# “Stick to sports”



## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

I think this is a relevant sports topic over the past few days where we’ve seen the President tweet about Lebron James, and then Donovan Mitchell tell the President essentially to set a better example for kids. I’ve seen stick to sports comments on lots of news sections reporting on it. The discussion I want to have, does anyone here actually think that? Do you actually think athletes should stick to sports? Do you actually think that you buying a ticket and being a fan gives you a right to tell them what to do in their personal time?


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> I think this is a relevant sports topic over the past few days where we've seen the President tweet about Lebron James, and then Donovan Mitchell tell the President essentially to set a better example for kids. I've seen stick to sports comments on lots of news sections reporting on it. The discussion I want to have, does anyone here actually think that? Do you actually think athletes should stick to sports? Do you actually think that you buying a ticket and being a fan gives you a right to tell them what to do in their personal time?


I don't care what they do. I am a Lebron fan, but I will say as much as he believes Trump is dividing the nation, so are those super full of hate for him. He said he would never sit across from Trump. Can you imagine if we never tried to talk to people we didn't get along with? As a nation?

I don't think they should stick to sports, as much as I think sports fans need to better understand who it is they are getting their information from. A basketball player usually doesn't have your best interest in mind!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I am thankful for those inspired men, centuries ago, who did what they did so that we could have the freedom of speech. I am also grateful for those men and women who have continued, over the centuries, to fight to defend that freedom. Telling someone to stick to sports, and suppressing their voice, is against the first amendment. 

With that being said, I'd definitely say there are those who are much more educated and in a better position to make a positive and lasting contribution to society through their voice than others, but that doesn't mean that their voice is the only one that should be heard.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

RandomElk16 said:


> I don't care what they do. I am a Lebron fan, but I will say as much as he believes Trump is dividing the nation, so are those super full of hate for him. He said he would never sit across from Trump. Can you imagine if we never tried to talk to people we didn't get along with? As a nation?
> 
> I don't think they should stick to sports, as much as I think sports fans need to better understand who it is they are getting their information from. A basketball player usually doesn't have your best interest in mind!


And Trump does lol? I think pretty much everyone has their own best interests at mind anymore.

I mean it's both divisive. I personally hold a higher standard for the guy who childishly called Lebron dumb on twitter than I do for Lebron. I don't think Lebrons job is to unify the country,nor did he vote for the guy, and the President is always open for criticism whoever it may be by American citizens. The current President likes to and has deservedly opened himself to a lot of it. I do think it's the Presidents job to unify our country and not be divisive, and I think he's doing a pretty ****ty job of that. I also think calling Lebron dumb after he did what he did is as bad as it gets. Lebron has been married to one woman, never cheated on her, has taken care of his kids, never had drug, gambling or alcohol problems, never been in trouble with police, donated millions of dollars, opened a school for underprivileged youth in his home town, and lived up and surpassed some of the most intense pressure-in fact the most intense expectations of any athlete ever. He was 19 when he got to the NBA and was famous long before then. Lebron didn't get where he is by being stupid. We can disagree with his potlics all day, but look at where so many others go with 10 times less pressure and fame than he had. He's not the guy to badmouth or call stupid at all.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

CPAjeff said:


> I am thankful for those inspired men, centuries ago, who did what they did so that we could have the freedom of speech. I am also grateful for those men and women who have continued, over the centuries, to fight to defend that freedom. Telling someone to stick to sports, and suppressing their voice, is against the first amendment.
> 
> With that being said, I'd definitely say there are those who are much more educated and in a better position to make a positive and lasting contribution to society through their voice than others, but that doesn't mean that their voice is the only one that should be heard.


Agreed, and that's why it was so discouraging reading the Trump faithfuls basically say shut up and dribble. Buying a ticket to a game or a TV subscription does not buy you the right to tell them what to do with the rest of their life or how to think. The fact Donovan got any blowback was mind numbing. Are there people out there who really don't think the President should grow tf up when it comes to twitter? More than I thought. The fact some people are still stuck in such a backward mindset kind of disgusts me tbh.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

I don't feel like my response was terrible. If you wanted a thread to bash Trump and didn't want a response that in any way supported both sides, then say just that.

You gave me a history lesson on my favorite NBA player. I don't ever discredit what he has done and certainly don't need the lesson on it. I think it takes more for me to love a player and critique his statement "I would never sit across from him," after he talked about division, as a downright silly thing. We will always be divided if we don't try and find common ground. He has blind allegiance to Obama as well. You know how many low income people I have met that didn't like Obama care? Did you see the lives of minorities improve under Obama? Crime rates in inner cities go down? Was he the first president to meet with our biggest enemy in North Korea? They all can do a better job in that seat. 


