I’ve loved ESPN for as long as I can remember. I grew up falling asleep to Sports Center and waking up to watch, well, basically the same Sports Center all over again. I would sit on the floor right next to the TV so I could read all the scores and updates that scrolled across the bottom of the screen. I loved ESPN. But, then it changed.
You can’t turn on ESPN for more than a few minutes before talking heads break into some sort of political or ideological talking point, always from only a liberal view. I started turning away from ESPN more and more, though it’s difficult to do because I love sports and they essentially have a monopoly on sports coverage. I started to wonder, “What happened at ESPN?” That question led me to discover Clay Travis and his book, “Republicans Buy Sneakers Too.”
Clay tackles the subject of how and why politics infiltrated ESPN and sports. He does not hold back. He talks about how ESPN has promoted only far left talent while sidelining or letting go of conservative talent.
Why was Curt Schilling fired for sharing a moderate meme on his personal Facebook, yet Jemele Hill was allowed to repeatedly say racist and xenophobic things on air and not be punished? Clay talks about that. When it appeared Lebron James and his crew fabricated a story about a racial slur being written on the wall of his home, nobody challenged the story? Travis dives right into the facts. Why is ESPN obsessed with shoving politics down our throats when all indicators show it is bad for business? Clay Travis explains that too.
I could not put this book down. Like a great prosecutor or attorney laying out a case, Clay presents all the facts, shares great stories, and though he and I do not often align politically, I found myself agreeing with every argument he makes in the book. This is a book all sports fans should read.
In addition to the inside look into the roll politics is playing in sports, Clay also tells his own story. I won’t spoil the details, but I found him to be inspirational. He’s a guy that followed his dream, but to me it seemed he followed his moral compass and followed what brought him peace. I imagine he’s doing very well financially, but he didn’t follow the best paths to riches, he took his own unique path. He sold me on how the left is ruining sports with politics, and he sold me on being a fan of his.
You can follow Clay on Twitter here: @ClayTravis
and visit his website: www.OutKickTheCoverage.com
Where to buy the book: Amazon
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