Another NFL season is coming to a close as I’m writing this piece. To many people, this means a time where family and friends get together over finger foods and drinks. They scream and yell at each other about the plays as they watch on their toes to the very end of the game. The commercials are vibrant and over the top, which stimulate another portion of the crowd and even little babies are woken from their slumbers with roars and walls being pounded on. Streets and bars are littered with a 4th of July type of atmosphere and flashing lights will escort a few more people to a holding cell where they can continue to react poorly or celebratory to the results of the game.
I will not be attending any of this.
Yeah, while most people will be excited to see football on its biggest stage, I will be in the final stage of my year long boycott of supporting Colin Kaepernick for his mission “To fight oppression of all kinds globally, through education and social activism.” . My official protest was silent, but was a stance that since Colin protested for a football season and lost his career just to draw awareness to police brutality, I, as a profiled driver could stand to sit out for a football season.
My protest will no longer be silent.
This piece, however, is not about the rights or wrongs. It’s not about actual police brutality… nope. It’s about the things I’ve learned while avoiding football for a full season. A few things like:
Nobody Cares:
When it all comes to a point, there are very little people who care enough to sway their actions one way or another. I have a vast amount of friends on one side or the other. There weren’t many people who watched football previously that stopped watching football. I saw at least 100 friends who flagged their page as an “I STAND” page, or an “I STAND WITH KAEP” page which is an actual side taken, but can recall all the great plays over each weekend. I know 2 other people who turned off the television for the protest, and one person who turned off the television for two weeks to protest the protest.
There is a difference between having an opinion about something, and caring about it to the point where it has an effect on your wellbeing and it must be acted upon. I, sometimes get a feeling that will disallow me to do something. It doesn’t make me better than anyone, I do things that some people might think is immoral, like leave half a cup or orange juice in the carton in the refrigerator…. Or let it mellow.
The World Does not Move on Without Football:
Out of the whole season I slipped twice. Not for anything that I did on purpose. I ended up being in situations where football was on. I watched a total of 45 minutes of football at the most this year. 30 minutes of it was on Thanksgiving Day. I never noticed it so much until this season, but the world revolves around football. Even the portion of the population that does not watch football. Football owns Sunday. I live in what is called the Bible Belt of America. Here, you cannot find a place secluded enough to say “In Jesus’ Name” and not hear an “A-man” right behind it. There is a church within walking distance of anywhere. Charleston, SC is also nicknamed “The Holy City”, but it is common knowledge that the congregation must have time to get home at the very least, before the kickoff starts. I’m a full grown man with responsibilities as a family man, an expert in my field of work, and I run this websitewith multiple podcasts. I’m also part of a Ride Club and a full time college student. Wearing all of these hats, I thought I would be able to squeeze in a lot of time to do group projects during football season, but quickly found out that was a “nope”!
Sunday is a wash. Tuesday mornings are usually a day where every meeting at my job is pushed back to the afternoon during this time of year as well. It also looks like Thursday night football is starting to catch on. Watch out world!!
OMG Basketball is such Drama!!!!
And I’m loving it!! Drama is where this is at! Lebron is doing what to who? Westbrook hates who? Durant tattooed what on his thigh? These are the stories I get to be involved in. Whereas football to me is a sport where I care about the team because of what the team represents, basketball is all about the storylines of each individual player. You can dig as deep as you want.
I’m not a fan of the NFL
I always suspected this, but this year proved it. I am not a NFL fan. I’m a fan of the Carolina Panthers. If the Carolina Panthers aren’t on, I don’t care for football at all. I have a different type of protest with the NCAA. It’s been spoken on this podcast as well as this one, and this one. (click those links, I know you want to) I mean, I pretty much have an opinion on about 5 other outlets as well about how I feel about them, but not watching Clemson play football does not hurt me at all if I miss it. Missing Panther football ate me up for the first 6 or 7 weeks.
I will not pretend like I was not happy when I heard they were knocked out of the playoffs… because I did not want to be sitting here on Super Bowl Sunday deciding if I was going to watch my favorite team possibly get revenge on the NE Patriots for cheating in the Janet Jackson Super Bowl during the possibility that Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson can possibly be on stage together.
What will I do next year?
This is simple. I only decided I was going to do it one year. I have donated to the cause and will continue to be a voice against police brutality of any race or gender. This is a personal thing as I am a black male who has been pulled over and harassed because of how I look. I must tell you though, I am not a push over. There are many stories from many people that will account on the disrespect I showed towards police officers for profiling me. I might talk about them in the future, but I am now grown and mature. I have a family to make sure I’m here for and different ways to battle these types of issues. This is why I feel I had to do this for one year. Next year will consist of 16 Sundays of chicken wings, olive pizza, and Carolina Panther Football!!!!
At the same time, kneeling and praying for Veterans like me during the National Anthem.
