There’s nothing quite like a heavy dose of hypocrisy alongside your national championship game.

ESPN’s pledge to “stick to sports” suffered a significant setback on Monday night when the network allowed its broadcast to turn into a platform for state propaganda. President Donald Trump was given free airtime to wish Ohio State and Notre Dame good luck, but he instead launched into a campaign-style speech filled with falsehoods and a distorted view of the nation.

“In recent years, our people have suffered greatly. But starting now, we’re going to bring America back and make it safer, richer, and prouder than ever before,” said the man who had just pardoned 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 insurrection, including those who violently assaulted law enforcement officers. Trump had also commuted the sentences of some convicted of seditious conspiracy, a crime that is nearly as severe as treason.

“We will be respected again and we will be admired again. Admired like we haven’t been in many, many years,” Trump continued. “… In less than three months since the election, you have already seen it happening. You can feel the excitement, and you can see the confidence and spirit returning to our nation.”

One thing that isn’t improving, however, is the price of eggs. But I digress…

Trump will do what he does best. You know that old saying? How can you tell he’s lying? Because his lips are moving. His anticipated second term is already shaping up as another massive scam, aimed at enriching himself, his family, and his wealthy pals, all while making life tougher for everyday Americans. And many of us have tried to warn you about this.

However, this isn’t really about Trump; it’s about ESPN and its parent company Disney kneeling to a wannabe autocrat, while those who shout that athletes should “stick to sports” applaud them for it.

It has always been impossible to detach sports from politics. From Jackie Robinson breaking down racial barriers, to Billie Jean King advocating for equal rights, to Colin Kaepernick protesting biased policing against people of color long before the murder of George Floyd, sports reflect the fabric of our society. They provide a lens through which we can understand some of our biggest issues and offer a shared platform to seek solutions.

Yet, a segment of society insists they want to keep politics out of sports. What they actually mean is they wish to exclude politics that doesn’t align with their views, particularly when those perspectives come from Black, brown, or LGBTQ individuals.

It’s acceptable when issues or politicians they support take the spotlight. Or when the message comes from voices in their echo chamber. This is why Kaepernick was ostracized while Nick Bosa received praise from Trump. It’s not the same when athletes like LeBron James confront systemic racism or when Megan Rapinoe calls out sexism and homophobia—then outrage ensues.

ESPN claimed it aimed to stay neutral, simply broadcasting games and encouraging discussions about sports without engaging with the pressing issues that affect everything surrounding it.

But their actions tell a different story.

Remember when SportsCenter host Jemele Hill faced backlash from Trump in 2017 after labeling him a “white supremacist”?

“Before long, they didn’t want Mike and I on-air as much,” Hill, referencing her SportsCenter co-host Michael Smith, reminisced during a 2022 podcast with Kenny Mayne. She eventually left the network in January 2018.

On that Monday, ESPN willingly surrendered valuable airtime—30-second advertising spots that typically cost over $1 million—just to provide Trump a platform.

“With Donald Trump’s Inauguration coinciding with the day of the CFP National Championship, it makes sense to include a message from the President,” ESPN stated in a response to YSL News Sports, “which is a common practice during major sporting events—similar to when President Biden spoke before the Sugar Bowl earlier this month.”

Biden’s address followed a terrorist event in New Orleans that delayed the Sugar Bowl by a day, and it was both brief and apolitical. That’s not at all comparable to Trump’s self-serving monologue, a fact that everyone, ESPN included, well understands.

One of the more disheartening outcomes since Trump was re-elected has been the subservience displayed by those who should know better. Disney, ESPN’s parent company, set the precedent, settling a defamation case against Trump for $16 million—an amount it likely could have contested. Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Tim Cook have also shown a readiness to bow down.

What they don’t seem to grasp is that Trump is not the omnipotent figure he presents himself to be. His victory margin was one of the smallest in history, and more people voted against him or chose not to vote than supported him. About half of Americans express disapproval of him. Moreover, his time in American politics is limited.

Yet, ESPN relinquished its airwaves and credibility the moment it had the chance. Stick to sports? You go first.