We continue to hold up professional sports as the embodiment of everything we hold near and dear as Americans: the fair play, the striving for excellence, the chance to become a star and perhaps a millionaire and celebrity.

Which is one of the reasons we give for maintaining a system in which college athletes are exploited as unpaid minor leagues for the NBA and NFL, even though most of them will never be able to make a career in the professional leagues, much less become millionaire celebrities.

But as soon as we peel back the veneer, we see the racism, sexism, bigotry, disregard for players and unmitigated greed that actually power the system.