The NBA bubble has burst. Yesterday, multiple teams decided not to play their first round playoff games in response to yet another completely unnecessary officer involved shooting, this time in Wisconsin, that left a man paralyzed. As time went on the protest spread to Major League Baseball and the NFL as well. Further fueled by a 17 year old gunning down two more people in the aftermath of the initial shooting, seemingly aided by police who had given him a free pass earlier in the night and who didn’t stop him after it happened. White privilege at its finest. The wounds of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ripped open once more. A nation unable to get out of its own way. Systemic racism sowed into the fabric of its existence.
The Milwaukee Bucks were the first ones to consider going on strike since it happened in their backyard but soon other teams followed suit and a powerful movement was well under way. Emotions are so raw right now, that some teams, including the high profile Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers, are talking about canceling the rest of the season. A threat that you would have to think has real legs to it since the sport’s best player, LeBron James, is leading the charge. The King is holding (up the) court. And rightfully so.
Considering all the lengths that these players have already gone to in an attempt to even play this season during a pandemic i.e. creating a locked down bubble to play all their games in – it really is a drastic measure to want to cancel the season now. Which is exactly why it makes sense to do what they’re doing. Of course, these athletes want to play. Sacrifices that they had to make to be away from their families and live inside of a quarantined bubble point to that. But at some point you have to take a stand for what you believe in especially when you see injustice. Especially systemic racism that has been going on for as long as it has been and continues to go on even with global attention being brought to the issue.
Peaceful protesting hasn’t worked. Kneeling during the national anthem hasn’t worked. Wearing catchphrases on their jerseys hasn’t worked. What else do you want them to do? Striking, especially during the playoffs is the only move they have left. But it’s really not even a premeditated move. It’s reactionary. They’re fed up. They’re emotionally drained. Everything that’s been going on in 2020 from the pandemic to being isolated inside the bubble to these racial issues has gotten to them. They just don’t feel like playing right now. Sports On Strike is the new S.O.S. A cry for help. Because when it comes down to it, when you look at the big picture, you realize that there are more important things in life than sports. Something that 2020 has illuminated like never before.
It pains me to say that. Sports are huge part of my life. But it’s true. Sports are the reward of a functioning society. And right now we’re not a functioning society. We don’t deserve to be entertained right now. Not until we get our shit together. Not until we fix the inequality that is plaguing this nation. And this really is the perfect time to fix it. Because of the pandemic we really shouldn’t be playing anyway. It’s not safe. Going on strike right now makes all the sense in the world. Make a statement. Deliver your message. And do not return to play until things are fixed and it is safe to do so. No matter how long it takes.
Is the NBA going on strike during the playoffs the Greatest Idea Ever?
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