Kaepernick Sues NFL Over Collusion To Deny Him Employment [Archive]

jerrym

10-17-2017, 03:36 PM

Colin Kaepernick has launched a $30 million lawsuit alleging that the NFL owners colluded to deny him employment. He also aims to terminate the current NFL collective bargaining agreement with the players. This will be very much an uphill fight because his lawyers will have to provide proof of collusion in the form of documents and/or witnesses, not simply evidence that he is much better than many NFL QBs, and, even then, his lawyers will have to out-argue the very highly paid NFL lawyers.

Criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos, Kaepernick’s lawyer, confirmed the news in a statement later on Sunday. Gregaros said (https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/919711262317137920) the suit was only filed “after pursuing every possible avenue with all NFL teams and their executives.”
This lawsuit could literally be a game-changer, not just for Kaepernick, but for the labor rights of all NFL players. He is hoping to trigger termination of the currentcollective bargaining agreement (https://nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/collective-bargaining-agreement-2011-2020.pdf) (CBA), which was signed on 2011 and is set to expire in 2021, by proving that the NFL-at-large conspired to keep him out of the league.

The CBA has been widely panned because it gives management, particularly NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, an unwieldy amount of power. If Kaepernick is successful in his suit, it would force NFL owners back to the table in 2018 — and give the NFL players a more powerful bargaining position than they’ve had in recent memory.

https://thinkprogress.org/colin-kaepernick-nfl-collusion-6fe635e3caf2/

Argo57

10-17-2017, 07:42 PM

The final nail in the coffin for Kaepernick's NFL career, fighting the big NFL machine will be next to impossible.

OV Argo

10-17-2017, 11:24 PM

The final nail in the coffin for Kaepernick's NFL career, fighting the big NFL machine will be next to impossible.

IF any CFL team would be lucky enough to sign Kap, or Johnny Football for that matter, they could start planning GC Parade routes for years to come.

Kap would have to understand that Canadians are too polite to protest however, plus be good with making less than NFL minimum wage up here.

Jimmy P is working the phones & his contacts as we speak - get er' done.

jerrym

04-23-2018, 10:11 PM

Amnesty International has given Kaepernick its highest award for fighting against racial injustice.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has received Amnesty International's highest honour for his protests against racial injustice.
The human rights organisation said Kaepernick "chooses to speak out and inspire others despite the professional and personal risks". ...

Kaepernick received Amnesty's Ambassador of Conscience Award, which recognises "individuals who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights through their lives and by example".

https://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/43853097

jerrym

04-23-2018, 10:34 PM

Seattle's current backups are Austin Davis who has started 10 games in six years with the last one being in 2015 and last year, his first with Seattle, got on the field for one QB sneak and no passes, and Stephen Morris who has been on the PR of four teams without ever having been considered good enough to play in a game.

After cancelling a scheduled workout for Kaepernick when he refused to agree not to kneel during the American National anthem, Seattle is now saying they may give him a workout, depending on what happens during the NFL draft. Is Seattle and the NFL starting to worry about losing Kaepernick's $30 million dollar lawsuit and the resulting blowback among Blacks and with the international recognition he is getting? Are they interested in Kaepernick or is this just a game so they can go into court saying they have considered offering him a job.

Pete Carroll said Monday the Seahawks have not closed the door on the possibility of adding Colin Kaepernick to their roster, but how much further they pursue it may depend on the upcoming NFL draft.
Reports surfaced earlier this month that Seattle pulled out of a planned workout for Kaepernick, who has been without an NFL team since the end of the 2016 season. Seattle has been one of the few teams to show any interest in Kaepernick following his protests during the national anthem in the 2016 season with San Francisco. ...

Whether Seattle revisits Kaepernick may be answered during this week’s draft and if the Seahawks invest a draft pick in a quarterback for the first time since selecting Russell Wilson in the 2012 draft. Seattle has signed backups Stephen Morris and Austin Davis this offseason.

https://nypost.com/2018/04/23/colin-kaepernicks-seahawks-hopes-could-rest-on-this-draft/

AngeloV

04-24-2018, 11:38 AM

Wonder if Kapernick would get the same treatment if he was caught carrying an AR15 as opposed to kneeling for the anthem. He'd probably be ok to play if that was the case. Utterly ridiculous.

Wobbler

04-26-2018, 12:17 AM

AngeloV

04-26-2018, 01:40 PM

I don't understand the economics of this. Could an NFL owner actually lose a meaningful amount of money by signing or playing Kaepernick? The fat TV contract wouldn't be affected, and even if a lot of fans followed through on threats to stop buying tickets (which I doubt), there is excess demand in most markets. It seems quite possible that he just isn't well regarded any more.

My opinion, but I believe this is nothing more than to use OV's phrase, a bunch of Good ole boy Billionaires, that are buddies with the biggest knob of a president of all time, saying they aren't going to let this black man stand for what he believes in on their watches. It's ridiculous.

PullTogether73

04-26-2018, 03:27 PM

My opinion, but I believe this is nothing more than to use OV's phrase, a bunch of Good ole boy Billionaires, that are buddies with the biggest knob of a president of all time, saying they aren't going to let this black man stand for what he believes in on their watches. It's ridiculous.

Couldn't disagree more.

You have a cause for which you want to fight/promote?
Fine.
Do it on your own time in your own place.
Don't bring your politics or cause to work.

As for collusion, I don't see any upside for any team to bring in a guy who insists on using a team's workplace to promote his personal cause(s) - no, not even the possibility of winning more games - so there doesn't have to be collusion among the owners. CK's lack of employment is due to the controversial/divisive nature of what he is doing, and no owner should want a part of that.

To be clear, it is not the cause for which he is fighting that is the problem, it is the tactic and place that he uses that is the problem. Don't confuse the two.

Wobbler

04-26-2018, 08:58 PM

jerrym

04-27-2018, 08:50 PM

Couldn't disagree more.

You have a cause for which you want to fight/promote?
Fine.
Do it on your own time in your own place.
Don't bring your politics or cause to work.

As for collusion, I don't see any upside for any team to bring in a guy who insists on using a team's workplace to promote his personal cause(s) - no, not even the possibility of winning more games - so there doesn't have to be collusion among the owners. CK's lack of employment is due to the controversial/divisive nature of what he is doing, and no owner should want a part of that.

To be clear, it is not the cause for which he is fighting that is the problem, it is the tactic and place that he uses that is the problem. Don't confuse the two.

Actually, the problem is more complicated than you suggest.

As noted in the video accompanying the following article, the NFL agreed in its collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2009 that players have the right to protest. The NFL confirmed this right in 2016 and reiterated it in 2017. This right is meaningless if NFL teams can avoid hiring players on that basis. The CBA also contains a clause barring teams from colluding to impose discipline on a player.
The Seahawks may have been working with the rest of the league to make Kaepernick's lawsuit go away by reaching a settlement allowing him to play if he did not kneel during the anthem again or they may have simply been making the offer in the hope that it would help win the collusion arbitration case. On the other hand, Seattle has accepted players who were outspoken in the past and may have been more willing to accept him until pressure from other teams or the league office overruled this.
The reason they need an experienced backup is illustrative in itself. They have been quite willing to accept other players with much more severe, even criminal, problems in the past. Their #1 backup QB, Trevor Boykin, was kept despite repeated criminal activity until the MeToo movement made this untenable.

The Seahawks needed a backup after cutting Trevone Boykin over a domestic violence incident. Before the domestic violence accusation, Boykin was with the Seahawks two seasons despite separate arrests on drug charges (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000795317/article/trevone-boykin-is-arrested-on-public-intoxication-drug-charges) and resisting arrest (https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-qb-trevone-boykin-pleads-guilty-to-resisting-arrest-wont-serve-jail-time/) after a bar fight that got him suspended (https://www.si.com/college-football/2015/12/31/tcu-trevone-boykin-arrested-charged-assaulting-police-bar-altercation) from TCU’s bowl game. Kaepernick has no known arrests.
The Seahawks, who once drafted defensive end Frank Clark (https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/28451/) after he was arrested for a domestic violence accusation (https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/details-emerge-in-domestic-violence-arrest-of-michigan-de-frank-clark-154651348.html) and kept Clark after he injured a teammate in a practice fight (https://sports.yahoo.com/frank-clark-apologizes-germain-ifedi-220737067.html).

https://sports.yahoo.com/seahawks-sign-quarterback-not-colin-kaepernick-hasnt-appeared-nfl-game-140726239.html

jerrym

04-27-2018, 08:55 PM

When it comes to what is allowed in terms of protests, American Constitutional law, labor and civil rights legislation, as well the NFL player's union Collective Bargaining Agreement all provide significant protection to a player.

