Ron Martinelli, Ph.D.

Copyright (C) 09-28-17

There are very few of us who have not at some point in our lives been involved in amateur sports. A relative lucky few among us have been talented and fortunate enough to have played on U.S. and/or professional sports teams. If you are like me, some of our role models and mentors we looked up to and/or sought advice from were our coaches and professional athletes. I don’t know about you, but my coaches were instrumental in developing my character, ethics and my drive for achievement. They enhanced my self-esteem, taught me valuable lessons about working hard, achievement, failure and helped to mold me into the successful professional I am today. They filled in some of the gaps in mentorship that my parents lacked. To be honest with you, I couldn’t have made it as a productive, happy adult without them.

My coaches were informed, wise beyond their years and knew important things about life and living. Most importantly, they provided me with invaluable “teaching moments” that I still carry with me today. It was their patience, wisdom, character building and interest in me as a person that motivated me to later become a teacher and a coach myself. The work I did in those positions allowed me to transition to leading and mentoring other professionals which is in part what I do today.

What I am seeing in professional sports today from those in coaching and leadership positions sickens me and I’m sure that for some of you like me, you’re feeling a bit ill too. For some ridiculous reason, national politics has entered professional sports like a cancerous virus entering the body of America. Where sports used to be an avenue of escape from life stressors, it has now become a stressor in and of itself. There seems to be no respite from the knee takers, the Black Power salutes, and the caustic remarks from players, coaches and owners of NFL teams about America and our President. It will get worse before it gets better. I assure you. We are already seeing the cancer of national politics in the form of hypocritical, uninformed and uber-rich elitist athletes spread into professional baseball and basketball venues.

These hypocritical multi-millionaire coaches and their NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell are no role models or leaders at all. If they were, they would be far better informed about this amazing country they live in that has allowed them and their players who reap millions in football contracts and endorsements for having a God given singular skill set – the ability to play a sport.

Let’s face it; football, basketball and baseball are games. They are not a “profession.” There is nothing “professional” about it except that they make a lot of money for entertaining us by playing a sport. It really should be called the “Proficient Football League.” Football coaches, owners and players are not doctors curing disease or using sophisticated skills to treat the infirmed. They are not legal experts who study and apply the law to seeking social, civil or criminal justice. They are not First Responders like police officers, fire or medical personnel who study a myriad of technical subjects and apply their knowledge to protect and save lives at great risk to their own lives. Those are professions.

Football coaches, owners and players know nothing about real sacrifice. If they lose on the day of the game, they get to go home and get a “do-over” next week. When police officers and fire fighters lose at work; they don’t get a do-over. In fact, they don’t come home again – ever. That’s real sacrifice. I could certainly say the same for the military and many other serious professions where highly educated, trained Americans risk their lives every day. And you know what? All of us used to enjoy the temporary respite from our life stressors NFL football used to give us once or twice a week. No more; thanks to these fake “social justice” warriors.

These football coaches and owners live in a bubble insulated by extreme wealth, riches and gated communities, closed to the likes of us deplorables who’s hard-earned money goes to paying to subsidize billion-dollar stadiums, ridiculous ever-increasing ticket and parking costs and $16 beers. Oh, did I mention that we also pay the salaries of the knee takers in the National Felons League? Team owners really don’t pay the players anything; they simply transfer our money into players’ bank accounts. Owners and coaches provide no leadership to their equally uninformed players. Neither the coaches, owners or players care about us. It’s only the dollar they care about. Well, I have a play that can get our America’s Team to beat the NFL.

Red Flag Warning – How to beat the NFL’s anti-American game

The NFL has “fouled” against us and we need to exact an economic penalty(s) against them. Fred flag! Since all the NFL only really cares about money. So, here’s my multi-phasic strategy to stop this self-serving, hypocritical knee taking, anti-American posturing in the NFL and other professional sports teams. I call it “Red Flag Warning.” Here it is. Stop economically subsidizing and enabling the NFL by:

#1 Turn off the TV. Don’t watch NFL sports, or ESPN who is equally guilty in interjection social and national politics into sports.

#2 Stop attending games. I know it hurts to “tear off the NFL junkie bandage,” but like the doctor says, you will heal faster. Why watch something you used to love that now causes you stress?

#3 Stop buying NFL products like over-priced jerseys, caps, promo products.

#4 Call companies that advertise on NFL sports networks and tell them you are not buying their products until the NFL and any other professional sports franchise gives in to our demands.

#5 Tell your city councils and Board of Supervisors that you will vote against any sports stadium that subsidizes any professional sports franchise who’s personnel advance or otherwise demonstrate a social or national politics agenda during games.

#6 Let them know we mean business. Always leverage from a position of strength. Start by boycotting all NFL sports and taking all these steps in November! Once owners see a 20% reduction in income, they will beg to negotiate with us.

What are the demands of our new America’s Team?

1. NO social or national politics in professional sports, period. All politics in sports is bad.
2. Keep sports sports-oriented. NO references, discussions, protests or any type of social or political posturing in sports venues, or on any public or private commercial networks showcasing professional sports.
3. All professional sports personnel: players, coaches, owners will demonstrate complete respect for our country, our flag and our National Anthem, period. All team personnel on the field will not kneel, nor make any gestures that indicate, infer, or otherwise demonstrate disrespect for our country, it’s flag, or during our National Anthem. Players and other personnel who feel differently will remain off the field until after our flag has been presented and the National Anthem has been played.
4. All professional sports personnel: players, coaches, owners will demonstrate complete respect for First Responders and military personnel during games. All team personnel on the field will not kneel, nor make any gestures that indicate, infer, or otherwise demonstrate disrespect for our law enforcement officers.
5. NO wearing of any indicia that in any way disrespects our country, our flag, its values or our law enforcement officers.
6. The NFL and other professional sports leagues will develop and sign a contract with the American people agreeing to these demands. These demands will be incorporated into official rules for the leagues where violators will be subject to discipline to include progressive discipline dependent upon the egregiousness of violations to include fines, suspensions and termination.

There are no second-place winners – Act now!

This “game” is about a foundational value in America – our professional sports. You don’t lose your rights; people take them from you if you don’t fight for them. If we don’t act as a unified America’s team now to put a stop to this; I guarantee you this cancer will grow and eventually kill NFL football and all professional sports as we know it. It’s your choice. I have already committed to the fight. How about you? Will you join me to save professional sports?

 About the Author

Ron Martinelli, Ph.D., CMI-V, is a nationally renowned forensic criminologist and police expert. Dr. Martinelli, is a sports enthusiast and a proud American patriot who is fed up with politics in all sports. He writes a nationally syndicated column for AmericaOutLoud and is the author of the book, “The Truth Behind the Black Lives Matter Movement and the War on Police,” (Amazon.com). His site is found at: www.DrRonMartinelli.com.