Saturday, February 4, 2017

The Super Bowl. Watch? Boycott?

    

This is a difficult decision for me. As a rule, I am against boycotts. I have always felt they hurt the employees who have no voice in decisions or comments made by senior management. I think all too often they punish the wrong people. The NFL boycott this year, and the Target Boycott are two of only a very few boycotts I have ever participated in. Most of the rest have been some individual Entertainers.

For me personally, my decision wasn't just based on Colin Kaepernick. He was simply the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. My decision to boycott the NFL came for a variety of reasons. The NFL players who decided to follow Colin and not stand for the Anthem.

Beyoncé's halftime "performance" last year. The players last year who participated in the "Hands up, Don't Shoot," lie even after it was proven it did not happen. The Baltimore Ravens football player Ray Rice knocking out his wife (then fiancee) Janay Palmer in an elevator.

Michael Vick, Terrence Cody, Prince Shembo,  and Dwight Jones. All for animal abuse charges.

From Jan. 1, 2012, to Sept. 17, 2014, 33 NFL players were arrested on charges involving domestic violence, battery, assault and murder. In the last two calendar years, at least 15 of those players were arrested for violence against women.

The list goes on and on. The NFL has a problem. The NFL doesn't seem to learn from all these incidents and so many more. They still draft College Players who had problems in College like Johnny Manziel.

At the same time these things are happening, the NFL at least threatened to fine players for wearing patriotic cleats. I don't know if the NFL followed through with the threats or if they didn't.  Different websites report they did, others they didn't. Either way it should have never been an issue.


I really would like to watch. I have missed being able to watch Julio Jones play this year. Still, sometimes you have to stand on principal. This is the biggest day of the year for the NFL. This could make up for the ratings slump this year. With great ratings for the Super Bowl, revenue rates will go up next year. Which means more money in their pocket. More rewarding bad behavior. As much as I would love to see Julio Jones excel tomorrow, I imagine I won't be watching.   

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