The more the media want to tell us what to think, the more people tune them out. Burning buildings and angry looters are “peaceful protests;” desperate people clinging to the wheel-wells of airplanes and mothers throwing babies over barbed wire is a “successful” evacuation; males competing as female athletes in the Olympics are “brave heroes.”
When reporters utter nonsense, the only sensible reaction is to trust your own eyes – and common sense – rather than the narrative. And frankly, just turn off the sound.
When the NBA held their playoffs in the bubble last year, sports fans (including me) were so starved for live games and for real competition, we’d watch almost anything. But the only way I could stomach the relentless pro-BLM, anti-American propaganda was to watch the games in silence. Sportscasters, athletes and coaches all bending over backwards to prove their woke credentials were a lot less annoying when the sound was turned off.
And woe to any journalist who tries to defy the narrative. Just this week, Jason Whitlock, longtime journalist, popular sports radio personality, and former college football player, was demonized (pun intended) for his comments about the Left’s love affair with sin. Whitlock didn’t mince words, and didn’t let himself off the hook, freely acknowledging his own sinful behavior. But he was also unafraid to express his opinion about gender confusion, abortion, Marxism, the breakdown of the family, and more. It was refreshing. It was also roundly condemned and immediately ridiculed by all the mainstream press, including sports media.
As I prepare for the start of the NFL season (and regular readers of this blog know that I am a hopeless football addict), I am bracing myself for the politics. I continue to hope that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will stick to first downs and touchdowns, that half-time reports will focus on mid-game adjustments and coaches’ comments. But I am not terribly optimistic. That’s OK – I’ve got my mute button ready.
SPECIAL BONUS BLOG:
Many of you know that I produce an annual football guide, with week-by-week and team-by-team schedules for the entire NFL season. I just released the 2021 edition, and wanted to give you a sample. If you are not a football fan, I apologize for the intrusion — but feel free to share this with someone you love who is!
NOTE: My football guide includes season previews for each team. Here are two – my hometown team, the New England Patriots, and my adopted hometown team, the Washington Redskins. Er, Football Team.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Head Coach: Bill Belichick
2020 Record: 7-9
First Round Draft Pick: Mac Jones, QB (15)
Tear up those tickets, fellas. Belichick bet on Father Time over Brady and lost. The Patriots didn’t win their division for the first time in 12 years, they had a losing season for the first time in 18 years, and – oh yeah – Tom Brady won the Super Bowl. It doesn’t get clearer than that. We thought Cam Newton would step in and win, but whether it was a complicated system or a lingering injury, Cam didn’t perform. Will he be the guy in 2021? We doubt it. Mac Jones is the perfect QB for Josh Daniels and the Patriots, and we expect him to take the reins before the season is even half-way through. Whether he can become a Super Bowl winning franchise quarterback is another question entirely. Let’s face it, TB12 left some very big shoes to fill.
WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
Head Coach: Ron Rivera
2020 Record: 7-9
First Round Draft Pick: Jamin Davis, LB (19)
There were plenty of heart-warming story lines for Washington last year. Head Coach Ron Rivera battled through cancer and chemo, never missing a game; while QB Alex Smith overcame a horrific injury (and life-threatening recovery) to retake the field and play well. But you are what your record says, and for Washington, that meant a sub-500 season and plenty of questions going into 2021. Bringing in Ryan Fitzpatrick makes sense if you have a promising young QB to mentor, but we don’t see that guy on the roster yet. (We were rooting for Kellen Mond at pick #51, but Washington chose a tackle in the second round … and by round 3, all the next level QBs were gone.) So WFT fans are hoping for some Fitz-magic to help keep pace in the NFC East. Washington’s stout defense should help them again this year, but we think the ‘boys down in Texas are the clear favorites in the division for 2021.
So… Are You Ready for Some Football?!