[God luvs America]

betcha the author applauds gay marriage where the participants risk spreading HIV and other gay related STD’s....

[Zakeet]

I'm not going to watch the NFL ever because ...

• Teams like Eagles, Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins and Seahawks exploit endangered species

• Teams like Vikings, Buccaneers, Raiders and Patriots endorse violence

• Teams like Steelers, Jets and Chargers suggest approval of people who abuse the environment

• Rams and Packers encourage homophobia

• CowBOY is sexist

• And that leaves only the Redskins ... which would be acceptable if they would drop that other offensive word ... Washington!

And you right wing nuts think it's easy to be a libtard these days ...

Sigh

[Steve_Seattle]

"More than that, however, he says he objects to "the cynical commercialisation of the sport, its cultish celebration of violence and the more subtle ways in which football warps our societal attitudes about race, gender and sexual orientation."

I suppose by "warping" these views he means that football somehow makes our views less liberal than they otherwise would be. But, to pick just one of his terms, how does football "warp" our views about race? Well, for me, football tells me that colleges will lower their academic standards to bring in outstanding athletes who are otherwise unqualified academically, and that a disproportionate number of these athletes are black. So is my view warped, or a reflection of reality?

[catnipman]

I tell you what. I’ll make a deal with the BBC about this. I’ll personally lead the effort to abolish American football when the BBC manages to abolish European football! Deal?

[tips up]

Sports media has become CNN/MSNBC. Everything is political rather than sports. Who needs it.

[dfwgator]

Soccer players have issues too.

Gabriel Batistuta begged doctor to remove his legs to end terrible pain which made him wet the bed following retirement in 2005

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2740426/Argentina-legend-Gabriel-Batistuta-begged-doctors-remove-legs.html

[Steve_Seattle]

It almost seems like this guy never played baseball, and that he doesn't remember how brutally the so-called "pacifistic" U.S. fought WW II, with far more relaxed rules of engagement that we now have and far more willingness to kill civilians.

As for baseball, it is not a game for pacifistic pansies. That ball is coming at you 90+ miles-per-hour, and it is hard. The catcher takes a beating, the pitcher is vulnerable to line drives up the box, and any player on any play can tear up a knee or break an ankle or have a bad hop smack them in the face.

[GraceG]

Oh sure and there were no problems at all during the world cup ,....

/sarc

[Phillyred]

I am still hanging on (barely- because of the Eagles), but I am really sick of how much of a religion it has become and ESPN and the disgusting politics....and the pink crap. I am also sick of the recruitment/scouting system/process from high school on up. There are so many talented and athletic kids who are overlooked and never drafted because they aren’t tan enough. They aren’t allowed to play certain positions. Then there are guys who barely make it are often cut for no apparent reason even after having terrific preseason games.

[upchuck]

At one time I was an avid football watcher. My fav was the Dallas Cowboys coached by Tom Landry. Those days are long gone. And the Cowboys have never been the same since.

In the fall of 2008 I quit watching TV altogether. From what I read now of the NFL, I’m not missing very much.

[KarlInOhio]

More than that, however, he says he objects to "the cynical commercialisation of the sport, its cultish celebration of violence and the more subtle ways in which football warps our societal attitudes about race, gender and sexual orientation."

Reminds me of Robert Downey Jr.'s line from Back to School: "Me and Standish and Redding are doing the anti-pep rally to point out that a violent ground acquisition game such as football is, in fact a crypto-fascist metaphor for nuclear war."

[Colonel_Flagg]

As you know, real football is played with the feet. :D

Aye ready!

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

The NFL has gone totally PC. I have lost interest. A team drafting a player who isn’t good enough to play in the league just because of where he says he likes to stick his whacker for a good time was the last straw.

[SamAdams76]

Whatever happened to raking the leaves in the lawn on a crisp, cool autumn afternoon and then coming inside to some glasses of hard apple cider to watch some football?

Remember Howard Cosell? He was the best.

Those days are gone forever.

[truth_seeker]

Too many illiterate thugs, making $10 million.

I’ll watch a couple of final playoffs, the SB, but wasting entire weekend days is long, long in the past. Same for NBA.

OTOH I will get up at 4:30 am, to watch a Formula 1 race live. Those drivers also make tons of money, but most are classy guys.