Blog 2: Politics in the NFL
On Sunday, Sept. 24, hundreds of players in the National Football League (NFL) took a stand against the President of the United States, by taking a knee together. This was not the first time a peaceful protest has occurred in the NFL, but it did have the greatest magnitude.
It all started a little over a year ago when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat during the national anthem in a preseason game. He sat, he did not kneel.
Then he sat again.
And again.
Until someone noticed and pointed the camera at Kaepernick. This led to millions of people seeing him and getting mad that he did not stand for the national anthem. Many articles were published and reporters ranted about his decision to sit on TV.
Then he was joined by teammate Eric Reid and they began to kneel.
More players joined kneeling, including rival team Seattle Seahawks' safety Earl Thomas. The fact that two rival teams could have players joining on the field for an off the field issue was a big mark.
Then more and more players joined until last week when President Trump called out the players, using profane language to describe their gestures. He said that they were protesting the flag and the military.
Which is what everyone said about Kaepernick in the beginning and throughout last year. They said he was against the armed forces and against the country. People shouted at him for all that he had been given and he was disgracing the military.
But that's not what he was trying to do.
From day one, Kaepernick said he was only out to bring awareness to the injustice and systematic racism taking place in the U.S. He said that the national anthem and the flag on the field celebrated the negativity of racism and he would no longer give the respect of standing during it.
But nobody focused on his message. They only focused on him disrespecting the flag. Trump focused on players disrespecting the flag. And he called them an extremely derogatory word and demanded they be fired.
So on Sunday, players that had never knelt during the anthem before, including super bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, locked arms with their teammates of all races and united against Trump.
Now I know what you're thinking... how does this have to do with social media (the focus of this blog).
Directly, it doesn't.
However, indirectly, the way these protests grew so rapidly and immensely was due to social media.
I cannot remember going on Facebook or Twitter a single Sunday during the NFL season last year or this year so far without seeing dozens of posts about Kaepernick or other player kneeling during the anthem. Not one Sunday.
I have only watched live television a handful of times in the past year. I don't pay for cable or satellite TV and I don't see the need. The only reason why I would pay for TV is to watch sports, namely, the NFL.
So how do I, and hundreds of millions of others consume football on a weekly basis? Through social media. We watch highlights and read stories, all shared by friends and networks on social media.
I first heard about Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem through a post on Facebook. Then I saw around 9,000 posts about people interviewing their football teams and football players of all levels asking their opinion of Kaepernick's protest.
I've seen hundreds of clips of Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless, or even Phil Simms ranting about Kaepernick on their respective shows, all on social media. Yes, their shows all originally take place on TV, but the vast majority of their viewership and thus influence takes place on social media.
Without social media, Kaepernick's protest would not have grown to the magnitude it is today. He would likely still have a job. And without social media, Trump may not be president. He definitely wouldn't have the influence to Tweet insulting things towards all kinds of people all the time.
Should politics be in the NFL or sports in general? That question is for another blog and another journalist at another time.
Just know that Kaepernick and Trump would not have nearly the influence and power that they do today without social media.
It all started a little over a year ago when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat during the national anthem in a preseason game. He sat, he did not kneel.
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| Photo courtesy of YouTube |
And again.
Until someone noticed and pointed the camera at Kaepernick. This led to millions of people seeing him and getting mad that he did not stand for the national anthem. Many articles were published and reporters ranted about his decision to sit on TV.
Then he was joined by teammate Eric Reid and they began to kneel.
More players joined kneeling, including rival team Seattle Seahawks' safety Earl Thomas. The fact that two rival teams could have players joining on the field for an off the field issue was a big mark.
Then more and more players joined until last week when President Trump called out the players, using profane language to describe their gestures. He said that they were protesting the flag and the military.
Which is what everyone said about Kaepernick in the beginning and throughout last year. They said he was against the armed forces and against the country. People shouted at him for all that he had been given and he was disgracing the military.
But that's not what he was trying to do.
From day one, Kaepernick said he was only out to bring awareness to the injustice and systematic racism taking place in the U.S. He said that the national anthem and the flag on the field celebrated the negativity of racism and he would no longer give the respect of standing during it.
But nobody focused on his message. They only focused on him disrespecting the flag. Trump focused on players disrespecting the flag. And he called them an extremely derogatory word and demanded they be fired.
So on Sunday, players that had never knelt during the anthem before, including super bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady, locked arms with their teammates of all races and united against Trump.
Now I know what you're thinking... how does this have to do with social media (the focus of this blog).
Directly, it doesn't.
However, indirectly, the way these protests grew so rapidly and immensely was due to social media.
I cannot remember going on Facebook or Twitter a single Sunday during the NFL season last year or this year so far without seeing dozens of posts about Kaepernick or other player kneeling during the anthem. Not one Sunday.
I have only watched live television a handful of times in the past year. I don't pay for cable or satellite TV and I don't see the need. The only reason why I would pay for TV is to watch sports, namely, the NFL.
So how do I, and hundreds of millions of others consume football on a weekly basis? Through social media. We watch highlights and read stories, all shared by friends and networks on social media.
I first heard about Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem through a post on Facebook. Then I saw around 9,000 posts about people interviewing their football teams and football players of all levels asking their opinion of Kaepernick's protest.
I've seen hundreds of clips of Colin Cowherd, Skip Bayless, or even Phil Simms ranting about Kaepernick on their respective shows, all on social media. Yes, their shows all originally take place on TV, but the vast majority of their viewership and thus influence takes place on social media.
 |
| People forget that Kaepernick originally became famous because of this meme. Photo courtesy of YouTube |
Should politics be in the NFL or sports in general? That question is for another blog and another journalist at another time.
Just know that Kaepernick and Trump would not have nearly the influence and power that they do today without social media.
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