Patriotism has been ingrained into the backbone of sports culture and it is hypocritical to criticize athletes for using the platform they have been given to exercise their rights, especially when they are forced to mix politics with their profession.
If this concept is difficult to believe, then look no further than the $10.4 million the U.S. Department of Defense spent on marketing and advertising contracts with the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and the MLS, according to a Nov. 4, 2015 Washington Post article.
“When we put the national anthem in sporting events, we’re mixing politics and sports,” said Scot D.