Marianna and Clive tell us what to think

Sticking with this year's Pick of the Year with Marianna Spring and Clive Myrie I want to quote you three short discussions from it, just so you can get a sense of just how preachy it was.

You'll hear them moralising about the racism that followed the Euros [how much was there really?], asserting that woke is a good thing and that some things  - such as taking the knee - aren't up for debate -  and that the slogan 'Black Lives Matter' isn't really up for discussion either.

On racism after the Euros:

Marianna Spring - I think the biggest conversation about online hate happened around the Euros. I was actually at the Final watching those penalties and, perhaps a worrying sign of my job or the impact of my job, was sitting there and as I watched Rashford and Saka and Sancho go up to take those penalties and I watched them miss, my first thought was, Oh my gosh, they are going to get so much racist hate on line!

Clive Myrie - And so many people said that. So many people said they knew that was what was going to come, which is such a terrible indictment of our culture and our society at the moment.

On racism in cricket and 'taking the knee': 

Clive Myrie - You know, it's good that these rocks are being turned over and these debates are being had and conversations are taking place. Because, you know, enlightenment is the key to wisdom, and frankly I think a better society.

Marianna Spring - I think as well, in, I mean...A lot of the conversation online has been very polarised, and we talk about cancel culture, and we talk about the culture wars, but actually that reckoning, that awakening, that there are things that are wrong and they are just wrong and supporting standing up against things that are wrong, it isn't up for debate. And a lot of the conversation around taking the knee has been about that really.

Clive Myrie - We as a society should be listening to their reasons as to why they are taking the knee are not placing our own ideas about taking the knee on their heads.

On Black Lives Matter: 

Clive Myrie - Black Lives Matter.

Marianna Spring - It's not controversial.

Clive Myrie - It's not a big deal. When you think about it. And it does not mean that white lives don't matter. It's just making the point that Black Lives Matter too.