Basketball and my Blog

I apologize in advance for doing two basketball related blogs in a row, but it is the NBA playoffs and Jason Collins did come out of the closet today, so 'tis the season.

First, I want to continue my discussion from the last post about how Mike D'Antoni destroyed the Lakers. I compared him to Obama destroying our country. I still contend both are probably nice guys with good intentions, but they're just not the right leaders for their respective teams. It occurred to me last night, when the Lakers were swept out of the playoffs by the Spurs, that the Lakers are kind of like the Republican Party.

They are a team with a rich history of championships, superstar players and unmatched greatness. The Republican party is very much like this. We are a party with a rich history of achievements (abolished slavery, ended the Cold War, prevented terrorism on U.S. soil after 9/11), superstar presidents (Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, etc.) and unmatched greatness (I still think we're pretty great). Like the Lakers, in recent years, we have lost our way. Those who hate our party (like those who hate the Lakers) are quick to jump up, point fingers, ridicule, mock, and dance on our graves.

Anyone who follows sports knows that truly great teams don't stay down for long. Anyone who follows politics knows that truly great political parties and candidates don't stay down for long either. I think, as a party, we've made some poor decisions...just as Laker ownership made a poor decision when turning away Phil Jackson and hiring Mike D'Antoni. That said, mistakes can be corrected.

I may sound like a broken record, but I can't stress enough how much we need to be more progressive on social issues like gay marriage. Today, a very brave NBA player, named Jason Collins came out as openly gay, while still an active player in the NBA. 10 years ago...hell, 5 years ago this never would have happened. This is a sign of how much things are changing. So many prominent Republicans have come out in support of gay marriage just as top NBA players came out in support of Jason Collins. If these macho athletes can do it, so can our party. The party platform on this issue has to change. Homosexuals may only make up a small part of the population, but their heterosexual supporters are increasing everyday.

Let's get on the right side of this issue.

Thanks for listening,
The Urban Republican

Follow me on Twitter @TheUrbanGop
Like me on facebook www.facebook.com/UrbanRepublican