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colin kaepernick December 30, 2020
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10 iconic sports photographs that made us fall in love with the game

From heartbreak to joy or just plain awe, iconic sports photographs can bring any fan back to the historic moment where they viscerally felt that emotion.

Sports photographers have captured moments that we still look back on with admiration. These transcendent images capture much more than just what lies on the surface.

These are some of the most iconic sports photographs in recent years: 

Jake Paul knocks out Nate Robinson via Joe Scarcini

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 28: Jake Paul reacts to his knockout victory against Nate Robinson in the second round during Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr. presented by Triller at Staples Center on November 28, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Triller)

Few people expected Jake Paul to beat Nate Robinson in a boxing match, much less knock him out. Paul shocked the world when he laid out Robinson in the middle of the ring.

We all can remember the moment and that feeling of disbelief. Truly, this will go down as one of the most iconic sports photographs of the ’20s.

U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team wins World Cup via Anne-Marie Sorvin

uswnst wins world cup
USA lift the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup (Picture: Anne-Marie Sorvin)

Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Carli Lloyd are some of the most recognizable names in the sport of soccer. They cemented their legacies when they won the World Cup in 2019. 

And Anne-Marie Sorvin’s iconic photograph of their historic sports accomplishment cements them further.

LeBron James Blocks Andre Igoudala via Joe Murphy

the block lebron james
Joe Murphy/Getty Images

The 2016 NBA Finals gave us so many moments to look back on, but none more amazing than LeBron’s chasedown block on Andre Igoudala.

LeBron and the Cavs were eventually able to bring Cleveland the team’s first-ever NBA championship, in large part due to the play, the iconic sports photograph is now known as “The Block.”

Usain Bolt 2016 Rio Olympics via Cameron Spencer

usain bolt smile
Winners are grinners. The photo of Usain Bolt shared around the world. (Cameron Spencer for Getty Images)

Usain Bolt is one of the most accomplished athletes ever. Whenever Bolt was set to race, the only question that remained was who was going to come in second.

This is evident in this wild photograph that captures Bolt smiling back at the camera as he wins a race at the 2016 Olympics. Given that if you asked most people what photo they know of Usain Bolt and they would say this, this picture is one of the most iconic sports photographs of this early century.

LeBron James and Dwayne Wade alley-oop via Morry Gash

sports iconic moments
Miami Heats’ Dwayne Wade reacts as teammate LeBron James goes up for a dunk during the first half of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks

This iconic sports photo encapsulates just how special this iconic duo was in their primes. The Wade and James connection was special, and this photograph shows that they did it with grace, power and flare.

The sports photographer spoke on the iconic picture to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

“This particular one has a life of its own… Dwyane Wade’s agent wanted a copy of the picture to get it signed for LeBron, and now they’re all getting copies of it.”

“I’ve never had a picture signed for me in my career, but they’re both going to sign it for me.”

– Morry Gash, Photographer

Colin Kaepernick takes a knee via Michael Zagaris

kapernick kneels iconic sports photograph
Colin Kaepernick’s gesture of kneeling during the national anthem was followed by other players but angered the president MICHAEL ZAGARIS/SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS/GETTY IMAGES

When Colin Kaepernick decided to kneel for the National Anthem, he helped bring attention to a movement that is still underway in America today. Kaepernick sacrificed his career when he kneeled, and that action has had an immeasurable effect on the country. 

Kaep himself is an icon, and thus this picture is one of the most iconic sports photographs ever taken.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fights Conor McGregor via Christian Peterson

historic sports moment flloyd mayweather
Floyd Mayweather Jr. throws a punch at Conor McGregor during their super welterweight boxing match on August 26, 2017. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

MMA and Boxing collided when Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Connor McGregor decided to box one another. It was one of the most anticipated fights ever, and also one of the biggest pay-per-view events in recent memory. 

Michael Jordan “The Shot” via Fernando Medina

michael jordan iconic sports photograph
The most famous shot in NBA history. Photo by Fernando Medina, Getty Images

Michael Jordan’s shot to win his sixth NBA championship is one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. It also happened to be his last shot ever with the Chicago Bulls.

Even if you were too young to watch it live, you can still picture Jordan raising up at the free throw line, drilling the shot and holding up his follow-through. 

