Graham: Trump hit for ‘sportswashing’ at NFL game
In a recent editorial for The Washington Post, sports columnist Barry Svrluga took a sharp jab at former President Donald Trump, criticizing his presence at a Washington Commanders game against the Detroit Lions. Svrluga labeled the event as an instance of “sportswashing,” suggesting that Trump was using the game as a distraction from pressing national issues, particularly the ongoing government shutdown affecting many in Washington, D.C. He pointed out the irony of Trump enjoying the game in a luxury box while the citizens of the capital faced hardships, a situation exacerbated by political standoffs. Svrluga’s commentary reflects a broader sentiment among some critics who argue that Trump’s engagement with sports serves to divert attention from his controversial presidency and the socio-political challenges facing the nation.
The article also highlights the tension between Trump and the NFL, particularly in the context of the league’s response to social justice movements. Svrluga reminisces about the backlash Trump faced during the 2020 protests when NFL players kneeled in solidarity against racial injustice. He argues that many fans felt alienated by what they perceived as disrespect towards the flag, a sentiment that has not been forgotten. In a parallel critique, Michael Rosenberg from Sports Illustrated echoed similar sentiments, asserting that while Trump may still have the backing of NFL owners, the league itself appears to be distancing from his influence. Rosenberg praised NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for maintaining an inclusive workplace, suggesting that the league is charting a new course that no longer aligns with Trump’s divisive rhetoric.
This discourse exemplifies the intersection of sports and politics, illustrating how sporting events can become platforms for broader cultural commentary. While some see Trump’s attendance at high-profile games as a way to connect with the American public, others perceive it as a calculated move to mask deeper issues, particularly in the context of a city grappling with crime and political strife. The contrasting views on Trump’s involvement in sports underscore the polarized nature of contemporary American society, where even a football game can become a battleground for political discourse. As the nation continues to navigate complex social issues, the role of sports in shaping public perception remains a potent and contentious topic.
Even the sports pages can be a platform for anti-Trump editorializing. After the Washington Commanders were drubbed by the Detroit Lions, the front page of The Washington Post sports section carried a piece by columnist Barry Svrluga trashing Trump’s appearance at the game, and in the Fox broadcast booth. He called it “sportswashing.”
“What played out Sunday was a microcosm of Trump’s presidency and his relationship with American sport. It’s sportswashing, using these games to distract from the important matters of our times,” he wrote. There was “something rich about Trump sitting and smiling in the box of Commanders owner Josh Harris and his partners … while the District and so many of its citizens struggled with the shutdown.”
This Democrat rag can’t acknowledge that the shutdown was created and dragged out by recalcitrant Democrats. They aren’t factored into the plight of those struggling D.C. denizens. Who was holding out, keeping them from getting their food stamps and paychecks?
Svrluga was angry that people had forgotten how Trump was on the wrong side of the culture war in 2020 when NFL players knelt in protest during the National Anthem against “social injustices” like police brutality. Liberals still can’t imagine that many NFL fans didn’t appreciate what felt like a double-middle-finger salute to the flag, or that many didn’t like quarterback Colin Kaepernick wearing pig socks to mock the cops.
Riots and murders after George Floyd’s death in police custody were blended into a “reckoning” by Svrluga: “Five years after the country endured what was framed in the moment as a racial reckoning — in which police practices were questioned, scrutinized and in some cases overhauled — the city that the Commanders represent is being monitored by National Guard soldiers, the American military overseeing American citizens at Trump’s behest.”
Somehow, this columnist can’t abide the president noticing that the nation’s capital has long had a violent-crime problem.
He wasn’t alone. Michael Rosenberg at Sports Illustrated proclaimed, “Trump can’t quit the NFL, but the NFL has quit him.” Really? “Yes, most owners will still support him, as most billionaires do. But the NFL itself is providing a blueprint for how to tussle with the President: Don’t.”
Rosenberg gushed over how NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did not dismiss his chief diversity officer Jonathan Beane.
Trump has visited a pile of recent sporting events, including the Yankees game on Sept. 11, the U.S. Open men’s final, and the Ryder Cup golf competition.
Surely, this round might please sports fans, showing Trump enjoys what they enjoy. If a Democrat attended all these things, Svrluga and Rosenberg would probably adore it as deftly displaying a common touch. It wouldn’t be “sportswashing” bad news. Everything magically ends up as good news in the Preferred Party.
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org.
