Longhorn players come out with list of demands...including no more "Eyes of Texas"

[1st and goal]

https://www.theblaze.com/news/univer...ultCY8NO2cSkio

Whatever...

[Aesculus gilmus]

I am an alum. The football team has been so consistently horrible with few exceptions since 2010 that I no longer watch most of their games. I didn't even when a coach from Gilmer was on the staff.

They are in no position to make demands IMHO. Fans have demanded a team that could at least win a Big 12 title. That hasn't happened either in the last decade.

Speaking of Jeff Traylor, here is what he and his team have been doing.
https://www.ksat.com/sports/2020/06/...ial-injustice/

Politics may well destroy the economic viability of football before this is over.

[Matthew328]

Sure the players are in a position to make demands, they have an incredibly unique skill set and make the university a lot of money.....athletes today have more power than they have ever had....

I for one had no idea about the History of "The Eyes of Texas" will it change?? I dunno, maybe the requirement to sing the song will be the compromise...

I think the bigger question is if it doesn't change how much more difficult does recruiting of black athletes get??? Because anyone who wasn't aware is definitely aware of it now..the UT football commit I know personally in the Class of 21 wasn't aware of the history of that song I can tell you that...

[d0tc0m]

Anyone have a link to the history of the song? I didn’t see anything linked in that Blaze article, and they didn’t go much into it, other than it was performed at a minstrel show.

[Matthew328]

its a play on Robert E Lee saying "the eyes of the south are upon you" as well

https://twitter.com/LiberalArtsUT/st...287902214?s=20

This is a video I've seen on twitter that gives context

[bobcat1]

F Them

[Necked]

One thing I have learned over the last few months is I can do just fine without sports. I found plenty of things to keep me entertained. I don't need a bunch of jack holes finger wagging at me & lecturing me about anything, especially when I'm trying to forget about the world around me for a few hours. I'm with bobcat1, F Them...

[Aesculus gilmus]

Those who think football will retain its economic viability once it is clear we are on the "football players as social justice warriors" path permanently are a bit delusional.

Football already had a lot of problems from "Karens" upset about the head injuries.

The football business (and that's what it is at the college and pro levels) needs this permanent devotion to BLM about as much as a retired player already diagnosed with TBI needs another cheap shot to the head.

[MUSTANG69]

F Them

My sentiments.

[d0tc0m]

My sentiments.

Why are those your sentiments? Genuinely asking and not trying to trade grenades back-and-forth in the trenches.

[Saggy Aggie]

Wow, disappointed in a lot of the responses here. So athletes are here for our needs and wants but God forbid they speak up? Is that the message?

Don’t count me. I’m all for whatever brings people together. I’m not one to care either way or go stand in a protest, but I damn sure am not going to die on the hill of defending something others perceive as racist.

I don’t give a rats ass about a statue or a song, but that’s just me.

[Saggy Aggie]

Why are those your sentiments? Genuinely asking and not trying to trade grenades back-and-forth in the trenches.

Would love to understand this as well

[bluecat]

Would love to understand this as well

These are not paid professional athletes, these are amateur athletes who chose to attend a certain university on a paid 4 year scholarship. At Texas that’s at least a $200,000 scholarships and they signed that scholarship that has conditions that are a legal document. If they choose to violate conditions of that contract they should immediately remove themselves from the campus and quit the team.
It’s a shame some folks want to make everything political and that’s a shame. Unfortunately some of the athletes will now have to make career ending choices.

[Aesculus gilmus]

Politics and sports should be kept separate. It's really that simple. Sports is an escape from politics. Look at the number of Americans who don't even vote (which is their right). Politics is not enjoyable to me. I refuse to spend any more time or energy on it, which is my right.

[d0tc0m]

Politics and sports should be kept separate. It's really that simple. Sports is an escape from politics. Look at the number of Americans who don't even vote (which is their right). Politics is not enjoyable to me. I refuse to spend any more time or energy on it, which is my right.

Racism is not political. It's not partisan. It's not a political statement at all to say: We, as a society, as communities, as f*ing fellow human beings, should fight systemic racism. It's not political at all to say that Black Lives Matter. It's not political at all to come to terms with the idea that a group of our population has been marginalized from the outset, that they climb a different hill than the rest of us, that they deal with issues the rest of us don't deal with, that they don't have the same resources the rest of us have. It's not political to listen to them when they speak. To REALLY listen. What does it cost you to listen to the people themselves, not the politicians, not the Fox News analysts, or any media pundits for that matter? I promise you that you won't have to vote for one candidate or the other, or at all, at the end of that exercise.

Do yourself a favor and do not reduce the fight against racism to politics. Don't reduce the athletes, who are still just people with voices and intrinsic value and dignity and a desire to be loved, to politics when they use their elevated platform to lift others up who may never be heard. Fight against that urge. It's hard, believe me, but you'll be better for it.