Zion breaks shoe via Streeter Lecka

zion williamson breaks shoe
Duke University star Zion Williamson, right, grimaces after falling as his shoe breaks during a game against the University of North Carolina on Wednesday in Durham, N.C. Williamson suffered a mild knee strain. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Zion Williamson was one of the most hyped college athletes ever. His ability to jump out the gym captured everyone’s attention, but no one ever expected Williamson to literally explode out of his shoes.

The iconic sports photo of his shoe breaking in half in the middle of a game is something we won’t soon forget. 

NBA social justice protests in the Bubble via Kevin Cox

iconic sports photograph
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, said on Thursday that he “could care less” if President Trump does not watch the N.B.A. because players kneel during the national anthem. Credit…Pool photo by Kevin C. Cox

When the NBA returned to play in the Bubble, one of their biggest concerns was to make sure they brought attention to the social justice movement going on in America.

They did just that when they boycotted playoff games and kneeled for the National Anthem. The iconic sports photograph of NBA athletes wearing Black Lives Matter shirts while kneeling is something that will stick with us for a long time. 

Sports photographers capture some of the most iconic sports moments and photographs of all time.

Not only do these pictures give us images teeming with intrigue, but they also give us historic sports moments that take on so much more than what appears on sight.

Where were you when Jake Paul knocked out Nate Robinson and stood over him? What were you doing when you saw the U.S. women’s national soccer team win the last World Cup? What part did you play in calling for social justice when the NBA players in the bubble were doing the same thing?

See there is so much more to these iconic sports photographs than what initially meets the eye. To be iconic, something needs to not only be prestigious, but also take on more meaning than its strict design.

These iconic sports photographs do that in abundance, and because of these immensely talented sports photographers, we will always remember the moments they captured.

colin kaepernick September 10, 2020
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The NFL will do everything but actually give Colin Kaepernick a job

Colin Kaepernick is back in Madden 21 after a five-year hiatus.

The former 49ers quarterback is now the top free-agent in the game with an 81 overall rating. This places him in the top-15 of the QB rankings.

“Knowing that our EA SPORTS experiences are platforms for players to create, we want to make Madden NFL a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football. We’ve worked with Colin to make this possible, and we’re excited to bring it to all of you today.”

EA Sports has worked with Kaepernick to make this opportunity available to the fans, even adding in his signature Black Power touchdown celebration.

Amazingly, Kaepernick’s in-game statistics are somehow higher than his last appearance in Madden 17.

Unfortunately, it seems as if all the gears are turning for Kaepernick except for him actually having a job. The quarterback has yet to sign with an NFL team and has not taken a snap since the 2016 season.

Following a series of PR-like press workouts, reports arose that teams were interested in signing Kaepernick. As of September 2020, not a single team has put pen to paper.

According to NFL Media, teams had contacted “friends and associates” of Kaepernick, and they would be contacting his agent when they “get to the point where they’re confident enough that they think they can work out a contract.”

Unsurprisingly, nothing ever saw the light of day.

It seems as if the league has been publishing these reports and organizing these press events in order to save some face. After all, the last thing that they want is to appear antagonistic towards one of the largest activists in the world.

To make it even more bizarre, 41-year-old quarterback Josh McCown recently signed a backup deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The strange thing is that he doesn’t actually have to show up to work.

McCown will be paid $12,000 weekly to stay at home and remain “on-call” in case of an emergency.

The problem is not McCown’s contract, nor the fact that he is in his early 40’s. The real issue is that if a journeyman player like McCown can sign this “on-call” type of deal, how can a proven, in-shape, Super Bowl quarterback like Kaepernick remain unemployed?

It is a strange series of events that seem to keep twisting and turning. There is positive light though, with EA Sports recognizing and promoting Kaepernick’s off-field activism. This has arguably been a more important step in his career than any championship run could be.

We reluctantly hope that Kaepernick will find a job in the near future. If not, he’s got better things on his plate.

colin kaepernick December 21, 2018
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Why Travis Scott performing at the Super Bowl halftime show is a mistake

In a shocking turn of events, TMZ is reporting that Travis Scott will join Maroon 5 at this year’s Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is no doubt the biggest gig in music. It’s the most watched program on cable television every year by far and ads pay millions just seconds of placement.

