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#divisions actually mean something in the nfl other than the nba where they exist just to terrorize me on poeltl
allpromarlo · 1 year
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i love the nfl. how is it possible that a 7-win team makes the playoffs over a 9-win team. you don't get this kinda shit anywhere else
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isoboto · 4 years
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A Controversial Opinion: (Not) Taking A Knee, In Sports
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00 | PREFACE
Welcome to an episode where I try to break your echo chamber. This is your host, Eva. I hope you’re having a great day.
Have a seat and settle down because you, my lovely readers, are about listen to one of the silent voice you don’t know exist, or if you do you are usually very quick to attack/dismantle/dismiss.
The purpose of this is not to trigger or anger you. It’s to explain to you why some people acts and thinks differently from you.
Welcome to the real world.
Today, we will be tackling why some athletes won’t take a knee or why some leagues don’t mandate kneeling as part of their operation to eradicate racism. As well as the future implications of kneeling in sports.
Some context: I’ve only gotten into hockey recently as a form of escape from politics. I watched soccer and NASCAR with my dad, but we aren’t religious fan.
I’m from Vietnam, a regime where criticisms against authority or merely pointing out faults in the system is very much like asking for a death sentence. I’ve been political since I started middle school and had put myself into many risky situations for expressing my opinions.
I came to Canada for a better future and was determined to put my past behind me and not involved in more political talks. I followed the news, but I kept my mouth shut. Being agreeable is very easy -- all you have to do is nod and smile and parrot back whatever the other person is saying.
The death of George Floyd got me dialed in back to politics full-time. I initially did not chime into the discussion, simply because I don’t see the point of yelling something everybody agreed across the board. I agreed that Floyd’s death is unwarranted, the involving police officers should be tried and punished suitably, the police force should reflect and reform and take actions to prevent similar situation from happening again to anybody.
I continued to keep silence as protests sparked across the US, Canada and Europe. People have the right to exercise their free speech, free thoughts and demand the government to improve and be better and fairer.
There are many other things that happened in the past 3-5 months, but I will direct your attention to what happened between Colin Kappernick and Drew Brees, and the conversation about the meaning of kneeling during the anthem.
I was not invested in NFL or NBA or MLB, and only mildly involve in NHL and NASCAR. However, there were many talks about potentially allow players to kneel. I really didn’t get what was the anger all about, but whatever you know.
Fast forward to August 1, 2020.
MLB and NBA orchestrated a kneeling event where almost all players were kneeling (except for cases I’ll mentioned later). NHL’s Matt Dumba knelt during the American anthem after a speech, following by a few others on August 3.
I’ve seen both sides of the aisles, and I’d like to explain from the silent side’s opinion. 
This is not mean to be a comprehensive list of reasons why people don’t/won’t kneel. If you support kneeling you don’t have to agree to all of these points. You may have already ran into these talking points, or you may not. You’re free to criticize the people, however, I’ll ask that you acknowledge that these opinions exist.
Alright.
Let’s dissect this down.
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01 | WHY WON’T THEY KNEEL?
» An examination on why some people don’t kneel or won’t kneel as a form of protest «
I’ve seen this question raised a lot across my dash and saw people criticizes why players wouldn’t kneel and instead chose to stand without considering what could go on through the players’ minds.
There are a several plausible explanation for why a player/an organization chooses not to kneel. The top 3 that I most often heard (and also deduce from my personal experience) are: 1) business tactics, 2) religious reasons, 3) political reasons.
What do I mean by that?
      1.  From a Business Perspective: “Where The Money Goes, I Go.”
Let’s not forget one thing: sports are a business, just like Tesla, Red Bull, Hollywood, the music industry or your local small stores.
It is an exchange of values. The players are getting paid to play games, to win and the owner/the audience are paying for entertainment. 
Following the riots, just like many businesses and brands, sport teams and leagues began putting out pro-BLM and anti-racism messages. However, many also took (extreme) steps to show how woke and supportive they are.
Which, brings us to this unique perspective of how mixing politics and businesses can be very counterproductive and even harmful. The year 2020 is the year Get Woke, Go Broke manifests into existence, and we can physically and statistically see it happening.
Let’s go with some recent biggest examples:
The recent lawsuits against Patreon for banning users for some particular ideologies, specifically against conservative or right-leaning creators (Owen Benjamin vs. Patreon lawsuits breakdown, Viva Frei). 
Patreon lost the case and they will now be forced to arbirate 100+ claims and pay up to $10,000 per arbitration just from the lawsuits with Owen Benjamin alone. Other creators and supporters who were previously shut down are now filing lawsuits against Patreon. The impending arbitration money are going to crushed Patreon in the matter of times.
A&E’s story of dropped viewership and revenue after cancelling “Live PD” (A&E Sees Viewership Drop 49% After Canceling Live PD, Rosa Escandon).
Live PD is responsible for 85% of the traffic and revenue for A&E and is the most popular shows out of all series they’re running. The cancellation is not definite, but it is probable that once this blew over A&E will bring Live PD back.
Or, since we’re talking about sports, just hot off the press, August 3:  NBA Ratings Crash: Why are NBA and MLB ratings at an all time low after ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests, Gautham Balaji. August 5: ESPN loses the biggest number of subscribers in 4 years.
Here are some numbers:
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via Ethan Strauss’s Twitter, August 2, 2020
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via Rich Greenfield’s Twitter, August 5, 2020
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Civiqs’ Poll
Let’s put ourselves into these millionaires’ (expensive) shoes for a second.
We all know how basic business model works. In order for a business to succeed, you have to understand your audience, understand who you’re trying to impress. You want to maximize your target market.
For sports, you want people to buy tickets or to tune in on the broadcast, buy merchandises, etc. Therefore, your target market would mostly be those who have disposable incomes, a stable job, middle-class. Splitting it down even more, the older group would most likely don’t want to be political while the younger group would most likely to be political; while people with higher education are most likely to be political while lower education are less likely to be political.
Examine the Civiqs’ graph:
Prior to April 2018, the opposition against BLM is greater than supporting for BLM. Noted that by the time George Floyd’s story hits the news and the peaceful protests began, support for BLM surged and opposition dipped.
However, immediately when the riots started, shifts began: noted the huge plummet in “Neither support nor oppose” corresponding with the big swing for “Oppose” and the slight change in “Unsure”. These people who previously didn’t care or chose not to be active politically “flipped”.
If you (the player/the league) outright supported BLM, you know you’re potentially losing 36% of your audience with current situation. At its peak you can lose up to 42%.
To put into perspective: that’s over 1/3 of a league’s revenue evaporating into thin air. Big leagues, like NBA or MLB or NFL, or big teams with more money, may be able to hold on. Smaller leagues, like NHL, which had to battle it out in places for people to take hockey seriously and was already strapped, will be hurt a lot. Especially if you take into consideration lower fan attendance over the years and other factors.
That’s not the worst case scenario.
See the “neither support or oppose” and “unsure” category? Remember, if they’re in those categories it doesn’t mean they don’t have an opinion. They may not care about BLM’s agenda -- perhaps they view BLM as an organization that did some bad and some good, or perhaps because they are not political at all.
So let’s assume they are not political at all. Neutral. Most likely, these fans don’t want anything to do with politics. They just want to work, come home, have the TV on and fall asleep. They may be passionate fans, they may be not.
Noted that leading up to the riots, the amount of people deciding to be neutral stays relatively the same.
But, a few things happened: the riots and big corporations/celebrities coming out endorsing violence, MSM constantly promoting anti-racism and pro-BLM materials day in and day out.
People go online, BLM. People go shopping, BLM. People go across a street, BLM. The news, BLM. BLM, BLM, BLM everywhere!
They just want a break. They put the sport channels on, and oh hey! BLM again!
They are sick and tired of it.
I spoke about this all days every day, browsed news about these, debated all of this for fun,  and even I got sick of it too at some point. I physically could feel myself driven insane just from the divisiveness and anger I’ve chosen to surrounded myself in. I could feel my perspective skewed and warped far from I actually believe -- being polarized.
Guess how are these average, non-political people going to react to politics being shoved down their throats everywhere? They just want the country to do well economically, have a stable job, unplug from their work. They don’t want to keep stressing out about politics and turmoil. They are done hearing/talking about it at work.
They’re just going to turn off the TV, go on YouTube/Netflix and stream some dumb things. Or they’re going to change the channels.
The numbers don’t lie.
If you combined the current numbers of “oppose”, “neither support or oppose” and “unsure”, you’re staring at 50% potential loss squarely in the face. If you’re going for the extreme numbers, at their respective peak, “oppose” had 42%,  “neither support or oppose” had 26% and “unsure” had 3%, for a combined 71%.
