Category: Opinion

“Hats off, hats off to those guys. I think it starts with those guys. They’re our leaders of our league, and um, they set the tone last night. Now it’s time for guys like us to fall in line to figure out what we can do to help our communities. . . .”~Rajon Rondo, guard for the Chicago Bulls

A few weeks ago, four athletes–or in their own words, four African American men–from various teams within the NBA opened the ESPYs by making a plea. Their plea was to their fellow professional athletes from all the leagues–MLB, NHL, NFL, MLS, MLL, WNBA, USNWT, LPGA, PGA–and all races to eduate themselves and speak out against the social injustices stemming from violence in society.

These four men–LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade–let their peers know that despite the ESPYs being a celebration of all of their feats that had happened in the past year there was a larger call on each and everyone of their lives.

Enter in Rajon Rondo. Although Rondo just recently joined the Chicago Bulls, Rajon had already started mentoring 10 middle school boys and not in the realm of basketball but in the journey we know as life. Rondo credits having mentors in life for his success and states he feels obligated to be a mentor.

While Rondo, LeBron, Carmelo, Chris and Dwayne have all voiced their opinions, their sisters-in-arms aka WNBA players have begun to answer the call. However, their protests were met with police officers leaving their security details and fines being levied against the ladies by the League.


Source: The Fumble

The WNBA eventually retracted the fines. However, it’s disappointing that the WNBA felt it necessary to even levy the fines in the first place. These women were answering the call their fellow NBA brothers presented at the ESPYs. They decided to take a stand, and their league balked at the opportunity to stand with them like its brother league, the NBA.

It begs the question once again about a women’s role within the sports world. Is she just suppose to be a pretty face with some athletic ability? Is she just a side entertainer and not someone who is to be taken seriously for her abilities, thoughts, values and beliefs?

Funny that women are given the most important task of raising mankind but on the basketball court her opinion does not matter in regards to the matters society faces. Is that not simple hypocrisy? The men in the NBA took to the court in protest without the slapping of fines. Why then fine these ladies? Thankfully, it did not stop them.

A woman is the reason why each one of us exist. So, why should she not take a stand against the violence she sees in the world? That violence touches her child(ren) directly or indirectly. Is protesting not ladylike? If that is true, who wants to be ladylike? The ladies of the suffrage era evidently did not feel it necessary to be ladylike, and neither should the ladies in the WNBA.

The WNBA needs to become more proactive in furthering society’s steps toward a more enlightened future. The League does great work, but there is more that it can be do to be a guiding force. For starters, the League can stand behind its women for taking a stance for what they believe in and not cowering to outside forces like the police. These ladies, aka female professional basketall players, of the WNBA know the difference between right and wrong. They also know everyone has some form of responsibility for the blood shed we see in streets of our cities just like the men of the NBA or any other league.

Because if she was a boy, she would hold everyone accountable for their actions without fear of retaliation.


Source: TYT

Sports can be medicine, but they can also devastate someone’s life. On one hand, sports can motivate society to change, to learn to evolve and grow. Then, there is the other hand where sports cause some to believe they are so powerful over others they become seduced into thinking nothing can happen to them for crossing the line.

It happens in professional, college and high school sports. It happens in Little League sports. We see the scandals in the papers and ask how did this happen. . . . the University of North Carolina’s academic scandal, the point shaving scandal in men’s college basketball during the 1970s (BCU), the betting on professional baseball by Pete Rose, receiving improper gifts (Marcus Camby – UMASS), the rampant performance enhancement drugs scandals in the NFL, tennis and the Olympics.

But these scandals are not just caused by the players. Scandals are also created by the administrators of sports organizations, universities, sports agencies, coaches and owners. Just take a look at Jim Irsay (alcohol), Michigan State University regarding Larry Nassar (sexual assault on over a hundred female athletes), The Ohio State University regarding ex-coach Zach Smith (football – domestic violence) and ex-coach William Bohonyi (diving – sexual assault), Jerry Jones (stance against anthem protest), Donald Sterling (NBA-racist rant), FIFA (collusion/racketeering), U.S. Soccer (equal pay), U.S. Olympic Committee (child endangerment), Brian Z. France, the CEO of NASCAR (drugs), both the NFL and NHL (concussion/CTE dangers) and the list goes on. Then, there are sports agents infractions like Lloyd Lake, Tank Black and Terry Watson for improper gifts and handling of affairs.

Society seems to be amazed that these things are going on, but where is society when it comes to the checks and balances of our sports organizations? If we place such a high value on these programs and organizations, then shouldn’t we be making sure those organizations are holding our values and are acting in an ethical manner? Instead, it is as though we are absorb into our individual religions of sport and lay down the tithes undeserving to programs, clubs and leagues who mock what we say we truly believe.

We say we believe in keeping children safe, but we are not making sure our college students and youth are protected by pedophiles, rapists and bad coaches. We become disgusted by athletes who use P.E.D.s to provide us the entertainment we seek every Saturday and Sunday, but merely tap on the wrist owners and sports administrators who are caught using drugs. A good chunk of us become angry at athletes using their God-given platform (talent is God-given) to help us evolve, but say little to nothing when athletes are blacklisted (Eric Reid and Colin Kaepernick) by owners or owners have the audacity to enslave athletes’ freedoms of protest and speech.

In a female examination by male doctor in gynecology, there is always a female nurse attending as well. So, why don’t we do that in sports? Why aren’t there female coaches as well as male coaches for both male and female programs to prevent sexual assaults or pressure by coaches? Why aren’t there mandatory alcohol and drug testing and courses for athletes, coaches and administrators at all levels administered more frequently? Or, maybe we should stop stressing drug enforcement of athletes so athletes like Maria Sharapova and Ryan Lochte are penalized for insane reasons.

Sports is medicine, but sometimes medicine goes bad and you have to go the pharmacy to pick up a fresh prescription. Maybe, it is time to get a fresh prescription for how we handle the scandals in sports. Or, better yet, maybe it is time for us to step in before there is a scandal in sports . . . maybe we can help each other get and stay healthy.


Source: 42 via Ethan Regan