Given all of this, Travis Scott’s decision to join Maroon 5 is a mistake.

Since it was announced that Atlanta had won the bid to host the 2019 Super Bowl, the city went up in a frenzy. Besides having what two years ago was a Super Bowl contending team and owning a brand spanking new $1.6 million dollar stadium, Atlanta just so happens to be the most influential city in music today.

Migos, Usher, T.I., 2 Chainz, T.L.C., OutKast, Gucci Mane, Future, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Gunna, Jeezy, Ludacris, and Jermaine Dupree are just a few legends from the ATL with catalogs and still don’t come close to who the city has to pick from.

It was a no-brainer. Even if the Falcons didn’t make it to the final game — and they won’t — we just knew they’d show the NFL what the dirty south was all about with a great halftime show.

So when news broke that Maroon 5 was headling and not any of the relevant, prolific, local talents, the disappointment, as you can imagine, couldn’t be held back.

https://twitter.com/SheaSerrano/status/1042450503655931904

As always, the NFL had gotten it wrong and made a complete tone-deaf decision. This one, however, indirectly turned out being for the best.

Prior deciding on Adam Levine and his crew, marquee artists, who Atlanta would have accepted on any grounds, had already turned down the gig to stand in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick who is currently suing the NFL on counts of collusion.

After Colin decided to kneel during the National Anthem as a sign to bring awareness of racial injustice in America,  the NFL made a rule saying players couldn’t take a knee during the anthem and Colin has found himself out the league since.

Last year it was reported that Jay-Z had turned down an offer to perform during the Super Bowl halftime, which he seemingly confirmed in the lyrics to his song with Beyonce, “Apeshit”: “I said no to the Super Bowl: you need me, I don’t need you.”

Jay Z GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

And according to US Weekly, Rihanna was offered the gig at the big game in February 2019, but she declined due to disagreeing with the NFL’s stance on players taking a knee during the National Anthem as well.

Not to mention, earlier this year it was also reported that the band was “having a lot of trouble finding guests” to perform with them. A source revealed to US Weekly just last month that “No one wants to associate themselves with the NFL in light of its response to Colin Kaepernick’s protest against police brutality.”

Yet, somehow Travis miss the beat on this.

https://twitter.com/MeekMill/status/1075797761818275840

https://twitter.com/MeekMill/status/1075798329613783041

Seeing that his mentor and brother-in-law, Kanye West has alienated half of his fans with his irresponsible rhetoric and Trump musings, you’d think Travis or his PR team would see this as an easy pass. Besides, as Meek said, he doesn’t need it.

Travis Scott has the number one album in Astroworld, the number one song in “Sicko Mode,” and one of the highest grossing tours of the year. Surely, he could have skipped out on this bad for the better good.

While we may have gotten ahead of ourselves being salty about the NFL not grabbing an Atlanta talent, it was a slap in the face to reality. We don’t really want our legends associated with them anyway.

It’s not only just the Kaepernick issue. From acting late on domestic violence cases to cover-ups to targeted drug testings, this is clearly a league that is late on the progressive train and until they start showing a lot more due diligence in respecting the rights of all the players. I’m not sure why anyone would want to align with them.

Travis is Grammy-nominated, a father, and a soon to be Super Bowl half-time performer. I guess sometimes when you have the cake, you’ve got to eat it too.

Let’s just hope he checks the recipe.

colin kaepernick October 24, 2018
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There’s more to the beef between Eric Reid and Malcolm Jenkins

This past Sunday as NFL teams suited up for week seven, the Philidelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers featured a match-up far more intriguing than what was featured on any pre-game stat sheet.

As captains from both teams stepped onto the field for the coin toss, Eagles nine-year vet and Superbowl champion safety Malcolm Jenkins (who was, by the way, in fact, a chosen team captain) and Panthers newly mid-season signee, Eric Reid (who was not supposed to be on the field at all), got into a pretty visible on-field confrontation.

While the confrontation didn’t escalate to anything physical, Eric Reid’s comments after the game suggested that their point of contention was far from being resolved, saying to reporters after the Panther’s win that Jenkins was a “neo-colonist” and a “sell-out.”

You don’t have to have a degree in African-American studies or be a football savant to know that the issue between the two had nothing to do with the game that day.

