Tag: Black Lives Matter

Cowboys News: Elliott helped force Goodell’s hand; Gallup, Cooper excellence shines through

The Dallas Cowboys news for June 5, 2020 including Michael Gallup, Tyrone Crawford, The Black Live Matters movement and more

The Dallas Cowboys continue their quest for a sixth Lombardi trophy this season. Today, take a look in on wide receiver Michael Gallup along with hype surrounding the new look defense being lead by defensive coordinator Jim Tomsula. Amari Cooper, he’s really good at what he does.

There is a lot going in the world bigger than football though, bigger than the Cowboys and bigger than sports as a whole.  If a global pandemic wasn’t enough to throw a wrench in the world of sports’ plans for 2020, more police brutality has resulted in the death of yet another Black man in America. Since this tragic event, peaceful protests on social injustice have been prominent across the country and coming with that, unfortunately, are violent riots and looting.

Ezekiel Elliott joins fellow stars in the NFL in a very powerful video shared to the world, forcing the reluctant NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to echo words of support for Black Lives Matter.

Two years ago, the Cowboys started to have a conversation about the social injustice that happens every day in America. On Friday, 11 days after Floyd’s murder, the players broke the organization’s silence.

Cowboys’ Elliott among Black NFL stars in iconic video calling out league on police-brutality response :: The CowboysWire

Some of the biggest names in the NFL speak out in a powerful video sent out to the world. It was an iconic statement of high impact, demanding the league account for their role in silencing peaceful protest against brutality for the years leading up to the events of the past two weeks.

 

The video, which it turns out was made by NFL media employees without the initial consent of the league.

 

Inside NFL players’ Black Lives Matter video, and how it forced Goodell’s hand :: The Athletic

Jourdan Rodrigue went behind the scenes with the NFL employee responsible for setting up the video, and how day after day of the league’s inaction after a shallow public statement dismayed and infuriated many of the league’s employees. It led Byrndon Mintor to want to do more, reaching out to the Saints’ Michael Thomas who went on a recruiting rampage to organize players. His first call, former Ohio State teammate Ezekiel Elliott.

The end result, Roger Goodell was forced make a public statement of support for Black Lives Matter. Chess.

Michael Gallup has done almost everything right. He needs to do one more thing. :: The Athletic

He was a top-50 talent who fell to 81st in the 2018 draft. And despite an 1,100-yard sophomore season as a Cowboy, Michael Gallup still seems to be flying under the radar. That’s due in part to the household names he shares the WR room with in Dallas… but it’s also because the Colorado State product needs to clean up an issue with frequent drops.

Cowboys film notebook: Breaking down Amari Cooper’s sluggo mastery :: Dallas Morning News

The incomparable John Owning is back at it again, showing the nuance of football skill in fine detail. Here he looks at Cooper’s famous sluggo route, which he identified to Cowboys Wire last season was his absolute favorite to run.

Four impressive stats that will have Cowboys fans excited about the addition of Jim Tomsula :: Blogging the Boys

Mike McCarthy gets the spotlight, but his coaching hires may end up being the star, particularly along the defensive line. When you look at team sack rankings, making good playing great, turning collective talent into team success, and shutting down opponents’ run attacks, Jim Tomsula stands to bring the D back to Dallas in a big way.

Nine NFL bandwagons to hop aboard in 2020: Bills, Bucs top list :: NFL.com

It’s hard to think America’s Team needs to put out the call for new fans, but Adam Schein says now may be a good time to get on the ‘Boys’ bus. He calls Mike McCarthy’s hiring “one of the most significant moves of this offseason” and thinks “Dallas’ loaded offense is going to sizzle.”

Cowboys’ Tyrone Crawford hasn’t been run out of town, so he might as well ball :: The CowboysWire

The veteran defensive lineman will be returning to play for a new defensive coordinator in 2020. Here’s an inside look on why he will make the most of it.

2020 backup QB rankings: Where does Cowboys’ Andy Dalton land? :: Inside the Star

Cooper Rush and Mike White didn’t exactly instill truckloads of confidence in fans’ minds over recent seasons. But, oh, how quickly things can change. The Cowboys suddenly find themselves with- according to this list- the best backup quarterback in the league with the signing of the three-time Pro Bowler.

