Is the NFL liberal?

[TSIAS]

This was an interesting column from my local paper, The Palm Beach Post. It's related to Limbaugh's job on ESPN.


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/local_news_f3a5698920f0310710d2.html

(snip)

By Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post Staff Columnist
Sunday, September 7, 2003

It's football season again, and this year our own closeted Palm Beacher Rush Limbaugh has become a football commentator on ESPN.

I don't say this as a prelude to knock Limbaugh as a choice for color commentator (white?), or to suggest that it will be entertaining to see if he can blame every fumble on the Clintons.

No, I'm simply mystified by Limbaugh's giddy enthusiasm for the National Football League, and his claim that he is one of the league's biggest fans. Could it be?

There's nothing Republican about the NFL.

(more)

[southern democrat]

1. I'd say the owners are mostly conservatives

and the players are mostly liberal

[Avatar13]

3. Liberal Players?

Not to bash them or to generalize, but I don't see them posessing the mental framework to fully understand and appreciate liberalism as you and I do. They were probably "jocks" and most likely concentrated their efforts throughout high school and college on more "jock"-like activities, and not so much on academia - although I know there are many exceptions. Surely the demography of NFL players may suggest an overrepresentation of a certain socio-economic class, which may exhibit some propensity towards certain political leanings, but ultimately I don't think that players are necessarily liberal. In fact, when these people get paid a lot of money and become famous, conservative leanings may emerge - though more of the "no more taxes" types than the "no more affirmative action" types.

It's just when I see people like Mark Chmura and Reggie White (Rush Limbaugh - Alan Keyes conservatives), it makes me chuckle to hear someone say that players are mostly liberal.

The religion thing also amuses me too. Players like Kurt Warner, Steve Largent, and JC Watts who associate themselves with certain religious movements (Promise Keepers) or philosophies (against homosexuality and abortion) really tick me off - and I'm sure there are many faithful players in the league today who profess such views because of their extreme views on religion. And then there are some players who I can't imagine what their political leanings are, like Jeremy Shockey (Is he a conservative, or a non-political trogolyte, or did he just take too many hits to the head?), and OJ Simpson (I'm guessing he's a R because he's rich)

But I agree that the owners tend to be conservative, Steve Forbes-style.

[DrGonzoLives]

6. Mental framework?

You say you don't mean to bash, then you do it right off the bat. What, is there an intelligence requirement to be included in the liberal camp? An IQ test?

And I love the derision of "jock" activities. What exactly did you do in high school that was so high and mighty? Why do you feel the need to trash others because they wanted to do something different than you in life?

It's a shame that we have such elitists on the left.

[Avatar13]

15. Re: "Mental framework?"

What, is there an intelligence requirement to be included in the liberal camp? An IQ test?

Of course not, as there are as many reasons and motivations that makes one liberal as there are liberals. If having "an intelligence requirement" is one of the reasons, so be it - and if not, so be it - to each his/her own. As much as I admire people who embrace liberal views because they "just feel it's the right thing to do," I also admire people who come to see the world for what it has become through research and intellectual discourse. And as you must have learned in your years here at DU, not posessing the intellectual curiosity to look for answers is often the cause of freeper conservatism and anti-liberalism.

What exactly did you do in high school that was so high and mighty?

Not that it really matters what I did that was so "high and mighty," but I was a member of the school soccer and cross-country team, but my main accomplishments were in mathematics, where I was a competitive "mathlete" and participated in serveral national contests. Nothing that makes me really special, but I do pride myself in being broadly involved in athletics, academics, and social activities (not a jock, a nerd, or any "elite" group), but most importantly developing an appreciation for the competitive spirit, regardless of where it happens - on the field or in the classroom. I never paid attention in philosophy class, but I'd say that this was nothing more than an ad homiem attack I should have ignored.

Why do you feel the need to trash others because they wanted to do something different than you in life?

I did not trash them because they wanted to do something different in life. I think it's great that these people are putting their gift to use, and I'm not one to taunt them for it - I could only wish I was as gifted in something as they are in playing football. By the way, you have no idea what I do (or wanted to do) in my life, so please refrain from claiming that I felt the need to trash others.

It's a shame that we have such elitists on the left.

Surely this is a sensitive topic, and my choice of words may not have been the best, but it doesn't detract from my argument that those who have different priorities in life than mine will often have different opinions and dispositions than mine. I tell you, it's not easy being sympathetic to liberalism and posessing the tools to defend yourself from conservatism lest you be called an elitist.

By the way, you're not DoctorGonzo from apj, are you?

[VermontDem2004]

9. Mark Chmura and Reggie White are only 2 players

not the 3,000 players that are in the NFL, I don't know what the overall leanings are but I say their are players that belong to both sides of the aisle. Now, Jeremy Shockey had to have republican parents or I don't know. Just because someone is rich doesn't make them a republican, have you forgotten who Warren Buffett is? I have no idea if they are more conservative or more liberal because they don't ask "Are you an NFL player" on an exit poll. I did concentrate most of my efforts trying to get better at football and I did have political leanings believe it or not, it takes alot of hard work and discipline to be player in the NFL, they are not some people who just got lucky? I am thinking about playing football at a community college and work my way up, it will take alot of work but I can do it. I was a reciever in high school but quit because of a run happy coach who ran the ball 40-50 times a game.

