Why Did Kneeling Become So Controversial?

Kneeling in the NFL became controversial since 2016 because instead of being associated with prayer (like Tebowing), it became associated with the protest of oppression. Image of Tim Tebow by Ed Clemente Photography (CC BY-SA 3.0), from Wikimedia Commons. Image of Eric Reid and Colin Kaepernick taken via screenshot (video).

We are still talking about kneeling. The last time I wrote about the topic of National Football League protests, it was September, but much has happened since and culture warriors have done all they could to keep the topic of kneeling in the NFL relevant. In this post, I want to talk about a new rule the NFL has approved regarding anthem protests, how the anthem protests began in the first place*, and what I think about it all.

Enough, Already! Why I Really Don’t Care for Circle Jerks (Part 3)

In my last post, I discussed one of the two quarterbacks that are the focus of a number of NFL circle jerks. Jimmy Garoppolo is one and Patrick Mahomes is the other. Both had made NFL starts, but Garoppolo has made a bigger impact so far.

With Garoppolo, the amount of hype that’s building is understandable yet relatively tame, but the discussion about Mahomes has been acrimonious at points. Mahomes is not the problem, but he has been weaponized in various Internet fights this season.

Famous Sayings: #32 — ‘Put Your Money…’

October 16, 2016

Put your money where your mouth is.

This phrase has bubbled up for me because of a topic I have addressed before: Colin Kaepernick’s protest of the National Anthem.

For those who don’t know, Kaepernick is the QB of the San Francisco 49ers, an NFL football team. Last week, he was named the starter for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. More about that later.

For now, let’s look into the origin of famous saying in question.

Should There Be A New American National Anthem?

In July of this year, I dedicated a post that talked about the American National Anthem, the “Star Spangled Banner.” It turns out that was kind of a timely article. Although, I had to consult sources that broached the themes I ultimately tried my best to cover, there is now a renewed interest in the national anthem.

Why?