Like Howard Cosell on that day back in 1980, we are stepping outside our usual sports entertainment arena for a brief minute. We are doing so to express our support for a truly fantastic campaign launched by Safe Ireland.
The ManUp campaign is aimed at encouraging men to take a stand against violence against women and children. The central message of the campaign is that men hold the key to ending violence against women and children.
The infographic below highlights how important this campaign is. In Ireland, on one day alone last year, 467 and 229 children received support from a domestic violence service. According to an EU wide survey 26% of women in Ireland have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse since the age of 15.
Men are sometimes brought up to suppress their feelings and wrap themselves in a cloak of machismo and invulnerability. This is a hard and pointless act to keep up. It's also pretty stale and boring at this stage - a relic of times gone by. It's time for men to shed this jaded image, reach out and embrace this new challenge of being real man.
The ManUp campaign is encouraging men to do this. In doing so, it will help make the world a less oppressive place for men, women and children. The campaign is directed at all adult males in Ireland. It's time to embrace this worthy challenge.
Here is that startling infographic.
Even the NFL, who haven't covered themselves in glory this year with the response to the appalling Ray Rice revelations, is speaking out. Baltimore Ravens' wide receiver Torrey Smith witnessed domestic violence first hand growing up. And now he's doing what he can to end it. It's time for all other men to do likewise.
