Should Athletes Stick to Sports?

I blame sports reporters who choose not to focus on sports. For most of us sports are a needed escape from our daily toil. Athletes are blessed with specific skills that enable them to entertain us. Those skills don't mean they have any more or less political insight than anyone else. Why aren't reporters also interested in the political views of the people who cook and serve their meals or clean their hotel rooms? They may also be experts in their jobs which are not related to politics.

What a strange and troubling headline in your print edition. Athletes aren't "allowed to... talk," whether by the NFL, the Times, or Trump. They have the right to talk, as clearly outlined in the First Amendment.

My hunch is that this replacement of "rights" language with "permission" language might have something to do with skin color.

Liberal athletes, actors, and celebrities should keep their opinions to themselves, some people say, ignoring their own cognitive dissonance as they head to the polls to elect conservative athletes, actors and celebrities to public office.

Like anyone else, professional athletes should be free to speak their minds, run for office, or otherwise participate in the political process. They should also be free to remain silent, if they so choose. The celebrity status of a professional athlete gives them social capital in the form of access to and goodwill from the public. Speaking out is one way to spend that social capital. Some in the public will be inspired and encouraged, while others will withdraw their goodwill. If an athlete sees an injustice and speaks up, they know that's the calculus. Fans don't have to like what is said, and they are welcome to withdraw their goodwill in response. They do not, however, have the right to demand that the athletes trade in their humanity and liberty for the privilege of being entertainers. That's not how it works.

The problem isn't their opinion but that they (heroes and celebrities) are automatically offered a microphone and guaranteed an audience for their thoughts, yet are rarely subject to questioning or debate.

Sports is entertainment, but politics is everything. Those "stick to sports" people cry only when they disagree with the establishment. They support all "patriotic" traditions but anything else is considered "controversy". Just think, pro-war, anti-war. On a pure human level most people are anti-war. But try expressing that point of view during a sporting event. No mentioned of Tom Brady's refusal to go to the White House while Obama was there but now with Trump it's an issue.

Would you have said the same thing if the athletes had decided to bash Obama at every opportunity--while being righteous and sanctimonious about it? Or is their 'freedom of speech' only applicable for certain approved targets only?

What about athletes like Brady who are attacked for merely being friends with Trump?

This argument for 'freedom of speech' is a red herring. This is really about millionaires (athletes & actors) alienating & insulting their middle class base, framing the issues as non-economic (because it's non-economic for them) and shutting down opponents.

People who disagree are very tired of the constant one-sided sanctimonious lectures (not dialogue) from the very wealthy and privileged who know they can't be fired, and are in point of fact unwitting (or willing) standardbearers of capitalists against labor.

No one says business executives or heart surgeons should not run for president, much less not voice political opinions--why should athletes or actresses lose their right of free speech and accept any negative consequences that result?

From my experience people only want athletes with liberal opinions to stick to sports. If you truly believe in sticking to sports then do the following:

1. Take out the national anthem unless there are international sporting events. The national anthem was inserted during World War II to heighten national fervor. It is purely political in nature.

2. Take out military fly-overs. These things seem akin to military parades design to enhance nationalism.

3. Re-segregate baseball. Jacki Robinson breaking of the color barrier was a political statement in of itself.

4. Stop talking about the miracle on ice. If the US beat Finland in a hockey game we wouldn't care. The Cold War is why that game is celebrated. Pure politics

I bet most people wouldn't be okay with the above. However just like those political statements exist so should political statements that might go against your beliefs. People often want only politics that affirms their values to prevail. Never anything else.

just because you are great at a sport doesn't make you smart. Nobody cares what athletes think.

As long as Martellus Bennett can help to carry his team to Super Bowl victory, I argue that the answer to the question poised in the title of this article is a resounding no. His public expression of his political leanings hasn't hindered his ability to carry out his professional obligations. Really, this is the only thing that should matter, and it's why I'd argue that only specific public servants, political advisers, servicemen, and to a limited extent, educators, should not be allowed to do the same.

