For all of the criticism I give NASCAR, I must give credit to the sanctioning body- and all forms of auto racing- for their patriotism. My column about the latest NFL National Anthem controversy... and how proud I am of motorsports. Have a read. Thanks, all!
http://speedwayreport.com/auto-racing-raises-the-bar-where-nfl-drops-the-ball/
Good read Patrick. I agree with your take on motorsports raising the bar, but you and I could have a long discussion on this "racism" thing.
Patrick, I agree 100% that motorsports - from the weekly hometown track to the Indianapolis 500 - have it all over the stick & ball sports when it comes to public displays of patriotism and honoring the flag.
I'll never forget an afternoon in the early 90s at Richmond when one of my two personal racing heroes, promoter, Paul Sawyer (car owner Bud Moore is my other personal racing hero) took a patriotic stance against NASCAR. With threatening weather before the scheduled start of a Busch Series race, NASCAR competition VP, Les Richter announced we would start engines immediately and move the cars onto the track. Paul Sawyer immediately told Richter (an old L.A. Ram) that no cars were firing at HIS racetrack until the National Anthem was played. Richter was livid, but the National Anthem played.
You may have seen Carolina Panthers coach, Ron Rivera's comments earlier this week regarding the San Francisco team and their unpatriotic players and coach visiting Charlotte this weekend. I am thankful for our Charlotte football coach. San Francisco and Denver are welcome to theirs.
BY JOSEPH PERSON
Sports and politics are colliding all over the state of North Carolina this week.
San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be in Charlotte on Sunday, when hes expected to continue his protest of racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem at Bank of America Stadium.
Earlier, the ACC pulled this years football championship game from Charlotte amid the firestorm over the states controversial House Bill 2, which limits antidiscrimination protections for LGBT individuals.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera was asked about both the Kaepernick protest and the HB2 controversy Thursday. 
Rivera said he doesnt believe sports should be used as a way to affect political change.
People come to the stadium to get away. And I decided that after the 1980 Olympic boycott. I didnt think it was fair. We were using sports as pawns, said Rivera, who was preparing for his freshman year at Cal when the U.S. boycotted the Summer Games in 80.
We werent happy with the politics in Russia, and what did they do? They were invading Afghanistan. So as far as Im concerned, sports is sports and politics is politics. If you want to talk politics, if you want to get involved, throw your hat in the political ring, you want to make change, vote. Vote. Thats the truth of the matter.