The beef between the two safties dates back to Reid splitting from Jenkins’ Players Coalition after the organization struck a deal with NFL to stop anthem protest if the NFL donated $90 million to organizations supported by the players.

Reid was an early supporter of the movement started by Kaepernick that had players sitting or kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem to protest systemic racism in the United States, following Kaep’s lead and filing a grievance through the NFLPA, accusing NFL owners of colluding to avoid giving him a contract.

Jenkins’ group and the NFL agreed to a deal but Reid also wasn’t happy Kaepernick was excluded from meetings on the issue. Reid, 26, said after the game,

“We believe a lot of players should have stepped up for Colin. I believe Malcolm capitalized on the situation. He co-opted the movement that was started by Colin to get his organization funded. It’s cowardly. He sold us out.”

Clearly there was a bone Reid had been wanting to pick with Jenkins for a while and found his teams week seven match-up as the perfect opportunity — which is why the issue is more complicated than right or wrong. Yet that hasn’t stopped sports media.

First Take’s Stephen A Smith says he doesn’t “appreciate what Eric did” because of the language he used and High Noon’s Bomani Jones admits not being comfortable even discussing the altercation because “people listening don’t care about the underlying issues.”

And that’s the underlying issue: two men with separate means of change.

It’s not as simple as Malcolm Jenkins vs. Eric Reid because they actually want the same thing: a better NFL and attention to issues that disproportionately affect those that look like them.

It isn’t the solution, per say, that’s keeping the two safeties from seeing eye to eye as it’s the ideology, and, from the names called to the nature of the feud, it has an eerie similarities to Malcolm and Martin.

Pitting these two black men against each other, even if they themselves have strong disagreements, is not beneficial or productive to the cause we’re all striving for.

It’s not about right or wrong or what looked appropriate or what was the politically correct thing to do as much as it’s about figuring out how best to solve a common problem without losing allies in the process.

The coalition Jenkins founded fractured in November 2017 when Eric left the group and Kaepernick and Reid are still in a legal battle against the NFL claiming owners blackballed them from the league — so both sides still have no tangible victories to foresee.

What we’re doing by instigating the feud between Jenkins and Reid is playing the lazy game of blame instead of peeling back whats obviously multi-faceted and nuanced issue causing more harm than good. For now, let’s not pick sides but strive towards strengthening numbers.

colin kaepernick December 1, 2017
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Why the NFL paying players to stop protesting is just a charade

The NFL and the Players Coalition has reached a $90 million settlement to assist in player activism, donating to causes “critically important to African-American communities.”

Yet the player protests are still not resolved and many players are left unhappy with the decision.

Eagles safety Michael Jenkins and free agent wide receiver Anquan Boldin founded the NFL Players Coalition as a solution to solve the ongoing dispute between its constituent parties and the NFL owners.

Since then, players have been working together to dispel the willful blindness that is being demonstrated by a majority of the NFL owners, the majority of its fans, and sponsors. For most of us we all know that the NFL is all about their bottom $$$$$ line.

49ers safety Eric Reid says he’s no longer a part of the Players Coalition and is speaking out against the move because he feels that it is solving nothing.

“Malcolm did text me this morning asking if we would be comfortable ending our demonstrations if the NFL made a donation,” Reid said Wednesday.

“At that point, that was the last straw for me. He had a conversation with the NFL. We agreed that multiple people would be part of the conversations with the league so it just wouldn’t be him. He didn’t stand by his word on that. At no point did we ever communicate an agreement with the NFL to end the protest.”

Reid, who is former teammates and good friends with the man that began the whole movement, Colin Kaepernick, says that Kaep was kicked out of the coalition.

Reid isn’t alone in his decision to leave the Players Coalition.

Chargers tackle Russell Okung and Dolphins safety Michael Thomas all announced on Tuesday they have withdrawn from the group as well.

There’s clearly a feeling that the coalition is unsatisfactory amongst certain players with the way things got handled Thursday. Truth is, this whole thing has been about the bottom line. $100 million sounds like a pay out.

Basically telling NFL players “here’s a 100 Million reasons why you should find an alternative cause that somehow doesn’t affect both our bottom lines.”

Jenkins and co. are perhaps thinking about finding a solution to the way the protests are being handled.

