When Sports & Politics Collide
What happens when our sports figures enter the political arena?
Published in
4 min readJul 21, 2016
As the Republican National Convention rolls on this week, it’s hard not to revel in the fascinating intersection of politics and sports.
We have athletes and sports personalities who try to use their fame to support their candidate, and others who purposely distance themselves from the conversation. We have political figures who try to use sports analogies as a way to galvanize their base — and sometimes backfire. And we have athletes who are getting more and more political, in statements on and off the field (or court.) Here, a roundup of recent sports-meets-politics moments for your Thursday:
- Donald Trump had a hard time getting athletes to commit to speaking at the RNC. Everyone from Tom Brady to Mike Tyson have supported him during the campaign, but would not commit to the Convention. But there’s one night left, and there are still Tim Tebow and Bobby Knight rumors swirling, despite denials. And if this week has taught us anything — we should expect the unexpected. (Right Meredith McIver?)
- Paul Ryan keeps trying to use sports to rally the troops — and getting it wrong. First, waving a Terrible Towel anywhere in Cleveland is a no-no. Then, trying to compare getting on the Trump train to cheering for a rival team if it made it to the championships didn’t work either. All he seems to be good at this week is just showing he doesn’t understand how sports works.
- Lou Holtz spoke at the RNC and said, regarding immigrants: “I don’t want to become you. I don’t want to speak your language, I don’t want to celebrate your holidays, and I sure as hell don’t want to cheer for your soccer team!”
- LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis (and former “Apprentice” contestant) spoke at the RNC and said Donald Trump encouraged her to stand up to gender injustices.
- UFC President Dana White made a brief speech at the RNC, calling Trump loyal, and saying we needed a fighter in the White House.
And don’t forget these oldies but goodies from the campaign trail:
- Remember when Ted Cruz called a basketball hoop a “basketball ring”?
- Remember when Trump suggested “bringing Joe Paterno back” in Pittsburgh (nowhere near Penn State)? We’re still not sure whether he meant bring him back from the dead? Bring back his statue? Or bring back the horrible controversy surrounding his time there? Regardless, the answer is no, thanks.
- And how about the age-old Hillary Clinton Cubs/Yankees fan scandal?
Other political headlines:
- OKC forward Enes Kanter receives death threats on Twitter after the failed Turkey coup.
- WNBA fines teams for wearing black shirts in protest of killings by and of police. Teams were fined $5,000 and individuals fined $500. (Something to note: NBA players were not fined for wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts.)
- Coach K and his coaches condemn North Carolina’s controversial House Bill 2, prohibiting individuals from using the bathroom that doesn’t match the gender on their birth certificate. The bill will cost Duke a game against Albany, as NY state will not allow any state funding to be spent sending teams or delegations to North Carolina. And this just in: it just cost the city of Charlotte the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
- Famed Bears Coach and sports commentator Mike Ditka won’t speak at the RNC, but says ESPN is liberal.
- On a brighter note: College players at Southeast Missouri organize a flag football game with police to foster a more positive relationship.
