The lines are blurred ladies and gentlemen. Once upon a time, not so long ago, people used to go out on the first Tuesday of November and vote for politicians every two years to represent them in all forms of government; from local to county to state to national representation. Politicians ran ads stating why you should vote for them, yards had signs telling you who the homeowner supported, all in an attempt to give you something to think about when the curtain closed.
It used to be that music and art were the only extra-cirricular means by which politics were somewhat brought into the fold; generally youths who had all this angst built up and wanted to fight the man. From The Sex Pistols to Bruce Springsteen to Green Day, music was the outlet of anarchy and freedom; a relentless pursuit of the truth through anthems dictating to their audience to fight back hard and to recognize the ills of the country and its leaders. Always from a leftist perspective, the rants were geared toward family values, the ruinous policies of Reagan, Bush, etc., and almost always a war drumbeat that stated how awful it was to venture into foreign lands.
Fast forward just a couple years, and we now have politics intertwined with every aspect of our life. Not through policy, mind you, but through every single that touches us on a daily basis. Michelle Obama presenting the Oscar for Best Picture, Obama making his picks for the Final Four, Presidents throwing out the first pitch in games, Obama's throwing galas at the white house, and inviting stars with which to mingle are all obvious examples. Even the mainstream media brings stars to their events in a game of one-upsmaship to see who can snag the best A-Lister for the dinners in Washington.
These industries are reciprocating for the politico full force. Most notably, the sports profession. From both the players themselves to the reporters and play-by-play guys, politics and social issues are almost a nightly story on ESPN, or during events such as the Daytona 500, NFL Sunday Night Football, and the list goes on. Announcers offering up their opinions on guns, drunk driving, being gay, and basically, telling the low information people what they should think in the coming days and weeks.
Frankly, I'm tired of this crap. Sports and music are my escape. I would like to escape for a couple hours during an event of which I suppliment through tax dollars for the stadiums in which they play, or through a direct purchase of a pay-per-view event or through a ticket, parking and over-priced food when I see an event live. I would like to escape without being told how great it is that a basketball player announced he was gay. I would like to escape without being told that I am a moron for agreeing with what Sarah Palin had to say that week. I would like to escape and watch superior athletes perform on any given day at optimal performance level, leaving only one winner and one loser.
Sports is the epitome, to me, of survival of the fittest. It is the purest sense of competition, in that, men or women, no matter their color or sexual orientation have to work together in harmony, and each person needs to complete their assignments and execute flawlessly to accomplish a goal together. When that is over, each person goes back to their own life, supports their own causes, speaks out for whatever they want until it comes time to perform again. It's awesome. It signifies teamwork, project management, production, and each member is evaluated based on their performance, not who their best friend is, or whether or not they hang out with the boss. There are no politics on the field, and the coaches will put the best players on the floor, court or field who give them the best opportunity to win. If the coach fails numerous times, he will lose his job. If a player fails to perform, there is always someone behind him or her to take their place. It is the way that the world should run.
Mike Lupica, a douchebag of a reporter for the New York Daily News and the biggest blowhard on ESPN, wrote a column decrying the NRA. He called its member contemptible. He called them creepy. He spewed so much vitriol in this opinion piece, that he let us know first hand that he is all in for gun control and for confiscation. I don't need this. He's a moron who has probably never played a down in his life. Yet he critiques those who do. He has probably never fired a gun. Yet he calls all of us who have, contemptible. He has probably never written policy for a school district. Yet he states what is best to keep those in a school safe. He has probably never written a Bill that became a law. Yet, he is telling us what is best for our country.
Mike Lupica, Bob Costas, Michael Waltrip and Tony Dungy have all interjected their thoughts on politics into a sporting event. I realize that they need to talk and provide commentary. However, they need to stick to sports. Offer their perspective on the teams who are playing or the cars that are racing. I'm growing weary of listening to these idiots talk about what's best for me. Especially when their commentary on the game could use a little work in its own right. Sports is an escape for all who love it. Allow us to escape, just for a couple hours a day or week, from the constant drumbeat of all things Obama or Washington. This just needs to stop. It is getting to a point where nothing is enjoyable anymore.
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