Banning black people from baseball in the early days? Political.
Jackie Robinson's debut? Political.
MSU vs. Loyola's
Game of Change? Political.
Miracle on Ice?
Political.
The United States boycotting the 1980 Olympics?
Political.
Bubba Wallace adding
Black Lives Matter to his car? Political.
Ole Miss's entire history: Dixie, Confederate Flags at games, Colonel Reb, the Rebels name? All political.
Numerous athletes protesting the Vietnam war during the national anthem?
Political.
Numerous athletes protesting for black lives during the national anthem? Also political!
The national anthem before games at all? F22 flyovers before games? Refusing to fly the Mississippi flag at sporting events? Making kids say the pledge of allegiance every day? Political.
Sports--and indeed, our entire lives--are
filled with politics everywhere you look. And always have been. Just because you haven't been paying attention doesn't change that fact. You don't get to tell athletes to "shut up and dribble" any more than they get to tell you to "shut up and watch."
Many of you are mentioning how you're slowly drifting away from watching sports because politics you disagree with make you uncomfortable. That you're finding new hobbies. That's good! You should take care of your mental health and create whatever spaces you need to feel better. You don't have a constitutional right to watch sports without politics. But you do have a right to not watch sports at all!
In short: if you are complaining about black lives matter politics in sports right now, but you didn't say a squeak about any of the things above, you're a hypocrite. You don't get to pick and choose
which politics you think are acceptable in sports.