So, did you watch the NFL games this weekend?
Chances are you did, which is awesome, because there were some great games.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons remain undefeated after their third games of the season. They are the only two teams left with an unblemished record.
But there was another story this weekend.... In case you missed it.
Sometimes we don't like being uncomfortable.
And yesterday, many of us were uncomfortable watching the NFL.
Because we don't like it when players protest... Whether it be racism, police brutality, inequality, or perhaps they don't like being called "sons of bitches" by POTUS.
And that really is what this comes down to.... Simple communication.
We bow to figures larger than life.
We bow to them to show respect, reverance.
We bow to them for guidance, for support, for answers.
Sometimes, we bow to them in fear, shame & doubt.
I don't know the exact methodology behind the nearly 200 players in the National Football League who yesterday opted to kneel before the playing of the national anthem. I know they were asked, and I heard many of their replies.
What seems to be missing is some clarity.
Does POTUS hate these men?
Does POTUS speak, truly and legitimately, for the rest of America as it relates to the "disrespect for the flag"?
Or is there so much division and derision in our country which pervades everything we do that a group of men took it upon themselves to call out what they see as a chasm between those who can and cannot, those with choice and those without, those who feel marginalized and those who are not?
Here's what I do know.
People are actually now asking questions about boycotting football games. They want to know how to do it, they're asking questions about who's responsible for this domino-like effect of fallout from comments from POTUS.
I had conversations with several listeners last night about how to make a list of sponsors during games, check that list with things around your home and make adjustments to seek alternatives to those products.
People are upset. Be it with the NFL, the protests, the rank-and-file nature of the protesters... They're upset with POTUS.
Many people believe that this man is a racist.
I'm one of those people.
I also believe we all have some form of discrimination, bigotry and hatred in our hearts.
Does that excuse, or in any way, make his choice of words more palatable? Not likely, but when the man who many people to believe to be a racist is also the leader of our government, then their position and the words which they use in a public forum give the impression as being the government's position.
No one wants to be oppressed.
Our nation has a rich history of people who have battled, enabled, and -- in some cases -- overcome oppression.
So where do we go from here?
I have no idea. Some of you have opted to not watch the NFL.
Not nearly enough to make a difference, but some of you have made that choice.
Bully for you, and if you've gone further in your efforts to boycott or make whatever financial dent into the league's coffers, then I applaud your efforts.
But if you watched any of the games on Sunday, or if you're planning on watching Monday Night Football when Dallas faces Arizona, then it's kind of on you as well to help us understand why this is happening.
The funny part about all of this?
We all may be fighting the wrong enemy here.
We all may be angry at the wrong person.
We might all be chasing the tail of the cat that brought us here.
Did you know that the "tradition" of players being on the field for the anthem in the NFL only started in 2009? Chances are that you didn't know that
The reason?
The Department of Defense paid the NFL to promote patriotic causes. The NFL took monetary benefits for everything from flag salutes to military family reunions. And we never thought about that at all until someone called attention to one player's refusal to stand for the anthem.
Why didn't the NFL always have players stand for the anthem before?
Like almost anything else involving big business and large, monopolistic entities, I would suggest it was because it wasn't monetarily in their benefit to do so.
By the way, the Atlanta Falcons are really, really good.
You may want to watch them.
That's all.