70% of your audience is going to tune out or abandoned you.
But, let’s assume the best case scenario. The 50% that supports BLM will also stand by you for doing the “right” thing (quotation mark, because I’ll let history be the judge).
But what if the 50% that you thought are going to applaud and support you aren’t doing that. They are criticizing you for your message, your delivery, your efforts. They’re going to call you phony, cheap, sell-out. You’re only claiming to support it, you don’t really support it, do you?
Are they going to quit watching you, too? Maybe. Potentially.
What if some of those 50% are like me -- self-proclaimed pundits trying to take a breather and reflect? Nobody can be on a job 24/7, for 365 days.
You get what I’m going here?
Look hard at the numbers for the NBA and MLB’s debut versus golfing.
Noticed the ratio? At best, 1.7M vs. 5.8M viewership. 1:3 ratio. 30% remained.
It’s already happening.
Kneeling and declaring allegiance to BLM are already crippling the sports.
The players can do whatever they want. Kneel, don’t kneel, support BLM, don’t support BLM -- whatever. 
But the league should not affiliate itself with a political movement that started under problematic platforms and now unraveled into full unhinge-mode. It is extremely dangerous when leagues like NFL, NBA, MBL and NHL started endorsing BLM  -- and I am very specifically talking about supporting BLM here. By pledging to BLM (ie. painting BLM on the courts, having giant letters at your stadium), the league as a whole is making itself political and aligning itself with an ideology, which is Marxism (Karl Marx).
When a league aligns itself to a particular ideology like that, players that have different opinions will either bottled up their real thoughts or they will receive backlash and be cancelled if they dare go against the grains (even if they intent to be political or not)
NFL Takes Hardline Stance Against Christian Players Attending Church
Marcellus Wiley (NFL) on BLM
NBA's James Harden Slammed for Wearing Apparent Pro-Police Mask amid Fight Against Racial Injustice
NHL: Bruins Photoshop Boston Police Logo Off Charlie Coyle’s Shirt In IG Post After Globe Reporter Matt Porter Criticizes Tuukka Rask For Wearing BPD Hat During Interview
ESPN Host’s Poll Mocks NBA Player Who Didn’t Kneel For Suffering Season-Ending Injury
Aligning themselves with BLM will also make the leagues primed to further metaphorically “bend the knee” for the BLM mob and make players do what they want for that “united” facade they want.
The BLM mob are demanding everybody to kneel because that’s the only appropriate way to protest, and so one-by-one down they go.
You can argue “but it’s for justice!”, but you and I both know that’s not how it works. BLM reared its ugly head and then people flocked to appease it. Say anything else other than “I Support BLM” and they will loot your store, threaten to desert you. They scream and scream and scream in your face. The media amplified that voices. Big companies like WalMart, etc. -- people immediately dismissed it because “they have insurance”. How about the small businesses that had to board up their fronts and spraypainted “Minority-Owned Business” because they’re terrified the mob are going to bash their windows and steal?
The recent scandal with Red Bull is a smart move. I’m not (necessarily) gleeful that people are getting fired, but it is a strategic move because Red Bull recognizes the “Get Woke, Go Broke” reality. This segment started with examples of businesses got broke and got caught in their own hypocrisy, and now here we are.
The reasons why some businesses or players will not “bend the knee”, physically and/or metaphorically, is because:
They recognize the political undercurrent and they do not want to be involved in it;
They realize supporting BLM doesn’t mean supporting black lives on the street in meaningful ways;
Bend the knee to the mob once, you’re going to bend the knee to the mob again;
Losing a bigger chunk of fans for supporting BLM;
“Get Woke, Go Broke” trend;
Or, simply: they don’t agree with this particular form of protesting.
    2.  From a Religious Perspective: “I kneel before no man but God.”
I know players are from various religious backgrounds and beliefs.
I am not a religious person by any means. I respect people who worships gods and follows religions, whichever it is. As long as they do not physically harm others in the names of their religious belief, then I’m all good.
Worshiping a religion means people will also following (some) of its beliefs, and by respecting their beliefs I must also accept that people will choose and act according to their faith.
The two prime players who stood up for their belief are: Sam Coonrod (SF Giants, MLB, July 23, 2020) and Jonathan Isaac (Orlando Magic, NBA, July 31, 2020).
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Jonathan Isaac Explains Why He Stood During National Anthem
From my knowledge, most religions featured common values (ie. be kind, be respectful, be considerate of your words and actions, understand karma and consequences, etc.). However, since the two examples I provided featured Christians, I’ll talk about the Christian perspective from here. That being said, God doesn’t necessarily just talking about Jesus Christ but could also be referring to Allah or other god-like figure they worship.
The following articles gave some good insights on how different Christians feel about this: 1) Kneeling for the Anthem: a Catholic Reflection on Protest, 2) The Power and the Threat of Kneeling, 3) Christian players frustrated by criticism for anthem protest.
I’ve had also chances to talk to some of the local Christians, gotten an array of answers. 
Some Christians said they are willing to take a knee in the name of racial justice. Some Christians disagree with the method of protesting but don’t agree with stifling somebody trying to express their voice. 
Some Christians refused to take a knee. Why?
They do not think any man is worthy of bowing down for, except for God
They do not believe BLM advocates for the values they follow or what God wants. Examples:
BLM is anti-Christ/anti-religion -- burnt down numerous churches, defaced and burnt the Virgin Mary, decapitated Jesus Christ, sexual harassment and physical assault to a priest in CHAZ;
BLM seeking to destroy nuclear family and permanent removal of father-figure in children’s life -- yes, this is stated on their official website;
BLM is pro-abortion -- Planned Parenthood has entered many discussion. The thing is: Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood is founded specifically to decimate minorities. Their message has been flipped due to the new “wokeness” (ie. going from “we will restrict your community from growth by killing off your babies” to “we will help elevate your voice by killing off your babies”). 
BLM is Marxist -- one of the main idea in Marxism is the absolute removal of religion, and this is often interpreted as all religions. However, the attack on Christianity and Christians are the clearest example of this, at least in the US/Canada
Some articles on why Christians do not believe or support BLM: 1) Some Evangelicals Struggle With Black Lives Matter Movement, 2) The Stated Goals of Black Lives Matter Are Anti-Christian. This last one is very interesting because it breaks down similarities in Christianity and the method of protesting some BLM protesters choose, The Faith Of The Black Lives Matter Movement
As fellow non-religious folk, you and I may not have been able to comprehend why they are taking their relationship with God very seriously, or how much they use the Bible to guide them in life.
I’ve heard many others dismissing and even laughing at people because they’re religious, or criticizing people because they need an outdated book to help to through life. Both Sam Coonrod and Jonathan Isaac were slammed when they cited their faith as one of their main reasons for not kneeling.
If Christians chose not to protest against racial injustice by kneeling, and instead raising a fist, or standing and praying to God to purge racism out of human’s DNA -- why is it a problem?
All Christians that I have spoken to believe there are racial injustice and want to do their best to eradicate it and help those who are suffering. They want no harm and want the world to be a better place.
If we can accept that people can think differently, can act differently, can speak differently, why are we not accepting that people can protest or raise awareness differently?
Unless, it’s not about kneeling or raising awareness or protesting at all.
It’s about satisfying your own needs to feel vindicated, to know your favourite players are doing things you want them to do and are feeling the same way about things just like you.
      3. From a Personal Perspective
Traditionally, and universally-accepted: kneeling can be in awe, in fear, in humiliation or in respect.
To me, personally, kneeling to someone/something is often being linked to “being terrified”/”being humiliated” rather than “being respectful”.
As someone who is small-frame, I don’t like kneeling. One knee or two knee bent, didn’t matter. Psychologically speaking, and, physically speaking, you’re making yourself smaller, lower to the ground and easier to hurt. You’re in a vulnerable position. 
Kneeling reminds me too much of grovelling, powerless.
Obviously, this is my opinion and I don’t know if anybody else or any players who didn’t kneel share the same opinion. But. I don’t think kneeling is an empowering move.
You have to stand up for what you believe in even if it’s unpopular. Not: you have to bend your knee for what you believe in.
Standing had always been associating with rising, moving upward, becoming bigger and more powerful.
Some reasons people will cite for kneeling including: condemning police brutality, honouring the lives lost under police brutality, honouring black lives. Which are great causes. I still very, very much believe if you’re going to protest, stand up tall and firm. (Especially, since, you know, Floyd dies with a knee on his neck. Kneeling in remembrance of him is kinda funny ironic.)
So, an interesting case study: Recently, Matt Dumba (Minnesota Wild, NHL, August 3, 2020) made a speech and knelt. However, he only knelt for the American anthem but stood for the Canadian anthem.
