Careful making blanket statements and assumptions, Guido. Both things can be true at the same time.

You can ignore BS and enjoy football but also decide to give the NFL less and less of your time / money.

Some of us won't sacrifice our integrity for a little entertainment.

Adults choosing to earn their living in a hazardous field is nowhere near the same as trotting out your 5 year old to get his or her undeveloped brains banged around for years.

Adults choose, children don't.

NFL entertainment doesn't interfere with my integrity whatsoever. Your integrity involves what YOU do and how YOU feel, not what others do or feel. The influence of others deals more with tolerance or what you let affect you.

The kneeling offends me. It's hard to enjoy a program that irritates me. It's not just the kneeling though. However, that is what really aggravates the snot out of me! It's not just that either. It's the damn commercials called on every foul. It's predominantly the way the game is refereed by incompetent referees that sticks in my craw so much. Who can enjoy a game while irritated. I can't. I know. I've tried for years. But the kneeling was the last straw for me.

I stand for the flag and kneel for the fallen! God bless America.

I am slowly coming around to the BLM movement, although all lives matter equally to me, after having chatted with my friends on the bng. My twin brother still shows my old anger at insulting my flag. And I don't blame him. Peace out.

Read the post that i just posted from Drew. I no longer have any issue with the kneeling. Nor do I let officiating get in the way of my enjoying the game. Why do so? Relax and enjoy. Life is incredibly short. Perhaps Xanax may help.

Once again my friend. It's the bad officiating that angers me so much. Like I said Kneeling was just the last straw. When a game is called incompetently it's no longer an even or fair game. Referees make mistakes. I know. I'm a referees coach. These problems could be fixed but the NFL won't do anything to make them better. It's harder to control games that way. And yes, I'm a conspiracy theorist. Remember, Roger Godhell runs the game for a profit and he's going to squeeze every penny out of the public that he can. People tune out from blow outs. Bad calls against the points leader keeps the game closer. Do I really believe this? HELL YES!

To me the game itself and the release I get from it is far more important than any grief from the officiating. I would much rather have the game with bad officiating than not to have the game at all. Much like pizza or tacos.

Would you eat a veggie pizza even though you ordered a meat lovers? Would you watch a one star film when it stinks even though the film is by your favorite director? You might give it a try but would you watch the whole movie if it was difficult to follow? I'll admit that I take anxiety medications daily. Although, no matter how much I take I just can't watch football anymore besides my beloved Saints and maybe their opponents to size them up.

Football has lost it's luster. I'm leaving it behind like I did the rest of my toys from my youth. I'm not going to torture myself anymore! I usually agree with you Guido. But it is sort of like going back to an ex wife that you don't like. The initial appeal is gone. However, for those who can deal with everything and not let it get under their skin I hope that you enjoy yourselves.

EDIT: When I do watch any game besides the Saints I record it and fast forward through all the crap. I used to do that for the Saints but as my twin brother pointed out you can't send them good vibes and change the mojo unless you're watching the game live.

Wouldn't know about the ex-wife. I have a wonderful bride of almost 32 years that is my best friend and soulmate. And I wouldn't let one bad film from a director ruin it forever. Nor books by an author.

And, seriously, have you considered CBD oil? I take .5ml of 1800mg every evening before bed and it helps not only with the bad neck, but the sleep in general. And .25ml in the morning.

I know that you've got a wonderful wife because you mention her when it's relevant. I'm glad that you were able to find your soulmate.

Back to the directors point though. I quit watching Stanley Kubrick films, who I always admired, because I didn't like the new direction he went with his films. So, yes. I'm quite willing to part ways with something that no longer brings me pleasure. Like a poisonous ex or cigarettes.

I'm still hyperactive at 61 and have been self medicating since I was 16. I smoke pot and keeps me on an even keel.