Recently, NFL owners convened in Atlanta for their annual spring meetings. All 32 NFL teams were present to consider several very important matters including billionaire hedge fund manager David Tepper’s purchase of the Carolina Panthers, new rules to limit the risk of head injuries during kickoffs, sporting event gambling, and of course — players kneeling during the “Star Spangled Banner.”The sale of the Panthers to Mr. Tepper has strong support and should easily garner the votes necessary. The movie Concussion brought to light the devastating effects high impact blows can have to the brain. If you have not seen the movie, it is worth renting. After seeing this movie, it became obvious to me that something must be done to protect these players from these types of injuries.
This past month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), the 1992 federal law prohibiting states from legalizing sports betting, unconstitutional. The result of this action sent the U.S. Congress into a tizzy, as members considered how this ruling would affect them back in their home states. The owners realize that betting is already occurring, but they find themselves in a similar posture as U.S. congressional members in that they must be cautious about endorsing or opposing this deeply divided and controversial issue. Welcome to politics!
Although the first three topics are important, the issue of players kneeling during the national anthem must be resolved. NFL ratings have dropped nearly ten percent since the controversy started, and many, including the commissioner, acknowledge it is time to move on. Of course, it is only my opinion, but my sentiment is shared by many others that we should not move on without addressing the elephant in the room. There is something fundamentally wrong when this type of action is allowed, yet making gestures at a referee, spiking a ball, mocking the crowd or another player are strictly prohibited. Goodness, we even have teams changing their names because it is considered offensive to a tribe, yet disrespecting the U.S. flag and offending military men and women and patriotic families is somehow okay? I would prefer to see these privileged players channel their energy, influence, and resources into filling the gap for the nearly seventy percent of children growing up in fatherless households. The stats are compelling — with teenage girls nearly four times more likely to get pregnant, and teen boys are twenty times more likely to end up in prison than those in a dual-parent household. Both sexes are nearly five times more likely to commit suicide than teens raised in a home where the father is present.
to your business!