The "take a knee" protests continue. They were started by Colin Kaepernick, who protested by sitting out the playing of the National Anthem when the San Francisco 49'ers played. Since then, players have been taking a knee across the league, and Kaepernick has been "de facto" blackballed by the NFL owners. Oh, you can SAY that there is no collusion between the owners, and you'd be partially right. There is no WRITTEN policy that says that the NFL owners have agreed to keep Colin Kaepernick from a job. But that doesn't automatically exonerate the owners.
After all, the Miami Dolphins decided to beg Jay Cutler to come out of retirement to play, and he did so reluctantly. You can't convince me that under different circumstances, Kaepernick would have at least been given a first or second look. Then again, the world just found out what may have contributed to the decision to bring in Cutler, at least partially. Via video. Heh.
But I digress, as I am wont to do.
Afterwards a bunch of owners (and players, reluctantly) usurped the protest message to turn it into a message of "unity", where the owner locks arms with the players. In one case, the Dallas Cowboys showed just how a league owner can change the narrative of a protest. They took a knee BEFORE the playing of the National Anthem, and then stood up during its play. Owner Jerry Jones took it a step further and said that "anyone who disrespects the flag will not be allowed to play."
Enter NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell, caving to pressure from on high by the prince of darkness himself (aka Dolt 45 and his burgeoning kleptocracy) stated in a letter that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. He says that this is an effort to "move past the controversy." That "controversy" being pro football players silently protesting against police brutality, in case anyone forgot. In other words, "Alright you uppity nigras, you did your thing long enough... time to shut up and do what we tell you do to... BOY."
How will the players respond? Will players in Dallas risk taking a knee? Will other owners follow Jerry Jones' lead and bench players who decide to protest? The players here have the power in numbers, and if they use it, they can create a seismic shift in protests for social justice. And how would I do it?
Here's how.
On a given Sunday afternoon or night, or Monday night, the players take the field as usual. The coin is flipped, and the kicking team kicks to the receiving team. At the first play from the line of scrimmage, the center snaps the ball.
The defense instantly takes a knee.
The offense then takes a knee.
And since the play isn't considered "dead" until the player with the ball (in this case, the QB) is tackled, takes a knee, or runs out of bounds, he remains motionless. The quarterback holds the ball in one hand. And with the other hand, he slowly raises a fist to the air. Then, after about a minute, in front of worldwide sponsors with advertisers throwing a conniption fit, he slowly descends to take a knee.
The play is then whistled dead, and the rest of the game continues, as if nothing ever happened.
When asked why they did this, a spokesman for either team can say that they will not be threatened into silence by their owners or by a sitting President of the United States. And if the owners don't like it, what are they going to do? Bench both teams? Fine them? Suspend them? Any negative consequences will mushroom far beyond what the owners had intended. The players have strength in numbers.
Will they do this? It's doubtful. But hey, a guy can dream, can't he?
