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Election of Trump Deepening Racial Divide in NFL Locker Room
Election of Donald Trump Deepening Racial Divide in NFL Locker Rooms
By Mike Freeman , NFL National Lead Writer Nov. 10, 2016
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"One of the greatest days of my life," a white offensive lineman from the AFC told B/R.
"Easily one of the worst days of my life," said a black offensive lineman, also from the AFC. "It's like my dog died. Worse."
The reaction from NFL players to me in the wake of Donald Trump's election as the nation's 45th president was swift and long-lasting. It carried through election night, into the next morning, and throughout Wednesday. Over two dozen players expressed themselves in numerous complex thoughts, simple outbursts and heated arguments with me.
The general feeling among the six white players with whom B/R communicated was that the Trump election was good for the country and happened because Americans wanted change and a fixing of economic issues.
In sharp contrast, eight black players I spoke with expressed the sentiment that the Trump election was one of the ugliest moments in American history and was about white America wanting to keep blacks, and other people of color, as one black player said, "in our place."
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In all my conversations, the most striking aspect was the difference in how black players and white players viewed Trump. It was as if they were talking about two different people, a phenomenon that likely mirrors the American electorate.
Take, for example, how two white players felt the election of Trump would help bring players closer to fans and maybe even reverse the recent ratings decline.
"Trump is creating a more blue-collar America," said a special teams player, "and at its core, our sport is a blue-collar sport."
Meanwhile, several black players expressed a different view of some fans. They felt those who voted for Trump would root for them on Sundays, but once the games ended, those fans wouldn't, as one player stated, "give them a bucket to piss in."
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Bill Belichick raised the ire of some players in the NFL with his letter of support to Donald Trump.
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Perhaps most importantly, players on both sides of the Trump aisle insist that NFL locker rooms remain divided over Trump and have seen that chasm grow in the wake of the election.
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What's certain is I have never seen NFL players both so happy and infuriated at the same time. I've never seen players this fired up over anything that wasn't related to a work stoppage or Roger Goodell.
There was definitely some locker room polarization when Barack Obama was first elected president in 2008, but the dynamics were different. The player base is approximately 70 percent black, and most of the black electorate backed Obama.
Exit polling by NBC this year showed that 89 percent of black voters were either concerned or scared if Trump were to win. My guess is those percentages would hold up, or be close, in NFL locker rooms.
"If you voted for Trump," said one AFC offensive starter, "I don't trust you."
"Black players are constantly playing the race card [when it comes to Trump]," a white NFC player said. "This election had nothing to do with race."
He wasn't alone in his views.
"Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate," another white player said. "That's why she lost, not because of race."
Other white players said Trump won because of the increase in Obamacare premiums and Supreme Court appointments.
All of the white players, in fact, said Trump's election had nothing to do with race. White players who voted for Trump, or knew people who did, in fact, were furious with the notion they or Trump supporters were racist.
All of the black players, on the other hand, said Trump's election was mostly, if not all, about race.
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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...aign=editorial
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Those people don't even realize how much they benefit from the system so let them realize it the hard way.