I’m not ragging on Dumba. Kudos to him for speaking out.
He later said he’d have kneel for Canada anthem as well. I understand. There are pressures on him, and I think when hearing your nation’s anthem you’ll usually automatically stand up.
That being said, there are rightful, warranted probing questions. It raised doubts to the legitimacy of kneeling.
Kneeling for the US anthem but then standing for Canada anthem is a strange decision because it is implying that there are problems in the US, not in the Canada. Prior to George Floyd’s death as well as around the times when protests/riots broke out, a few Indigenious Canadians died during a wellness check (Recent deaths prompt questions about police wellness checks) and arguably perhaps police brutality.
Here in Canada, we’re told we’re equally racist, but the mentality Canadians have is that we’re better than the US.
Therefore, I’d say it is rightful that a lot of people interpreted Dumba’s action as hating on the US and/or not actually raising awareness about racism or police brutality.
This brings us to the biggest reason a lot of people cite for being against kneeling: kneeling on the flag is disrespecting the country.
I’ve looked into the military history of kneeling on the flag/during the anthem. I’ve to wade through pages of different vets rationalizing their opinions and asked some of the vets/active-duty that I knew of, and here are my findings:
Some views it as disrespect because it shows cowardice
“I didn’t serve so you can kneel.”
Some doesn’t like it but doesn’t mind it because you’re excising your freedom of speech and thoughts. 
Most people I knew of, and myself, fell into this camp
Some thinks it could mean respect and should even be a mandate form of greeting the flags.
I thought this was a good point and should be something we can consider
However, it’s worth pointing out there are also vets that supports kneeling specifically because they hate America or the government, either because the system chewed them up and spat them back out. There are also people that supported spitting and/or burning the flags for all the history it carries
I don’t agree with spitting and/or burning the flags. I think it implies symbolically you’re wishing your country to go down in flames (the fact that half of America has been literally burning down for over 2 months, and many rioters/BLM supporters talking about literally burning things down make me more alarmed and disgusted)
But. It’s freedom of speech and freedom of expressions. So.
Drew Brees’ speech is a very good way to sum it up how most average people feel about this: I would stand on the anthem, but you’re free to kneel even if I disapprove of the particular method of kneeling.
The take-away here is that the same action can mean differently to different people.
Some will not kneel or disapprove of kneeling because of the symbolic weight. 
So, I’ll reiterate the biggest point: There’s no “correct” way of protesting. 
Someone does not have to kneel in order to express that they are against racism.
We can achieve the same goal by different means. 
You and I are okay with people kneeling don’t mean others have to agree with us. We should not be pressuring others to kneel and think and process and expression opinions the same way we do. It is impossible, and it is a dangerous mentality.
We are not a monolith.
      4. From a Political Perspective: “BLM is doing more harm than good.”
      4.1. Wrong messenger/mixed messages
Look.
People are free to kneel, but I do believe there is a right time, place for it, and the right people for it.
The NBA kneeling for racial justice and equality for all and police brutality yet the whole organization is built off the back of child labour and sweatshop in China and the CCP’s inhumane treatment to the Chinese, as well as actively stifling Hong Kong’s freedom. 
Some dramatic irony there. 
They have pulled down the option to put in anything for the player’s name, but history got it down: 1) NBA store says 'Free Hong Kong' was 'inadvertently prohibited' from jerseys, 2) Police fire water cannon, tear gas at Hong Kong protesters, 3) China’s Global Threat to Human Rights.
It really does undermined your message, NBA! Make the “kneeling for justice” idea got completely thrown out of the window! Try better next time!
We can also go over Disney or Colin Kappernick (lmao that July 4th tweet, Colin. Really bad move!), the awfully cringy “I Take Responsibility” video but you understand the point.
BLM is this exclusive “branding” that businesses and sport leagues slap onto their forehead so they won’t be branded racist while not doing anything for the minorities. BLM is a hoax, a front for privilege people to pat themselves on the back for “acknowledging” their privileges and their power. 
You can think this is an excuse for me to rag on these idiotic big companies or individuals (and, you’re right), but it also leads me to this early conclusion that BLM is a scam.
However, with recent events and evidences I’ve been digging up, it’s increasingly difficult to say BLM as simply “a scam”.
      4.2. BLM: the sinister Marxist agenda and the crazy utopia
Kneeling to protest against anti-racism, by now, is synonymous with supporting BLM.
I’m willing to bet if you’re pushing for everybody to subscribe to the “KNEELING! TO! PROTEST! AND! SHOW! SOLIDARITY!” deal, you’re also a BLM supporter.
You can support BLM. That’s fine.
I’ll tell you upfront that I don’t support BLM.
You are going to click away, or maybe already angrily typing something up to build your case against me.
Wait until the end.
All I ask is that you try to see what I and many others find repulsive and alarming about BLM. 
Alright? Alright.
I will not go into excessive details on BLM, because I’ll dedicate another post at some point to BLM. That post will probably be up at somewhere some point early/mid-2024. It will definitely be on time with the BLM’s peak activity, during another waves of riots.
Anyhow.
So why won’t I kneel for BLM? Why won’t I do this for BLM cause?
Because I don’t believe black people should have more rights? Because I don’t sympathize with the black community? Because I’m a racist?
Listen.
I support black lives. I know the system is rigged, I know there needs to be improvement -- nothing will ever be perfect, and improvements are always needed.
I don’t support Black Lives Matter (BLM) because Black Lives Matter (BLM) the organization and the movement had already derailed too far too fast.
Zuby summarizes a lot of my points, so if you like listening/visual more than reading, feel free to listen to his rationale before continuing.
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Zuby - The Problem with Black Lives Matter 
I cannot get on board with their actions or their ideologies, nor can I see they’re making an impact on black community they’re claiming they’re representing. I spoke to people, I shifted back and forth and remained neutral for a while before throwing in my towel and quit it. There were murder of kids in NYC and there are zero, ZERO anger. No riots, no protests. Nothing! Zit! Nada! 
Yet they’re willing to come out and break windows for a criminal. Both Michael Brown and George Floyd were criminals. Isn’t it strange? The biggest riots/protests spearheaded by BLM are for criminals? Michael Brown’s case was a justified shooting. And although George Floyd’s death is unnecessary recent leaked footage had provided ample of context. Both autopsies also came back showing that he was high on meth and fentanyl.
BLM have a particular political vision Marxism (1) BLM co-founder describes herself as ‘trained Marxist’, 2) Is Black Lives Matter Marxist? No and Yes), and please, excuse me for saying this is alarming because they’re clearly demonstrating and glorifying communist ideas and practices. I’ve been through the grinder, I can recognize the signs. 
It is very clearly not the Sweden-socialist model they are going for (which is a myth, btw, because Sweden is pro-capitalist). It is very clear they are angling for Marx-Leninism.
People will be screaming “all revolutionaries are led by Marxist ideas”, ignoring the fact that those revolutions, if succeed, often crashed and burnt and led to weak economy and terrible nations.
But, but. You know what? Fine. I’ll refrain from screaming Communism Doesn’t Work!!!
We will give BLM the absolute benefits of the doubts: that BLM do everything in line with MLK’s vision or the BPP’s vision.
We will not rip BLM base on its ideologies anymore and will examine its actions.
Alright. So how had they been beneficial to the community they claim to serve, so far in 2020?
More black people are dead during this fight for justice for black. More black people lives are ruined during this fight for justice for black. There are thousands of businesses in ruined -- black businesses in ruined, black people working hard, busting their ass gathering money and finally got their came true only to have it burnt down by their own people and destroyed in one night.
Does the Black community want to abolish the police?
Inside the Portland riots - this is what the media calls peaceful?
3 stories of black-owned businesses damaged in the riots
Black-Owned Businesses That Were Damaged and Looted
Affordable apartment project destroyed during night of protests
The 17 people who have died in the protests and riots so far
Chicago children killed by gun violence
In Wake Of Continued Gun Violence, Prominent Members Of Black Community Call On NYPD To Bring Back Anti-Crime Unit. Small crimes went down, but murders and shooting went up by 200%.
To rub the salt onto the wound, Mayor de Blasio deployed 27 polices guarding the BLM mural on the street (which is bigger than any of NYPD unit) instead of protecting the citizens.
To pour bleach all over the wound, these BLM activists and AOC insisted, that No! Defund more police! and making excuses for these murderers
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Black Americans Want Police to Retain Local Presence, Gallup Poll, August 5, 2020
Say what? Americans (especially minorities) want more cops in their area? Yes. Check out Chicago’s latest news: Chicago Police: Violence drops after 2 new units rolled out. Having police presence, improving police training and bringing police and community closer, would deterred crimes and protected the minorities and those who are vulnerable, who knows!
