Over the past several years, the world of sports has become intertwined with the world of politics. From Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem to Black Lives Matter becoming a focal point of the NBA restart in Orlando, sports fans have been consistently been inundated with politics when they tune in to watch their favorite teams play.
The amount of coverage would make one think the sports world is filled with nothing but those that lean to the Left. But Aubrey Huff, two-time World Series Champion, says that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Daily Wire sat down with Huff following his recent appearance on Candace, with Candace Owens, to get his thoughts.
Daily Wire: Everyone is talking about Georgia right now. As they have made the decision to move the All-Star Game out of Atlanta due to Georgia’s Senate Bill 202. What has the reaction been from MLB players? Would they prefer Major League Baseball stay out of political conversations and debates?
Aubrey Huff: When I played, I intentionally stayed off social media. I didn’t have one. I didn’t let my conservative values out. Because you’re going to alienate half your fan base right out of the gate. So I don’t understand why athletes do that in the first place.
I didn’t really hear much about it (All-Star Game) until recently. I had to dig more into it. And from the outside looking in, the instant thinking was the players were blindsided. Had to have been. And what most people don’t know — and I get this question on social media from fans all the time — How many players are conservative in Major League Baseball? 80%. Easy. Even the guys from Venezuela… They’re trying to escape all this communism and all this bull****. So, they’re conservative as well.
DW: But what are you supposed to do as players in that situation? The game is being moved. There’s nothing you can do. Is there anything these players can do to get their thoughts out there? Are there any suggestions you have for players? Or is it basically shut the hell up. This is the way it’s going to be for the near future.
Huff: That’s what I asked several players that are current players now. You guys are diehard conservative guys. Maybe even more than me. Why don’t you guys say something? The majority of the league believes in what you guys believe.
And they say “Aubry. We would do it all day. We don’t give a s*** about our money. It’s guaranteed. They can’t do nothing about it. What are they going to do? Kick us out?
We’re still getting our money. That doesn’t worry us. It’s the target on our back. If I didn’t have kids or family we’d do it in a second. But I’m afraid if I do something, we put a target on my kids’ backs. My wife’s back. And they’re afraid for their safety. That’s where it’s at.
It’s not that conservatives do not exist in the sports world. It’s that they understand the repercussions of admitting their views.
With cancel culture at an all-time high, too many players the consequences of coming out as conservative far outweigh the benefits. But as corporations and sports leagues continue to cave to the woke Left, it’s only a matter of time until the option of being silent is no longer palatable.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.