A confluence of bedrock laws are on the players’ side. Stifling the protests would be illegal.
Start with the Constitution. Under the First Amendment, which protects free speech and free association, the president of the United States could not enforce a law that, say, required football players to stand during the anthem. During World War II, the Supreme Court struck down such a demand for a flag salute during the Pledge of Allegiance. ...

But it’s not just the Constitution that protects here, because the players also have rights as workers, rights they have been asserting both through the original protest and to rebuff the backlash. The New Deal of the 1930s and the civil rights movement of the 1960s saw landmark laws passed to bring into the private-sector workplace many of the constitutional values that constrain government action. These values include not only free expression and association but also the race and gender equality of the Equal Protection Clause and the 13th Amendment’s commitment to race and labor freedom. One leading example of these laws is the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII of which bars race discrimination by private employers. ...

Title VII protects workers from retaliation when they oppose what they reasonably perceive to be race discrimination, even if someone else can reasonably disagree and even if a court ultimately sides with the skeptic. ...

Finally, there is labor law, passed during the Great Depression to reorder work and balance power between management and employees. The National Labor Relations Act protects employees who engage in “concerted activity for mutual aid and protection.” This covers not only union activity but also employees’ political advocacy around issues that affect their lives as employees. ...

The anthem protests are exactly this kind of advocacy, for three reasons. First, when black players protest police violence directed at African-Americans, they are targeting something that can impact their work lives even if it transpires off the field. Second, the N.F.L.’s contract with its players repeatedly asserts that their job involves more than what happens on the field. Having defined the job as a public one, the N.F.L. must accept that players’ public advocacy cannot be cordoned off from their role as employees. Third, many anthem protesters are now taking a knee to support teammates threatened with discipline, an act of solidarity at the core of labor law’s protection.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/opinion/law-nfl-protests.html

In the case of the NFL, the Collective Bargaining Agreement offers further protection to players. Although Kaepernick, because he is the plaintiff in the collusion case must provide the burden of proof to show that collusion occurred, has the right to depose the NFL owners, which has already begun, to look at team emails and other club information to support his case.

As part of the CBA, NFL players sign a Standard PlayerContract for a term of one or more years.74 During the life of this contract,a team may only remove a player from its roster if his “skill or performancehas been unsatisfactory as compared with that of other players competingfor positions” or, arguably, if the player has “engaged in personal conductreasonably judged by [a team] to adversely affect or reflect on [theteam].”75 However, language in the CBA, which takes precedence over theNFL Standard Player Contract,76 limits the maximum penalty an NFL teammay impose for “conduct detrimental to [an NFL club]” to a four-gamesuspension and a fine equivalent to one week’s salary.77
In addition, the CBA also includes an “Anti-Collusion” clause, whichstipulates that no NFL club shall enter into any agreement with the leagueor any club as to whether to offer a contract to a particular player.78Pursuant to the CBA’s “Anti-Collusion” clause, NFL teams are prohibitedfrom jointly imposing discipline on a player and from creating a blacklist ofplayers with whom the teams collectively choose not to negotiate. ...

Even if one were to presume that protesting during thenational anthem could constitute “conduct detrimental to an NFL club,”there is still a very strong argument that a team could not impose more thana “fine of an amount equal to one week’s salary and/or suspension withoutpay for a period not to exceed four (4) weeks.”82 The CBA explicitly notesthat, in the context of a conflict between language in the CBA and that inthe Standard Player Agreement, it is the CBA language that holdssuperseding weight. ...

If an unsigned NFL player believes that his lack of employmentis due to an agreement among teams not to sign him,87 the player mayattempt to allege a violation of the “Anti-Collusion” clause in the CBA.88At the time of publishing this Article, former NFL quarterback Kaepernickhad just filed a labor grievance against the thirty-two NFL teams, allegingthat his unemployment resulted from collusion among the thirty-two NFL. ...

For Kaepernick or a similarly-situated player to prevail on a laborgrievance of this nature, there would be a need for the grievant to produceactual evidence of an agreement among the NFL teams and not simplyevidence of consciously-parallel behavior.90 Gaining such evidence wouldrequire the grievant to engage in extensive discovery under the CBA’sinternal discovery process.

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=7590990991000770270220240730210860 25023080034035049002106080102067071088022110090005 01910610703211212410912511809511300703000206103707 10490810990250660280770990920260650170641120700681 18104117100105007018116020076010108106122066071008 071007008122006024&EXT=pdf

AngeloV

04-27-2018, 09:21 PM

jerrym

05-03-2018, 11:29 AM

Former Pro Bowler safety Eric Reid has become the second player to charge NFL owners with collusion. Like Kaepernick, he has filed a grievance with the NFL Players Association that will go to arbitration using the same attorneys as Kaepernick.

Veteran safety Eric Reid (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/eric-reid-PESPT0016688-topic.html) has filed a grievance against the NFL (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/nfl-ORSPT000007-topic.html), charging owners with colluding to keep him unemployed while other free agents are finding work this offseason. Reid has said that his decision to protest during the national anthem is the reason teams are steering clear of him. Reid, a former Pro Bowler, has been among the most prominent football players to kneel during the anthem, as a form of protest against racial injustice and police brutality. Even after Colin Kaepernick (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/colin-kaepernick-PESPT000009783-topic.html) failed to find work last season, Reid continued taking a knee as a member of the 49ers (http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sports/football/san-francisco-49ers-ORSPT000057-topic.html).
Though he's expressed a willingness to stand during the anthem this season, Reid remains unsigned nearly two months into free agency....

The NFL declined to comment through a spokesman, citing the confidentially clause of the CBA regarding such a grievance.
Kaepernick addressed Reid's continued unemployment speaking last month at the Amnesty International Honors in Amsterdam, where Reid presented his former teammate with an award.
"Eric introducing me for this prestigious award brings me great joy," Kaepernick said. "But I am also pained by the fact that his taking a knee, and demonstrating courage to protect the rights of black and brown people in America, has also led to his ostracization from the NFL when he is widely recognized as one of the best competitors in the game and in the prime of his career."
The 26-year old Reid has been a starter in 69 of the 70 NFL games he's played since the 49ers made him a first-round draft pick in 2013. While Kaepernick has drawn the bulk of the attention — not to mention President Donald Trump's ire — for his decision to protest, Reid was alongside him throughout the 2016 regular season. ...

"This is not about the military," he told reporters following one game last season, "this is not about the flag, this is not about the anthem. My mother served in the armed forces. Three of my uncles served in the armed forces. In fact, my mom would have went to the Persian Gulf War if she wasn't pregnant with me. I have the utmost respect for the military, for the anthem, for the flag. So I will say that every time y'all interview me. This is about systemic oppression that has been rampant in this country for decades on top of decades. And I will continue to say and encourage people to educate themselves of how we got to where are today, because it didn't happen overnight. And it's not going to happen overnight to fix these issues, so we're going to keep talking about it."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/ct-spt-eric-reid-nfl-owners-collusion-20180502-story.html

Argo57

05-03-2018, 03:03 PM

You're entitled to your opinion. I'm of the opinion that I am 100% correct on this and feel you are totally underestimating the views of the owners down there.

The CFL’s history of giving QB’s a chance based on skill instead of exclusion based solely on skin colour allowed the likes of Bernie Custis, Chuck Ealey, Condredge Holloway, Warren Moon, Roy DeWalt etc a chance to display their skills without prejudice is only one of many reasons the CFL is the best North American football league!

AngeloV

05-04-2018, 01:33 PM

argolio

05-04-2018, 04:23 PM

Buddy Ryan was such an idiot.Definitely when it came to offensive football.

jerrym

05-22-2018, 09:55 AM

A number of NFL owners, GMs and coaches have been deposed in the Kaepernick lawsuit. Since this involves testifying under oath, lying under these circumstances could result in a charge of perjury. I suspect that the NFL may reach an out-of-court settlement in the long run as the $30 million asked for in the lawsuit is chicken feed to the NFL compared to the problems generated by the lawsuit, the issue of the national anthem, and dealing with the NFL Players Association over violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, as with most legal matters, this will take time.

Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones has been vocal at times in his position regarding the issue of players kneeling during the national anthem. The collusion case isn’t about his personal views, however; it’s about whether the NFL’s teams engaged in a concerted effort to avoid Kaepernick for his role at the forefront of the anthem protests.
Again, collusion means coordination. If teams decide on their own not to pursue a player for a given reason, it’s not an issue. If coordination happens (possibly with the league office serving as the conduit) regarding the avoidance of a given player, it’s a potential violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, regardless of the precise reason for the coordination.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Jones would be prevented from espousing his personal views about the situation during his deposition. Though the substance of his testimony isn’t known, it’s possible that he decide to speak about how the NFL got into this mess, how the NFL should have gotten out of it, and what the NFL should do about it moving forward.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/12/jerry-jones-is-questioned-in-kaepernick-collusion-grievance/

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Roger Goodell, Jerry Jones, Troy Vincent, Robert Kraft, Bob McNair, John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome, Stephen Ross, Pete Carroll and John Schneider reportedly testified earlier in the Kaepernick collision case.</p>— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickiJhabvala/status/996598477630001154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets/widget_iframe.049716a23792bca881820db70e17250b.htm l?origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.argofans.com&settingsEndpoint=https%3A%2F%2Fsyndication.twitter .com%2Fsettings" title="Twitter settings iframe" style="display: none;"></iframe><iframe id="rufous-sandbox" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="Twitter analytics iframe" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: 0px; height: 0px; padding: 0px; border: none;"></iframe>

OV Argo

05-22-2018, 05:37 PM

The CFL’s history of giving QB’s a chance based on skill instead of exclusion based solely on skin colour allowed the likes of Bernie Custis, Chuck Ealey, Condredge Holloway, Warren Moon, Roy DeWalt etc a chance to display their skills without prejudice is only one of many reasons the CFL is the best North American football league!

And yet the CFL continues to still basically write-off or exclude Canadian QBs from real competition at the position. There were a few Black QBs who got a brief look in the NFL way back, but mostly it wasn't serious. Just like the CFL is STILL not really serious about giving Canadian Qbs "a chance to display their skills without prejudice" - or else the very best would get drafted and /or CFL try-outs year in year out. Picton was not drafted this year and I suspect his try-out is more just a feel good PR stunt by Popp; Hugo Richard from Laval (better pro QB prospect than Picton IMO) was not drafted either and got ZERO CFL consideration. And meanwhile that stiff Shitz is a leading contender to start for the Als and CFL teams have - again - signed a whole pile of young American QBs for TC try-outs ?

The Canadian QB situation with the CFL has been compared by some to the old NFL situation/attitude towards African American QBs; the comparison is still very valid IMO, and I'm not sure how this can be denied or avoided.

PullTogether73

05-23-2018, 08:15 AM

When it comes to what is allowed in terms of protests, American Constitutional law, labor and civil rights legislation, as well the NFL player's union Collective Bargaining Agreement all provide significant protection to a player.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/opinion/law-nfl-protests.html

In the case of the NFL, the Collective Bargaining Agreement offers further protection to players. Although Kaepernick, because he is the plaintiff in the collusion case must provide the burden of proof to show that collusion occurred, has the right to depose the NFL owners, which has already begun, to look at team emails and other club information to support his case.

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=7590990991000770270220240730210860 25023080034035049002106080102067071088022110090005 01910610703211212410912511809511300703000206103707 10490810990250660280770990920260650170641120700681 18104117100105007018116020076010108106122066071008 071007008122006024&EXT=pdf

Just read through all of this.
I didn't realize that all of this stuff existed, and certainly the bit about the CBA players' rights is damning against the owners.

I still disagree strongly with the form of these protests (I strongly support the cause though), but this doesn't look good for the owners.

@AngeloV - yah, I probably am underestimating the GOB (OV!) nature of the owners.:sick:

BTW, do these laws and CBA items potentially threaten the tradition of requiring players to have to be on field at all for the playing of the national anthem?
Since it is a workplace for the players, why should they be forced to attend the playing of the national anthem at all?
Kind of like prayer in schools - should it be forced on everyone?
Just a thought.

AngeloV

05-23-2018, 02:36 PM

BTW, do these laws and CBA items potentially threaten the tradition of requiring players to have to be on field at all for the playing of the national anthem?
Since it is a workplace for the players, why should they be forced to attend the playing of the national anthem at all?
Kind of like prayer in schools - should it be forced on everyone?
Just a thought.

A damn good thought IMO. I've been on record many times saying there really is no use for an Anthem at a pro sporting event. It shouldn't be forced on everyone. If they must play an anthem, and certain players feel they don't want to observe it, they should be allowed to wait in the locker room until the anthem has been played.

Will

05-23-2018, 02:42 PM

A damn good thought IMO. I've been on record many times saying there really is no use for an Anthem at a pro sporting event. It shouldn't be forced on everyone. If they must play an anthem, and certain players feel they don't want to observe it, they should be allowed to wait in the locker room until the anthem has been played.

John Kryk brought this subject up in the Sun the other day.

PullTogether73

05-23-2018, 06:10 PM

Well, aren't we all Nostradamuses?:D
Maybe the NFL brain trust reads this forum.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000933971/article/nfl-owners-approve-national-anthem-policy-for-2018

Wobbler

05-23-2018, 11:34 PM

I'm curious to see how this works out. The league certainly wants to sweep protests under the rug, but if large numbers of players either stay in the locker room with their team's permission or "need to change their cleats and can't make it out in time for the anthem" it'll send a pretty strong message.

jerrym

05-24-2018, 12:28 AM

Unsurprisingly, the CFL won't be following the NFL in this.

The CFL will not be following suit after the NFL approved a new policy Thursday aimed at addressing the firestorm over national anthem protests permitting players to stay in the locker room during “The Star-Spangled Banner” but requiring them to stand if they come to the field. ...

The CFL and the Saskatchewan Roughriders issued statements of support after Rider players first linked arms during a game last September.
“We cherish our anthem because of the values it has come to represent. One of those values is freedom of expression. Regardless of whether we liked it or agreed with it, we would absolutely respect our players’ right to express their views in this way, which is peaceful and does not disrupt our game in any way,” the CFL statement read. “If the words ‘true north strong and free’ are to be truly celebrated, we must honour their meaning, not just their singing. We say this in a sincere and heartfelt attempt to be faithful to those who over the years have fought and sacrificed for our freedom by supporting, in the present day, the exercise of that freedom.”

The CFL does not plan on changing that approach this season a league spokesman confirmed.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/23/cfl-wont-change-approach-nfl-moves-curb-anthem-protests/

jerrym

05-25-2018, 12:04 AM

When it comes to what is allowed in terms of protests, American Constitutional law, labor and civil rights legislation, as well the NFL player's union Collective Bargaining Agreement all provide significant protection to a player.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/opinion/law-nfl-protests.html

In the case of the NFL, the Collective Bargaining Agreement offers further protection to players. Although Kaepernick, because he is the plaintiff in the collusion case must provide the burden of proof to show that collusion occurred, has the right to depose the NFL owners, which has already begun, to look at team emails and other club information to support his case.

https://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=7590990991000770270220240730210860 25023080034035049002106080102067071088022110090005 01910610703211212410912511809511300703000206103707 10490810990250660280770990920260650170641120700681 18104117100105007018116020076010108106122066071008 071007008122006024&EXT=pdf

Just read through all of this.
I didn't realize that all of this stuff existed, and certainly the bit about the CBA players' rights is damning against the owners.

I still disagree strongly with the form of these protests (I strongly support the cause though), but this doesn't look good for the owners.

@AngeloV - yah, I probably am underestimating the GOB (OV!) nature of the owners.:sick:

BTW, do these laws and CBA items potentially threaten the tradition of requiring players to have to be on field at all for the playing of the national anthem?
Since it is a workplace for the players, why should they be forced to attend the playing of the national anthem at all?
Kind of like prayer in schools - should it be forced on everyone?
Just a thought.

These laws and CBAs exist for a reason. Today Trump proved it he said that during the national anthem players "should stand proudly or you shouldn't be playing or you shouldn't be there or maybe you shouldn't be in the country".
Sports journalist Harold Bryant said he has interviewed many NFL players and leaders of the NFLPA. Their general response to the owners insistence on players standing for the national anthem or staying in the locker room was "This is just beginning".
MSNBC's Meet the Press's Chuck Todd said a Brillant Comera poll in March 2018 of Black NFL fans found that 35% of them are watching the NFL less because of what the owners did to Kaepernick.

jerrym

05-25-2018, 12:46 PM

There's a lot anger developing among NFL players over Trump's most recent comments on the national anthem and over the owners threatening to fine players for not standing for the national anthem only a couple of days after the players and owners reached a social justice accord. The negotiation of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2020 was already looking like it was going to be difficult because many players feel their current agreement heavily favours the owners. The anthem issue is almost certainly going to contribute to more difficult negotiations.

Denver Broncos Brandon Marshall had some strong words on Thursday when talking about the NFL’s new national anthem policy, and especially in response to President Donald Trump’s suggestion that players who remain in the locker room under the new rule “shouldn’t be in the country.” ...

Marshall didn’t hold back (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23595707/brandon-marshall-denver-broncos-president-donald-trump-comments-disgusting) when asked about Trump’s comment to Fox News in a Thursday morning interview, when he said in that the NFL’s resolution, announced on Wednesday was “good” but those who remain in the locker room “maybe shouldn’t be in the country.”
“I say ‘disgusting’ because of our First Amendment rights,” Marshall said. “We have freedom of speech, right? Freedom to protest? Because somebody decides to protest something, now have to be kicked out of the country? That’s not how things should work, in my opinion. … Just because somebody disagrees with something, or if I didn’t stand for the anthem, or if I don’t like what’s going on, that’s basically him saying I should be kicked out the country. ...