I will now direct your attention to the Love Fest that is CHAZ (est. June 2020, rip. July 2020). Where if your stuff got stolen it’s an “unintentional donations”.
Born and raised, and buried, with all BLM’s Marxist loving ideas, safe and inclusive and funsies:
CHAZUpdates, Twitter
Welcome to Chaz!
The Economics of CHAZ / CHOP: Anarchy at its Finest
Video shows black-only segregated areas within CHAZ
Inside CHAZ (the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone)
CHAZ: where protesters/rioters actively practicing racism while preaching against racism, practicing police brutality while preaching against police brutality, leeching off America’s resources while wanting to burn the country to the ground.
CHAZ is the epitome of what BLM is advocating for. 
BLM wants segregation -- again, it is literally spelled out on their website. “boycott white businesses” and basically implying black goes to black businesses only. Recent stories of BLM activists “demanding” stores or else meet with force:  'We're not an enemy of the Black community' and Cuban community plans rally at NuLu restaurant in response to Black Lives Matter demands, and opinion analysis breakdown
BLM promotes violence as the automatic first response -- look. stop telling people to fight police
The 'Black Lives Matter Foundation' isn't the real BLM, explaining differences between the two organizations’ approach -- which, very nicely, also points out the problem with BLM. They’re not seeking for healing or cooperation, they’re all about breaking and burning stuffs down.
Robert Ray Barnes explains why he chooses the name “Black Lives Matter Foundation”
BLM creates more racial tension and encourages people to fake police-brutality/racism -- The biggest, most-hated face in BLM, Shaun King, is actively tearing up people’s lives. He accused many officers to be rapists, murderers, dramatizing claims, etc. He makes money off of getting people riled up. You can hate him, but if you’re telling me he doesn’t have any influence you’re very mistaken. His followers had sent death threats, showed up at people’s houses, doxxing people’s identity. People had been pushed to suicide, money loss, reputation ruined.
Liar Liar Pants On Fire Series breaks down all the viral videos claiming police brutality, and you will see that videos featuring a black person is more likely to be shared and be viral without waiting for the context
I’ll put forth the Jussie Smollett hoax, which, congrats Jussie! You just now make people waving away the attacks that actually happened due to racism! You’re so lacking in “being oppressed and being discriminated” in America, you’ve to import some from Nigeria!
I’ll also put forth the recent Bubba Wallace hoax. It is not a noose, Bubba Watson oops I mean Bubba Wallace (copyright belongs to Don Lemon). 15 FBI agents confirmed it. You can see it through video footages. Don’t be a drama queen, Bubba. (btw, i don’t know why BLM aren’t celebrating this? i mean, 15 FBI agents are immediately dispatched to deal with the claims. that’s how important this is. the feds will not hesitate to deal with discrimination)
Affiliated Organizations and BLM itself are cult-like, putting criminals on a pedestal, endorsing the party that is harmful to the black community
Assata’s Daughters, Breakdown on Assata Shakur and insights about the organization
BLM endorsed DNC and Joe Biden, gave money for the same party that created the KKK and ran on a platform of unity but are made up of elitists
99.64% BLM’s Defund The Police Donations Go To Joe Biden Campaign Via ActBlue
They are donating to DNC instead of pouring funds into black community at the times of crisises
Do Black Lives Matter Donations REALLY Go to Black Lives?
Based from America’s Top 20 Cities for Crime, and What Party Runs Them (spoiler alert, 18/20 are ran by Democrats), if you cross check it with the black population in each city, you will find that a lot of these cities have majority of black population and that Democrats had been in office for decades. If they’re helping the black community, they’re taking an awful long time.
BLM encourages a culture of blaming and perpetuating that black people are powerless, becoming a husk for over white supremacist and sexist.
the familiar “blaming it on the white men” game is played for practically every new political movement right now, and the “us minorities and ‘non-racist’ whites up against those straight rich white men’” and the concept of “white privilege” and being recycled over and over to make minorities feel more powerless
“White privilege” isn’t the biggest barrier, because if it is, please explain to me why and how did Madam C. J. Walker became the first black female millionaire in the early 1900s? Before Civil Rights Movement?
(White) people “check their privilege” and feel good about themselves for being “aware” of their privilege and therefore protect the minorities’ fragility. You’re admitting that just by being white you have more power than other race? That sounds very, very racist.
You have white people in protests actively suppressing other minorities’ voices, because apparently due to “white privilege” whites feel like they’re the only voice that would be valid
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What it's like to be a Black officer policing Portland protests | Raw Interview (you can view the notable quotes here:  Black Portland cop slams White BLM protesters using 'same tactics that were used against my people')
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'The most horrific displays of hate I've ever seen' | Portland police describe protests | full video (you can view notable quotes here: Portland police describe front lines of protests) // Analysis Breakdown
You’ve white people writing guides on how minorities should behave to get rid of the “whiteness” in them -- I cannot even find words for this. Notice how all these “whiteness” qualities are what holds a functioning society together? Hello, Asia existed long before European came along. The Indigenious people existed long before European came long. The assumption that other cultures/countries couldn’t have function without the European coming over and spreading their “whiteness” is extremely offensive. The fact that there are actual people out there who will follow this racist guide is crazy to me.
Whitesplaining white privilege
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Poster defining “Whiteness” put forth by the National Museum of African American History & Culture. The poster had since been removed.
Robin DiAngelo, makes her fortune off of flexing her internal racism: The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility
So please tell me: is BLM the organization and the movement really support black lives or are they acting out? They care so much for black lives they are going to kill their own people to express their discontent for the system they are stuck under?
But, “Oh, it’s the rioters! Peaceful protesters do no such thing!”
Yeah, and you know which banner are those rioters are rioting under? BLM. And BLM is doing nothing to stop this. Some protesters tried to stop, but the official BLM pages? Nope. Crickets. They want this. Black neighbourhood burning to ash will make black people’s spirit will be worn down and black will be suck into this cesspool of blaming others -- again and again and again.
Yes, Portland is still rioting (Day 71, as of this writing). They had started moving into residential neighbourhoods, vandalizing and terrorizing the streets and are attempting to kill people
Portland mayor condemns rioters for 'attempting to commit murder'
You can view livestreams from protests/riots across the US at WOKE.NET. Noted the differences between the peaceful protesters (morning till midnight) and the rioters (midnight till morning).
Andy Ngo covered Antifa/BLM riots
Thomas Sowell, an amazing American thinker that no one seems to talk about, writes the book Dismantling America (2010), and in it he predicts the downfall of America. And beat-by-beat, oh my god, 2020 is when we see all of his predictions come true in the BLM’s playbook and tactics.
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Thomas Sowell -- Dismantling America
BLM is a terrible, terrible organization -- and at this point, a terrible movement. I encourage you to also look into BLM’s history as well as what BLM is actually accomplishing and doing. They may be doing some goods, but I am seeing them killing black people, not elevating them to higher heights.
I’ll wrap this up quickly:
Not everybody out there support BLM;
Not everybody out there that doesn’t support BLM is a racist;
Not everybody out there that doesn’t support BLM doesn’t care about black lives;
Not everybody out there that support BLM also support the agenda they are pursuing;
Not everybody out there support BLM knows what are they supporting;
Not everybody out there support BLM really support black lives.
Some people are there genuinely because there is a problem, I’m not denying that. But you have to understand BLM isn’t what you believe it is. Take one very hard look at the movement you’re indirectly supporting. You’re under the BLM banner, but how much of it are you actually supporting? Are you just supporting because if you don’t support “Black Lives Matter” you don’t support black lives?
Alright. So why would I refuse to kneel because I don’t support BLM? How does that tie together?
As I stated in the beginning: kneeling on the anthem specifically to protest anti-racism and police brutality started with Colin Kappernick and the BLM movement. It is now associated with BLM. Just like the raised fist.
People like me who are opposing BLM views it as giving in, especially when we see things like this this all over the country --  people literally getting down on their knees in the middle of the streets for strangers, saying sorry for whatever the hell the mob demands because otherwise they will be call a racist, a bigot, or being beaten to death.
When I see not many people find this disturbing disturbed me. Some even gleefully says “Yes, that’s should be the future”.
Look: BLM cancels each own people for not falling in line. BLM local leaders had to stepped down because he feels like BLM isn’t a safe platform for him to fight for fair education for black children. 
Blacks that spoken out against BLM, or black conservatives, are branded “coon”, Uncle Tom, such as the case of Terry Crew, Candance Owens, Brandon Tatum, Anthony Brian Logan, Candance Owens, etc. (If you’re interested, Uncle Tom is a great documentary that documents the journey and hardships black conservatives experience)
Look around you.
