te0002
Member
- Messages
- 820
- Reaction score
- 0
AP's comment has simply cemented a long-standing issue I've had with professional sports in general, but the NFL in particular.
Maybe I'm all alone here - but I simply cannot stand to hear NFL players talk about themselves and the game in military terms.
I know there are others here who, like me, actually served. I don't know if everyone shares my combat experience, but I do know we are all brothers-in-arms and, IMHO, the only ones qualified to refer to our endeavors as combat/war/battle and/or ourselves as warriors.
Some may not agree, I understand. But when I hear some athlete - in any sport - speak of themselves as warriors, the game or match as battle/combat/war or invoke any other term which holds what I consider a very narrow and special meaning, it just really gets to me.
None of these guys - save any who served and then came back into the sport - have any notion whatsoever about what it takes to be a warrior and certainly are completely ignorant of combat, battles and war. And for this I'm grateful.
I just think they use terms likes this in an effort to enhance their public persona and/or because they are completely clueless as to what they are talking about - and it rubs me the wrong way (if you couldn't tell).
And yes, I'm aware of the the War on Drugs, Poverty and any number of policy positions invoking the word, but for me, in sports, its different. And there are some here who may point to the condition of the neighborhoods where some of these players grew up and as harsh as some of them may be, they are not battle, combat, or war zones - by any stretch - including Compton, S.Central, The Greens, Oak Cliff, or any other less desirable neighborhood in this country.
If I'm alone or off-base here, I understand. Just my position. Do I expect it to stop? Unfortuantely, no. Do I beg, hope and pray it does? Indeed.
I can't truly speak to the "slavery" comment - outside the obvious idiocy - since I'm not black, but I can imagine its about the same.
Maybe I'm all alone here - but I simply cannot stand to hear NFL players talk about themselves and the game in military terms.
I know there are others here who, like me, actually served. I don't know if everyone shares my combat experience, but I do know we are all brothers-in-arms and, IMHO, the only ones qualified to refer to our endeavors as combat/war/battle and/or ourselves as warriors.
Some may not agree, I understand. But when I hear some athlete - in any sport - speak of themselves as warriors, the game or match as battle/combat/war or invoke any other term which holds what I consider a very narrow and special meaning, it just really gets to me.
None of these guys - save any who served and then came back into the sport - have any notion whatsoever about what it takes to be a warrior and certainly are completely ignorant of combat, battles and war. And for this I'm grateful.
I just think they use terms likes this in an effort to enhance their public persona and/or because they are completely clueless as to what they are talking about - and it rubs me the wrong way (if you couldn't tell).
And yes, I'm aware of the the War on Drugs, Poverty and any number of policy positions invoking the word, but for me, in sports, its different. And there are some here who may point to the condition of the neighborhoods where some of these players grew up and as harsh as some of them may be, they are not battle, combat, or war zones - by any stretch - including Compton, S.Central, The Greens, Oak Cliff, or any other less desirable neighborhood in this country.
If I'm alone or off-base here, I understand. Just my position. Do I expect it to stop? Unfortuantely, no. Do I beg, hope and pray it does? Indeed.
I can't truly speak to the "slavery" comment - outside the obvious idiocy - since I'm not black, but I can imagine its about the same.