Like many players, Marshall does not like the NFL’s new policy, which owners enacted without input from players or the NFL Players’ Association.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/broncos-brandon-marshall-strong-opinion-trump-comments-anthem-policy-151008488.html

AngeloV

05-25-2018, 03:37 PM

R.J

05-25-2018, 10:32 PM

Personally I think the NFL should have just gone with the NBA's rule - "Players, coaches and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the national anthem.".
Add in - In a memo to teams, deputy NBA commissioner Mark Tatum reminded them, "The NBA has a rule that players, coaches and trainers stand respectfully for the anthem. The league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem. (Teams do not have the discretion to waive this rule)."

Steve Kerr's "outrage" is hilarious when you consider that the NBA has zero tolerance for it, and the NFL is at least trying to be a bit more lenient.

I'm not necessarily for or against anthems being sung for sports, but since they are, I do believe the flag and anthem should not be disrespected. I'm glad the NFL did something.

jerrym

05-26-2018, 04:18 PM

You might have a different perspective if you were a Black American, as the March 2018 Brillant Comera poll of Black NFL fans found: namely, that 35% of them are watching the NFL less because of what the owners did to Kaepernick. Former Argo OL Tony Washington also has a different perspective:

Ticats starting tackle Tony Washington, who grew up in Louisiana and Texas, takes issue with the NFL ’s new policy. He says the treatment of minorities in the U.S. and the new NFL policy, constitute ‘an injustice’.

“Everybody (in the U.S.) is trying to ignore it and wants us to be quiet. You had Olympic athletes who used their platform to voice their opinion back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and for them to try to take it away from the guys now it’s almost like saying ‘We don’t really care. Don’t do it on our time. Do it on your own time,'” Washington said.

“It’s a big issue and the NFL has shown that they could really care less.”

Washington, who never played in the NFL, has played in the CFL for Edmonton, Toronto and Hamilton says that living in Canada for the better part of seven years, he hasn’t seen the discrimination he sees in the U.S.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/25/ticats-washington-says-new-nfl-anthem-policy-an-injustice/

AngeloV

05-27-2018, 04:56 PM

You might have a different perspective if you were a Black American,

Exactly Jerry. That is a major reason in why I support him, and all the others that did what they did. It was peaceful, non violent. Had Black cops gone on a spree of killing white perps, and the white players did this, Trump especially, but all the owners as well, would not have been heard from. The backlash is so racist it isn't even funny. Makes me ill when I hear white people say it isn't racist.

jerrym

06-11-2018, 11:32 PM

Seattle's signing of Austin Davis as backup QB during the last week, signals that Kaepernick is likely never going to play in the NFL again.

A mobile, 29-year-old quarterback who in the past five seasons started in two NFC championship games and one Super Bowl and amassed a touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio that ranks among the best in NFL history is out of the league without an apparent opening to get back in. ...

In picking Davis over Kaepernick, who has been seeking work since he opted out of his deal with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of free agency in March, Seattle chose a journeyman (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DaviAu00.htm) who has failed to establish himself as a viable NFL passer in stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. Davis didn’t even appear in a game last season. ...

There’s only one logical takeaway: The Seahawks were concerned about potential fan backlash for signing Kaepernick, who ignited a nationwide debate by choosing not to stand during the national anthem — first sitting, then kneeling — in an effort to draw attention to the oppression of black people and people of color. ...

For some time, some African-American players have expressed anger that, in their opinion, Kaepernick is effectively being blackballed (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18994463/richard-sherman-seattle-seahawks-thinks-colin-kaepernick-being-blackballed) by owners because of his political stance. And there’s ample evidence to support that argument:

Far less accomplished signal-callers have signed with new teams, Davis being the most recent.
Owners have criticized Kaepernick’s form of protest (http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/234031/why-arent-the-quarterback-needy-jets-trying-to-sign-colin-kaepernick) and cautioned that a team that signed him could encounter major problems with its fan base. (http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=19497150)
President Donald Trump has gone in on Kaepernick (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18964343/donald-trump-takes-shot-colin-kaepernick-free-agent-status) as well.But something changed Monday. It felt like a new line was crossed. The Seahawks’ decision sent a loud message that the NFL could be completely done with Kaepernick.
If Kaepernick isn’t wanted by a playoff contender even though his skills are well-suited for its offense, where can he turn? Both Wilson and Kaepernick are dual-threat quarterbacks. ...

Kaepernick has not been charged with a crime. He has not been accused of violating any aspect of the league’s collective bargaining agreement. He’s done nothing more than exercise his right to protest peacefully, which is protected by the Constitution. ...

Even playing for the horrid 49ers in 2016 — their roster is in the process of being overhauled by new management — Kaepernick showed big-play ability. San Francisco receivers had the second-highest percentage of dropped passes in the league. Still, Kaepernick completed almost 60 percent of his passes (59.2). He passed for 16 touchdowns and had only four interceptions. ...

Kaepernick has rushed for 2,300 yards (with a 6.1-yard average) and 13 touchdowns. Kaepernick and Wilson are great on zone-read plays, which are QB runs from a spread option formation that includes a lead blocker. ...

From a football standpoint, picking Davis over Kaepernick made no sense. Of course, the Seahawks’ decision wasn’t based on anything that had to do with football. That’s why what happened Monday was so chilling. Any quarterback with Kaepernick’s career arc and touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio, at his age, would likely be on a roster if not for owners’ feelings about his protest. At this point, to argue otherwise would simply be illogical. The signing of Davis proved that.

https://theundefeated.com/features/we-may-have-seen-the-last-of-colin-kaepernick-in-the-nfl/

jerrym

06-13-2018, 12:07 AM

Kaepernick is not only deposing NFL owners, GMs and coaches, his lawyers are planning to subpoena President Trump, VP Pence and some members of their campaign team related to the alleged collusion to deny him employment.

Kaepernick’s legal team is expected to send out subpoenas to both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, as well as other members of Trump’s campaign team, relating to the alleged collusion case.
By deposing Trump and Pence, Kaepernick’s attorneys intend to explore any ties that the NFL’s owners may have with the President. By investigating phone records, emails or any other documents, lawyers may be able to find evidence of communication between the White House and the NFL specifically pertaining to Kaepernick. ...

A subpoena for Trump was expected after a secret recording of an owners meeting leaked to the media earlier this year (https://www.afro.com/nfl-owners-admit-trump-talks-trump-influenced-them-to-stop-players-from-kneeling/), exposing several owners discuss how they were afraid to piss Trump off with players kneeling because he would criticize them publicly. More recent reports also exposed owners admitting they had conversations with Trump about his distaste for players kneeling.

https://www.afro.com/kaepernicks-lawyers-expected-to-subpoena-trump-and-pence-in-alleged-collusion-case-against-nfl/

jerrym

06-13-2018, 12:17 AM

The confirmation that the owners were motivated to try to stop players from kneeling during the national anthem to protest racism because of Trump's criticism comes from a recording of a meeting between some players and owners.

Multiple NFL owners have admitted that they were influenced to crack down on players kneeling in protest after having actual conversations with President Donald Trump, the Wall Street Journal reported (https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-trumps-pressure-influenced-the-nfl-to-change-its-anthem-rules-1527685321).
A recently leaked (https://www.afro.com/secret-audio-nfl-owners-meeting-prove-kaepernicks-alleged-collusion-suit/) secret recording of a meeting between players and owners last year had already exposed several of the owners acknowledging Trump’s criticism of the league as the motivation behind their interest in stopping players from kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem in protest of racism and police brutality. But according to the Wall Street Journal, there’s now evidence of at least one of the owners actually having a conversation with the President about his displeasure with players protesting. ...

“This is a very winning, strong issue for me,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Trump told him during a phone call, as reported by the WSJ. “Tell everybody, you can’t win this one. This one lifts me.”
Jones shared details of his phone conversation with Trump during a deposition. ...

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross was also one of the owners deposed and reportedly mentioned that New England Patriots owner Bob Craft told him he had also personally talked with Trump about players kneeling. Ross admitted that Trump swayed his opinion on how people perceived the players’ form of protest.
“I was totally supportive of [the players kneeling] until Trump made his statement,” Ross said in his deposition, according to the WSJ. “[Trump] changed the dialogue.”

https://www.afro.com/nfl-owners-admit-trump-talks-trump-influenced-them-to-stop-players-from-kneeling/

jerrym

06-17-2018, 12:33 PM

In the following article, a number of American BC Lions comment on the national anthem controversy in the US, beginning with Bryan Turnham, whose father Lem both played for the Philadelphia Eagles and fought in Vietnam.

