People are upset at the Boston Bruins goalie for skipping the team’s visit to the White House. He says he did it to protest the growth of the Federal government. Well, whatever. It’s a free country, and he can do that if he wants to. Though it’s hard to see how this helps further his cause, which, I have heard, is based largely upon the work of political philosopher and gold salesman Glenn Beck.

If I think about it, I guess the idea of sports teams that win championships visiting the White House seems kind of odd. I may be wrong, but I think there was also a practice of associating the gladiatorial games with the emperor in ancient Rome. Not good ancient Rome, but decadent ancient Rome. And that’s not the sort of historical parallel I like to see. (I may be wrong about this though–so any information that friend of the blog and Roman history expert P M Prescott can provide would be much appreciated.)

As I’ve said before, I love sports–three of my last four posts have been about sports–but sometimes they can get out of control, and it seems a little strange for the President to be both rewarding and congratulating people who–though skilled and accomplished performers–aren’t doing much in the way of improving the country, at least in their capacity as sportsmen. But maybe I’m being too fussy.