Summer scouting: 2021 offensive line :: Blue Chip Scouting

It’s never too early to start building the big board, and offensive line is always a place to add as much depth as possible. Get a leg up on learning the names of hot collegiate prospects like Penei Sewell, Samuel Cosmi, Trey Smith, and Jackson Carman.

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Watch: Roger Goodell releases video message on racism, oppression and players protesting

In a video message released on Friday night, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell outlined his support for the protests of his players.

On Thursday evening, a number of NFL players released a collaborative video addressing the death of George Floyd and the numerous other names the American collective has learned due to horrific circumstances. In the video, players also stated what they wanted to hear from the National Football League. Among their concerns, was an understanding of the systemic oppression facing African-Americans to this day, as well as the acknowledgement that black lives matter.

Friday afternoon, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell responded.

In a short video statement, the commissioner addressed the camera, his players, and the country:

Goodell does hit some strong points in this video. In addition to the acknowledgement of the systemic racism still facing African-Americans, and the declaration that black lives matter, he also states that the league supports peaceful protest, along with Goodell’s declaration that he “personally protest[s] with the players.” The commissioner highlights that there would be no league without African-Americans, and that the protests we are seeing across the country are “emblematic of the centuries of silence, inequality, and oppression of black players, coaches, fans and staff.”

The commissioner went on to declare that “we are listening, I am listening, and I will be reaching out to players who have raised their voices and others on how we can improve for a better and more united NFL family.”

Of course, Goodell’s video message has to be viewed through the context of history. Back in 2017 when the pregame protests were again on the national stage, the commissioner seemed far too eager to simply move on from the issue. In an interview he gave with Bloomberg News in November of 2017 Goodell stated that “[w]We want to get to a point where we can actually make positive change, because people come to our stadiums to have fun, to be entertained, not to be protested to. I’ve been clear about this. The anthem, respect for our flag is really important, so I want to see players stand. Players repeat over and over again this isn’t about disrespect for our flag or military or our veterans. And I believe them. But they also have to understand that it is interpreted much differently on a national basis.”

In this video message, however, Goodell seems to move beyond this. He outlines how he not only supports their protests, but is in fact protesting with them. Time, of course, will tell how far the commissioner goes with his protesting.

Two words, in many eyes, were missing from the statement.

Any discussion of the pregame protests inevitably circles back to the man that started them, Colin Kaepernick. The quarterback continues to be on the outside of the league looking in, and if a team were to take the step of signing him, it might go a long way towards showing that the league really is listening to its players. Goodell’s failure to mention Kaepernick in his message is not going to sit well with a majority of players, in all likelihood.

However, it seems that the commissioner and the larger NFL community are actually listening to the players who are speaking out, rather than focusing on the method chosen to bring awareness to these issues. Again, back in 2017 the focus was on the act of kneeling – an act people often forget was suggested by Nate Boyer, a former Green Beret, after meeting with Kaepernick – and not the underlying message.

Goodell’s statement, along with so many others we have seen this week, seems to indicate that he has finally heard the deeper message.

 

Watch: Michael Thomas coordinates emotional video against racial inequality

Michael Thomas joined his New Orleans Saints teammate Marshon Lattimore and some of the brightest young stars in the NFL for a video asking the league to take a stand against systemic racism, inequality, and police brutality against black men that …

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Michael Thomas joined his New Orleans Saints teammate Marshon Lattimore and some of the brightest young stars in the NFL for a video asking the league to take a stand against systemic racism, inequality, and police brutality against black men that look just like them. And ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Thomas was a key figure in organizing it.

Thomas spoke first in the video by stating, “It’s been 10 days since George Floyd was brutally murdered. What if I was George Floyd?” A list of players including Patrick Mahomes, Ezekiel Elliott, Odell Beckham Jr., and Tyrann Mathieu followed up by asking the same question, highlighting a list of victims killed during arrests or while in police custody.

