Chris Rock once opined, “Shaquille O’Neil is rich, the white man who signs his check is wealthy.” Like most comedy, it's funny (and sad) because it's true. 

In this episode, Anna and Ex explore how professional sports (here’s looking at you, NFL and NBA) are a multi-billion dollar industry that makes money by commodifying black people (deja vu, anyone).  Why do collegiate athletes who try to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness (which brings in hundreds of millions of dollars for NCAA schools) get punished? How did some “white sports” become segregated by “redlining and “ sign up fees”.   Why did the NFL use “racial norming” in order to pay less in damages to black players who were brain injured as a result of their play? 

Modern-day slavery is alive and well, and somehow it has young kids across the country dreaming of being “good enough” to get drafted into it. Ex is still a cowboys fan, but this week we have a deeper understanding of the blood, sweat, and tears that go into competitive collegiate and professional sports.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/nfl-quarterback-coaches-black-managers-1.6586350

https://andscape.com/features/the-nfls-racial-divide/

https://theathletic.com/3516091/2022/08/17/nfl-concussions-settlement-racenorming/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57336282