Burnham’s son, Bryan, plays for the B.C. Lions. On Wednesday he was asked about his father’s opinion on the latest controversy involving Donald Trump, his idea of patriotism and athletes who don’t share the president’s views.

<iframe name="fsk_frame_splitbox" id="fsk_frame_splitbox" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-style: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; max-width: 100%; width: 620px; height: 0px;"></iframe>

“I see where the other side is coming from,” Burnham said as the Lions broke training camp in Kamloops. “It’s an emotional issue. My dad fought in Vietnam and he has the utmost respect for the flag, but he understands where the protesters are coming from. They’re not doing it to bash the troops. They’ve said that repeatedly. They’re doing it because they believe there is injustice in their country and that’s their platform.” ...

There’s a lot of stuff going on I don’t agree with but I can’t stop it,” said Odell Willis, before adding, “Those type of athletes (James and Curry) have a bigger platform to express their feelings and I think that’s great. We have the First Amendment. You’re supposed to have freedom of speech.”
Solomon Elimimian, who was raised in south-central Los Angeles and now splits his time between Canada and the U.S., echoed that thought.
“I don’t want to get into it, but it’s important to use that platform,” said the Lions’ linebacker. “There are a lot of people who don’t have voices. Then you look at LeBron, a multimillion-dollar athlete, and he speaks for those people.”
Elimimian is asked if things have changed since Trump became president. “That’s a hard question,” he said. “I think a lot of guys will tell you being in Canada is different. The environment is different. The culture is different. America has a deep history when it comes to race. It’s a different vibe here.”

Second-year Lion Tyler Davis elected to spend his off-season in Vancouver rather than return to his hometown of St. Louis. In an article that appeared on the Lions’ website a couple months ago, Davis said: “(St. Louis) is not a very good place for someone of my demographic.”
On Wednesday he walked that back. But not too far. “There was really nothing for me to go back to in St. Louis,” said the wide receiver. “I grew up there. I’ve seen it. Growing up between St. Louis and Oakland (Davis’s father Clarence played for the Raiders) neither one was that great. Being up here I can see other things and do other things.”
Burnham, meanwhile, spent most of his off-season in Tulsa where he met his wife Aubrey while going to university. “(Oklahoma) is a red state for sure, but I haven’t noticed stuff just walking around,” he said. “Where I do notice it is on social media where people say things they wouldn’t say in person.”
We’ve kind of noticed the same thing.
“They draw this line where if you don’t stand for the national anthem you have no respect for the Armed Forces,” Burnham continued. “It’s not about that at all and that’s not why they’re doing it. I really believe what they’re saying isn’t political at all. They just believe the guy who’s in the White House isn’t doing the right thing when it comes to social justice.”

http://vancouversun.com/sports/football/cfl/bc-lions/ed-willes-tackling-trump-topics-is-emotional-thorny-for-lions-american-players/wcm/91ba7184-f625-45ac-a729-8696f498b3e2

jerrym

07-10-2018, 11:57 PM

The NFL is trying to bring Kaepernick's collusion case to a finish. However, the video accompanying the following article says that more and more players are coming out in support of Kaepernick.

According to Yahoo.com's Charles Robinson, the league is now pushing to bring Kaepernick's collusion case to a close (https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-nfl-pushes-ruling-colin-kaepernicks-collusion-case-continue-012710523.html). The NFL, citing the part of the collective-bargaining agreement that deals with collusion cases, has requested that arbitrator Stephen Burbank provide a summary judgement in the case, sources told Robinson. ...

It's now up to Burbank to decide whether Kaepernick's legal team has uncovered sufficient evidence to continue with its suit against the NFL. If Burbank rules in favor of Kaepernick, the case can continue, perhaps with more depositions. If Burbank rules against Kaepernick, the case can be dismissed in favor of the league.
"In no uncertain terms, the request is the most pivotal moment in the nearly nine months of discovery and depositions between [Kaepernick] and the NFL," Robinson writes, adding: "Kaepernick's legal team will now have to file an argument with discovery or deposition material that supports the case continuing ... [and, according to the CBA], the argument will need to show evidence 'sufficient to raise a genuine issue of material fact capable of satisfying' Kaepernick's collusion allegation."

Several owners and general managers have reportedly already been deposed (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/john-elway-gives-deposition-in-colin-kaepernick-collusion-case/) as part of the grievance. Robinson has previously reported that Kaepernick's legal team is expected to seek to subpoena President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/kaepernicks-legal-team-will-reportedly-seek-to-subpoena-trump-in-collusion-case-against-nfl/) and "and other officials familiar with the president's agenda on protesting NFL players," though Robinson now notes that it is "unclear what impact Burbank's decision could have on an attempt by Kaepernick's legal team to pursue subpoenas of ... Trump and/or others in his administration."

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-reportedly-is-seeking-to-end-colin-kaepernick-collusion-case-pushes-for-ruling/

jerrym

07-11-2018, 12:11 AM

Further support for Kaepernick came today with the NFLPA's launching a collective bargaining agreement grievance against the NFL over its new national anthem policy that allows players to protest the national anthem by staying in the dressing room but forbidding sitting or taking a knee on the field during its performance. The grievance is based on the lack of consultation with the NFLPA in the drafting of the national anthem policy. The NFL has agreed to enter into discussions suggested by the NFLPA in an attempt to avoid litigation.

After Kaepernick initially protested police brutality and social injustice by taking a knee during the national anthem, more than 200 players also initially protested during the national anthem but the numbers decreased as the 2016 season continued.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/nfl-players-union-files-grievance-over-anthem-policy-1.4007855

jerrym

07-22-2018, 04:22 PM

The NFL has agreed to put its anthem policy on hold while negotiating with the NFLPA on the policy.
The owners are divided on what to do. New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch says he will not punish players for protests during the anthem while internal documents of the Miami Dolphins suggest they could suspend players for up to four games for kneeling during the anthem.

https://sports.yahoo.com/ny-giants-co-owner-wont-punish-players-anthem-protests-trump-no-understanding-take-knee-192000734.html

Of course Trump has a different solution.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The NFL National Anthem Debate is alive and well again - can’t believe it! Isn’t it in contract that players must stand at attention, hand on heart? The $40,000,000 Commissioner must now make a stand. First time kneeling, out for game. Second time kneeling, out for season/no pay!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1020432499082702849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

jerrym

07-29-2018, 12:17 AM

Despite the NFL agreeing with the NFLPA to put its anthem policy on hold while the two organizations negotiate, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says his players must stand for the national anthem and his son says they will be cut if they don't. Atlanta Falcons owner is much more diplomatic, noting that players have first amendment rights. This leaves a big question mark as to what is going to happen when the NFL preseason starts next week.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/sports/nfl-anthem-jerry-jones.html

jerrym

07-29-2018, 12:43 AM

So far no Dallas Cowboy has indicated they will challenge owner Jerry Jone's to stand for the national anthem or be cut.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2018/07/28/cowboys-unable-unwilling-resist-jerry-jones-national-anthem-policy/854573002/

On the other hand, Philadelphia Eagles' safety Malcolm Jenkins is challenging supportive NFL owners to challenge Jerry Jones' position on the anthem.
http://3downnation.com/2018/07/27/trent-richardson-wants-to-sign-in-the-aaf-but-the-riders-still-own-his-rights/

Quite the mess.

macspectrum

07-31-2018, 05:32 PM

AngeloV

08-01-2018, 11:54 AM

i wish him nothing but success
the owners have shown themselves to be cowards re social justice and 1st ammendmant

On this point, I 100% agree with you.

Jerry Jones threatens to fire any player that kneels over racial inequalities, but has no problem retaining players suspended for violent crimes, sexual misconduct allegations and drug violations.

jerrym

08-02-2018, 01:39 PM

On this point, I 100% agree with you.

Jerry Jones threatens to fire any player that kneels over racial inequalities, but has no problem retaining players suspended for violent crimes, sexual misconduct allegations and drug violations.

I also agree.
While Jones comments has raised passions on both sides of the issue, talks are continuing to resolve it.

“The owner of the Dallas Cowboys, with the old plantation mentality,” [SF 49er cornerback Richard] Sherman said of Jones. “What did you expect?” ...

Sherman, a member of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee, would not be a fit with the Cowboys.
Yet he’s still encouraged by discussions between the league and players' union while the policy that team owners adopted in May has been put on puase.