On the other hand Eric Reid and others don’t seem to share the same enthusiasm, with good reason. I mean what does a $100 million for charity do for the issue at hand?

Reid states,

“It hasn’t been brought to ownership yet. It’s not real,” he said. “I give kudos to the NFL for wanting to step up and help us with regard to systemic oppression. I question their intent behind it. I personally think they just want the protests to end because it’s hurting their bottom line.”

Dump Hudson GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

Jenkins says that the cause remains the same but Reid maybe feels that no amount of monetary value can solve the issues that exist in America. This battle stretches far beyond monetary gain.

But Reid is now claiming that the donation is nothing but a charade. Despite risking his career and potentially being blackballed by the NFL, just like Kaepernick, he told Slate via CBS Sports,

“In the discussion that we had, Malcolm (Jenkins) conveyed to us — based on discussions that he had with the NFL — that the money would come from funds that are already allocated to breast cancer awareness and Salute to Service.

“So it would really be no skin off the owners’ backs: They would just move the money from those programs to this one.”

The injustice of disenfranchised groups in our society, particularly for the African-American community, is not just going away.

Reid’s party wants to end systematic oppression and give back to disenfranchised communities, which in all is a good deed, the disagreement is how to go about doing it.

Jets linebacker Demario Davis seems to have no issue with how the coalition is handling things stating that,

“The Coalition has been a very solid group, as far as I’ve been concerned,” Davis said.

“Everything’s been positive. Talks between leadership, which is Anquan and Malcolm, and ownership, and it’s been very positive. We hope we make leeway in the negotiations and how we can get things done the best way to help the community.”

Maybe there is a long term solution to this, maybe there isn’t, but the short term solution for now is a $100 million to a charity of choice.

But does this throw all the progress and impact from the protests down the drain?

colin kaepernick October 23, 2017
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Kaepernick’s case claims that NFL owners and Trump have been plotting on him

Colin Kaepernick’s collusion case against the NFL may rely on the words of President Trump.

The former 49ers quarterback filed a grievance complaint against the NFL last Sunday, and while many have noted that the manner in which Kaepernick remains unemployed is wrong on a basic level, his legal team has to prove that NFL owners have actively colluded against him.

Kaepernick’s grievance ascertains that NFL owners have mutually agreed not to employ the quarterback:

“During the 2017 NFL season and continuing to the present, the NFL, by and through all NFL team owners, NFL employees, and team employees, have entered into and enforced, implied and/or express agreements to specifically deprive Claimant Colin Kaepernick from employment in the NFL, as well as from practicing with and/or trying out for NFL teams for which Mr. Kaepernick is eminently qualified.”

Trump’s role in all of this stems from comments he made at a rally in Alabama back in September when he called players who protest during the national anthem “sons of bitches” that should be fired. Trump continued to tweet about player protests, calling out commissioner Roger Goodell for “trying to justify the total disrespect of certain players show to our country.”

Kaepernick’s grievance specifically cites Trump’s comments as well as Vice President Mike Pence’s staged walkout a couple weeks ago. The quarterback’s complaint points to owners that “have been quoted describing their communications with President Trump, who had been an organizing force in the collusion.”

When Jerry Jones ordered his players to stand, Trump tweeted his support for the decision, claiming that he had spoken to the Dallas Cowboys owner about player protests.

This is a notable development in Kaepernick’s case against the NFL. He has to be able to prove that NFL owners have conspired against him to keep him out of the league.

Looking around the league and seeing the type of quarterbacks that are currently starting, it would appear that Kaepernick’s case is pretty solid on merit, but proving that owners actively plotted against him may prove difficult.

Kaepernick’s complaint claims that it is a “statistical impossibility that Mr. Kaepernick has not been employed or permitted to try out for any NFL team since the initiation of his free agency period.”

A statistical impossibility indeed.

Colin Kaepernick is vastly superior to a majority of starting quarterbacks in the NFL, this is a fact.

If he can prove that NFL owners, with the input of President Trump, have come together in order to keep him out of the league it will be a massive legal victory for the quarterback who once came within one play of winning the Super Bowl.

colin kaepernick October 16, 2017
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Colin Kaepernick makes his fight official, files grievance against NFL owners

Colin Kaepernick has filed a grievance against the NFL under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Citing collusion by NFL owners, Kaepernick and his attorney Mark Geragos, are requesting an arbitration hearing on the matter.