When I was old enough to understand such things, one of the first of many sound lessons my father gave me was this: Don't discuss what happens in your bank, bedroom, church or voting booth with anyone but your wife. It's no one else's business.

I've never understood why a celebrity should be obligated to reveal ANYTHING personal to us. To think a person in the public eye should have to share private information with us simply because he or she is famous defies logic. We merely enter into a business arrangement with them. All they owe us is their best effort in return for the money we pay to be entertained by them. Nothing more.

I don't care what Tom Brady does in the voting booth, the church or the bedroom, although I have to admit I very much envy him his opportunities in at least one of those places.

Honestly, I think Trump should "stick to sports" and resign immediately. And so should the every Republican in the House and Senate who delays a comprehensive investigation into Trump's connections to Russian intelligence during the election.

Is it because athletes are "not qualified" to speak about issues related to the national and international news? Explain to me exactly how Trump was qualified to run for President of the United States.

Why single out athletes? What about singers, actors and other relatively uninformed celebrities? I treat an opinion by an athlete the same way I would treat an opinion by the 'man in the street'. Knowing how to play football doesn't exactly make you a pundit, but it doesn't take away your freedom of speech, either.

I'd rather listen to athletes talk about politics than listen to Jenny McCarthy talk about vaccinations and autism, or the Food Babe talk about - well, anything.

When the institutions and promise of representative democracy are so severely at risk, it is the duty of every citizen, whatever their calling or professional status, to call those in power to account.

Political mis-leaders become responsible only if engaged citizens hold them accountable for their ethical and legal malfeasance.

Political and social issues involve athletes. If athletes do not know or have the rehearsed means to voice social opinions, they will not know how to reach the public on their own collective issues as it pertains to players' rights, guaranteed contracts, and abuses of power. As fans, we deserve to have transparency concerning issues that effect those we love and who play the game.

The problem with Brady is that he wants to pick and choose when it's ok to be political. No one forced him to carry around a Trump hat, to attend George W's State of the Union speech, or to skip the White House visit when Obama was president. Decisions have consequences and he doesn't get to act aloof when it best suits his brand.

I'm not sure why this is even a question. We live in a Democracy (for the time being) where all Americans have the inextricably linked right to vote and speak freely. Why shouldn't sports figures (or actors or rock stars) be as free to express their opinions as you or I? Do they exist merely to entertain us? When they are not playing for our amusement, should they just sit down and shut up? The fact that people choose to listen to them just because they are famous is on us, not them. But questioning their right to speak up at all is just offensive.

If the athlete is liberal she should speak about her political beliefs at every opportunity. But conservative jocks should remain silent and focus on theirs sport.

I believe that the athletes who are the more popular ones should be able to voice themselves for politics, but not for attacking someone. I would rather see them voice to the public and especially kids who look up to these men and tell them that we must have HOPE! The athletes should say to us that we are in the United States and are very lucky to be here and that even though there is a new President, we must come together and hope for the best. Not everyone agrees on the same issue, but if our athletes can at least express their love for this country and create a sense of positivism.

Corporate athletics allows unparalleled upward mobility, financial gain, and access to the media to a gifted few. Any athlete among them who feels moved to use his or her position to give voice to those whose are drowned out by gerrymandering and corporate dollars is honorable. For any public athlete still afraid of criticism or losing a few dollars, please step forward - we need you.

I think the problem for athletes making political statements is the same problem many of us have. While one might have the right of free speech, that right does not act as a blank check to cover contractual issues with our employer. In other words, we can speak freely vis a vis the government but we may be out of a job. For athletes, that may involve endorsement contracts or their union contract with a league. For the rest of us, it may involve being fired in a right to work state where our employer is harmed or embarrassed by our statements. So it takes some courage for athletes to speak out- when the consequence may mean a severe financial hit.

It's most often the ignorant and the perceived victims who love to throw out the "stick to sports"
(Or Hollywood, or whatever) because it doesn't stick to their approved position of someone they thought was on their team and has a different point of view.

Athletes tend to have travelled, experienced other cultures both within their organisation and out of it and many have formed valid opinions and thoughts of what that means to them, their families and those around.

