Colin Kaepernick refuses “to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people”...

[stringer bell]

Hypocritical athlete protests demand deeper investigation

By Phil Mushnick

With protests now as common as Ethel Merman imitations, it’s time to examine the protesters, starting with those who have exploited the TV-reliant NFL and our national anthem to protest alleged police brutality by racist cops (of all races), one week, President Tweet, the next.

Oakland’s Marshawn Lynch made big news and noise last Sunday in Mexico City, where he respectfully stood for Mexico’s anthem but then again showed his rude side to the U.S. anthem.

And if one read and/or listened to reports of this “protest,” one could logically conclude Lynch is a legitimate social activist, an advocate of right over perceived wrongs.

But if one were to apply Lynch’s NFL bio, his ascension to conspicuous and now international social protester would be — or should be — reported as preposterous.

In 2008, Lynch, with the Bills, was driving his new Porsche at 3:30 a.m., when he struck a pedestrian then fled. He pleaded guilty to hit-and-run and had his license revoked. But he was still able to play — and for millions of dollars — in the NFL. There’s nothing he can do to prevent that.

In 2012, Lynch was arrested for DWI then plea-bargained to a reduced charge.

Three times Lynch “celebrated” a TD by grabbing his crotch. In 2014, the NFL fined him $11,000 for his vulgarity, but Lynch did it again before a national TV audience in the 2015 NFC Championship.

This season, Lynch was fined for making an obscene gesture during a game.

Yet, none of this was heard or read in the reports of his “protest” in Mexico City. And although it’s doubtful that any of us could remain employed with his bio, Lynch continues to be employed, this time, a $9 million contract plus “incentives.”

As a practical matter, protesting players concede that the NFL is a business. Yet, when signing Colin Kaepernick is avoided as a bad business decision — one that will diminish a team’s customers, thus revenue — it’s presented by the wishful as a racial matter, although the league is predominated by well-paid African-Americans.

Want to take a knee in protest of something before a game? Try this one:

The annual — as in 89 years — Thanksgiving Day football game between N.J. high schools Neptune and Asbury Park, now mostly attended by African-American kids, last week was postponed before its 90th year in anticipation of “credible threats of violence,” interpreted as gang warfare.

Throughout the country, high school football and basketball games are now postponed, canceled or ordered played before no spectators due to concerns based on previous violent episodes.

Also escaping protest examination was that nine-day, one-game shopping trip to China taken by UCLA’s basketball team of student-athletes.

The three players nailed for shoplifting were explained on ESPN as having “made a mistake.” As reader Howard Heller, asks, “Have you ever made a ‘mistake’ stealing from stores? I thought a mistake is driving past your exit or buying expired milk.” Stealing is a conscious choice.

And as reader Luis Rosell notes, UCLA is among those schools to declare it would not play in states that have not approved LGBT-sensitive legislation. Yet, UCLA traveled to play in China, known to the Western World for reprehensible human rights deprivations, incarcerations and disappearances.

As for UCLA’s high-minded no-travel LGBT stance, declared late in 2015, last season it was unexpectedly scheduled to play in one of those banned states, Tennessee — in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

With all that dough at stake? UCLA played in Tennessee. Didn’t hear anything about that on CBS and TNT, did ya?

But examine the protesters at your own risk. The con job is now King.

 

[stringer bell]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...honored-receive-unit-coin-vietnam-war-veteran

Bennett: Honored by Vietnam veteran's gesture

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett said he was honored by a gesture of support he received Sunday from a Vietnam War veteran.

According to Bennett, the man approached him on the field at Levi's Stadium after Seattle's 24-13 win over the San Francisco 49ers and handed Bennett what he said was his unit coin from Vietnam. Bennett said he didn't know if the man was a 49ers or Seahawks fan.

"He lost half his battalion. He was telling me about the POWs and the people missing in action. He gave that to me, says he loves everything I stand for," Bennett said, displaying the coin for the assembled media to see. "That's just an honor to be able to get something like that. That's a big deal."

Before the game, Bennett and several other members of Seattle's defensive line sat on the bench during the national anthem, continuing a protest of racial inequality in the United States that they had halted over the past two weeks. Left tackle Duane Brown took a knee during the anthem Sunday.

Bennett has said that the protest isn't meant to disrespect the America flag, the anthem or the military.

"The last couple weeks we wanted to honor the military and everybody, so that was really good," Bennett said.

As part of the NFL's My Cause, My Cleats initiative, Bennett plans to wear cleats next Sunday honoring families of POW and MIA soldiers. He said previously that he was inspired to do so by watching a PBS documentary about the Vietnam War.

Bennett also said Sunday he feels it's important to support soldiers who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"So to be able to shine a light on some of the issues that are going on within the military or from after [war] is something I think as Americans we should definitely bring up," he said. "As much as we love everything they do, we should love everything that they're going through too. So just to be able to support them. It was an honor for me to get that [coin]."