“They’re having the conversations; that’s awesome,” Sherman said. “But there are unintended consequences. If they did this (original policy) to appease people, they didn’t appease anyone. It’s like putting a Band-Aid over a broken leg.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2018/07/30/richard-sherman-jerry-jones-anthem-injury-recovery/867926002/

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made headlines about his controversial mandate that players stand “toe on the line” for the playing of the national anthem. The NFL, apparently, told him to stop making them. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nfl/dallas-cowboys/article215754965.html), Jones was prepared to do a number of interviews with local media members Sunday evening in Oxnard, Calif., where the team holds its training camp, when he and a member of the Cowboys public relations staff told media that questions about the national anthem issue were off limits. ...

On Wednesday, Jones spoke at the team’s first press conference of training camp and indicated that the team would not support players who protest social injustice by choosing not to stand on the field during the national anthem (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2018/07/25/jerry-jones-nfl-anthem-players-protest-dallas-cowboys/836464002/). Then one day later, Jones’ son, Cowboys executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones, doubled down and hinted that players who don’t follow the team’s mandate would be cut (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2018/07/26/cowboys-stephen-jones-hints-kneeling-players-cut-national-anthem/843925002/). ...

The stance was a departure from a recent pact between the NFL and the NFL Players Association agreeing that “no new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced” until a firm policy had been agreed to. ....

“I don’t think so,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Sunday in an interview with NFL Network when asked if Jerry Jones’ comments impede the progress to forge a national anthem policy compromise. “Jerry is just one owner and I have a lot of respect for Jerry in many ways. He’s entitled to his feelings. I don’t have to agree with them, but it is what it is. We don’t agree on everything. But I do feel strongly that talking together around the shared concerns and keeping our minds and hearts and spirits on the issues because the issues are really what’s at risk here.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2018/07/30/jerry-jones-national-anthem-dallas-cowboys-protest/863544002/

jerrym

08-10-2018, 09:57 PM

Several NFL players engaged in protests in preseason games on Thursday by taking a knee, raising a fist or staying off the field during the national anthem on the anniversary of the Charlottesville Neo-Nazi riot.

One of those players was Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who raised a fist during the anthem before the team’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, NBC Sports reported (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/08/09/malcolm-jenkin-raises-fist-during-anthem/). ...

"Before we enjoy this game lets take some time to ponder that more than 60% of the prison population are people of color," Jenkins said in a tweet (https://twitter.com/MalcolmJenkins/status/1027667736095322113) before Thursday's game, in which the Eagles lost 14-31. "The NFL is made up of 70% African Americans. What you witness on the field does not represent the reality of everyday America. We are the anomalies..." he said.
Miami Dolphins' wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneeled during the anthem, and defensive end Robert Quinn stood and raised his right fist during the team’s exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to NBC Miami (https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Stills-2-Other-Dolphins-Protest-During-National-Anthem-490516221.html).
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began the protest of not standing (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/49ers-quarterback-colin-kaepernick-defends-national-anthem-protest-n639116) during the anthem in 2016 in what he said was a gesture on behalf of people who were oppressed because of their race, in a tweet Thursday (https://twitter.com/Kaepernick7/status/1027726100636553216) thanked Stills and Wilson for taking a knee. ...

In July, the NFL Players Association and the league said in a joint statement that they agreed to halt enforcement (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/nfl-halts-anthem-policy-after-dolphins-criticized-considering-suspensions-players-n893021)of rules regarding the new national anthem policy while the two sides work on a resolution. ...

Jacksonville Jaguars players Telvin Smith, Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon remained in the tunnel when the national anthem played before the team's home game against the New Orleans Saints. ...

Smith, a linebacker, said after the game that "I've got beliefs and I did what I did. I don't know if it’s going to be every week. But as a man, I’ve got to stand for something," according to the newspaper.

Seattle Seahawks' left tackle Duane Brown and defensive linemen Quinton Jefferson and Branden Jackson stayed in the locker room and were not on the field during the anthem before the Seahawks’ game against the Indianapolis Colts, according to the Seattle Times (https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/seahawks-gamecenter-live-updates-how-to-watch-stream-listen-to-preseason-opener-vs-colts/). All three knelt during the anthem last season, the newspaper reported.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/some-nfl-players-kneel-or-raise-fists-during-anthem-preseason-n899481

jerrym

08-14-2018, 01:26 AM

Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones, who has been the most vocal critic of players taking a knee and whose son has said players could be released for sitting during the national anthem, is receiving criticism for wearing his hat during the national anthem even when his son was seeming to take his hat off, even though the U.S. code on the national anthem says one should take off your hat during the national anthem.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jerry-jones-declines-to-explain-comment-on-why-he-wore-his-hat-during-national-anthem/

jerrym

09-04-2018, 07:53 PM

Nike has signed a advertising contract worth millions with Kaepernick, putting the NFL in an awkward position as it also has a contract with Nike in which the Nike swoosh is the only trademark on NFL uniforms.
An online but unscientific poll with 35,000 responses said that the Nike-Kaepernick deal would make no difference in what Nike products a person would buy, while 29% said they would buy more Nike products and 21% said they would buy less Nike products.

The NFL would prefer to say nothing at all about Colin Kaepernick. But with the NFL’s official and exclusive apparel provider embracing the quarterback the NFL has shunned, the NFL can’t keep silent.

NBC News senior editor Claire Atkinson tweeted earlier this afternoon that the NFL is preparing a statement (https://twitter.com/claireatki/status/1037029884747558912) regarding the man who has taken on the NFL in court, and who so far is winning. Or perhaps more accurately not yet losing. Which is still a win when it comes to any showdown with Big Shield.

With a commitment to Nike through 2028, it would be awkward and expensive for the NFL to attempt to disengage, from a financial and P.R. standpoint. So look for the NFL to come up with some sort of comment that expresses respect for the ability of Nike to do business with Kaepernick or anyone else it chooses while also reiterating the NFL’s belief that Kaepernick isn’t unemployed due to collusive action but due to the fact that he doesn’t merit jobs that a wide variety of inferior quarterbacks currently hold.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/09/04/nfl-preparing-a-statement-on-colin-kaepernick/

jerrym

10-10-2018, 03:05 PM

Colin Kaepernick is doing alright without the NFL.

Colin Kaepernick (http://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/14001/colin-kaepernick)'s company Inked Flash has filed for the trademark to a black and white image of his face and hair.
The filing, which showed up on the website for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Wednesday but was filed last Friday, says the intent is to use the image on everything from shampoo and hairspray to jewelry and lampshades. ...

Kaepernick, who hasn't played in the NFL since the 2016 season, re-emerged as a marketing icon last month when Nike started using him in the company's "Just Do It" campaign. Using him caused polarizing reactions, with some saying they were more encouraged to buy Nike items, and others saying they would now stay away.
"I think it's very smart," trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Washington-based Gerben Law said of Kaepernick's filing. "Nike made him relevant. Now he can monetize that and promote his movement more."

Kaepernick had been with Nike since 2011, but the company recently re-signed him to a new deal that sources say includes a small apparel collection.
Kaepernick began selling #ImwithKap items on his website last month, including jerseys, which the site says are currently out of stock. All profits are said to go to Know Your Rights Camp, Kaepernick's self-empowerment youth charity.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24949255/colin-kaepernick-files-trademark-image

jerrym

12-17-2018, 01:55 AM

When Redskins QB Colt McCoy went down early in December and reporters asked HC Jay Gruden if he would sign Colin Kaepernick now that the team had only one healthy QB, Gruden said they had considered that but went in a different direction because Kaepernick didn't know the offensive system (https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/redskins/redskins-discussed-colin-kaepernick-dont-expect-him-land-washington).
It sounds like another excuse to try in order to give some cover against Kaepernick's lawsuit.

On the other hand, Kaepernick says he would be willing to play for the Redskins if they asked. However, that isn't going to happen.

If there's still any question about whether or not Colin Kaepernick (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1130583/colin-kaepernick) wants to play football anymore, it looks like we can put a end to that debate, because he reportedly wants to play.
According to Yahoo! Sports, Kaepernick would absolutely be willing to play (https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-colin-kaepernick-play-redskins-offered-224756117.html) for the Redskins (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/WAS/washington-redskins/) if they were to offer him a job. Although the Redskins could be seen as an odd fit for Kaepernick, two sources told Yahoo! Sports that the quarterback would be willing to play for "any NFL team (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams)" in order to get back in the league.