People are bashing others, cancelling others, for not supporting BLM, for not kneeling, for not following the trends. In sports, players that chose not to kneel is called “not doing enough”, “racist”, hoax, etc.
Do you see how this is problematic? Why do they have to kneel, specifically? You can show solidarity in many ways. Why do they have to kneel? 
You’re free to support whatever you want, but don’t force other to follow the same thing.
BLM is a mob of mindless social justice warriors shoehorning a free society into their warped utopia where everybody speaks the same “right” thing and acts the same “right” way.
In 2020, it started out as “police brutality” and “George Floyd” but it is no longer that. I will not bend the knee for an organization that deploys unjust, racist approach while hiding behind a banner of “justice”. Antifa rioters are using BLM as a husk, and BLM encourages it, wanting it.
I will not kneel for an organization that is built on lies. I will not kneel for a hypocritical movement that has been murdering its own people, demanding outrageous deals and abolishing the system through force and violence.
Kneeling is pledging your support for BLM. And I cannot and will not support BLM the organization or the movement, especially when it’s becoming increasingly toxic and deranged.
I will die on my feet rather than live on my knees.
This doesn’t mean I’m not supporting the black community. But I will choose an alternative way to express my thoughts and sympathy -- because I’ll die sooner than following the way the mob and the terrible organization that is BLM dictates.
Kneeling is not the only way to express my opinion.
I know I’m not the only ones who see through this. For many people, athletes included, BLM is the reason why they are reluctant to kneel.
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02 | A (QUICK) ANALYSIS
» A look on the fans’ reaction « 
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From @mitchmarner​, August 2, 2020
This message overall is a good representation of the situation and how people reacted to this. The criticism is respectful and on-point. The post contains both good messages that I agree with, and some subtle toxic undertone that I find problematic.
For context, this post is regarding NHL.
All the unhighlighted words are what I agreed with. Highlighted words are what I have some opinions on.
Let’s go through this.
       1. “White players should be kneeling”
first of all, just a small thing, but I’m curious as to why only the “white” players are under pressure here. I find it’s strange that the post has to specified the race and what they should do. Hockey players are mostly white -- okay, sure. But I don’t get the emphasis on skin colour? I’m still puzzled why would you put pressure on white people. Because you’re white, you must do as we said and support us no matter what. In the hockey world, it’s easier to say whites have more power. But what about in the NBA, a black-dominated field? Jonathan Isaac, a black guy, refused to kneel and got grilled for it. Instead of specifying race, why not just use “players”? Anybody is welcomed to join in the movement.
You may think I’m being nitpicking over some words, but this is how media uses it to rile people. By putting races in it, they take out the actual humanity, making everything about racial identity and race politics. Ie. which headlines would make you be more angry? “Girl accuses classmates of cutting off her dreadlocks” or “Black girl accuses white classmates of cutting off her dreadlocks” (headline from CBS News, which had changed after the story came out as false).
A recent letter of a journalist from MSNBC reveals how cancerous are the current world is going, and how the media is exploiting it -- racial tension is just one of the facet they can exploit.
I also find the usage of “should” somewhat demanding, indicated obligation and duty. Again, people can say this kneeling is for human rights -- but as I pointed out in both part 1 and part 2, with the modern cancel culture and the herd thinking and BLM’s violence, there will be interpretation of kneeling as in bending the knee to BLM or the angry mob. Why not say “could”? Because, yes, there could be more players out there supporting this cause. They choose not to, and they should be able to choose. This is a free country. They do not have to support something if they don’t agree with it, and they also do not have to support it in a particular way if they agree with it.
        2. Unhighlighted, but similar thing: “If you, like me, are white, we should focus on Ryan and [his] bravery”
Again, why are only white people being pressured into doing the right thing? I’m Asian, not white. So I don’t have to applaud Ryan Reaves’s bravery for standing up (or kneeling down) to his belief, right? We, as a community or fans, should all applaud when people choose to stand up for their belief.
You’ll also spy this subtle “white privilege” thinking hiding in this sentence -- “because we’re white, our voice is more valid and therefore we are the only people others will listen to”
         3. “Many of his teammates [refused] to kneel with him”
I agree you can criticize their lack of support, but demanding people to kneel to show support, without considering why they refused to kneel is ignoring the diversity in thinking or someone’s personal rationale. 
Other players could absolutely have supported Ryan, but they do not “have to kneel” to show it explicitly -- the same way family members don’t have to shower each other with grand gestures in public.
         4. “Make it about white players who should’ve done this bare minimum action from the start comes off weird”
So. Guilt-trip them into submission? If every white player kneel from hereon, racism will definitely be solved in the league.
You know, this reminds me of the now infamous #BlackoutTuesday. Everybody races to post a black square to prove they are not racist (“bare minimum action”, right?), and then that ended up backfiring to the cause. This time, everybody kneel to prove they are not racist (again, “bare minimum action”). Perhaps those that are yelling at all athletes to kneel wouldn’t see this right away, but very soon at some point when (not if) kneeling will be the norm, everybody completes this “bare minimum action” that actually doesn’t solve anything or potentially backfires hard, racism still remains. The platform that provides these athletes power and spotlights may be shrinking, and sports become another divisive tool instead of bringing people together. 
This is a very cult-like thinking to demand everybody to behave and act the same way you want/expect them to act. Yes, we should all take parts in minimizing racism. But, no, we do not have to kneel to solve racism -- especially if we can see that the action doesn’t necessarily solve racism, only a gesture; especially if we don’t agree with the gesture.
I’ll go out on a limb and predict that in 2024, there will be another wave of riots, another wave of “enough is enough” and a new trend to commemorate death due to police brutality -- instead of kneeling, everybody is now bowing down with their face to the ground.
Again, I agree with most of the message. However, I think it’s important to see how some other people are interpreting the same messages and pick apart the problems that is implied within the thinking. 
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03 | SOME PREDICTIONS
This is a fun section where I’ll try to read where the situation with the “kneeling” is going to go. Feel free to skip to the end, but if you enjoy musing about the future then stay with me.
Kneeling has very high probability of becoming a tradition. The rating will continue to go down the tubes for the wokest leagues (at least from a current stand point). I don’t know if it will continue to stay low in the future.
Leagues that orchestrated mass-kneeling are probably banking on the fans deserting them will come back eventually (probably around 2021 or 2022) and ignore the kneeling, once the creeping normality settles in. Which, pretty much kind of defeat the purpose of kneeling and raising awareness, in my opinion. But, it’s not like kneeling is effective now so whatever, I guess. 
Since NFL, NBA and MBL have way bigger budget and audience than NHL, those big leagues/teams could probably afford losing money for 1-2 years. Although if the owner deemed it’s killing the business they will quickly say Shove it.
I think NHL’s strapped budget is the one of the main reason why they are the only “opinion-open” league, ie. don’t force mass-kneeling but agree to facilitate and protect players that choose to kneel. If they had a bigger budget, things might have look different.
There is a very high probability that all leagues will adopt NFL’s way, “Stand for the anthem or Stay in the Locker Room”. This way, those that supports kneeling will be okay because the players are still technically still protesting/kneeling, and those that opposes kneeling or don’t want to be preached politics while they are looking for entertainment will not be ticked off.
A possibility that I think may be possible, albeit I don’t know if it will happen: all leagues stopped kneeling once this wave of wokeness swept over. There will be instances of players kneeling, but there won’t be mass-kneeling like what MBL and NBA are doing.
There is also a tiny chance that leagues/players will continue to orchestrated mass-kneeling and died with their ideologies rather than backtrack and change. 
Prime example: LeBron James. LeBron James and his ego don’t take bruising well.
Colin Kappernick made more money being an activist than being a quarterback -- he was a terrible quarterback if you look at his number (How Good Was Colin Kaepernick When He Left the NFL in 2017?). But, that aside. Kappernick got offered some million dollar documentary and book deals (from Disney) for his spoiled “struggle” and “hardship”. From a legal and financial and medical viewpoint, I doubt Kappernick is going to go back into NFL and will wring this BLM activist thing for all that its worth. NFL careers are often short, while being an activist allows Kappernick to preach to the mass while monetizing his self-made misery.
Anyhow: cancel culture is very vicious, and the media amplified the most extreme voices. The kneeling culture will drag itself to the graves, believe me.
Ryan Reaves won’t get in trouble with his kneeling (from the business and the legal side. I don’t know about his knee). Full disclosure that I’m not well-versed with all the business and money and contract and only mildly familiar with US law. I applaud Ryan for kneeling down for a cause he believes and took risks with his knee (I’d assume he consulted his doctor first, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt). But, I don’t think Ryan financially risked anything.