Mark Geragos, who has represented Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Winona Ryder, released a statement claiming that the NFL’s treatment of Kaepernick “harkens back to our darkest days as a nation.” Geragos also cited partisanship and the president’s behavior as “political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government” in the statement.

Geragos wrote in full:

“If the NFL (as well as all professional sports teams) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest — which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago — should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government. Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation. Protecting all athletes from such collusive conduct is what compelled Mr. Kaepernick to file his grievance.

“Colin Kaepernick’s goal has always been, and remains, to simply be treated fairly by the league he performed at the highest level for and to return to the football playing field.”

Up until now Kaepernick was fighting his battle with the NFL in the court of public opinion. This move changes that and signifies the first step in what could become a long, protracted legal battle between Kaepernick, the NFL Players Association (which has signified their intention to help the quarterback), and NFL owners.

Kaepernick is officially going toe-to-toe with NFL owners, a group of some of the richest and most powerful people in the world.

This is a big first step in making his feud with NFL owners official, but it’s most likely just the beginning of a case that will hopefully give us some sort of conclusion to this saga.

colin kaepernick September 20, 2017
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Jay-Z turns down offer to perform at Super Bowl after dedicating song to Kaepernick

Jay-Z has reportedly turned down an offer to perform at the 2018 Super Bowl.

This news comes on the heels of Jay-Z’s performance at The Meadows Festival in Queens this weekend where Jay-Z dedicated a performance of “The Story of O.J.” to Colin Kaepernick.

As the beat kicked in, Jay told the crowd that he wanted to shoutout Kaepernick, as well as the late comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory, and everyone fighting to overcome obstacles. Jay-Z said,

“I want to dedicate this song to Colin Kaepernick tonight. I want to dedicate this [song] to Dick Gregory. I want to dedicate this song to anyone that was held back and you overcame.”

It’s not a stretch to link Jay-Z’s refusal to perform at the Super Bowl and his support of Colin Kaepernick. Many Kaepernick supporters and activists on the left have called for a boycott of the NFL over the blatant blackballing of Kaepernick over his political and social stances.

Although these protests are directed at the NFL as a whole, it’s individual teams, and their billionaire owners, that are keeping Kaepernick out of the league. I’m not one to miss any opportunity to level criticism against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, but this situation isn’t exactly his fault.

Regardless, it’s notable that Jay-Z just straight up said no to the NFL as opposed to maybe working a civil rights message into any performance. At the 2016 Super Bowl, Jay’s wife Beyonce unleashed a powerful performance dressed in all black leather, paying homage to the Black Panthers and Black Lives Matter movement.

The NFL has some serious PR problems on its hands. Between the Kaepernick fiasco, the ugly Ezekiel Elliott saga, and more scientific studies about the dangers of the game, Roger Goodell has a constant stream of new headaches to deal with.

Yes, I will be tuning in on Sunday but it does feel like this is a solid and deserved dose of karma for Goodell and the powers that be at the NFL.

colin kaepernick September 7, 2017
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Roger Goodell says he’s ‘not a football expert’ when asked about Kaepernick

Since August 14, 2016 Colin Kaepernick has been branded a villain for choosing to kneel during the pre-game national anthem.

The former 49ers QB has been one of the few athletes to directly speak out on police brutality against people of color and has made many contributions to the cause such as his Million Dollar Pledge, which entails donating $100,000 a month for 10 months, as well as sending all the proceeds from his 2016 jersey sales to various organizations in oppressed communities.

Since sitting out the national anthem in protest of the violence unjustly committed by the police, Kaepernick has received backlash from those who believe he was disrespecting the country and its flag. He’s been called a cry baby and unpatriotic for his actions all the while keeping composure and continuing to push his message.

Since the end of the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick has been unemployed. No NFL team seems to have interest in the quarterback although his colleagues firmly believe he is a better player than many starting quarterbacks and should absolutely be on a team.

Today, Roger Goodell, the NFL’s commissioner of 11 years appeared on the sports show First Things First to talk about everything football, including the Colin Kaepernick situation. Goodell has been the head of the NFL world for 11 years now, he should have a great viewpoint on whether or not Kaepernick should be playing this season, right?

