But this anthem protest stuff has unexpectedly soured me on the NFL :-( I wouldn't have thought, prior to the year's start, that I'd have been so down on the league for fostering what are reasonable protests. But the introduction of politics into one of the FEW escapist outlets I take pleasure in has almost made me turn my back on them (I haven't watched a Seahawks game since Week 2. I honestly don't know if I'll watch another game this year...).
And I even applaud the players for taking the stand, knowing (at least some of them KNOW, anyway) that they're hurting their earning power by doing so. I respect and even admire that. I can even respect and admire the cause they've chosen to champion (even though it's fairly obvious to me that cursory statistical examination invalidates nearly all of the protests' ideological linchpins) because I think it's great to be passionate.
I just find myself sufficiently turned off by it that I'd rather go swim in the pool with my kids, or take a motorcycle ride up the road, or play a video game than sit down and watch the NFL just now. And that really makes me sadder than anything; the last couple years, during NFL season I've basically planned my family's weekly entertainment around it.