According to CapFriendly, VGK just signed Reaves to a contract 2-year extention in June 18, 2020. This shows that they are interested in keeping him around. 
Logically speaking, Ryan is a great player and contributes greatly to VGK organization. Benching/trading him is suicidal, especially while VGK has consistently been a strong team since its infancy in 2017 and Ryan seems to be a part of the cornerstone. Ryan will probably stay with VGK until 2022 when his contract ends. 
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04 | CLOSING WORDS
Am I implying that you can’t criticize athletes? No.
Am I defending these athletes? Not necessarily.
These athletes can absolutely do more than just posting pictures on IG and spewing some cookie cutter words, they can absolutely be more supportive of their friends. They can do more. They deserve to be criticize for not doing more.
However, I do not agree with this “you have to kneel” pressure. This is a free country, where you have the freedom of speech, freedom of thoughts, freedom of religious. We have the freedom to criticize people, but they also have the freedom to not listen to it. 
Unlike the government where there is a duty to her citizens to consider her citizens’ wishes, these athletes are strangers and owe no obligations. It is true that sports had always have political aspects to it, but that there are some people that definitely would like to remain apolitical during their career. Michael Jordan remains apolitical until his retirement. Or James Harden, who was described as not involving in politics whatsoever and got dragged through the mud for accidentally wearing a Blue Lives Matter mask while his colleagues and NBA condone BLM.
Some athletes view “being a player” or a star comes with the burden of constantly being on your job 24/7. Stats do show that people are now more scared to disclose their political thoughts, and the further left one’s views, the more one believes they’re protected. 
For someone who is political, kneeling started as a political statement, a symbol of cowardice, and it remained as one, especially considering how many people are tripping over their feet to kneel to sooth the mob. For someone who isn’t political, kneeling may be contradicting to their personal beliefs.
I’ve been stewing on this particular issue for some times, and the kneeling don’t make headlines as much anymore, but I figured this should be addressed regardless. I am concerned about the rise of cancel culture, the radical conformism, and the intolerable thinking rampaging in the US and Canada. Forcing people to kneel to just a late symptoms of what potentially can be the future if this cult-like behaviour is not call out or stop.
You may or may not agree with all the points, and that is OK. Again, this is not a whole list that details all the thoughts out there. This is based on a lot from myself, what I observed, what I scoped out from news. The athletes may have other reasons I haven’t covered. That being said, my point still stand: they have a reason for not kneeling.
Please realize that there are more than one way to view things, especially in a climate where everybody is forced to be political. The most important takeaway here are:
1) kneeling is not the only way to raise awareness;
2) people do not have to kneel to show that they support black lives.
0 notes
michellelewis7162 · 4 years
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Are Actually E-Sports Definitely Athletics?
Are Actually E-Sports Definitely Athletics?
 Very competitive gaming has actually been around a very long time on the COMPUTER with expert Starcraft organizations or competitions for video games like Quake and Counter-Strike. The Xbox 360 has actually created competitive games a lot more well-known recently with the pro-gaming console league Major League Gaming, or MLG for brief, and has actually begun to become identified as a sport through a lot of players. Even sports updates insurance coverage, like ESPN, have approved this brand new craze gotten in touch with E-Sports (electronic sporting activities) as well as right now covers MLG video games on their site and even in some cases discusses it on Sportscenter. Yet is this interest validated? Are E-Sports actually sports? The response is no and also right here are reasons this is so. How To Get Into Esports
 Shortage of wide inherent ability space
I thought I would certainly begin along with this explanation in order that any type of players who believe this is the main factor for this short article may be worked out straight off. I'm certainly not saying that I could beat a Halo 3 gamer like Tsquared. He is actually far better than me. An absence of innate capability void implies that, with devotion, almost any type of player can easily come to be a pro at the video game they desire to complete in. This is actually certainly not accurate for everyone as well as below is an instance. When I used to play SOCOM II, a pal of mine had over 2,000 hours logged onto the game online. I possessed lower than 50 hours, yet I was by far a considerably far better player than him. I think that despite the amount of he played, I would have constantly been far better. Yet, however, there are actually numerous gamers including on my own that are only naturally efficient at video recording games. I possess a 2.5 K/D ratio on Halo 3, but I rarely play the activity as well as perform not take it seriously. I do not also like it. I sense, however, that if I played 8 hours a day or even more with the intent to take it quite seriously, I might probably complete at the MLG level. I have an experiencing a bulk of the players on Halo 3 that are actually devoted to it, could contend at the MLG level Esports Events.
 This is certainly not so along with sports like hockey, baseball, baseball, even golf or ping pong. I utilized to play hockey as a little one yet no issue the amount of I played, there is actually a 99.999% possibility I would certainly never ever make it into the NHL. I believe the exact same could be pointed out for 1000s, perhaps also thousands of professional athletes in primary sports. Yet not gaming. You possess a great chance of having the capacity to contend in the area of games just by instruction and also remaining committed to it.
 Probably I can never ever beat TSquared yet since pc gaming does not entail physicality, the variation in between our company will be actually simply devotion. He is a lot even more specialized than I am actually, as well as has been for a lengthy time. The qualified games plays computer game as his life. I chose a different career path. Merely like I would not be actually as great a forensic investigator as somebody who has 20 years experience, I definitely would not be as really good a gamer as TSquared if I competed against him at the moment.
 There is actually no looking mix
In most significant sporting activities organizations like the NBA, NHL, NFL, and also MLB, there are actually slight categories or college degree play. This is actually exactly how players make it up to the majors, they play with college and after that acquire composed to a staff or even play in the smalls, verify themselves, and are called. In E-Sports, there's no smalls. You do not must show yourself to complete, you merely pay for to get into an event. I can't tell you the lot of opportunities I have actually viewed a sporting activities game on TV to hear a commentator mention something along free throw lines of 'You're in the Majors, you must be capable to make that play' or one thing similar. There's no status being an MLG player, it's pointless. Anyone may turn into one at anytime. Now, you may receive badly beaten if you're no excellent, yet it is actually given that you're competing at a level you should not be. There is actually a cause when significant league players in MLB are sent out down to the minors on a rehab task or even something that they control or that a player who could control at three-way An or the AHL for hockey might absorb the NHL or MLB, it's an entirely various degree of play Esports Events.
 E-Sports do not have amounts of play enjoy this (sure there is actually the CAL and CPL yet it does not operate similarly). Either you are contending or even you're not. I believe to be taken into consideration a sporting activity, MLG should solve this through combining a minors where players are cultivated from to competing in the majors. This will be actually the only means to enter into the majors is actually to be actually invited, not merely join and paying for an expense.
 An absence of unity or association
There are a great deal of video gaming games on the market. There is actually the MLG, CAL, CPL, GGL, Gamebattles (really a division of MLG), Starleagues, as well as many others, some additional legit or popular than others. Sure there are actually various sporting activities games, however I do not think anyone is actually mosting likely to say that in America there is a football league extra reputable or even well-known than the NFL or a hockey game extra legit and also well-known than the NHL. Why doesn't video gaming possess one legit game? Why is it thus ragged? If it was actually an accurate sport, it needs to possess an unity of organization. Instead, organizations are actually merely independently had and run which causes a lot of various ones. Are players in MLG much better than a gamer in CPL? That recognizes, they are actually different organizations with various video games. I may with confidence mention players in the NHL are far better than gamers in a European League.
 This brings me to an additional aspect, the association of E-Sports is nothing like a sporting activity. There is actually no frequent season, there are actually just activities and also ladders. Also the games that pretend to have periods are actually merely managing ladders for a specific time-frame and call it a period. Ladders don't work like times given that you may sign up with or even leave a step ladder at any time. If you go 0-5 on Gamebattles, remove your crew as well as reprise it and also you erase your poor start. Staffs do not possess the exact same number of video games participated in. You can challenge various other teams at your desire so you never possess to participate in a team that you recognize might beat you unless you reach out to the Playoffs. True sports may not be like this. There aren't merely a handful of tournament-style events throughout the time Esports Events.
 Creating it much more sports-like
Overall, E-Sports organizations seem to become using to create gaming look a sporting activity without in fact making it into one. Like the addition of trains in MLG games like Gears of War and Halo. That feels like a fully crazy addition to expert pc gaming and also one that does not even make it extra like a sporting activity. Why performs a player need to have a trainer?
