The journey into the Douglas Firs and powdered snowbanks of the Cascade Mountains, provide the annual escape from the commercialized hypocrisy SuperBowl Sunday. No, the contradictions are not generated by friends and family cozily gathered in front of the television, or the majority of the players who still choose to honor the Flag of the greatest nation on the planet.
The clear onus of discontent is squarely on the shoulders of the governing brass of the National Football League, as the group under the (un)leadership of Roger Goodell, once again flared their nostril hairs of policy in committing another egregious act in shooting directly at the soul of the fan base. It was not a simple ruling on a uniform irregularity this time, as the league inexplicably decided last week to reject the advertisement in the official game program, of a military Veteran’s group in urging the nation to stand up for the National Anthem and the stars and stripes. So no, after this incorrigible and unforgivable proverbial slap in to the face of those who have fought for liberties and freedoms, Sunday should be spent light years away from any television or device showing some sort of sporting event.
Thankfully, in breaking free of the incessant bureaucracy and autonomy of the NFL, the Wounded Warriors amputee football team hosted the real championship game of football and of life Wednesday, as a group of veterans faced a team of retired Minnesota Vikings in a flag football game, where the score did not matter. The proceeds raised, fund research in making prosthetics more functional and lifelike.
These are true and proud athletes, and though they may have lost a part of themselves in battle, they competed on the gridiron against the best, with an array of speed cuts, diving catches and a passion for the game. As husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and people still chasing the American dream, the game is a microcosm to the notion of what is important in life and that the idea of normalcy still exists for those wounded in combat. For all the stat hounds and fact checkers, the military veterans vanquished the NFL legends 63-42 and kept their improbable and justified 18 game winning streak intact. Any naysayer questioning the validity of this amazing run and testament to human spirit, deserves a one-way flight to Venezuela and flanked by Goodell and Andy Dick.
WCCO-TV is happy to report that the lopsided contest, which featured twenty amazing individuals who paid a hefty price in defending the Flag, could have been a blowout, but the vets bestowed mercy upon the NFL legends. Watch the story and enjoy the bittersweet moments, until the token news personality attempts to suck all the joy out of the world with the inevitable, dangerous and empty complaint, that the Wounded Warrior amputee team, featured an abundance of white privilege. Fortunately, the First Amendment does not guarantee an absence of consequence or prevents the mechanism of karma.
Read the WCCO-TV story here.