[Avatar13]

17. have you forgotten who Warren Buffett is?

Well, no... but he doesn't play football :-) And niether does Soros. On the flip side, Forbes and Murdoch don't either. And I'd pay good money to see Scaife catch one. I wasn't trying to say $ <=> R, but I heard offhand that OJ voted several times for Repub candidiates in the past, so I assumed it wasn't for the candidate's social platform. Of course, this is hearsay and I can't prove jack.

[northzax]

10. the prevelance of religion in professional sports

makes complete sense. Think about it. If you were in a profession where your success depended as much on blind luck as preparation (this is not to mock athletes, anyone in the NFL is both incredibly talented (a gift from God?) and works like a dog, else they are gone in a hurry...) but still, have you ever seen a football bounce? seemingly random. one bad hit leaves you not only unemployed, but potentially crippled. For the most part, you have a lacking education outside of sports (there are exceptions to this rule, of course, often among linemen of all people) but you are 21 and someone is paying you 2 million bucks a year to chase a little ball around and get hit by other large men. it is not suprising that people in this situation would embrace anything that takes the responsibility for their career away from them and puts it on another, higher power. the old saying "there are no atheists in foxholes' applies to the NFL as well. There are few atheists running across the middle. football and baseball especially, in their own way, are capricious mistresses, it becomes easy to say 'there but for the grace of god go I'.

please note that I still think praying in public is useless. but I will never criticise someone who both gives a higher power credit when they succeed, and accepts it when they fail. I don't believe that god favours the overtly religious in sports, but if it's not God who determined which direction that fumble would travel, changing the game outcome, then it's random chance. Would you want your entire livelihood to be based on random chance?

[kalian]

2. Yawn.....

That's why the "Patriots" won in 2001...? :eyes:
"Liberal" my ass...

[DS1]

4. how so?

I don't follow much, but am from MA and would like to hear what you think invalidates their championship...

Trust me, you won't get flamed, most likely an "OK".

[DrGonzoLives]

7. Ummmm

The Patriots won because they won throughout the postseason. Believe it or not, that's how the system works. You must be a Raiders fan.

[VermontDem2004]

8. The Patriots won because of a bad call

that was clearly a fumble, and the postseason system got the Raiders into the Super Bowl. I am a Cardinals fan, but since the Broncos got Jake Plummer, I found myself no longer rooting for the Cardinals but for the Broncos. :wtf: All along I thought I was a Cardinals fan, but really a Jake Plummer fan. :shrug:

[northzax]

11. a jake plummer fan?

damn, you know there is a 12 step program for that, based on the Danny Wuerffel Method. it's a long, painful process, but not nearly as long and painful as watching them play in the first place.

[VermontDem2004]

12. Jake Plummer is a great quarterback

just made too many mistakes and his team in AZ has been plagued with Injuries. In his first full season at Arizona his team survived injuries and made it to the playoffs and knocked out Dallas in the first round 19-7. In his third year 8 starters became injured and traded Rob Moore the next year and he threw for 18 touchdowns and limited his interceptions to 14. He has a career 21 fourth quarter comebacks, 4 more then John Elway in his first 7 years in the NFL. I have followed Jake Plummer's career very closely and alot of his problems were due to team injuries and a horrible offensive line. Last year the Cardinals started the season 4-2, then Brian Gilmore broke his leg (David Boston was out for the season before then) then later on during the season the Cardinals lost 12 starters for the season and 6 replacement starters for the seasons. So look beyond the stats which I admit aren't good, but look at the offensive line he was placed with, look at the consistency of injuries the Cardinals have had over the year before you make a judgement. I have followed Plummer's career since his sophmore year at Arizona State.

[DrGonzoLives]

13. The implication

in the post I was responding to was that there was some grand conspiracy to make sure that the Patriots won the Super Bowl that year, which is complete bullshit. As for the "tuck," yeah, it was a bullshit call, but that was the rule at the time. Bad rules and bad calls are a part of sports - champions overcome them.

[VermontDem2004]

14. Oh I see

what is this conspiracy, I follow the sport closely but never heard of a Patriots super bowl conspiracy.

[SmileyBoy]

5. I posted a thread on Thursday arguing the exact opposite of this.

That the NFL is in the hands of the neo-cons. I can't find the thread link.

[Braden]

16. they are all right wing whack jobs.

ever seen an NFL locker room at election time? Its all Republican Presidential signs and nothing else. (a friend of mine works for the Jets)

they (the players) are one issue voters, Tax issues.

Yes the league is very democratic in its set up but don't confuse that with liberalism in the rank and file.