La Liga Solves The NFL's Problem

While we try to avoid politics in our blog, We just could not let this one go...

Yesterday, we attended our first futbol (soccer) game in Spain. Our local team, Real Sociedad, plays in La Liga, which is probably the most famous futbol league in the world. The most famous, and generally best, teams are FC Barcelona, led by Lionel Messi of Argentina and Real Madrid led by Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. Messi and Ronaldo are the two best players in the world. Real Sociedad is a middle-of-the-pack type club. Currently they are ranked seventh of twenty teams in La Liga.

Ok, but what does any of this have to do with the NFL? Really not much, we are just setting the stage.

Yesterday, while waiting for the game to begin, Jeff noticed something missing from the stadium. Something that is in every single stadium in the United States - a national flag. There was not a single Spanish flag flying anywhere in the stadium. Even more surprising to us Americans, there was no playing of the Spanish national anthem before the game. The teams come on the field, shake hands and the game begins. And, our friends from Japan who attended with us told us that the same is true in Japan. Unless the Japanese National Team is playing, the anthem is not played at sporting events.

So, if the NFL does not want players protesting during the national anthem, perhaps they should just eliminate it altogether. Problem solved.

Now, who is going to tell President Trump. Anyone? Bueller?

Hasta Luego,

Jeff and Shana

PS: We saw Real Sociedad tie the worst team in La Liga 2-2 on some really shoddy goalkeeping. I guess you win some and you lose some (and in futbol, you tie some).