A funny thing happened to sport as we weaved our way through COVID-19. While most games were either postponed, moved or outright cancelled, we found time to take it down the road of political virtue signalling. .When my father was alive, he loved baseball. His team was the club from Cleveland. I heard many stories of Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau and the ‘48 World Series Champions while doing chores on the farm. To dad, the Indians was what baseball was all about. .This week, the Indians owners announced that they are bowing to pressure from the virtue signalers and will be changing their name after 105 years. .My dad didn’t have any sense that the name was hurtful or inappropriate. If he was alive today, I’m not sure how he would handle what happened this week. But alas, the fans don’t decide these things do. Even the owners appear to have lost control. The decision on team name revisionism increasingly falls into the prevue of the endless braying of the activists. .No one should feel slighted or uncomfortable. It’s not right and it’s not fair, it’s just what’s happening, and the fans of the teams appear to have little recourse. .The sensitivity crusaders have also come for Canadians teams. The storied Edmonton Eskimos are now nameless thanks to largely white liberal activists acting on behalf of Inuit that they can’t seem to get quite as upset as they are. .These team names were chosen not out of contempt or cruelty. People do not name their own teams after things or people that they hate or look down upon. It’s hard to fathom that there was any offence intended. It is however history, and not remembering the beginnings may lead to more problems down the road. .The Texas Rangers baseball club are the next in line for the activists. At one time in their history, the Lone Star state’s law enforcement agency was a sometimes rather nasty bunch. But in their time and place on the old American frontier, they were the gold standard of policing to many. To the ‘Defund the Police’ crowd, this is heresy. Any glorification or tribute to law enforcement must be torn down like statues..At least here, they implicitly acknowledge that team names are chosen in tribute, not distain. .The Chicago Blackhawks believed they were honoring the great Sauk Native leader when its team name was selected. They believed it was out of respect for the incredible man and his history. But that isn’t good enough in 2020. For sensitivity’s sake, the usual suspects (white woke liberals) want the Blackhawks name replaced. Can the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Chiefs be far behind? .Will the environmentalists demand the end of the Edmonton Oilers? Perhaps the activists can demand the demise of the Ottawa Senators on behalf of Italian-Canadians. .Of course, that’s ridiculous, but where does it all end? Why does something as traditionally non-ideological as sport have to be subject to the latest woke purity tests?.It’s the tip of the iceberg, and maybe team owners are to blame for caving in. Or just maybe sports media. Some of my former colleagues – like political journalists – have a peculiar interest in pouring gas on the fire for their own ends. .One young Canadian sports columnist this year accused many Canadians of underappreciating the plight of black athletes. The fact is that most people are simply be too busy with their own lives to focus on the plight of people earning many times what they do..The media – both sports and news beats – needs to be a little more cautious with their perception of self-importance. Almost 40 years of broadcasting tells me that there are far more important vocations in this world than those that share their opinions for a living. .Sports are supposed to bring us together. Canadians from all walks of life and sides of the political divide should be able to cheer for the same teams without consideration for ideological concerns. Alas, as progressivism becomes increasing radical, they see no separation between the public and private spheres. To them, “everything is political”. .All this can do is divide us, and ruin the sports that we love..Roger Millions is the Sports Columnist for the Western Standard
A funny thing happened to sport as we weaved our way through COVID-19. While most games were either postponed, moved or outright cancelled, we found time to take it down the road of political virtue signalling. .When my father was alive, he loved baseball. His team was the club from Cleveland. I heard many stories of Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau and the ‘48 World Series Champions while doing chores on the farm. To dad, the Indians was what baseball was all about. .This week, the Indians owners announced that they are bowing to pressure from the virtue signalers and will be changing their name after 105 years. .My dad didn’t have any sense that the name was hurtful or inappropriate. If he was alive today, I’m not sure how he would handle what happened this week. But alas, the fans don’t decide these things do. Even the owners appear to have lost control. The decision on team name revisionism increasingly falls into the prevue of the endless braying of the activists. .No one should feel slighted or uncomfortable. It’s not right and it’s not fair, it’s just what’s happening, and the fans of the teams appear to have little recourse. .The sensitivity crusaders have also come for Canadians teams. The storied Edmonton Eskimos are now nameless thanks to largely white liberal activists acting on behalf of Inuit that they can’t seem to get quite as upset as they are. .These team names were chosen not out of contempt or cruelty. People do not name their own teams after things or people that they hate or look down upon. It’s hard to fathom that there was any offence intended. It is however history, and not remembering the beginnings may lead to more problems down the road. .The Texas Rangers baseball club are the next in line for the activists. At one time in their history, the Lone Star state’s law enforcement agency was a sometimes rather nasty bunch. But in their time and place on the old American frontier, they were the gold standard of policing to many. To the ‘Defund the Police’ crowd, this is heresy. Any glorification or tribute to law enforcement must be torn down like statues..At least here, they implicitly acknowledge that team names are chosen in tribute, not distain. .The Chicago Blackhawks believed they were honoring the great Sauk Native leader when its team name was selected. They believed it was out of respect for the incredible man and his history. But that isn’t good enough in 2020. For sensitivity’s sake, the usual suspects (white woke liberals) want the Blackhawks name replaced. Can the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Chiefs be far behind? .Will the environmentalists demand the end of the Edmonton Oilers? Perhaps the activists can demand the demise of the Ottawa Senators on behalf of Italian-Canadians. .Of course, that’s ridiculous, but where does it all end? Why does something as traditionally non-ideological as sport have to be subject to the latest woke purity tests?.It’s the tip of the iceberg, and maybe team owners are to blame for caving in. Or just maybe sports media. Some of my former colleagues – like political journalists – have a peculiar interest in pouring gas on the fire for their own ends. .One young Canadian sports columnist this year accused many Canadians of underappreciating the plight of black athletes. The fact is that most people are simply be too busy with their own lives to focus on the plight of people earning many times what they do..The media – both sports and news beats – needs to be a little more cautious with their perception of self-importance. Almost 40 years of broadcasting tells me that there are far more important vocations in this world than those that share their opinions for a living. .Sports are supposed to bring us together. Canadians from all walks of life and sides of the political divide should be able to cheer for the same teams without consideration for ideological concerns. Alas, as progressivism becomes increasing radical, they see no separation between the public and private spheres. To them, “everything is political”. .All this can do is divide us, and ruin the sports that we love..Roger Millions is the Sports Columnist for the Western Standard