Trust me, I am far from impressed by any of our recent presidents, or presidential candidates for that matter. People in general get their information from one biased source most the time. I have personally seen people divided from NBA/NFL statements though, same with Trumps. I don't support either of those things. When someone says "You can't support Trump if you support Lebron" after that interview, it's concerning to me.

I was taught two wrongs don't make a right... The players are doing exactly what they critique, they just believe it's for a noble cause. If I had the opportunity like Lebron could to sit down and talk to the president, I would. Even if(Especially if) I disagreed with him. Kim Kardashian even did and got a woman freed from prison. Butting heads will never solve a thing. The other route is more difficult though, so no one does it.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

When you're on the court, you're at work and should act like it, don't talk politics. When you're off say whatever the hell you'd like, so long as you're not in uniform.


Man, how does Trump derangement work it's filthy little head into a hunting forum? 
#MAGA!!!!!


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

RandomElk16 said:


> I don't feel like my response was terrible. If you wanted a thread to bash Trump and didn't want a response that in any way supported both sides, then say just that.
> 
> You gave me a history lesson on my favorite NBA player. I don't ever discredit what he has done and certainly don't need the lesson on it. I think it takes more for me to love a player and critique his statement "I would never sit across from him," after he talked about division, as a downright silly thing. We will always be divided if we don't try and find common ground. He has blind allegiance to Obama as well. You know how many low income people I have met that didn't like Obama care? Did you see the lives of minorities improve under Obama? Crime rates in inner cities go down? Was he the first president to meet with our biggest enemy in North Korea? They all can do a better job in that seat.
> 
> ...


You're response was a great one. This one is as well, I come off too brash sometimes. I'm just saying, I don't think our current President, is any better to look to for much guidance any more than an NBA player. I also understand why yes, he should sit across from him, and yet I also see why someone like Lebron, doesn't want to. As for the other things you spoke of under Obama, it won't change now either specifically because of the hinges you said. I look to my President as the unifier, not the NBA player and he's been anything but. He spent months berating the NFL and it's players who weren't protesting what most people turned it into and I agree it wasn't a good way to get their point across. When you do that as President, or say some of the things he's said, or send a tweet like that about Lebron, no they will never sit down with you. It is the Presidents job to be the unifier, it starts with him IMO, and he constantly goes in the opposite direction. During that time couldn't he send out a tweet saying, I would love to sit across from you and speak with you about the concerns you have Lebron, my door is open anytime, instead of calling him stupid? They wouldn't know what to think if he acted so grown up. Listen he's President, it's him who should be the grown up IMO. I would much rather look to my President for guidance in how to handle a situation, as of now he treats situations like a 5 year old.

PS, not everything I laid out on Lebron was for you, it was simply to make the point he isn't just a basketball player and he certainly isn't stupid.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Ray said:


> When you're on the court, you're at work and should act like it, don't talk politics. When you're off say whatever the hell you'd like, so long as you're not in uniform.
> 
> Man, how does Trump derangement work it's filthy little head into a hunting forum?
> #MAGA!!!!!


The derangement works in both ways. People get far too critical at times and some people follow much too blindly.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

I can agree with that. I hate extremists on either side. I like what Trump is doing for the most part and what the Repubs are pushing.


Now Utah Repubs on the other hand.... I'm going to start voting Demo if the Repubs don't change their ways with the public lands bull that's been going on. That means more to me than any fiscal subject.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Ray said:


> I can agree with that. I hate extremists on either side. I like what Trump is doing for the most part and what the Repubs are pushing.
> 
> Now Utah Repubs on the other hand.... I'm going to start voting Demo if the Repubs don't change their ways with the public lands bull that's been going on. That means more to me than any fiscal subject.


Well I can assure you until you start punishing them with that vote they are very intrenched in that view.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> During that time couldn't he send out a tweet saying, I would love to sit across from you and speak with you about the concerns you have Lebron, my door is open anytime


This single handedly could have changed a bunch of relations in America. So I couldn't agree more.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

What I find amazing is that athletes or entertainers thoughts are any more valid than mine or yours.
Trouble is fame and fortune speaks loudly. Nobody gives $.02 for what you or I think.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Every American, no matter their profession, has every right to talk about anything political. Period. 

Also - if I refused to support a business, person, or sit down with someone because I disagreed with them on something political, I would be absolutely alone. My wife and I don't agree on everything. I can't imagine how boring life would be if we ONLY associated with those we agree with on everything. 

As for a sports star using his fame for political reasons, and is that appropriate or not? That is up to him/her and his/her employer. I never bad-mouth my employer, nor do I do anything to disparage them, on or off the clock. I represent them whether I'm at work or not. So when I do feel the need to speak for me, and that view may differ than my view in a certain position, I am careful to separate out my opinion. So if LeBron James' employer is OK with him taking political positions while wearing team colors, that is between them, and none of my business.

