Bin Laden's death and the NFL

If you listened to my show yesterday you heard me talk about Osama bin Laden’s demise and its effect on the NFL.

I’d like to expound on the notion and put it into better detail then the five-minute rant I laid out yesterday afternoon.

As we all know, Navy SEALs infiltrated a fortress in Pakistan and gunned down terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and his cronies. Bin Laden is the villain behind the September 11th attacks that murdered 3,000 Americans back in 2001.

United States President Barack Obama made the announcement Sunday night that under his order’s the SEALs team took out bin Laden. The United States and the sports world were elated to hear the news.

Retribution.

Jubilation.

I can only hope and pray that the families of the 9/11 victims have a semblance of peace and satisfaction.

Here’s where sports play a role – and I’m a firm believer in not mixing sports with politics, but they somehow came together.

Philadelphia Phillie fan, who’s typically the most uncaring, unforgiving, and venomous fan of any sport, heard the announcement during a Phillies-Mets game through the PA system.

Patriotism shined rather than the vitriol one would see at a Phillies game. Mets and Phillies fans stood together as one and the chants of, “USA! USA! USA!” could be heard over the television announcer’s voice.

It was a spectacular moment contributed by one of the most significant events in America’s history.

This September marks the 10-year anniversary of the attacks in New York City, a day that every American vividly remembers, where we were and what we were doing.

There’s another significant event that takes place this September 11, 2011: it’s supposed to be the first day of the NFL season.

Not to rehash the whole “Millionaire v Billionaire” argument, but I felt that this needed to be brought to everyone’s attention.

Two sides are arguing over how they’re going to split nine billion dollars while Americans struggle with jobs, food, and gas prices.

Football on Sundays is the only consolation Americans get from a struggling economy, and it’s the only time they can get away for three hours and forget about their everyday hardships.

With bin Laden’s demise and the 10-year anniversary quickly approaching, the NFL owners and players need to come to an agreement. What better way to follow up the termination of one of the world’s most notorious criminals then to have the NFL back and running?

What better way to stick it to the enemies of United States by saying, “We’re still here! We still get to enjoy life and all of the glorious qualities it provides!”

But we don’t get to enjoy it. The lockout means we don’t get to watch our favorite teams. There is no cheering. There is no celebrating. There is no victory.

The NFL will be dishonoring the 9/11 victims if this lockout continues. Sunday, September 11th, 2011 will be here sooner than we think, and there won’t be football.

The TV will be full of the horrific images we still have burned in our minds. It’ll have heroic stories as well as tear-jerking tales. Experts will come aboard and explain how the evil plot was orchestrated.

It’ll be a depressing day. It’ll be a day for reflection and remembrance. For honor and thanks.

All it needs is for one organization to step up and give this land the speck of light that it truly deserves.

What’s more American than football?