I protest!

I am a Miami Dolphin fan.  I know people who love the Cowboys.  And yet others that like the Broncos.  And for some reason there are Steelers and NY Jets fans.  ;)  I don’t know all of the stats on other teams, but I am going to point out some of Miami’s.  However, don’t worry, this post is still relevant to all NFL fans.  So read on!

I am going to start with 2006...just to go back a nice round 10 years.

2006  W 6, L 10

2007  W 1, L 15

2008  W 11, L 5

2009  W 7, L 9

2010  W 7, L 9

2011  W 6, L 10

2012   W 7, L 9

2013  W 8, L 8

2014  W 8, L 8

2015  W 6, L 10

A little inconsistent…and definitely not a winning streak.  We have remained steadfast fans…weary…but steadfast.

I point out this record to show that they are not perfect…this is not a perfect record.  This record shows struggle and failure…as well as the wins.  I mean look at 2007.  Yikes!  Man if I was them I would not want to be judged by that one year alone.  Hmm….we are fans even though I feel like they have fallen below my expectations of them.

As a fan it can be tough.  You want to walk into work on Monday and be proud.  You get tired of catching crap at the water cooler in years like 2007.  It’s tough for the fan of any team!  But die hard fans…well…are die hard.  We continue to support our team!  You continue to support the team you love no matter what their record is.  They aren’t perfect!  The receiver doesn’t catch every pass.  The quarterback doesn’t connect with every target.  Sometimes our offense goes off sides.  Sometimes there is a flag for a face mask.  I could go on…but I will admit…my football knowledge is not 100%.  I am working on it though.  My point is that there is not a perfect game.  Even when my team wins, the other team didn’t play as hard.  If my team loses, the other team played better.  There are flags called on plays because someone dropped the ball…and in this game that means literally dropped the ball.

If every fan of every NFL team protested every time their team “dropped the ball”, or even less…if they protested every time their team ended in a losing season, there would most likely be no more fans and essentially no more NFL.

Stay with me…it’s coming!

Well this is what I compare the NFL players protests by kneeling during our National Anthem to.  Your protesting what is going on in racially volatile areas, and what you feel is ALL police brutality.  You are judging the actions of a very few and protesting a whole group.  You are not standing for our National Anthem and showing your pride in our country, no matter how tough things are getting.  You won’t stand for pride in the country that pays you overinflated salaries.  You make more in one game than most people that are fighting to protect you make in a year.  I get that there is a huge difference between racial diversity and whether you caught a pass or not.  However, the support is the same.  The support, or lack there of, is what I am questioning.  I do not understand this. 

For me, the wife of a firefighter and the sister in law to a Navy diver…who both happen to be HUGE Dolphin fans…where is your support of them?  Where is your support of the people working hard to protect this country?  Standing for OUR National Anthem supports the efforts of those who fought for you to have a right to play ball and earn that ridiculous salary.  It supports what they do daily.  And of all days…you feel like 9/11 would be a great idea?  I just don’t get it.  I don’t get it today…and I won’t get it any day.  For me…this does not make me sympathetic to your cause…nor does it start a conversation that you want started.  For me you feel like a spoiled rich kid with nothing better to do that wants to get their way.

For me, this also just makes more division.

So for me personally…the 4 Miami players that took a knee today...disappointed me.  I was looking forward to a good football game today with my firefighter hubby…yeah the big Dolphin fan.  A day that should be a day of AMERICANS…doing AMERICAN things…like watching a great American past time…football.  I felt like this was the best way to remember those that died on 9/11…to spend it with my family being an American.

I love this country!  Right now I am terrified about the election...not gonna lie.  However, I love our country.  I wish we could go back to the days after 9/11...when it felt like everyone was an American!