According to CBS guest William Rhoden, arrogant Team USA need to be “humbled," and maybe losing several medals at the Olympics was the way to do it. Appearing on CBS This Morning, Monday, the liberal sports journalist derided the opening ceremonies as too nationalistic, saying they reminded him of “white nationalism.”
Seeming to root against the U.S., the former New York Times columnist took pleasure in the American basketball team’s struggles: “Well, I think we should be humbled. You know, I mean, this whole last year in this country — it's about entitlement and privilege. Nobody epitomizes that more than basketball.”
He then explained how even the opening ceremonies have been ruined: “My favorite part was going for the opening ceremonies.” Rhoden offered an ugly comparison of athletes to the disgusting violence seen at the January 6 riot:
Then I realized, you know, man, particularly after the last four years, I had it wrong. Nationalism is not good. We've seen the rise of white nationalism. Nationalism is not good. And also, this whole idea -- I keep thinking back on the Capitol riots, and I saw a lot of, you know, U.S. flags.
Rhoden, who is now with The Undefeated website, was triggered by so much flag waving:
So now when I see the flag and the flag raised, what — what, what, what America am I living in? You know, are the ones that don't think, you know, we should be here? The ones that think that we should shut things down? The ones — so I just think that this is a very — these Olympics should be a time of soul searching and winning sometimes is antithetic to soul searching.
He’s not the first journalist to needlessly make the Olympics political. The MRC’s Geoff Dickens on July 21 offered a round-up of the most outrageous Olympic outbursts. Click here to read.
The trashing of American athletes was sponsored by Progressive insurance. Click on the link to let them know what you think.
A partial transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
7/26/2021
8:05
ANTHONY MASON: It’s been a conspicuously slow start for the U.S. in a couple areas. Should we be surprised?
WILLIAM RHODEN (The Undefeated writer at large): Well, I think we should be humbled. You know, I mean, this whole last year in this country — it's about entitlement and privilege. Nobody epitomizes that more than basketball. Because we're just supposed to win the gold.
GAYLE KING: We are, Bill, supposed to win the gold.
RHODEN: Well, not anymore. Not —
KING: Is it entitlement?
RHODEN: Well, it is. We sent in the Marines in 1992. Michael Jordan and all that as a reaction to losing. Now we send in the Marines. And then I'm saying, “Okay, after the rest of the world catches up -- now who do you send?” And that’s who we are sending now. Luka Doncic just hit 48 points.
MASON: Well, the NBA MVP of the NBA finals is from Greece.
RHODEN: I just think across the board, I think we just need some humility. I know that's antithetic to what we're about here. So -- I think everybody's “Oh, it was a wake-up call.” It was more than that. This is a living nightmare.
ANTHONY MASON: Do you think the U.S. Can still win gold in basketball?
RHODEN: They probably will. I was asking myself yesterday, saying probably, “Why are you saying that?” And it's because we're all used to it.
...
GAYLE KING: Do you look at the Olympics differently now? Do you even think we should be -- it should be happening?
RHODEN: Yeah, yeah. I've got about five of them. I was telling you my favorite part was going for the opening ceremonies.
KING: I love that too.
RHODEN: I love the opening ceremonies. March of countries. Then I realized, you know, man, particularly after the last four years, I had it wrong. Nationalism is not good. We've seen the rise of white nationalism. Nationalism is not good. And also, this whole idea -- I keep thinking back on the Capitol riots, and I saw a lot of, you know, U.S. flags.
ANTHONY MASON: Right.
RHODEN: So now when I see the flag and the flag raised, what — what, what, what America am I living in? You know, are the ones that don't think, you know, we should be here? The ones that think that we should shut things down? The ones — so I just think that this is a very — these Olympics should be a time of soul searching and winning sometimes is antithetic to soul searching.
...
MASON: Do you think they should have canceled the Olympics?
RHODEN: Yeah. Ideally -- of course they should have canceled the Olympics.
JERICKA DUNCAN: Wow.
RHODEN: But our highest value now is money. Everything is being driven by money. So they're telling fans, athletes, “Roll the dice, because we are going forward.”
