James, who is hurting really badly in all 3 of those areas right now. lol right-wingers, picturing coaches like "well I want to win the game but my best player DID speak out on some politics, hmm guess I'd better bench him"

i'm all for the cause but saying Lebron James is a victim of some kind is hilarious. he could quit playing basketball right now and he and his family and extended family will still be wealthy for the rest of their lives.

That was sarcasm making fun of the utter fantasy world bundy and his friends live in

Looks like Kaepernick isn’t a fan. Maybe he was there and booing too:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports....232003405.html


https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndica...gency.amp.html

yeah, he’s talking about the League.

Multiple nba players have been assaulted by police. While LeBron might be too recognizable (maybe, maybe not), not many people know what people in his circle look like.

/edit oops looks like I responded out of context... @Nittyoldman


Kaepernick isn’t going to boo at players locking arms in unity lol. That is so embarrassing. Like nobody I know would boo players taking a minute or two, to standing in unity for unarmed black peoples being killed by police. What is wrong with people?

sublime is engaged in what is called 'wishful thinking'.

He wishes that athletes could be punished and forced to comply.

This is not hard to imagine. If top players are blacklisted by certain teams than other teams will have a massive advantage by simply taking them.

Those teams will win and what do people think the fans of the losing teams will say when the ownership says 'well we did not want those top players because they wanted to link arms in solidarity, so we need you to accept losing for the sake of a point'. Ya, good luck with that.


More wishful thinking.

Again if you try to cost them 'play time or salary' they will go to teams that do not. It has proven to be a boon to "endorsements" if anything.

Haha. I love how you think players 'not participating' should be protected but you do not say you hope players participating should be protected and instead you seem to be eager to see them pay some cost.

Here is the problem as I see it. We are getting preached that we need to have a discussion about race. We need a discussion on race relations. We need a discussion on BLM and why cops are killing people of color....

But...we can't actually HAVE these conversations. If you try to talk about it, you are immediately labeled a racist. If you try to figure out where the protests are going, and what good they are doing.....for anyone.....you are racist.

If you protest in the game by kneeling, holding hands, raising your arm, it's fine.....they are just protesting. However, if you protest that....you are racist.

Yeah, that's pretty much how it works. Being anti-anti-racism is being for racism. Talking about race isn't racism though, but if you can't do so without being called racist, it's because you're always saying racist things. Maybe take some responsibility for your words?

I agree there is some level of a problem there. It is mostly in the fringe but they are a very loud and obnoxious fringe.

Do you see the problem on the other side? This pretense that 'forms or peaceful protest are welcome', while demonizing even the peaceful marches as if everything is tied to the fringe rioters?

If people are honest they should say 'if its not my issue and does not impact me, honestly I don't care, and I don't want t be bothered by it, in the places I go to enjoy myself'.

And I get that. I understand that most people want to simply live their lives and focus on bettering themselves without being guilted with other peoples problems and the demand to fix or address them.

But that is just what advocacy and protests are designed to break through.

Very little would ever change for marginalized communities if they just kept their complaints to themselves. It is only in FORCING it into the main stream and forcing some discussion that change gets done.

So while i understand the complaint. The idea that sports is my safe space or where i go to escape. That is exactly why sports is an ideal target for advocacy and should be.


So while i sympathize, I also say 'too bad' to those who want it out of sports as it is clear they want it no where. And that is unacceptable to those who are marginalized and taken advantage of. They should not concede 'fairness' to them so others can not be bothered by their issues as it is only broader citizens demands that will get politicians to react and fix these unfair issues.

If most citizens tune out, so too will the politicians. It just won't be a priority unless you force it to be.

Seems relevant:

Absolutely every single person whining about politics in sports has zero issue with politics in sports when it's stuff they agree with.

All of you morons were valorizing Drew Brees before he walked back his statement about kneeling and the flag. He was doing POLITICS IN SPORTS

yeah it's always a pretty massive tell when the first complaints weren't about the overtly political national anthem or the ridiculous salute the troops things and flyovers.. the first complaint about "politics in sports" was just coincidentally an African american quietly and respectfully taking a knee to protest black people being beaten and killed by police..

same thing could be said about any day to day interaction. people dont like talking about politics unless its politics they agree with with.

I get the fact that Kaeperknick was a pioneer and the first to kneel but the one way you make change is to vote. The man has never registered to vote and was quoted as saying whats the difference between Hillary and Trump. Even on state elections he has never voted.

As for Lebron kudos to him but when it came to Hong Kong and China that would effect his pocketbook and would not comment.

Personally I do not care who stands or who kneels its a personal choice but there is no question that systemic racism exists and both candidates really have done very little to eliminate it.


If Lebron wanted to make a change retire and run for President

There is an argument for not voting if the politicians truly do not reflect your values.

I hate the 'you must vote for the lesser of two evils or you are too blame' type arguments.

Understand that politics, like anything, (business, Unions, etc) is resistance to change. They love their donors and the protections they have built in and have worked hard over time to ensure citizens have less and less tools to truly hold them to account.

so despite the fact there are typically minor differences between the GOP and Dem's the truth is very little change happens.

So if you want real accountability and change, and yet you always show up and vote for the 'lesser of two evils' candidate, no party will be enticed to change. They will see the voters as engaged and assume that means the voters like the choices and are exercising their choices.

As more people get disenfranchised and sit out that actually becomes a threat to the party system or potentially a motivator to change. How can we get these people out to vote and ensure our win? Or as Bernie almost did, can i mobilize them and upset the status quo?

I think Trump is a unique threat and thus would act on the lesser of two evils, but I understand that will likely entrench this system for a longer period of time to come.

Do you think we are here right now posting on the internet agreeing with each other? We are literally doing the opposite of that.

When racist boomers see the players making a statement against their politics, the league giving them a platform and brands aligning with the players' message - it's not just about hearing stuff they disagree with, it's that institutional/corporate power is passively siding against the boomers.

That's why you all turn to KEEP POLITICS OUT OF SPORTS - because what you're actually whining about isn't something you can really say out loud.

I'm generally in favor of keeping politics out of sports.

But it hinges on sports keeping out of politics. That isn't always the case. Large sports are gigantic businesses, and in a similar the umbrella organizations of large sports have come to carry enormous institutional power. Both of these powers are sometimes wielded in a political manner or in a way that affects of politics or intersects with the political sphere.

One classic example would be when women were (and sometimes still are) kept out of sports, basically parroting lines that were (and sometimes still are) very oppressive. Another example is when sports accept political ads or ads that are indirectly political in nature. A third is when sports and sport events are exploited to generate political capital for oppressive regimes.

You can have the conversation. You will just have to cope with the silly name calling thingy . Remember 'racist' doesn't mean racist in any normal way. As wookie says it pretty much just means disagreeing with his views on anti-racism - if you take that seriously then that's your mistake.

cmon man you know that internet interaction and in person interactions arent the same thing!

And a forth is when Big Sporting organizations lobby for and get massive tax payer subsidies to operate in a location.

Hard to separate them from politics tbh.

Aye, often followed by some involved politician landing a cushion gig in the umbrella organization later on. Go figure.

Corruption in sports organization is a big, big issue. Heck, a lot of the corruption in oppressive regimes use international sports organizations as a means of taking their local influence and stolen money to the international arena. Reading up on controversies in FIFA or IOC will look like a damn spy thriller.