 To make video gaming right into a sport, they must help make company adjustments. Let's remain to make use of MLG as an example. A Halo 3 staff in MLG ought to need to be sponsored by an organization or person. A sponsor doesn't just purchase vacations to Meadowlands and also give you trendy pc gaming rigs. That individual should have the staff as well as they make the lineup adjustments. If Ogre 1 and also Ogre 2 do not as if Walshy any longer, too unsatisfactory. They do not possess a say, the supporter performs. Crews shouldn't be actually just a group of buddies that met someday as well as have played together ever due to the fact that. They must be actually sound groundworks that are going to exist years coming from today, along with our without it is actually existing player lineup.
 They ought to carry out a regular period. Instead of mosting likely to a handful of competition events or completing in some online step ladder, the teams associated with the period are specified at the start of the season. No much more can groups participate in or even leave once the season is actually underway. Hence, schedules are actually specified for every team. If you are actually planned to play a crew, you most likely to that area as well as play them. Actual sports groups and players travel a property. It seems players sit in the home instruction for the following activity. You teach during the off-season in a sport, and also play in the course of the time. Why would very competitive play be actually secured online when you possess system issues, possible unfaithful, as well as lag? It doesn't create feeling. Thus there's no explanation they should not be actually traveling around the nation to play their following arranged rival.
 Each crew will possess the very same amount of video games participated in. After the period ends, playoffs would be seeded and played in the tournament-style events like Meadowlands. That ought to be how playoffs are actually carried out. Now it appears they have no relevance at all apart from gaining you cash and also giving you points Esports Events.
 There ought to likewise be a hunting incorporate. You can't merely up as well as sign up with an MLG competition eventually. You are going to possess to take part in a different organization as well as compete certainly there up until you are invited by a crew proprietor to participate in an MLG team. That will provide legitimacy to the organization as well as additionally probably grass out a considerable amount of prefer to-be's and also posers because they may not be mosting likely to wish to complete as well as take a trip a lot.
 eSports: What Exactly Is It?
 Typically, the majority of games that are included in these competitions entail a multiplier component as the entire point of eSports is to communicate with other players. There are numerous possibilities currently readily available that players may play in lots of various tournaments as well as competitors. The key is to conform kind that you take pleasure in very most or are well at.
 Mostly all game kinds are actually accommodated in eSports as well as our company discovered that the absolute most preferred kinds were actually very first person shooter (FPS), sport and MMORPGs. Our team anticipate considerably more to become incorporated to this listing in the future.
 Presently, eSports are actually mainly consumed as well as delighted in by males with 85% of men comprising engagement of activities. Market forerunners are proactively trying to motivate women participation and our team feel our experts will certainly find some progression on this as our team advance in to 2017. Additionally, the eSports market generated ₤ 258 thousand in 2015 and our team anticipate this to be actually around ₤ 391 for 2016 which is actually pretty crazy!
 Where Can I View eSports?
All of it noises quite exciting, doesn't it? The business is predicted to proceed its rapid development in 2017 and interaction goes to an all-time higher as a result of to the media systems offered. You may look at eSports on plenty of different platforms and internet sites. Twitch and also YouTube are one of the most obvious ones along with ESPN and Yahoo additionally possessing their own specialized eSports segments. Added sites that you might not have actually come across resemble Twitch and offer some excellent information. These are Azubu and also MLG therefore examine all of them out for some top quality eSports streams.
 Such is actually the development of eSports that typical sporting activities web sites (our company utilize ESPN above as an instance) are actually starting to cater their web content to eSports followers. This is actually rather great as well as actually emphasises to us exactly how very seriously sports broadcasters are taking the eSports market.
 The Success of LoL
 So where did LoL originate from?! Its hit the eSports world like a tidal wave on Indonesia. I individually have actually played it on as well as off due to the fact that beta and also have actually watched it blossom in to this beautiful mature competitive moba. It has actually been no effortless course for Riot. There has actually been many risks arrived at that Riot have actually appeared to certainly not simply jump over, however capitalise on and also expand bigger. Exactly how did they perform it? Whats brought about LoL's growth?
 The early challenge for Riot was actually verse HoN. This rivalry I assume has actually emphasised simply how efficient the free to participate in concept could be. However free to play is actually certainly not a new concept and its own important to note exactly how well Riot balanced it with paid out material. The doable content and paid for web content is actually therefore carefully tuned that it sways sufficient over casual players to maintain all of them going and really wanting more while dedicated gamers basically pay through the nostrils to get everything they assume they need to have to play their absolute best.
 The various other element of this particular HoN competition is actually that Riot industried their game primarily to become as inviting of all sorts of gamers as achievable, particularly the ordinary noob. You can observe the suggestion behind HoN was to possess a harsh affordable emphasis, probably in the order of how sc2 was actually introduced. It likewise subsequently enticed an amount of dota gamers.
 In the meantime Riot was noob pleasant, neighborhood focused and possessed their 'summoners code.' The real world ramifications of the, imo, is actually quite unsubstantial. Individuals still behave like pricks as well as the communities attitudes etc are actually quite comparable. Nevertheless individuals get right into it, they seem like their activity has a various attitude despite whether they practice what they evangelize. Its own comparable to hipster national politics that state "save the world male" while recommending republican.
 Confusion chose to OWN their competitors. Arguably the premier LoL contest is what LoL itself owns/promotes/runs ingame. Now this is perhaps one thing never ever viewed before in any other video game. Many activity designers to date release a game then permitted the neighborhood kept up it. Blizzard are among the few developers in record that ever before support an activity after launch.
 Fortune is a vital variable also below, in a number of places. The very first is actually streaming went large around this time around. sc2 appeared and received things cracking on justin.tv > shiver and also own3d. LoL promptly took this up and also Riot operated with it. Situations were actually best for Riot to capitalise on reaching their target reader in a whole new method.
 Yet another factor is exactly how fracking aweasomley Riot acquired building activity caster talent. Was this an in-house choice? Given that it has actually compensated out handsomely for them. LoL itself is actually a technical/descriptive/ backward and forward casters wet desire. To in other words, its own a performers goldmine. Its own like the cricket of eSports.
 The second part of good fortune has actually been actually South Korea as well as the transition from sc1 to sc2. It could not have been actually timed much better for Riot and I will be actually amazed to recognize even more concerning just how much Riot tried to promote LoL in Asia. sc2 happened out as well as the whole of South Korea were embeded this starcraft hangover rut, it was like a giant economy folding major. sc2 simply wouldn't take off and Koreans went appearing for a brand-new activity. That brand-new activity was LoL.
 So listed below our experts are, LoL and also uproar go to the forefront of affordable pc gaming, on the precipice of a brand-new period. They wrecked HoN, have cracked out of the effective game area as well as are right now right into the eSports modifying region. Only one problem stands up before them and also its own dota2.
 I'm captivated and also delighted to view exactly how they handle this problem. The activity engine is actually the next battlefield I assume. Immediately LoL has a wonderful balance in between being tremendously usable on all personal computers, yet calling for sufficient to create individuals buy better components to operate it. So it attracts the proper level of sponsors to celebrations.
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junker-town · 7 years
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NASCAR mailbag: Are drivers underpaid?
The weekly mailbag includes questions on driver salaries, a potential fourth manufacturer, and the first round of the Cup Series playoffs.
Each week SB Nation's NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi answers your questions about the latest news and happenings within the sport. If you have a future mailbag question, email [email protected].
So Denny Hamlin doesn’t think drivers are paid enough, yet wonders why teams are bleeding money. If he really wants teams to be more solvent then shouldn’t that include paying drivers less not more and not just taking money away from the tracks? I’m not sure how he thinks he can have it both ways.
--Mary
As Hamlin surmised, the headline of him publicly stating Wednesday that drivers should be paid like NBA and NFL players garnered most of the attention. But it’s important to take the entirety of what he said into context.
When he spoke out about driver salaries, he specifically said he wasn’t talking about himself -- a top level talent who is well compensated for what he does. More so, he was referring to those drivers on the lower end of the totem pole, who expose themselves to the same risks as Hamlin but for a fraction of the pay.
Now of course, there has and forever will be a difference between the haves and have-nots, and there will always be drivers willing to forego a big paycheck in an exchange for the opportunity to race in NASCAR’s premier division. What Hamlin would like to see is for teams to become sustainable without corporate sponsorship, therefore in a position to pay a higher salary and in some instances not have to choose less talented Driver A over a deserving Driver B merely because Driver A brings needed funding.
Hamlin’s objective is certainly idealistic, but it is something NASCAR and its teams should strive to achieve even if it will never come to complete fruition. As the recent downsizing of Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports and soon Furniture Row Racing can attest, greater cost-saving measures are needed where teams could remain viable even without a big dollar sponsor footing the bill.
