# Missouri football players threaten to strike? An exercise in pure stupidity **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 8, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039 "2015-11-08T18:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/1 "2015-11-08T18:42:18Z")
I don’t spend much time following the university of Missouri’s football program, they’re rarely relevant nationally. But the sheer stupidity of this proposed strike has piqued my interest. The players claim they won’t take the field until the university president resigns or is removed from office. That’s beyond stupid, the university president is primarily responsible for fund raising, not for fighting whatever alleged racism they seem to think exists on campus. Let’s face it, a lot of the players aren’t there to study Shakespeare, they’re only there for football. I predict the players will ultimately fold and they’ll play next Saturday. Maybe they’ll make a silly political statement by coming out of the tunnel with their hands up, but they’re. It going to forfeit a game and risk missing a minor bowl game. > **[College Football News, Scores, Standings & Stats](https://www.foxsports.com/college-football)** > > Get NCAA College Football news, scores, stats, poll rankings & more for your favorite college teams and players -- plus watch highlights and live games! All on FoxSports.com. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/2 "2015-11-08T18:48:10Z")
Good for them. The president certainly is responsible for addressing racism on campus. Hope should meet with the players and come up with a plan. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/3 "2015-11-08T18:55:20Z")
More power to them! It’s a damn shame that such a drastic step was necessary for a -hopeful- look at racism on campus. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/4 "2015-11-08T19:24:23Z")
The Coach supports their decision. I’m sure they’re all wrong, and OP is right, however. :rolleyes: > **[Missouri's Gary Pinkel takes bold stand with striking players - NBC Sports...](https://collegefootball.nbcsports.com/2015/11/08/missouri-gary-pinkel-takes-bold-stand-with-striking-players/)** > > In an ideal world we would all use college football and other sports as a way to escape the harsh reality and political landscape of hot button issues we continue to sort through on a regular basis. We know, of course, that simply cannot happen and... ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/5 "2015-11-08T19:26:25Z")
I’d like to see the university revoke their meal privileges while they’re on ‘strike’ They can join in solidarity with the idiot grad student on a hunger strike. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/6 "2015-11-08T19:33:11Z")
This isn’t meant as an attack on the students or a defense of the President, but what exactly has he done wrong? The only thing mentioned was someone had vandalized a dorm with a swastika. Well, what did he do wrong? Did campus security catch the guy, and the President ordered him released? That is certainly awful and we had some homophobic graffiti spray painted at my college when I was there, but we recognized that it’s not something that the school can always prevent. Are they any more in-depht articles with more specifics on what he did wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/7 "2015-11-08T19:34:26Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’d like to see the university revoke their meal privileges while they’re on ‘strike’ They can join in solidarity with the idiot grad student on a hunger strike. What exactly has this grad student done that makes him an “idiot”? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/8 "2015-11-08T19:42:38Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > What exactly has this grad student done that makes him an “idiot”? I think hunger strikes are a disgusting example of narcissism. Look at me! I’ll starve myself if I don’t get what I want! Well, screw hunger strikers. I’ll eat a steak next to them and blast “We are the World” in their direction while they starve for their cause ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/9 "2015-11-08T19:58:05Z")
Ok then. Over here in the real world, a lot of people think that many things - social issues included - are more important than sports. As **bobot** mentioned, that group includes [Mizzou’s head coach](http://deadspin.com/missouri-head-coach-gary-pinkel-voices-support-for-play-1741298611). ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/10 "2015-11-08T20:01:10Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > This isn’t meant as an attack on the students or a defense of the President, but what exactly has he done wrong? > > The only thing mentioned was someone had vandalized a dorm with a swastika. Well, what did he do wrong? Did campus security catch the guy, and the President ordered him released? > > That is certainly awful and we had some homophobic graffiti spray painted at my college when I was there, but we recognized that it’s not something that the school can always prevent. > > Are they any more in-depht articles with more specifics on what he did wrong? The school’s paper has a timeline of racial incidents and the school’s response (or lack of response) to each one [here](http://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/racial-climate-at-mu-a-timeline-of-incidents-to-date/article_0c96f986-84c6-11e5-a38f-2bd0aab0bf74.html). Particularly damning, IMO, is the oft-retweeted video clip of the university president’s abject failure to even talk about “systematic oppression.” ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/11 "2015-11-08T20:02:23Z")
A university president’s first mission is the general oversight of his school. He or she may prioritize in different doses but what happens on campus ultimately falls back on the head cheese. I’m not ready to condemn Mizzou’s cheese yet but in general I like the way athletes in the most popular sports are leveraging that popularity into actions that discomfort those in power. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/12 "2015-11-08T20:18:54Z")