 

[stringer bell]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...tests-changed-his-perspective-race/897860001/

Kevin Durant says Colin Kaepernick's protests changed his perspective on race

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant says Colin Kaepernick's protests changed his perspective on race in sports and he has experienced a shift in racial identity over the past 18 months.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Mercury News that was published Monday morning, Durant said Kaepernick's decision to take a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality "definitely put me in a different place" and helped lead to a shift in self-identity.

"He brought something out of people that they’d been hiding for a long, long time that needed to be revealed," Durant told the newspaper. "I’d rather you tell me that you don’t like me because of my skin than hide that (stuff). So he kind of touched a nerve and the outrage from it made me a fan of him just because he decided to take all that on, but also tell a message of, 'Yo man. Just treat us fair, treat us equal, we’re people too. We’re not less than you because we don’t look like you.'"

Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, remains a free agent and filed a collusion greivence against NFL owners earlier this month. He and Durant were two of the four people to appear on the cover of GQ magazine's "2017 Men of the Year" issue.

Durant also told The Mercury News why he has tattoos of Tupac Shakur and Rick James on his right leg and touched on his childhood in Washington D.C.

In the interview, the 29-year-old described a shift in racial identity that he has experienced over the past year and said he was "finally waking up." He said the shift was the result of "just kind of seeing how rough it is for an average black man."

"A black man makes one mistake…I see how far we get pushed down," Durant told The Mercury News. "For me, I kind of grew up in this basketball world, whereas my talent kind of overrides what I look like.

"I didn’t have it as rough when it comes to that, as far as social or systematic oppression or any social issues. They didn’t really apply to me because I could put a ball in a basket. Just me saying that kind of woke me up a little bit, like 'Damn, that’s all I’m good for?' Like, if I wasn’t a basketball player, what kind of man would they look at me as, you know what I’m saying?"

 

[thegreatunknown]

Hypocritical athlete protests demand deeper investigation

By Phil Mushnick

With protests now as common as Ethel Merman imitations, it’s time to examine the protesters, starting with those who have exploited the TV-reliant NFL and our national anthem to protest alleged police brutality by racist cops (of all races), one week, President Tweet, the next.

Oakland’s Marshawn Lynch made big news and noise last Sunday in Mexico City, where he respectfully stood for Mexico’s anthem but then again showed his rude side to the U.S. anthem.

And if one read and/or listened to reports of this “protest,” one could logically conclude Lynch is a legitimate social activist, an advocate of right over perceived wrongs.

But if one were to apply Lynch’s NFL bio, his ascension to conspicuous and now international social protester would be — or should be — reported as preposterous.

In 2008, Lynch, with the Bills, was driving his new Porsche at 3:30 a.m., when he struck a pedestrian then fled. He pleaded guilty to hit-and-run and had his license revoked. But he was still able to play — and for millions of dollars — in the NFL. There’s nothing he can do to prevent that.

In 2012, Lynch was arrested for DWI then plea-bargained to a reduced charge.

Three times Lynch “celebrated” a TD by grabbing his crotch. In 2014, the NFL fined him $11,000 for his vulgarity, but Lynch did it again before a national TV audience in the 2015 NFC Championship.

This season, Lynch was fined for making an obscene gesture during a game.

Yet, none of this was heard or read in the reports of his “protest” in Mexico City. And although it’s doubtful that any of us could remain employed with his bio, Lynch continues to be employed, this time, a $9 million contract plus “incentives.”

As a practical matter, protesting players concede that the NFL is a business. Yet, when signing Colin Kaepernick is avoided as a bad business decision — one that will diminish a team’s customers, thus revenue — it’s presented by the wishful as a racial matter, although the league is predominated by well-paid African-Americans.

Want to take a knee in protest of something before a game? Try this one:

The annual — as in 89 years — Thanksgiving Day football game between N.J. high schools Neptune and Asbury Park, now mostly attended by African-American kids, last week was postponed before its 90th year in anticipation of “credible threats of violence,” interpreted as gang warfare.

Throughout the country, high school football and basketball games are now postponed, canceled or ordered played before no spectators due to concerns based on previous violent episodes.

Also escaping protest examination was that nine-day, one-game shopping trip to China taken by UCLA’s basketball team of student-athletes.

The three players nailed for shoplifting were explained on ESPN as having “made a mistake.” As reader Howard Heller, asks, “Have you ever made a ‘mistake’ stealing from stores? I thought a mistake is driving past your exit or buying expired milk.” Stealing is a conscious choice.

And as reader Luis Rosell notes, UCLA is among those schools to declare it would not play in states that have not approved LGBT-sensitive legislation. Yet, UCLA traveled to play in China, known to the Western World for reprehensible human rights deprivations, incarcerations and disappearances.

As for UCLA’s high-minded no-travel LGBT stance, declared late in 2015, last season it was unexpectedly scheduled to play in one of those banned states, Tennessee — in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

With all that dough at stake? UCLA played in Tennessee. Didn’t hear anything about that on CBS and TNT, did ya?

But examine the protesters at your own risk. The con job is now King.

