Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 855 - : Hot potato

Chapter 855: Hot potato

“Defend the title, defend the title!”

“Los Angeles is the champion!”

“Chieftains, no doubt about it, 100% support for the Chieftains!”

“A question: If Li Wei wins the championship at this year’s Super Bowl again, will he qualify to contend for GOAT in the future?”

“Cosmic Rams, please rise!”

Clamor, frenzy, spotlight.

The bustling and boisterous season has come, the annual Super Bowl is finally here, and it’s once again time for collective celebration across the North American continent.

“Within the league”—this is just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone is predicting the champion, and both teams are showcasing their massive fan bases simultaneously—

as the internet heats up.

However, along with the frenzy, the discordant voices are becoming increasingly loud.

Protests, boycotts, backlash.

Negative sentiment peaks as the frenzy escalates, ultimately evolving into a sweeping movement.

It’s not aimed at the Kansas City Chiefs, nor at the Los Angeles Rams, but rather at the Super Bowl.

Or perhaps more accurately, at the league.

Two things.

First, racial discrimination.

The issue dates back to the 2016 season.

That year, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick protested against police brutality and racial discrimination by sitting on a sideline bench during the national anthem before a preseason game.

Subsequently, under advice from veteran and former NFL player Nate Boyer, Kaepernick switched to taking the knee during the anthem, a move that both expressed respect toward the military while still conveying his protest message.

And Kaepernick stuck with it for the entire season.

This sparked a furor across the league, with voices of support and opposition exploding in full force.

Supporters saw Kaepernick’s actions as a necessary protest against violence and injustice; detractors believed he disrespected the flag and the military, criticizing the timing and manner of his protest.

In March 2017, when Kaepernick became a free agent despite being in his prime, he never found another job. This was widely believed to be a league-wide collusion among teams to ostracize him, despite the league never officially taking sides. This action, however, conveyed their stance.

This led to broader protests as more players joined Kaepernick’s cause—not only from the NFL but also from other leagues, garnering wide attention.

The matter persisted for two years.

Before the start of the 2018 season, the NFL implemented a new rule requiring players to stand during the national anthem or remain in the locker room.

Though the decision seemed to reconcile both sides, it proved to be a case of Zhu Bajie looking into the mirror—pleasing neither group—and faced heavy criticism from both perspectives.

Adding fuel to the fire, the NFL recently reached an out-of-court settlement with Kaepernick—

Kaepernick had formally sued the league, accusing them of colluding with teams to block him from signing with those interested.

The league opted for damage control.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

This resolution further stirred the hornet’s nest, leaving both supporters and detractors dissatisfied.

For this reason, the “Gillette Stadium vs. Li Wei” news incident of Week 6 in the regular season ignited such explosive energy, hitting sensitive nerves and drawing a flurry of voices from all directions.

The matter never fully settled and continues to ferment today.

Second, player violence.

The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves at the epicenter of the storm; running back Hunter’s case has kept the focus on player violence alive, with the league yet to produce an investigation outcome.

Netizens emphasized: This incident has not been forgotten.

Everything, once again, escalated with the Super Bowl making waves.

Some outraged netizens even suggested that the NFL awarded the regular-season MVP to Li Wei solely to silence their protests.

Thus, the boycott movement began—

led by actors, singers, and public figures, bolstered by online momentum, they openly and subtly declared their decision to boycott the Super Bowl.

New Orleans: Seconded!

The controversial decision in the final moments of the National Conference Championship robbed the New Orleans Saints of their chance to return to the Super Bowl stage. Worse still, the league’s refusal to address the issue has left New Orleans infuriated.

An entire city is now rallying to urge fans to take real action to compel the league to hear their anger—boycotting the Super Bowl as a way to inflict financial pain—

as a drop in viewership ratings would directly impact the league’s and broadcasters’ revenue. After all, dissatisfied advertisers would pressure the league and broadcasters to address the issue.

A wave of boycotts is surging forth.

In fact, the truly insightful individuals noticed the shifts early on and made their decisions even before the “Super Bowl boycott” movement began—

five months ago.

Rihanna, Jay-Z, Cardi-B (Cardi-B), in order, all declined the league’s invitations to perform at the halftime show—a coveted gig once highly sought after—transforming the opportunity into a political hot potato.

Rihanna was the first to refuse, publicly stating her decision to reject the proposal in support of Kaepernick.

Jay-Z and Cardi-B communicated similar reasons during interviews, accusing the league of attempting to use minority performers as a facade to mask their troubles.

League response: “…Could we keep this discreet, please?”

The halftime show performer lineup experienced baffling delays, with no updates.

Then came the rumor: Maroon-5 was invited—

White performers.

It seemed the league finally shifted tactics.

Upon hearing this, fans even petitioned for Maroon-5 to reject the invitation, urging them to distance themselves from the NFL.

Nevertheless, Maroon-5 accepted the offer.

Furthermore, the league invited up-and-coming Black rapper Travis Scott to perform alongside them.

It was rumored that Jay-Z advised Scott to withdraw, but Scott ultimately decided to participate, with the condition that the league donate $500,000 alongside him to the charity Dream Group.

The league agreed.

This Super Bowl undoubtedly stands as the most chaotic and noisy in two decades.

On one hand, the off-field negative headlines remain relentless, the “Super Bowl boycott” campaign roars on, leaving even Goodell struggling to manage the situation.

On the other hand, the matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs offers plenty of intrigue—not only as the second consecutive head-to-head clash of rising forces but also as a contest between the season’s two most entertaining teams.

Thus, various voices have exploded across social networks.

Enthusiastic and oppositional, elated and furious, eager and indignant, resolute or trying to persuade others—it’s all on full display.

On-field and off-field incidents converge at the Super Bowl, sparking fierce clashes of opinions, generating massive waves of emotion.

And don’t forget, Li Wei made history as the first to claim the regular-season MVP and break into the mainstream, drawing the attention of diverse industries.

Then, casual viewers unfamiliar with football or the Super Bowl were left startled—

“Is it…this lively?”