Mohamed Salah
The Train Daddy is back, bringing sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard!
Let me start off this article with some solid advice. Enjoy life and quit whining about your problems; we all have problems. Make sure you treat family with respect, hug your dog, shoot an AR15, ride a bike, go camping, grill some chicken, dress up as Spider-Man, play horseshoes, touch a dolphin, buy a hammock, plant a flower and at the end of the day thank God you live in America, the greatest country in the world.
What shall we discuss this issue? If you’re familiar with my work, well, you know we have to discuss the new NFL anthem policy, and we will wrap it up with a little Titans talk. But first, let’s talk soccer, since the World Cup is around the corner. It is quite embarrassing that the superpower of the world was unable to field a team for the event. Team USA failed to qualify.
But first, here’s a story, so gather ’round, children. Once upon a time, quite recently in fact, there was a Muslim soccer player named Mohamed Salah whose name is being uttered in the same fashion as players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Many call Salah the best soccer player on the planet right now.
He set the Premier League record for most goals scored in a 38-game season this season (32 goals) and has become a hero for Liverpool and his home country, Egypt. Being Muslim, Ramadan is a big thing for Salah. A month of fasting. Being a soccer player, fasting can be a stupid thing, a month of no energy. What to do?
Ramadan begins in the middle of May and ends one day before the World Cup begins. That’s a problem for many Muslim soccer players, who need fuel to survive. Many Muslim athletes will take advantage of exemptions, reserved for those who travel.
Salah decided to break his fast and shortly after that suffered a pretty nasty injury, putting his World Cup status at question. Then a Muslim preacher blasted Salah, claiming soccer wasn’t a legitimate excuse to break his fast, and it was God’s punishment served. I have one piece of advice for that preacher: “suck it!”
Who am I to speak on these matters? I am the Z-Train, that’s who! I read an article about one of the most famous soccer players in the world being lambasted for eating by a moronic preacher who said he deserved his injury, and it pissed me off.
So who will win the World Cup, Z-Train? My guess is the reigning champs, Germany, or perhaps Brazil. Superstar Lionel Messi has one more shot at glory with Argentina. Maybe Mexico can make some noise being the only CONCACAF team in the field. That would make my brothers at Camino Real do a little Mexican jig. I eat way too many fajitas and trust me, they will read this article. I’m rooting for Mexico! Maybe even Salah will get healthy and lead Egypt to glory. Then he can personally tell that preacher to “suck it.”
Let’s get into the beef of this enchilada—the NFL anthem policy. The new policy is extremely vague and opens the door for more problems. The policy states that if you’re on the field during the anthem you must stand and show respect. It also states players will be allowed to stay in the locker room during the anthem if they wish. Fines will be given to teams whose players break these rules. The NFL didn’t care to define respect, so I imagine the protesting players will be emboldened to create new signs of protest.
The NFL had the opportunity to nip this in the bud in 2016, when Kap first took a knee. They ignored it and it created a PR nightmare. They lost fans, ratings declined, ticket sales declined and the league minced words for two years in support of players and pissed many fans off.
Towards the second half of last season the anthem protest was nearly nonexistent, even during the playoffs, it wasn’t a topic. Then three months later, in May, when football is in its off season, the NFL created hysteria with this new policy.
The NFL ruling has no more to do with President Trump than a squirrel’s nuts do. Rather, it’s all about the money! Sure, Trump loves to take credit for this, and the liberals love to lambaste him for it, but money talks and the NFL was protecting the shield. Even with reports that Trump told Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to tell all the other owners “they can’t win on this,” this was a money and ratings decision.
The policy is appropriate, first and foremost because the NFL can do what they want in relation to the game and its players’ actions. The NFL is like Tony Soprano and the players are like the strippers at The Bada-Bing. Tony makes the rules, the strippers listen, or they get fired. Simple, yes?
