Sports and politics have always been like strange bedfellows but they have always been bedfellows. Today more than any time in our history that statement is true. Whether it is football or baseball or just about any other sport nationalism and politics has always been a part of our sport’s scene. Politicians want to be seen with sport stars, politicians want to throw out the first pitch. They want to be seen in that skybox at some stadium watching what they say is their favorite team. Countries  do that same thing. Just look at the Olympics. What is the most important number at the Olympics? Why medal count. Every day during the Olympics it is the medal count that is posted there for everyone to see. The athletes themselves are secondary that is why there is so much cheating by countries like Russia. They want to win the medal count so they can show the World how superior they are. Hitler tried to use the Olympics to showcase the superiority of the Third Reich. When Nixon was looking for a voice to help him who was one person he turned to? Coach Vince Lombardi, one of most famous coaches ever to coach the game of football and a very patriotic and man that believed in integrity and values.

Like today the Sports Stars Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Mohammed Ali tried to use their sport celebrity status to raise their concerns for political and social issues and like today’s sports stars they were vilified. The attitude of just shut up and dribble is not new. What was kind of new was when Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of our National Anthem. It had been almost 40 years that an athlete had demonstrated during the playing of our Anthem and that was Tommy Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Just like when Smith and Carlos raised their black gloved fists, when Kaepernick took that knee you would have thought that the world was spinning off its axes. When a Black athlete uses their sports platform to make a statement the world is coming to an end but when a Politician or political supporter uses sports for political gain all is good.

In 2020 arguably one of the greatest golfers of all time Jack Nicklaus.  He used his formidable platform to endorse Donald Trump for a second term. He called Trump the most diverse President he had ever seen. He stated that he thought that Trump had the resolve to do what was best for the country. He is a more than anything else a golfer and a great one. There is no way that he can separate himself from the private citizen Jack Nicklaus to the golfing icon Jack Nicklaus. Was he told to just shut up and swing the club? Of course not, because he is Jack Nicklaus. I will ask this? Why was Lebron told to just shut up and dribble? What is the difference between the two? Both are what greatness has to be measured against in their respective sport but one was treated differently than the other. Well, there is one glaring difference. One is White and the other is Black. At the Masters in 2021, after the January 6^th Insurrection, a reporter tried to question Jack about his endorsement. He dodged the issue by saying they were there to talk about golf. He used his Golf Platform to endorse a man that tried to bring down our democracy but using that same platform to talk at the Masters he thought that was not the right venue. He would not take responsibility for the things he said about Trump. Well Jack unlike what you said Trump did not do what was best for the country and he still isn’t. Maybe Jack should have just shut up and putted.

Golf is now back in the political news. We have a new, for profit tour called LIV Golf headed by Greg Norman. This is a Saudi Arabia financed tour. They are dangling big money in front of some of the world’s leading golfers. Some of the golfers like Phil Michelson are jumping at the chance to play in this new league stating that they have had grievances with the PGA. Yes, the PGA that has helped made Phil filthy rich. He stated that he knew that the Saudi’s were dangerous people he called them “scary mother**kers to get involved with”. “We know they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights”. He stated that “they execute people over there for being gay”. He also stated that “after knowing all of this it was once in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates”.  What is he really saying? He will lay with jackals as long as he gets paid well. September 11^th was a day that will live in our history forever. 15 of the 19 attackers of 9/11 came from Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden himself was from Saudi Arabia. Every time I fill up with gas deep inside I know that I may be helping promote terrorism around the world. All of these American former PGA golfers are helping the international image of Saudi Arabia. A group of 9/11 family survivors sent a letter to all of the golfers and protesting their helping the Saudi nation and reminding the golfers of the role that Saudi Arabia played in the death of their loved ones. All Phil could say was that he had great empathy for the people that lost their lives. Those may be the words he is saying but what he is showing is that money talks and he and others can be bought. Money talks louder than Patriotism. They all should be ashamed of themselves. Playing in the Ryder Cup is just a fun way to have good and honest camaraderie between us and Europe but it really is not a Patriotic Event. When it came time for Phil and company to stand up all they said was “show me the money”.

Collin Kaepernick sacrificed his career for the betterment of the Blacks in America. These Golfers that went to the LIV Tour do not know the meaning of sacrifice.

 

 

Phil Mickelson makes startling comments about Saudi golf league: report | Fox News

Phil Mickelson Responds to Criticism From Families of 9/11 Victims - Sports Illustrated