There are plenty of "shut up and play" sports figures. If that is your thing, then buy their jersey and cheer them along. It is OK to cheer for a player on a field or court, that has different political, religious, or whatever than you. 

Which is why sports are so important in this country. Sports unite. Sure, we may bleed blue or red. But really, the cool thing is that really, sports don't matter. Sports are an escape to something that really doesn't matter, yet can put 65,000 people together in a stadium for 4 hours on a great fall day. And that is a beautiful thing.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Ray said:


> When you're on the court, you're at work and should act like it, don't talk politics. When you're off say whatever the hell you'd like


This is my feeling as well. When I turn on a game, I do it to find respite from all the other crap going on in the world. It's therapuetic for me in a lot of ways. I don't turn on a game to have politics one way or the other jammed down my throat, even if it's politics I totally agree with. Off the court/field, I have no issue if players want to be as politically active as they want. In fact, I hope they are politically active off the court. They have a platform and ability to do a ton of good. Just because you are an athlete doesn't mean you can't know what you're talking about in politics, business, communities, etc. In fact, many of those guys are people I'd listen to over anyone you see on news stations.

Lastly, I think it is a very unfair characterization of LeBron James statement about not sitting down with President Trump to say it's simply because he doesn't agree with him.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

Vanilla said:


> Lastly, I think it is a very unfair characterization of LeBron James statement about not sitting down with President Trump to say it's simply because he doesn't agree with him.


I hope that isn't referring to what I said, because if so it was misread.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

middlefork said:


> What I find amazing is that athletes or entertainers thoughts are any more valid than mine or yours.
> Trouble is fame and fortune speaks loudly. Nobody gives $.02 for what you or I think.


Agreed, the point is though, we, including they have the right to say as we please on our own free time. I cringe a lot when I see a stick to sports comment, it's absolutly wrong.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Vanilla said:


> This is my feeling as well. When I turn on a game, I do it to find respite from all the other crap going on in the world. It's therapuetic for me in a lot of ways. I don't turn on a game to have politics one way or the other jammed down my throat, even if it's politics I totally agree with. Off the court/field, I have no issue if players want to be as politically active as they want. In fact, I hope they are politically active off the court. They have a platform and ability to do a ton of good. Just because you are an athlete doesn't mean you can't know what you're talking about in politics, business, communities, etc. In fact, many of those guys are people I'd listen to over anyone you see on news stations.
> 
> Lastly, I think it is a very unfair characterization of LeBron James statement about not sitting down with President Trump to say it's simply because he doesn't agree with him.


Love your post, and I agree.

Also, I think those saying Lebron "started this" have a long way to trace back who actually started this. I do not think Trump is racist personally, but I certainly think he winks at racists and certainly appeals to them in a round about purposeful way. A minority of his supporters, many of which will follow him off a cliff or away from water when they're thirsty are those disgusting people. I don't actually think NBA teams would have boycotted a trip to George W. Bush's invite because he simply wasn't as polarizing of a figure as Trump. Trump has done some things to understandably alienate minorities and truly has emboldened some crappy people. Obama wasn't good on racial tension in America, I think you can certainly argue Trump is the next worse step to create even more tension. I don't think saying you wouldn't sit across from him helps anything, but it's understandable. I would have liked to see our President take the high ground at that point. Of course that can't happen, because no one can apologize or admit they're wrong, so here we are. We have NBA players boycotting the White House Trump calling them stupid and American citizens planting their stake on one side or the other, with a majority of us sitting in the middle rolling our eyes.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

And idk how many of you seen Mitchell’s tweet, but it obviously got a lot of run and had some push back over something I think was a pretty reasonable statement, and from someone who has proven he’s a very well spoken kid and treats people very good. Yes he picked a side, and obviously he picked the side of the guy he looked up to his whole life, and plays in the same league as him. That’s also a reasonable thing to do when the President essentially calls your idol stupid. Here’s the tweet.

“A sign of an insecure human being is one who attacks others to make themselves feel better... im just sad that young kids have to see stupid tweets like these and grow up thinking it’s okay... forget everything else Donald your setting a bad example for kids, our future”


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

For me it’s not even about who started it. I guess I hold the POTUS to a higher standard of civility than I do professional athletes. And I refuse to allow the current POTUS to lower that expectation I have of the office, or to reset/lower the bar for what is apporopriate.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Vanilla said:


> For me it's not even about who started it. I guess I hold the POTUS to a higher standard of civility than I do professional athletes. And I refuse to allow the current POTUS to lower that expectation I have of the office, or to reset/lower the bar for what is apporopriate.


Agreed, I don't hate everything the President does, but quite honestly his behavior as the leader of this amazing country is embarrassing at times. Trumps behavior is not what this amazing country represents.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Another good reason these guys should never just "stick to sports" or "shut up and dribble"


__
http://instagr.am/p/BmUdKa2nKNn/


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1024918735105216513

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1026629163568922625


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