Kaepernick in Washington would have been an interesting sight to see, and that's mostly because he would be in the same town as Trump, who has repeatedly called Kaepernick out and publicly criticized him (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/donald-trump-nfl-should-have-suspended-colin-kaepernick-for-kneeling/) over the past two years.
Of course, the odds of Kaepernick landing in Washington are roughly zero percent at this point, and that's because the Redskins don't want him. According to ESPN.com (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25490435/washington-redskins-reach-colin-kaepernick-internal-discussions-qb), the team didn't even bother reaching out to Kaepernick even though he's likely the best quarterback available on the free agent market.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/colin-kaepernick-reportedly-willing-to-play-for-redskins-but-team-still-hasnt-reached-out/

jerrym

12-17-2018, 01:59 AM

The following video title makes the Kaepernick picture clear: "NFL Owners Would Rather Sign Wife Beaters Than Kaepernick".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJB1vWyWP0

AngeloV

12-17-2018, 11:24 AM

The following video title makes the Kaepernick picture clear: "NFL Owners Would Rather Sign Wife Beaters Than Kaepernick".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJJB1vWyWP0

it is disgusting what they are doing to a man that made a non violent protest over something he and many others believe in.

jerrym

10-11-2019, 04:35 AM

Colin Kaepernick, who reached an out-of-court settlement with the NFL in February over his lawsuit calling that NFL teams colluded to keep him out of the league after he initiated taking a knee during the US national anthem to protest racial injustice, has released some information to counter false stories. The settlement is believed to be for $60 to $80 million and includes a confidentiality agreement. Finally, he gets some justice.

The 31-year-old Kaepernick was the first player in NFL history to take a knee during the United States national anthem in the San Francisco 49ers final pre-season game on Sep. 1, 2016, protesting racial injustice. Kaepernick has been a free agent since opting out of his contract with the 49ers in March 2017. That led to speculation that Kaepernick had been blackballed by the league. Kaepernick has thrown for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns versus 30 interceptions while rushing for 2,300 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns since San Francisco selected him in the 2011 NFL draft.

The NFL and Kaepernick came to a resolution over his allegation of collusion to keep him out of the league. Mark Geragos, the lawyer representing Kaepernick, released a joint statement about the two sides resolving pending grievances subject to a confidentiality agreement.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dzd-fCvWwAACZhG?format=jpg&name=small (https://twitter.com/markgeragos/status/1096484109608722432/photo/1)

Number NFL team officials are speculating to me is the NFL paid Kaepernick in the $60 to $80 million range.

According to Kaepernick’s representatives (https://3downnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Kap-facts.pdf), not a single NFL team has offered him a job since he’s been a free agent and began his peaceful protest. There hasn’t even been a team bring Kaepernick in for a workout. His agent have never seen anything like the current situation in 25 years.
https://3downnation.com/2019/10/10/alouettes-neg-list-qb-colin-kaepernick-releases-facts-to-address-false-narratives/

jerrym

11-16-2019, 11:07 AM

In a stunning turnaround by the NFL at least 24 of its teams (according to CBC) will attend a Colin Kaepernick pro day workout. Many teams were caught off-guard by the announcement, indicating the process was ad-hoc in nature.

The spectacle began with a phone call that shocked Colin Kaepernick (http://bleacherreport.com/colin-kaepernick) and almost every team in the NFL (http://bleacherreport.com/nfl)—an offer from the league for the long-deposed quarterback to work out at a makeshift pro day Saturday. With the call, the awkward dance between the NFL and a player many view as a heroic figure resumed over whether his exile from the league will end. ...

While the seemingly haphazard manner in which NFL has planned this gives rise to questions about the league's intentions, two team executives told B/R they believe the interest in Kaepernick is real, and if he throws well, he'll be on a team by the end of the month. These executives believe the underlying purpose of the pro day is to signal to teams that they are clear to sign Kaepernick.

Despite the awkwardness of how the plan was rolled out with no warning, the execs think the NFL is sincere in what it's doing and attribute the timing as a product of a bumbling league rather than an attempt to trick Kaepernick. But the details surrounding the plan and its out-of-nowhere announcement have some around the NFL questioning the league's motives.

According to people close to Kaepernick, the offer left them wondering what the hell had happened. It was the first time the NFL had spoken with Kaepernick's representatives in more than a year. They were given a two-hour window to accept the offer, and the workout was scheduled for Saturday. The plan was somewhat curious and frantic. A private pro day seemed unprecedented in recent NFL history. These types of workouts are usually only reserved for college prospects. The date was also unusual. Most free agents work out on Tuesdays since few scouts and team executive are traveling that day. On Saturdays, most teams are prepping for Sunday's games.

To Kaepernick, the entire situation seemed more like a public relations stunt than a sincere opportunity. And he wasn't alone in feeling blindsided. One NFC West front-office executive said he initially thought it was a prank when his team heard about what the league was doing. Other teams were shocked as well. Three team executives reached by B/R all said they had never heard of anything like this in their professional careers. Two of them said they were uncertain if they could attend because of their Saturday travel schedule.

The situation took another bizarre turn Wednesday night. ESPN's Adam Schefter (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1194762942346080256) reported that after initially agreeing to provide a list of executives who were attending the workout, the NFL said it wouldn't. A league source denied to Schefter (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1194786904836841472) that it ever promised such a list. Schefter also reported (https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1194763500700229633) that some team executives called Kaepernick to apologize that they wouldn't be able to attend and told him they were unclear about why the league was even having the workout.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2862621-colin-kaepernick-nfl-teams-stunned-by-leagues-sudden-pro-day-plan

jerrym

11-16-2019, 11:14 AM

Here is more information on how Kaepernick's workout came about. Kaepernick was given only two hours to accept or reject the offer of a workout, suggesting that it is a NFL PR stunt.

USA TODAY Sports' Mike Jones uncovered many of the details earlier this week, reporting that the workout caught many within the league office and the NFL Players Association by surprise. It appeared to be rushed, he added, even though commissioner Roger Goodell had kicked around the idea for some time. ...

Jones also reported that Jay-Z, the rapper who partnered with the NFL earlier this year to work on its social justice initiative, had some influence on the matter and had spoken with Goodell multiple times about helping Kaepernick get back in the NFL. ...

Ultimately, it all came together relatively quickly on Tuesday. Multiple outlets, including The New York Times, (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/sports/football/colin-kaepernick-nfl-workout.html) reported that Kaepernick's camp was told of the workout plan and given two hours to confirm whether the quarterback would attend.

It will basically be similar to a pro day, with drills, measurements and an interview — all filmed and made available afterward to every team in the league. According to NFL Network (https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1194620396659716096), the exact schedule will be as follows: An interview at 3:15 p.m., followed by measurements and warm-ups, followed by timing and testing at 3:50 and, finally, quarterback drills at 4:15.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/11/16/colin-kaepernick-qb-workout-key-details/4205957002/

jerrym

11-18-2019, 03:55 PM

Kaepernick moved the scheduled workout with NFL scouts, claiming he wanted a transparent process with media present and the league had demanded an unusual liability waiver.

Upset at what he called preconditions imposed by the National Football League, quarterback Colin Kaepernick at the last minute moved his scheduled tryout on Saturday away from the Atlanta Falcons training facility to a local high school where media could attend. ...

The NFL said it had arranged the tryout so clubs could evaluate the 32-year-old’s talent, but Kaepernick’s representatives accused the league of not acting in a forthright manner in organizing the workout. “From the outset, Mr. Kaepernick requested a legitimate process and from the outset the NFL league office has not provided one,” they said in a statement.

“Most recently, the NFL has demanded that as a precondition to the workout, Mr. Kaepernick sign an unusual liability waiver that addresses employment-related issues and rejected the standard liability waiver from physical injury proposed by Mr. Kaepernick’s representatives.”

The NFL said it had arranged the tryout so clubs could evaluate the 32-year-old’s talent, but Kaepernick’s representatives accused the league of not acting in a forthright manner in organizing the workout. “From the outset, Mr. Kaepernick requested a legitimate process and from the outset the NFL league office has not provided one,” they said in a statement. “Most recently, the NFL has demanded that as a precondition to the workout, Mr. Kaepernick sign an unusual liability waiver that addresses employment-related issues and rejected the standard liability waiver from physical injury proposed by Mr. Kaepernick’s representatives.”

The statement said Kaepernick had requested all media be allowed into the workout to observe and film it but the NFL had denied the request.The statement said Kaepernick had requested all media be allowed into the workout to observe and film it but the NFL had denied the request. ...

Protesters and supporters had waited for Kaepernick outside the facility. One protester, waving a U.S. flag, held a sign that said “Colin Kaepernick un-American Loser. Get out of my town”. Supporters included one follower wearing a Kaepernick jersey and displaying a sign that read “I’m with Kap”.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/article-upset-at-league-kaepernick-moves-scheduled-tryout/

jerrym

11-18-2019, 04:00 PM

Here is more on the unusual liability waiver Kaepernick was ask to sign.

The issue that led to the impasse was the NFL’s insistence that Kaepernick sign an “unusual” waiver. Kaepernick has reportedly been mulling a collusion lawsuit against the NFL. Contrary to popular belief, Kaepernick has never challenged the NFL in a court of law. While news outlets have called Kaepernick’s previous settlement a “lawsuit,” it was technically an NFL Players Association grievance (https://abovethelaw.com/2019/08/colin-kaepernick-settled-his-grievance-jay-z-is-just-taking-the-money/) that was settled through arbitration, as required by the NFLPA union contract.

