The NFL and the National Anthem

Here's the NFL's new National Anthem policy. It has set off a wave of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. The funny thing is that the new NFL policy is really no different that the NBA's policy that has been in place for two decades.

Why the major difference between how the media and the public view the two policies? Simple - the NBA is led by a competent CEO and not by a clown.

Roger Goodell is the recurring painful rectal itch of sports commissioners. You wouldn't see these multiple recurring unforced errors coming from the NBA, MLB or NHL. Yet the NFL under Goodell indefensible decisions have become the norm and not the exception. No wonder average fans are turning against the NFL in droves.

There's a reason President Trump took aim at the NFL. He took the measure of Goodell and knew he could play him. Like a fiddle.

This all started because back-up QB Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the anthem to support BLM (Black Lives Matter). Roger Goodell and the NFL took no action. Then the Cowboys wanted to honor slain police officers. Roger Goodell and the NFL said no. Goodell made everything worse not better (by a wide margin). Meanwhile at the same time in the NBA - Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks honor slain police. Once again the difference is the NBA is not led by a clown.

I think many, if not most football fans today root FOR their team (like how I root for the Patriots) and AGAINST the NFL (and that clown Roger Goodell). This explains why ratings for Monday Night Football and especially the Thursday Night games featuring crappy match-ups are down. People aren't rooting for or watching the NFL the way they did in the past in general.

The exception to this is people who have bet on the games. Yes these degenerates (me included) will watch these games because they literally have a rooting interest. Same is true to a degree for fantasy football players (who I consider a form of lesser degenerate). Gambling will "save" the NFL in the short run because simply football is the best sport to bet on. But there's no guaranty that will always be the case.