Helping on this front would be increasing the percentage teams receive of the $8.2 billion brought in from television rights, which is currently allocated at 25 percent. Hamlin was more than fair in questioning why tracks receive such a large sum (65 percent) when in many instances it doesn’t seem as if the money is being put to proper use, be it amenities for fans and teams or marketing and promotion. Some tracks go above and beyond and have done an excellent job in remaining viable in a tough marketplace, while several deserve scrutiny on how that money is being spent.
As with most things within NASCAR, reevaluation of the revenue distribution model is needed. Because while this is how things have historically been done, doesn’t mean this how the system should exist going forward.
I heard Brian France talk about a potential fourth manufacturer coming in, something he’s said before. Is this wishful thinking on his part or do you think something will actually happen and who will it be?
--Dan
Two manufacturers have had discussions with NASCAR executives regarding participation in the Cup Series, France told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday. But of those carmakers only one can be classified as “seriously” contemplating entering NASCAR, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to SB Nation.
That manufacturer is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, which would compete under its Dodge nameplate. Any reentry into NASCAR couldn’t occur before 2019, though 2020 may be a more realistic timetable, SB Nation was told.
Dodge, then a separate entity not under the Fiat umbrella, raced in the Cup Series from 2001-2012, only withdrawing after Team Penske’s defection to Ford left the company without any flagship teams and without an engine maker. And it was the latter of these two voids that proved most problematic, with any Dodge-backed team needing to also build its own engines.
Although Dodge’s conundrum hasn’t changed, persistent industry speculation has the carmaker is courting Richard Childress Racing. Such a union would then resolve Dodge’s two main hurdles: 1) Aligning with an established team, which helps ease the re-acclimation process, and 2) taking advantage of RCR’s existing engine program, which already constructs motors across NASCAR’s three national divisions.
What does it say that Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon and Kasey Kahne won three of NASCAR’s biggest races but were each eliminated right away? Shouldn’t the guys who win the biggest races be among the best?
--Trevor
Good point about Busch, Dillon and Kahne, who won the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Brickyard 400, respectively. As for what it says regarding each of their seasons, there is no deeper takeaway than none of the three were good enough nor deserving to advance past the first round.
Busch lacked consistency throughout the regular season, going 13 races between winning Daytona and recording his next top-five finish. On the year, he’s led all of 13 laps, which represents a career-low.
And Dillon and Kahne weren’t any better, with both only qualifying for the playoffs because they were able to pull off surprise victories. Dillon scored his first-career win by stretching his fuel to the absolute limit to take NASCAR’s longest race, while a wild set of circumstances aided Kahne claiming the checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Nonetheless, the early playoff exits for Busch, Dillon and Kahne doesn’t diminish the significance of NASCAR’s marquee events. Sometimes surprise and fluky winners occur, that has always and will continue to be an element of racing — no different than when upsets happen in other sports. It’s just now that win also includes a postseason berth.
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flauntpage · 7 years
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Demetrious Johnson Is Staging a Goddamn Revolution
There comes a point in the career of a transformative athlete when he's presented with the opportunity to increase his size and scope and perspective and his sense of self and re-evaluate his place in the world, a time when has ask to ask himself: Will his achievements exist entirely within the confines of his sport—those 48 minutes, those five sets, those five rounds—or will he allow himself to contemplate a world outside those lines, a world of his own making?
In the last couple of weeks UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson has been allowing himself to do just that, standing strong in the face of increasing pressure from UFC matchmakers and President Dana White to fight bantamweight contender TJ Dillashaw against his will, signaling a new resolve from the longtime UFC company-man to use his considerable leverage to impose his reasonable demands and flip the way things are done.
Yesterday, in an act of unprecedented and wonderful gall, Johnson released a statement decrying what he called the UFC's "mistreatment and bullying" during recent fight negotiations, attacking executives, particularly the infamously brash and demanding White, for tarnishing Johnson's "values and character as a person and a fighter," and accepting his role as a possible impetus for "other fighters to band together to start getting fair treatment"—which, if I weren't so cynical, I might take to be that long-awaited, mythic endorsement of a fighter's union from an A-level champion fighter.
Johnson's statement is a veritable Iliad of mistreatment and disrespect on the part of the UFC—including "tyrannical" matchmaking demands, unfair contract stipulations, dismissive attitudes about Johnson's monetary value, attempts by White to bully Johnson in both private and public, and the slandering of Johnson's reputation in the media—culminating in a supposed threat, relayed through UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, from the UFC that if Johnson doesn't take the Dillashaw fight, the promotion will shut down the flyweight division.
It wasn't long ago that threats far less terrifying that those would have cowed any UFC fighter, much less one as uncontroversial and amenable as Johnson. But the days of absolute authority in the UFC seem to be on the wane, and there's no doubt something has happened to Johnson in recent weeks, transforming him from a loyal company-man into a shrewd and forceful advocate for himself. Yesterday on The MMA Hour, Johnson answered the UFC's threats directly, telling them, "Close the motherfucking division then. Because if somebody is willing to do that, that just shows you that they have no interest whatsoever of working with the champion. I never missed weight, always showed up on time, did all of my interviews on fight week, traveled to Australia in coach two times for the flyweight division. I've done a lot."
Where did this new, huge, vast Demetrious Johnson come from, this empowered civilian Johnson who now matches the temerity and self-actualization of the in-cage fighter we all know and love? Was it simply born out of the realization that he had tied the record for most UFC title fights a few months prior and was therefore in a negotiating position reserved for only the best and the brightest? No, Demetrious Johnson's come-to-Jesus moment didn't come in the quiet of the post-fight locker room or at home with his wife or on a mountaintop in India. Johnson's rebirth was much more ironic than that.
It seems Johnson was inspired to rethink his relationship to the UFC and his approach to negotiating at the UFC's own Athlete Retreat last month, an event put on by the promotion's new owners, Hollywood talent agent WME|IMG, and which featured presentations from, in their words, "a wide variety of experts across sports, entertainment, and business." Which is just where WME fucked up. Here they thought they would hire a bunch of big names from other sports to inspire their new employees (the fighters) to view their careers as opportunities for brand synergy and cross-promotional marketing integration, thereby benefitting the UFC brand and WME, and what they did instead was inspire their best employee to view his career as an opportunity for brand synergy and cross-promotional marketing integration, thereby benefitting himself. All those rich athletes on stage convinced Demetrious Johnson of one thing: to do whatever he can to become one of those athletes, which means being an athlete beyond the control of your promotion.
According to Johnson, those speakers—in particular former NBA star Kobe Bryant, former NFL player Michael Strahan, and current NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall—convinced the flyweight champion that the most important thing for an athlete is "finding your purpose, sticking to your principles, and don't back down from what you believe in. Seeing these big sports figures preach to us about that. Nobody out there is looking out for the best Demetrious Johnson. There's only one person doing that and that's me. … That's where I gained my backbone. Kobe and Brandon Marshal are like, 'You can't let your sport define you. You have to make sure you stick to your principles and what you believe in.'" I hope WME sees the irony here.
Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC
Since Johnson released his bombshell yesterday White and other UFC spokesmen have been quiet, though TJ Dillashaw, the bantamweight fighter whose desire to skip the line at flyweight and fight Johnson inspired all this mess in the first place, somehow managed to miss the point altogether. Taking Johnson's refusal to be bullied into fighting him as a personal slight, Dillashaw called out the champion on Instagram for being "afraid" and complained to ESPN, "Trying to say that I don't really deserve a title shot which I think is complete bullcrap. I don't think there's anybody in his weight class right now to push him and I'm healthy, I'm in shape, I'm already in the process—because Dana told me that's who I'm fighting—of dropping the weight class. I'm waking up at 143 pounds in the morning so that's a very, very reachable goal. … And it's kind of embarrassing to have him go and call himself the GOAT, to be the greatest of all time and turning down fights because he's scared to fight. He can say whatever he wants to say about all his other issues he has and being bullied—which, I don't understand how the greatest of all time gets bullied—but it all comes down to him being scared of me beating him."
Which is just the kind of small thinking Demetrious Johnson has recently liberated himself from (and, one could argue, just the kind of thinking the UFC wants their fighters engaged in: myopic, fighter-on-fighter, paying no attention to the man behind the curtain): seeing every action of a fighter through a fighting lens, refusing to acknowledge the world outside the cage, failing to understand how a person who fights for a living could possibly be bullied by the corporation he works for, not understanding just how perilous a situation Johnson just put himself into, refusing to look at the bravery of one fighter as potential liberation for all fighters. It's small-time thinking, free of the scope and breadth and depth and light and air and enlightenment of the new and improved Demetrious Johnson. Long may he reign.
Demetrious Johnson Is Staging a Goddamn Revolution published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv
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