Snapped is the fourth in the Playbook series by the former NFL football player's wife -Alexa Martin. Having read the entire series this was my favorite with plenty of dialogue, intrigue, and excitement.
What I love in this one is everything. The moment you pick this up you are taken into the life and times of all avenues of the sport.
So much so, that I didn't think of many of the racial and political issues in the same light as I did having read this novel.
I'm a huge football fan go PSU fans out there. I grew up with the sport all my life for the past nearly 50 years. I have numerous family members that played the game up till the college level in the Ivy Leagues and are plagued with injuries.
Which brings me to the next topic: Brain CTE Injuries and the racial card as it was mentioned in this work. We all know by now that degenerative brain injuries have been found in 87% of past players.
It's no secret that the sport can be brutal and dangerous yet they take the hits and keep on ticking.
Articles such as this one from the Time Magazine show just how dangerous the sport has become.
https://time.com/4871597/degenerative-brain-disease-cte-football/
For all the money in the world-you wouldn't catch me out there yet we recently had a female kicker make the news in the sport whose white. Go figure! https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/vanderbilt-kicker-sarah-fuller-makes-history-as-first-woman-to-play-in-a-power-five-college-football-game/
We also have white female referees https://www.sbnation.com/2017/2/9/14510008/sarah-thomas-nfl-first-female-referee-knuck-if-buck
But this is different for women because they aren't taking the brunt of the blows nor the brutal hits.
So, with this noted the money may be enticing yet it's not enough to retire upon for some as was mentioned in the past payouts vs current prior to 70's if I remember correctly from this book.
Yet, many overspend and live above and beyond their means which is unsustainable. https://www.cnbc.com/2014/01/31/why-national-football-league-players-go-from-rich-to-broke.html
I remember when the press created a frenzy over taking a knee on the field in protests concerning black lives matter and plenty has changed since Colin Kapernick.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/06/12/nfl-protest-kneeling-national-anthem-colin-kaepernick-social-justice/5341565002/
What created a new issue for me was this discussion as I didn't think so heavily about the issues of the upper management positions not being made available to blacks until now.
While many have grown accustomed to colored individuals playing sports I've never looked into why very little of them are coaches, owners, or upper management levels.
This also led to insight into how they are payed, what they are worth, the abuse suffered both on and off the field, and the abuse that lands them in court.
It's interesting to note that there's plenty of romance but it seemed to supersede the major issues in this book that dealt with racial and political motives.
While I enjoyed the writing, the plot, the characters, and the setting I did feel more romance for those who came for that angle was needed.
Everyone must use their voice as a platform and I find no reason to deny that right especially when you've worked hard to become successful and rightfully so in this market.
Therefore, kudos to Alexa Martin for using her own voice to speak about such an important topic that should be addressed and taken seriously.
Things won't change unless you take the necessary steps to be the beacon of change and create the light to showcase that change is needed and can be beneficial to all.
I loved this book and hope it creates that much needed discussion and open dialogue this world needs.
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