The NFL continues to prove that it handles all controversies in poor fashion. It’s not just conservatives mad about anti-American sentiments now. The NFL somehow managed to get liberals pointing a finger at them for being racially insensitive. Can the NFL do anything right? The timing for this policy was ridiculous. Due to the league’s previous inaction, the best move was to do nothing and hope the anthem protest died on its own, and that was 100 percent already happening.
Personally, I hate the protest. It’s in poor taste and the players clearly showed disrespect to a country that allows them to make millions playing with a ball. I won’t let a bunch of jackass players and disgruntled fans turn me away from the game, though. I have loved this game since I was wee little boy. I still have to laugh at both conservatives and liberals.
Many conservatives cried like Lady Liberty was being raped and claimed they were done with the NFL; a line was crossed. Liberals passionately support players protesting and then call people like me racist and complacent for not showing support.
The NFLPA and protesting players ironically ignore the numerous murders of minorities by minorities. Instead they focus on a handful of random cases, demonizing police departments across the country. This country is, as I said at the beginning, the best in the world. America is a place where her citizens, no matter which race or gender, can succeed, as long as they’re willing to work and not whine. We all have hurdles, some higher than others, but we all should be thankful we’re given the opportunity to be in the race. Many countries don’t. I can already feel some of you shaking with rage at my words. Logic normally doesn’t equal sense to the left, though.
It’s a new year, Titans fans. New uniforms, new coaches and some new talent make Tennessee the perfect environment for young players to excel. The team is fresh off its first playoff berth since 2008, and its first playoff victory since 2004. What do the Titans have to do to build upon their first playoff victory in 14 years?
First, is it possible to let Coach Vrabel suit up as well as be coach, just in case? There is no doubt this dude would dominate every coach and nearly every player on the team in a brawl. Vrabel is a beast!
New defensive coordinator Dean Pees . . . pees on what? Dean pees on everything. He will pee all over the AFC South and he will pee on any who stand in his way. The man has two Super Bowl rings and six top-10 finishes in total defense in 10 seasons as a defensive coordinator.
I put pressure on Corey Davis. The second-year wide receiver is poised to break out, and in my opinion has to break out in order for the Titans to progress. The pressure is warranted, being drafted No. 5 overall in the 2017 NFL draft. Corey showed signs in 2017, and heading into 2018 much is expected—like 1,000 yards expected.
Corey Davis of the Tennessee Titans. Photo by Russell Roberts.
Aside from Rishard Matthews, the receiving corps is young and lacks depth. Delanie Walker stated he is the best all-around tight-end in the league, and is poised to duplicate his amazing 2017 season. Last issue I broke down the draft picks, so I will be short here. Be ready for Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry. Harold may be the best pass rusher out of the draft, and Evans can do it all—rush, drop and enforce the run. I am so excited to see this new defense take the field. With that secondary of Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, Adoree Jackson and Kevin Byard, I dream interceptions and sacks. That offense, combined with this defense? Balance!
Taylor Lewan stands 6 feet 9 inches, 309 pounds, and is a fan favorite. How many left tackles get this kind of love? The unofficial body guard of Marcus Mariota and the man who prefers to drink his beer straight from the gullet of a catfish, Taylor is in the midst of contract discussions. Mariota’s contract discussions begin in the off-season of 2019, that should be a big payday, but for now the Titans better lock up Lewan.
Nate Solder just received a four-year, $62 million ($35 guaranteed) deal from the Giants in March. Lewan is a better player and his camp knows it. Lewan is looking to set the market, surpass that deal and become the highest-paid left tackle in the league. Lewan is known for protecting Marcus, often after the whistle, and aside from Marcus he is probably the team’s most important voice right now. The Titans need to invest long-term, but for now both sides seem willing to wait. Stay classy, Lewan, and thank you for not sitting out, even though you have every reason to do so! Titans ownership better pay him well.
That’s it. The Train is rolling into the station. Can’t wait for football! Respect the flag! My biggest fear is a player revolt, new ways to protest . . . can’t we all just get along? A wise Chinese man once said “shut the hell up and play football.” Choo-choo!