It's extremely shallow to think these people don't or shouldn't have something to say. These times are special and recognition of that fact should be admired.

I couldn't stand Brady's position. I never will. But if golden boy wants to wear a silly hat, so be it. That is both figuratively and literally on him.

It's always interesting when someone like him has that point of view but then prefers not to talk about it. What's wrong Tom? Cat got your tongue?

Good piece. Funny how no one seems to care that actors, writers and musicians have been outspoken in their politics for quite a long time. Athletes are no less entertainers.

This is simple. Athletes are entitled to exercise their constitutional free speech rights in the same ways as non-athletes.

Any work we do can and should be a medium for our ethics and ideas -- be it athlete, doctor, lawyer, soldier, artist, cop, etc. Would you tell athletes to "stick to sports" and forgo any community service or philanthropy?

Peaceful, provocative political discourse is another kind of positive contribution--a philanthropy of sorts--to our civic sphere, and should be welcomed from all, regardless of occupation.

Atheletes are citizens too, and entitled to take stands on public issues and state their opinions. Should we give greater creedence to those opinions than say, our bartender or mailman?
Of course not.
In the case of Hollywood celebrities I would say they deserve even less creedence seeing that, by and large, they're a bunch of knuckleheads.

Athletes who are citizens have every right to speak out and many of them are very well informed and certainly have experienced the tougher side of life in many cases. If we want athletes to stick to sports, maybe we should say doctors should stick to medicine, lawyers to law practice and developers to building hotels and casinos!

Thank you Tommie Smith, thank you John Carlos.

I don't consider athletes to be particularly insightful about politics or social issues, but they certainly are entitled to have their opinions. And given the scrutiny they are under, I think their opinions carry weight. Thus, I would say it is important that they think about, and comment about, our politics. I know I respect the opinion of Martellus Bennet of the Patriots AT LEAST as much as that of Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell, who are basically mendaciously self-serving and unconcerned with the commonweal.

Ah, an articlw about sports and politics that makes no mention of hockey. Whether it is because not enough Americans watch or play hockey for it to matter in our national consciousness, or because so many hockey players come from countries whose leader is not named Donald Trump, it is better that way. Sitting outside the mainstream is good for the sport and its fans, be they in the United States, Russia, Canada, or anywhere else.

The ability for athletes to capture the eyes, ears and hearts of America has tremendous power. If they have something to say, they should say it. Likewise, like any voter, if they want to keep their views private they are entitled to do that too. BUT once any public figure makes a political statement, that's fair game to be questioned.

Tom Brady - after he wore his red Trump-loving "Make America White Again" hat - owes his teammates and their families, and his diverse group of followers from around the country and around the world, an explanation.

I watch sports for entertainment. Athletes are entitled to their views, like all Americans, but I do not value a popular athlete's viewpoint merely because he/she is a popular athlete. I'm really not interested in their political views. I think the media's intrusion into the locker room is problematic in many ways, and I have no interest in hearing 99% of pre-/post-game interviews, regardless of topic. This is another media-invented "problem". I do, however, have a problem with a big-mouth star slamming his sponsor's views, but still cashing the check!

Just as with Hollywood, athletes speaking out on political matters are not always welcome. But certain athletes with unique perspective have something to say that only they can offer. And that is particularly true of NBA players.

Like LeBron and dozens of others, NBA stars often grew up in the worst of circumstances, moving from home to home, possibly living with non-relatives, and often in the context of drug and gun violence. Because of their talents, they have gotten unusual community support, allowing for admission to a Division I basketball school. There they have been exposed, for at least a year, to middle class America. Once drafted they become wealthy and worldwide celebrities who often travel the world.

The incredible mobility of these ballplayers gives them a perspective that few share, and those who care to reflect and speak out truly have something worthwhile to say. Anybody who doesn't want to hear from them is shutting out those best able to address a brad array of social problems.

Athletes have every right to speak out just a any other citizen does.
I would add that many athletes, like celebrities, are poorly informed or not very knowledgeable of the topic they speak out on.
It can be cringeworthy listening to some athletes.