The whole topic of the NFL's replacement refs is both beyond sad and funny to me.
It takes a good ole' replacement ref-like situation to come along every few years to remind me just insane of a time I live in, not to mention how insane of a world. As much as the reality of replacement refs entertains me, it's also a bit depressing when you think of it.
It's both saddening and humorous, for example, how quickly people (including myself more often than I'd like to admit) flip-flop to suit their needs. In terms of the NFL's replacement refs, for example, you have a group of men who belong to a union, didn't like what was being offered to them, and choose to walk away until they got what they wanted. Now, you say the word "union" in some quarters and you'll be smacked upside the head or worse. You definitely won't be in the camp of the majority for supporting unions.
Take Wisconsin, for example. As a friend pointed out so brilliantly on Facebook last week following the Great Packers v. Seahawks Debacle Of 2012, suddenly after the Monday Night travesty occurred, legions of union-bashing Wisconsinites, including that noted "union buster" Gov. Scott Walker, were flooding the social networking airwaves demanding the reinstatement of . . . you guessed it, union members. Yep, the same people who not so long ago were denouncing unions for all they are worth.
What's less funny and more sad is the incredible number of people who became so outraged and horrified and incensed and filled with anger at the present conditions of the officiating on the playing field. Somehow they found the motivation to speak out publicly with their strong, brave voices. They stated up and down just how piss poor the quality of the replacement refs was that was ruining America's favorite game. They demanded change. They formed a collective voice. They took to Twitter and Facebook and their sports radio airwaves in throngs, and damn it if they didn't get exactly what they asked for. The NFL backed down and put the "real" refs back in.
I wonder how many members of those throngs are business owners, small and large. I wonder how many would have agreed to give their employees a roughly $50,000 raise over eight years to essentially work one day a week to do what they're really paid to do.
What's sadder is thinking about all the things that people could accomplish with that same collective, strong, energized, angry voice if so motivated. If we can end a referee holdout, for example, isn't putting a dent in homelessness or ending poverty, hunger or child abuse or building a neighborhood park where our kids could congregate and play their own games of football within our reach?
It takes a good ole' replacement ref-like situation to come along every few years to remind me just insane of a time I live in, not to mention how insane of a world. As much as the reality of replacement refs entertains me, it's also a bit depressing when you think of it.
It's both saddening and humorous, for example, how quickly people (including myself more often than I'd like to admit) flip-flop to suit their needs. In terms of the NFL's replacement refs, for example, you have a group of men who belong to a union, didn't like what was being offered to them, and choose to walk away until they got what they wanted. Now, you say the word "union" in some quarters and you'll be smacked upside the head or worse. You definitely won't be in the camp of the majority for supporting unions.
Take Wisconsin, for example. As a friend pointed out so brilliantly on Facebook last week following the Great Packers v. Seahawks Debacle Of 2012, suddenly after the Monday Night travesty occurred, legions of union-bashing Wisconsinites, including that noted "union buster" Gov. Scott Walker, were flooding the social networking airwaves demanding the reinstatement of . . . you guessed it, union members. Yep, the same people who not so long ago were denouncing unions for all they are worth.
What's less funny and more sad is the incredible number of people who became so outraged and horrified and incensed and filled with anger at the present conditions of the officiating on the playing field. Somehow they found the motivation to speak out publicly with their strong, brave voices. They stated up and down just how piss poor the quality of the replacement refs was that was ruining America's favorite game. They demanded change. They formed a collective voice. They took to Twitter and Facebook and their sports radio airwaves in throngs, and damn it if they didn't get exactly what they asked for. The NFL backed down and put the "real" refs back in.
I wonder how many members of those throngs are business owners, small and large. I wonder how many would have agreed to give their employees a roughly $50,000 raise over eight years to essentially work one day a week to do what they're really paid to do.
What's sadder is thinking about all the things that people could accomplish with that same collective, strong, energized, angry voice if so motivated. If we can end a referee holdout, for example, isn't putting a dent in homelessness or ending poverty, hunger or child abuse or building a neighborhood park where our kids could congregate and play their own games of football within our reach?
No comments:
Post a Comment