Nope. 

When asked if, based on his previous season, Kaepernick good enough to make an NFL roster, the COMMISSIONER OF THE NFL responded,

“One thing I do as a commissioner is, I don’t make those decisions. I’m not a football expert.”

This side-stepping response from Roger Goodell is a perfect example of how political racial issues will continue to be seen in big business like the NFL.

For the NFL commissioner to say that he isn’t a football person when approached with challenging issues regarding race just goes to show that Kaepernick’s woes will continue to go unanswered until it directly affects those in power.

It’s clear that after 11 years working in the NFL you’d be able to know if a player was good or not and dodging the question by feigning ignorance as an excuse isn’t acceptable on this side.

I will continue to support Collin Kaepernick and his fight for equality and education.

Visit his website kaepernick7.com for details on how much he’s done for the cause and how he plans to continue challenging the status quo.

colin kaepernick September 6, 2017
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Las Vegas police messed with the wrong dude in Seahawks’ Michael Bennett

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett posted a long letter on social media describing being aggressively assaulted by Las Vegas police officers after the Floyd Mayweather Conor McGregor fight.

Bennett wrote that after the fight there was what sounded like gun shots and a brief moment of panic as people began to run. Suddenly the 6’4″, 275 pound Bennett found himself being pushed to the ground and cuffed by police officers.

The letter goes on to say that an officer pointed a gun at Bennett’s head and threatened to “blow his fucking head off” if Bennett moved. TMZ has obtained video of part of the encounter.

Bennett concluded that he will be hiring John Burris, a civil rights attorney based out of Oakland, and filing a civil rights lawsuit.

It would seem that Las Vegas PD fucked with the wrong dude. Yesterday, The Undefeated published a long feature on Bennett’s social activism, which goes far beyond just sitting out during the national anthem.

While hosting a camp at a Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, Bennett was also there to learn about the fight for equality of our Native populations. Bennett told The Undefeated,

“I believe in the connection of people. It’s the connection of oppressed people around the world, of different colors, different cultures and not just thinking what you’re going through is the most important thing.”

Bennett had some interesting shit to say about the racial dynamics in the NFL and the lack of high-profile white players stepping up and taking part in protests or speaking out about the racial inequality in the country. He imagined a world in which Tom Brady was outspoken about police violence against people of color,

“I think the biggest problem in the NFL is that we have to be able to get the biggest people involved in the issues. Every day a white quarterback throws the ball to a black receiver, but when it comes to Black Lives Matter issues, they won’t step up and be like, ‘There is an issue.’ Could you imagine if Tom Brady was to say what happened to Philando Castile was a tragedy? How would that change America if Aaron Rodgers was to say, ‘Black lives do matter’?”

Aaron Rodgers told ESPN The Magazine last week that he’s “100 percent supportive” of anyone protesting the national anthem and seems to understand the social issues in the country. Rodgers said of those staging protests, “They have a battle for racial equality. That’s what they’re trying to get a conversation started around.”

The crucial word here is “they.” Rodgers obviously didn’t meant any malice, quite the opposite, but it goes back to Bennett’s point that white players with massive profiles speaking out would change the conversation. In America, “we” have a battle for racial equality, and it takes everyone, regardless of skin color, recognizing that issue and acting upon it to effect change.

Bennett sees an opportunity to get the biggest stars in the sport together to change things for the better:

“Imagine me, Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick, Aaron Rodgers, Greg Olsen, my brother [Martellus Bennett] just sitting on stage and being like, ‘We’re tired of what’s going on in America. We want to fight for women’s equality. We want to fight to make sure that minority kids feel like they have a place. We want to challenge our brands and our leagues to make sure this is happening.’ People are going to fall in line. It’s going to be the biggest thing that ever happened.”

If it weren’t such a tragedy, there would be some irony in the fact that Las Vegas police harassed and assaulted one of the most outspoken athletes in the world.

Bennett has a platform to speak out against police brutality and racism in America, he has millions of dollars, he’ll be able to hire one of the best lawyers in the country, but many people who are abused by the system do not.

Hopefully the biggest players in the league, and people around the country, heed Bennett’s call.