ProFootballTalk (https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/11/17/inside-the-waiver-proposed-by-the-nfl-to-colin-kaepernick/)’s Mike Florio, who is also a lawyer, reports:
The three-page, 13-paragraph documents contains several specific provisions that could be relevant to the question of whether the NFL was trying to parlay the waiver into a release of any claims for collusion/retaliation that Kaepernick could make as a result of his ongoing unemployment by the league since settling his first collusion case in February…

If I were representing Kaepernick, and if the goal were to have a genuine workout aimed at enhancing his chances of being signed by an NFL team, I would have asked immediately for the document to be revised to specifically clarify that any and all potential employment rights would be preserved. If the league had refused, I wouldn’t have signed it, because the language leaves the door sufficiently ajar for a subsequent defense to a collusion/retaliation case that signing the waiver extinguished the claims.

https://www.theroot.com/here-s-the-waiver-colin-kaepernick-was-asked-to-sign-to-1839922238

Ron

11-18-2019, 04:02 PM

well put

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y7fzEHKI9Y

jerrym

06-08-2020, 04:39 AM

The reaction to the killing of George Floyd and the widespread kneeling to acknowledge the racism problem globally has now given new perspective on Kaepernick's taking a knee during NFL games and the reaction that engendered among players, owners, fans and others.

The killing of George Floyd (https://abcnews.go.com/US/memorial-service-george-floyd-held-minneapolis/story?id=71063710) by four Minneapolis police officers has created a surprising flashpoint, an acknowledgement by previously disbelieving white people of the violence historically inflicted upon African Americans and a sudden, jarring suggestion that America is ready to deal directly with the terrible truths that violence has entailed: Police treat black citizens harshly with devastating consequences. Prosecutors are reluctant to charge police. Juries are even more reluctant to convict them. In the rare case of a conviction, judges are unwilling to punish them with firm prison sentences -- if any jail time at all. Corporations across the country, including now the NFL, have pledged solidarity with their black citizens, seeking to reflect harmony by using the term "Black Lives Matter." ...

Included prominently in the nationwide protests is the gesture of taking a knee toward the American flag. It's a distress signal indicating that the country has not lived up to the democratic ideals it spreads across the globe -- ideals it tells soldiers that their uniforms and flag represent, ideals Americans believe separate them from countries that jail, kill and otherwise silence their citizens. It is Colin Kaepernick's (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28692621/colin-kaepernick-release-memoir-own-publishing-company) symbol, and it is used everywhere -- by children and high school students who reference him as their inspiration, and now by police and politicians to quell public anger directed at them to suggest finally, after so much time, a willingness to listen.

It is also the symbol NFL owners used as justification to destroy Kaepernick's NFL career. ...

After the sloganeering and statements, the NFL serves as a microcosm of the corrections Americans are now expecting. Kaepernick is not vindicated because he is still being punished. Nor did he reveal something black people did not know. He was punished for supporting them.
The league must answer the question of today's moment: Is this a reckoning, or is it a dance? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a recorded statement Friday night attempting to reconcile with players in response to a video players released Thursday night featuring Deshaun Watson (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3122840/deshaun-watson) and Patrick Mahomes (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3139477/patrick-mahomes) and several others demanding acknowledgement on the part of the NFL that their protests be taken seriously. ...

Goodell's statement also did not mention the name "Kaepernick," the surest sign yet that the NFL is unserious about the actual work that needs to be done to make this right. Goodell apologized for the NFL not listening to players, and even this basic, ostensibly conciliatory statement is false. The NFL did listen to players. It listened to Malcolm Jenkins (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/12426/malcolm-jenkins). It listened to Anquan Boldin. It listened to white players, such as Drew Brees (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2580/drew-brees) and its white ex-players-turned-broadcasters, such as Boomer Esiason, who were offended by Kaepernick's position. ...

The NFL heard a warning that America was fraying, and in response constructed an entire machine to undermine Kaepernick -- and became an active partner in dividing the nation. Buffalo Bills (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/buf/buffalo-bills) owner Terry Pegula conceived of the organization that would become the Players Coalition, led by Jenkins and Boldin, when he felt the league needed a player-run, black-player-headed organization to address injustice issues to neutralize Kaepernick's influence. Miami Dolphins (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/mia/miami-dolphins) owner Stephen Ross amplified it. Goodell and the NFL increased restrictions and penalties on kneeling demonstrations. Dallas Cowboys (https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys) owner Jerry Jones threatened the employment of any player who knelt. And, of course, all 32 teams followed suit. ...

It is the NFL's black fans who also require an apology from Goodell, because in punishing Kaepernick for drawing attention to the senseless killing of black citizens, the NFL chose killer cops over loyal fans, sending the message to them, as well as the players, that their concerns were unimportant compared to white fans who objected to kneeling. Black fans did not matter to the NFL. Now, Goodell could not mention Kaepernick by name but expects the public to believe that the NFL does. ...

The NFL today is in real time America of the 1970s, when the country had to admit that it was wrong in its attempt to destroy Muhammad Ali. Finally, it did, and the world did not collapse, but it healed, as most wounds do with the proper treatment.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29275324/why-matters-roger-goodell-say-colin-kaepernick-name

jerrym

06-10-2020, 02:35 AM

During the funeral service for George Floyd, Reverend Al Sharpton noted that NFL Commissioner Goodell's acknowledgement that his statement that the league was wrong on the kneeling during the anthem issue was meaningless unless the league was going to give Kaepernick a real shot at playing in the NFL without having to sign an agreement to not sue the league. The entire audience stood and cheered the comment.

jerrym

06-24-2020, 03:35 AM

AngeloV

06-29-2020, 11:57 AM

It is ironic that Nascar, the so-called sport of white southern rednecks, has banned the Confederate flag and strongly supported its only Black racer, Bubba Watson, after a noose was found in his racing garage stall, while the NFL still pushes Kaepernick away. The NFL has alienated some Black fans as a result while Nascar's approach has spurred some Blacks to take a look at the sport.

Question is, would Nascar have banned that flag if it wasn't for the (IMO justified rioting) after the murder of Geroge Floyd? Just like the cop that killed him likely would never have been charged without the rioting.

Call me a pessimist, but I think Nascar is doing this strictly for good PR. Their fan base has been going down for years because of the redneck factor, and they are just looking to change their image. All business.

Now, I am glad for any culture change in this regard, but I have a hard time believing that they have had such an about face in dealing with these Confederate flag waving goofballs. To me, it's no different than the Goodell apology. Although I personally feel Goodell really meant it, his bosses who he speaks on behalf of (the majority of the owners) don't feel that way.

jerrym

07-03-2020, 01:24 AM

Question is, would Nascar have banned that flag if it wasn't for the (IMO justified rioting) after the murder of Geroge Floyd? Just like the cop that killed him likely would never have been charged without the rioting.

Call me a pessimist, but I think Nascar is doing this strictly for good PR. Their fan base has been going down for years because of the redneck factor, and they are just looking to change their image. All business.

Now, I am glad for any culture change in this regard, but I have a hard time believing that they have had such an about face in dealing with these Confederate flag waving goofballs. To me, it's no different than the Goodell apology. Although I personally feel Goodell really meant it, his bosses who he speaks on behalf of (the majority of the owners) don't feel that way.

I agree that it was done for PR reasons, but it is still more than the NFL has done in reforming its approach.

jerrym

08-26-2020, 09:39 PM

All NBA games have been cancelled tonight in protest over another shooting of a Black man. This time it was the shooting of Jacob Blake seven times in the back. With 74.3% of players in the NBA being Black, the owners, unlike in the NFL, had little choice but to go along with the cancellations, unlike what happened to Kaepernick's much milder kneeling during the national anthem.

The NBA has announced that all three playoff games Wednesday will be postponed and rescheduled. The decision comes after the Milwaukee Bucks players did not take the court for Game 5 (https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/milwaukee-bucks-are-boycotting-game-5-of-the-nba-playoffs-vs-magic-in-aftermath-of-jacob-blake-shooting/) of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic, which was supposed to tip off at 4 p.m. ET. The protest comes in response to the shooting of an unarmed black man named Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. Shortly after the Bucks made a statement by not playing, the Rockets and Thunder decided to also not play today, as well as the Lakers and Trail Blazers.

Bucks owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan released the following joint statement:
"We fully support out players and the decision they made. Although we did not know beforehand, we would have wholeheartedly agreed with them. The only way to bring about change is to shine a light on the racial injustices that are happening in front of us. Our players have done that and we will continue to stand alongside them and demand accountability and change."
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-boycott-live-updates-jacob-blake-shooting-leads-to-bucks-magic-lakers-blazers-okc-rockets-postponement/live/