Truly grasping at straws here, couldn't make one solid one point on the topic at hand, so he jumped around throwing anything against the wall to see if it would stick. Intellectually lazy, poorly written drivel...

 

[stringer bell]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/935489831005810688

 

[marc123]

Ha! This nigga still rambling about anthem protests tho. He is basically the old racist drunk at the end of the bar. He is not even a funny troll smh

 

[stringer bell]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcFmgBGlBVO/
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...itans-wear-cleats-supporting-colin-kaepernick

Titans' Matthews to wear cleats supporting Kap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans receiver Rishard Matthews will use Week 13's My Cause My Cleats campaign to support Colin Kaepernick, who is his former college teammate, and Kaepernick's fight against social injustice and racial inequality

Matthews will be wearing a pair of cleats that state Kaepernick's name and picture with a closed fist appearing in place of Kaepernick's Afro. Matthews plans to wear them during in the Titans' game against the Indianapolis Colts, in support of Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp.

Matthews has followed Kaepernick in protesting social injustice and racial inequality during the national anthem. He has remained in the locker room during the anthem for nearly every Titans contest since Week 2, with Week 10 being an exception as Matthews wanted to show respect to the military on Veterans Day weekend.

"Moving forward, I don't want this to be a publicity stunt," Matthews told ESPN about his protest earlier this season. "I don't want to take away from what the whole protest is about, which is oppression, police brutality and inequality in this country. I fully stand with my brother Kap, and I plan to continue to do that."

Matthews' story is notable because he is the son of a longtime Marine and brother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan two years ago. He has been vocal in his message that players can support the military and still use their platform to protest injustice during the anthem.

Matthews pledged to donate $75,000 to organizations that help support oppressed communities earlier this season.

 

[Recaptimus_Prime360]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcFmgBGlBVO/
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...itans-wear-cleats-supporting-colin-kaepernick

Titans' Matthews to wear cleats supporting Kap

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Titans receiver Rishard Matthews will use Week 13's My Cause My Cleats campaign to support Colin Kaepernick, who is his former college teammate, and Kaepernick's fight against social injustice and racial inequality

Matthews will be wearing a pair of cleats that state Kaepernick's name and picture with a closed fist appearing in place of Kaepernick's Afro. Matthews plans to wear them during in the Titans' game against the Indianapolis Colts, in support of Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp.

Matthews has followed Kaepernick in protesting social injustice and racial inequality during the national anthem. He has remained in the locker room during the anthem for nearly every Titans contest since Week 2, with Week 10 being an exception as Matthews wanted to show respect to the military on Veterans Day weekend.

"Moving forward, I don't want this to be a publicity stunt," Matthews told ESPN about his protest earlier this season. "I don't want to take away from what the whole protest is about, which is oppression, police brutality and inequality in this country. I fully stand with my brother Kap, and I plan to continue to do that."

Matthews' story is notable because he is the son of a longtime Marine and brother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan two years ago. He has been vocal in his message that players can support the military and still use their platform to protest injustice during the anthem.



Matthews pledged to donate $75,000 to organizations that help support oppressed communities earlier this season.

Don't even know why this was even brought up. Especially since the protest has absolutely nothing to do wit the military. ESPECIALLY when you have military folks tell you themselves the issue isn't about the flag, and that they joined to protect the country, AND the RIGHTS of all Americans. Not the flag.

Props to the brotha tho.

 

[CottonCitySlim]

Everyone should be wearing those who support kap

 

[TheBoyRo]

Um
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/936282456944201728

 

[ghostdog56]

Um
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/936282456944201728

I hope this nigga ain't just a house nigga who the owners picked to get the field niggas in line.

 

[playmaker88]

Ha. Ha .. Ha. hes just one of the good ones who wont make to many waves... thats what they wont they dont want people that are militant.. to be the lead dogs of the cause. they want hand picked agreeable niggas.

 

[stringer bell]

I don't want to see Jenkins putting his fist in the air anymore.. This motherfucka is really opening up a White Supremacist John's after what that racist Trump supporter did.. He tried to blame NFL players protests for his shitty business losing money.. Smh.. I really wish the Black Panthers would've survived and were still around.. Instead of these kumbaya ass niggas...

 

[ghostdog56]

Eric Reid and that other cat shouldn't have came out publicly with them splitting from the group they should have handled that behind closed doors. But I would like to hear a detailed reason about their grievances because they are in the room and we are not so their could be more to the story.

So I can't fully disregard what they did until I have all the facts

 

[AggieLean.]

Looks like Malcolm excluded Kaepernick from the meetings

 

[AggieLean.]

https://twitter.com/ap_nfl/status/936008279695732737

 

[VulcanRaven]

That guy was an agent all along and people like to defend those that get called out

 

[Already Home_17]

https://twitter.com/ap_nfl/status/936008279695732737

Um
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/936282456944201728

dudes an eagle. i knew he couldn’t be trusted

 

[AggieLean.]

Looks like Malcolm sold out and was bought off with a Papa Johns franchise. I wonder what Anquan was given

 

[stringer bell]

https://twitter.com/edgeofsports/status/936301300047900679