The Tom Brady Witchhunt Is Back: Why The Media Is Being Irresponsible Because Of Brady's Friendship With Trump
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
We see athletes publicly endorse Presidential Candidates time and time again. I understand some people are turned off when athletes do that. I've never had a problem with it. They're not simply just athletes. They're people with their own opinions. They just so happen to have a bigger stage to express their opinion. They shouldn't be silenced because of their career choice. If you believe in what America really stands for, you shouldn't believe they should be silenced either.
But the problem I have right now isn't an athlete endorsing a candidate. The problem I have is the way sports media has treated Tom Brady over his friendship with Donald Trump. We've seen the hat in his locker. We're aware of Brady's friendship with Trump. And while it's an assumption, I think most of us assume he'll be voting for Trump. Which is neither here nor there.
The problem I have with the media is that since Brady has returned to from his suspension, he is frequently met with questions about Trump's contraversy. Every single time, Brady has dismissed the conversation. He simply doesn't want to discuss his political beliefs on that stage I mentioned earlier. This doesn't mean he condones or opposes anything Trump has said or allegedly done. This doesn't mean he condones or opposes anything Clinton has said or allegedly done. It simply means he doesn't want to talk about it. And that shouldn't surprise anyone. Because we've all been familiar with the "Patriot way" for over a decade. Most Patriots only care about and want to talk about football because of the atmosphere in New England. It's created a winner, so it's hard to argue with their way. Brady is the embodiment of the Patriot way. And him refusing to step out of that has caused the media to drag his name through the mud and demand he be held accountable for Trump's words or actions. That's unprofessional. That's unethical. And it's total bullshit.
Let's step back for a second. Think about the situation without faces. You're holding an athlete accountable for what his friend outside of the sport has said or done. Think about that. If we gathered every NFL player and held them accountable for what friends outside of football have done, what would be the perception of that action? An overwhelming majority would call it foolish, and in no way would we hold the player accountable for his friend's actions. And they sure wouldn't drag his name through the mud if he chose not to speak on it.
I'm not defending Trump. I'm not endorsing him either, nor am I endorsing any of his opponents. I just don't believe an athlete's feet should be held to fire to speak about something he doesn't want to speak about unless it's his team, league, or personal actions. What I do believe, is that in America we treat this situation the same for everyone. And we don't change that when the person holding the mic or pen has an agenda. An athlete should never be forced to be silent about his or her political beliefs. But they should never be forced to speak on it if they chose not to either. And the media attempting to vilify an athlete for choosing to keep his opinion silent, is an embarrassment to the profession and America.
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