It’s a passionate tribute towards a situation that has obviously weighed heavily on their minds. Thomas publicly sparred with Saints quarterback Drew Brees after Brees criticized peaceful protests from supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, but later thanked Brees for apologizing and encouraged others to stay focused on creating real change for the better.

See it for yourself:

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NBA 2K users held a virtual protest with ‘Black Lives Matter’ shirts

There are now virtual protests too.

Protests after the death of George Floyd have happened and continue all over the United States, around the world and — now — virtually, too.

On Thursday, NBA 2K stopped play online from 2 to 4 p.m. ET during the memorial service for Floyd in Minnesota, and players took to the areas where they could roam online donning “I Can’t Breathe” and “Black Lives Matter” shirts offered by the game for those who wanted to wear them.

The result? You can see players coming together for protests, marches and tributes in videos shared on social media.

Here are a few we found from Thursday:

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Jay Monahan: ‘What has happened here is not right, and we’re going to be part of the solution’

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Harold Varner III addressed the Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

For the first time since George Floyd was killed May 25 in Minneapolis, and protests began to flood cities across the nation, the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan addressed racial disparity in the United States.

The Tour had not commented publicly until Friday, when it released video of a conversation between Monahan and Harold Varner III about race and golf. Monahan said instead of a public statement, he wrote and sent a letter to Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing the racial tension and inequality in the United States. The Tour also released Monahan’s letter to Tour personnel on Friday.

In his conversation with Varner, Monahan said he spent the past week listening and learning what it meant to be part of the solution to racial inequality in America instead of being part of the problem.

“For me, I spent the weekend last weekend calling around to my black colleagues and black friends, people that I thought that I could really learn from and I, at that time, I felt vulnerable,” Monahan said. “I didn’t understand in a world where people say, ‘If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.’ I didn’t understand what the solution was in the short term, but I was committed to make certain I was part of identifying it as supporting it. So for me stepping back and trying to listen to those people that have been affected was the best place to start.”

As the Tour plans to play its first event since March, when the season was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, Monahan said the Tour will restart its season committed to diversity, inclusion and doing what’s right.

“What has happened here is not right and we’re going to be part of the solution. Let’s open up our discussion,” Monahan said. “Let’s make certain that we are listening to our players, listening to our colleagues and let’s do this the right way.”

In his conversation with Varner, Monahan admitted that in many ways, the PGA Tour has been stable for a long time, but not growing. He said he wanted the Tour to use this moment in history to commit to growing and diversifying the sport.

In return, Varner, who became one of the first Tour players to speak following Floyd’s death when he released a statement Monday, asked Monahan if the commissioner thought the Tour had been working to promote diversity and access to the sport before Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

“I think we’ve been trying for a long time,” Monahan said.

“That’s where I struggle,” Varner said. “I think it’s just really damn hard. Because if it was so easy, why wouldn’t we do it?”

Varner said while few of the golfers on the course are black, he’s encouraged by the Tour’s commitment to diversity because there are plenty of black people behind the scenes who are essential to the success of every Tour event. He said in an attempt to promote black voices in golf, he wants them to be more visible and to be heard.

“There (are) black people that make (the Tour) run every day,” Varner said. “I just don’t know how else to explain it. It’s why I’ve never worried about the PGA Tour. I worry about the golf part, yeah. I think most of it has to do with access, but I think that’s in any color, race, but I’m going to do my part for black people because there’s other people who gave me access.”

Varner leads the HV3 Foundation which gives back to children who will benefit from increased access and opportunity in golf. The foundation provides financial assistance for equipment, after-school programs, instruction and camps for young athletes.

Monahan and Varner also agreed the timing of the rise in Black Lives Matter protests and demands for social justice could not be better even though the calls for social and political reform come while the globe is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.

“You think about what we’ve been through since we left each other on Friday of the Players and you have COVID-19, which is a situation that we didn’t create. Then you have this racial and social unrest which is a situation we did create,” Monahan said. “I’ve had people tell me, ‘Gosh, what terrible timing.’ … And actually it’s really good timing because people have more time right now to reflect on what has happened, both looking back and looking at what’s currently happening, and to the point you’re making, we’re the greatest country in the world and we overcome and this is an opportunity for us to unite and for us as a sport as we come back to play. Sport is the ultimate uniter.

