As Covid-19 numbers increase in several states across America, the one industry that isn’t necessary to return immediately is undoubtedly sports.
Yes, we all love sports and they bring us together in unity, but at what cost will it be if the return of sports puts lives in jeopardy? Don’t fool yourself though, they want to return badly to send a message by kneeling during the national anthem. That’s the main point.
And this anti-Trump team owner perpetuated that even further by encouraging NBA players to kneel during the national anthem.
Minnesota native George Floyd’s death inadvertently caused the biggest civil unrest this country has seen in decades. His death also pushed millions of Americans towards divisive cowards like Colin Kaepernick instead of our Police and Armed Forces who put their lives on the line for us every single day.
That is how America is changing before our eyes right now.
For a long time, athletes in all of the college and professional sports leagues (except the NFL) were not allowed to kneel during the national anthem, but if you look closely, you’ll see that’s all about to change.
Two weeks ago, two teams from the National Women’s Soccer League, the Portland Thorns, and the North Carolina Courage kneeled in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and Kaepernick, during the pregame national anthem.
If this low-rating sports league will do it then you can probably only imagine how bad it’s going to get when the NBA returns in a few short weeks. We don’t know for sure yet, but you should prepare yourself for something that seems like a foregone conclusion.
In the meantime, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is encouraging players to kneel by sending cryptic messages, subtle winks, to all NBA players.
Last Wednesday, Cuban appeared on ABC’s “The View” to discuss kneeling during the national anthem and social justice issues.
Co-host Sunny Hostin said, “While the NBA is reportedly going to paint black lives matter on the courts, they haven’t signaled any willingness to reverse their nearly 40-year-old rule against kneeling during the national anthem. You defended that policy, Mark, in 2017, but now you say you support players kneeling, and you’ll kneel with players if the opportunity arises. What changed for you, and do you think players, even you, could be punished for kneeling?”
Cuban responded, “Things are changing. The last five weeks have seen a dramatic shift in how people in this country are responding to systemic racism. Because we’ve seen such dramatic change, I want to be part of the solution, and you’ve got to let go of the old ways that just were not working. If that means going against the grain, and maybe upsetting a few people, so be it.”
If you think that’s not the dog whistle to his players, you’ll never believe how he concluded the interview.
Cuban remarked, “If our guys want to kneel, I think that’s a great step forward. Look. I’ll add this. You know, all this discussion of kneeling and the flag has got to be again about the Pledge of Allegiance, and the best part about the Pledge of Allegiance is when you pledge allegiance to the flag, it’s for liberty and justice for all. I think players and anybody who addresses the flag and kneels, really is just standing up for that pledge they made for liberty and justice for all because that’s truly what we need in this country, and as NBA players or any athletes anywhere who push further in that direction, that’s a beautiful thing.”
No, nothing is “beautiful” about anti-Americanisms spreading faster through this country than the deadly Covid-19.
The NBA is about to embark on an uphill battle much like the NFL did in 2016 when Kaepernick first kneeled during the national anthem.
What happened to the NFL?
Television ratings plummeted and stadium-attendance looked like a ghost town of the old west.
Will Mark Cuban and the NBA hold this sentiment when it starts affecting their bottom line? We’ll see.