If the players want to make a political stand, move out of the athletic dorms and turn in their meal cards. Will they do this ? Of course not, that’s not what crybaby activists do. I’m sure they’d enjoy some nights outside in mid November Missouri temperatures or scraping together a cheap meal like regular college students. I’m sure a call to Jesse and Al is on the way, ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/13 "2015-11-08T20:43:46Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I think hunger strikes are a disgusting example of narcissism. Look at me! I’ll starve myself if I don’t get what I want! Well, screw hunger strikers. I’ll eat a steak next to them and blast “We are the World” in their direction while they starve for their cause Fighting for [Indian independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_strike#Gandhi_and_Bhagat_Singh) from British rule was a “disgusting example of narcissism?” :dubious: What about [women’s suffrage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_strike#British_and_American_suffragettes)? [Irish independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_strike#Irish_republicans)? [Human rights in Cuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_strike#Cuban_dissidents)? Sure, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/14 "2015-11-08T20:48:13Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > If the players want to make a political stand, move out of the athletic dorms and turn in their meal cards. Will they do this ? Of course not, that’s not what crybaby activists do. I’m sure they’d enjoy some nights outside in mid November Missouri temperatures or scraping together a cheap meal like regular college students. > > I’m sure a call to Jesse and Al is on the way, Athletic dorms? References to “Jesse and Al”? Dude, how old are you? Athletic dorms were banned back in 1996, before some of those players were even born. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/15 "2015-11-08T21:01:51Z")
Having recently relocated from Columbia, MO, I wanted to thank the OP for bringing this matter to my attention. That town rises and sets on the actions of the football team. I was initially prepared to join the OP in roundly condemning their silliness. Until I read up on this. The OP might do well to remember that this region is also still recovering from the events in Ferguson Missouri. Also that while certain parts of the state are more cosmopolitan, other parts of Missouri are still connected to a deeply racist past. I am actually proud to see that the football team is using their celebrity to raise awareness of ongoing race problems on campus. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/16 "2015-11-08T22:20:38Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Ok then. Over here in the real world, a lot of people think that many things - social issues included - are more important than sports. Yes, but the OP of this thread is not one of those people. Anything that gets in the way of his football fix is to be derided and then dismissed. It doesn’t matter if it’s women victims of sexual assault, or racial and ethnic minorities suffering from harassment and discrimination. For **dalej42** , if it interferes with sports, it’s unacceptable. The worldview this represents is disgusting, and is far more narcissistic than any hunger strike. I wish i could say that it was surprising, but this guy is nothing if not consistent. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/17 "2015-11-08T23:03:23Z")
Dale, you seem triggered. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/18 "2015-11-08T23:09:46Z")
I’ve read about all the supposedly racist incidents at the University of Missouri, I just don’t see anything outrageous outside of the actions of a couple of knuckleheads, none of which can be traced back to students there. While I’m not surprised that the occasional social science major chooses to take outrage, it’s silly to involve the football team. No one in the athletic group has been accused of racism. The coach should be fired, and probably will be, but the players should show up for practice and games or else surrender their scholarships if they feel so strongly. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/19 "2015-11-08T23:15:21Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’ve read about all the supposedly racist incidents at the University of Missouri, I just don’t see anything outrageous outside of the actions of a couple of knuckleheads, none of which can be traced back to students there. While I’m not surprised that the occasional social science major chooses to take outrage, it’s silly to involve the football team. No one in the athletic group has been accused of racism. The coach should be fired, and probably will be, but the players should show up for practice and games or else surrender their scholarships if they feel so strongly. Agreed, how dare black students get upset at racist graffiti and fellow black students getting called “niggers”! Don’t they understand their job is to entertain us! Get back to your stepping and your fetching! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039/20 "2015-11-08T23:21:35Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’ve read about all the supposedly racist incidents at the University of Missouri, I just don’t see anything outrageous outside of the actions of a couple of knuckleheads, none of which can be traced back to students there. . Oh please, master, won’t you enlighten us as to the complexities of structural racism, and why it is irrelevant to this situation? We wait at your feet, staring up with awe and anticipation, for your measured and thoughtful instruction on the complex issues facing our society. :rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missouri-football-players-threaten-to-strike-an-exercise-in-pure-stupidity/737039.md?page=2)