“It’s the ultimate source of inspiration… I think as we move forward, we move forward with more awareness and a commitment to be a great representative for what’s right.”

The PGA Tour returns Thursday at Colonial Golf Club with the Charles Schwab Challenge.

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Kenny Goins speaks at Michigan State candlelight vigil

Former Michigan State Basketball player Kenny Goins spoke at a candlelight

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Kenny Goins is known most famously for hitting a game-winning shot against Duke in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, sending his team to the Final Four. Now, Goins is giving voice to a righteous cause that goes far beyond basketball.

Last night, there was a gathering at The Rock on Michigan State’s campus for a candlelight vigil. Goins not only attended the vigil but also spoke to the crowd.

Here is a piece of what Goins said, per Kyle Austin of MLive:

“Change doesn’t happen overnight,” Goins said. “It might not even happen in one lifetime, as many people know. But change happens every single day, and it’s because of people like us.”

The vigil last night was organized by the Michigan State University National Pan-Hellenic Council. Right before this vigil, MSU coaches gathered with athletic department members to paint The Rock with the “Black Lives Matter” phrase along with “RIP George Floyd”.

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NFL issues 2nd statement, now acknowledging Black Lives Matter

The National Football League has now issued a second statement on racial injustice, finally acknowledging Black Lives Matter.

In light of the recent protests calling out racial injustices around the country, the National Football League – like many other large businesses and organizations – issued a statement. For many, the message was not strong enough. Here’s a look at the league’s first try.

 

After considerable backlash for what some considered empty words, on Thursday, the NFL issued a second statement in a series of tweets, this time, acknowledging that Black Lives Matter.

“This is a time of self-reflection for all – the NFL is no exception,” the first tweet read. “We stand with the black community because Black Lives Matter.”

“Through Inspire Change, the NFL, Players and our partners have supported programs and initiatives throughout the country to address systemic racism,” read tweet No. 2. “We will continue using our platform to challenge the injustice around us.”

And finally: “To date we have donated $44 million to support hundreds of worthy organizations. This year, we are committing an additional $20 million to these causes and we will accelerate efforts to highlight their critical work. We know that we can and need to do more.”

What “more” the NFL plans to do remains unseen, but for now, let’s hope it’s a step in the right direction.

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LeBron James shares video of police hurting elderly man: ‘If you’re not angry, you’re part of the problem’

“If you’re not angry, you are part of the problem,” LeBron James went on to say on Twitter on Friday morning.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James continued his pledge that will he will continue to be “louder than ever” as protests continue in the streets of basically every major American city. LeBron has used his massive platform on social media to shine a light on police brutality and peaceful protests. That continued into Friday morning, only a day after LeBron James called out Fox News host Laura Ingraham. James shared a video that went viral late Thursday night from Buffalo, New York, where a police officer shoved an elderly man off balance, causing him to bleed out of his ear. James wants to make sure, no matter what color you are, this gets you angry, or he said, you are part of the problem.

In the nearly two weeks since the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, protests have continued to rage and the police response in many cities has been aggressive, with tear gas, flash grenades, and rubber bullets used against protesters.

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Patriots owners pledge $1 million in local donations to social justice causes

“Our eyes, ears and hearts are open.”

The New England Patriots released a statement earlier this week addressing the longstanding racial injustices in this country. The statement came shortly after the killing of George Floyd — which sparked the nationwide conversation about systemic racism and police brutality.

Robert Kraft and his family backed that statement up on Friday by pleading $1 million in donations to social justice causes. The donations will go “to local grassroots organizations — chosen in collaboration with Patriots players — that are fighting for equity, working to end systemic racism and creating meaningful change in our community.”

The money will be by dispersed for the next 10 months and will be in sums of $100,000. The Patriots said each organization will be invited to Foxboro to gain further knowledge and open up more conversations about the topic.

“Change always begins with listening and learning,” the Patriots said. “These organizations will be invited to speak to our executive staff and senior management across the Kraft Group businesses so we can learn about their work and continue to grow in knowledge and awareness, especially among those in leadership positions.”

On Thursday, the Patriots shared a video that included Stephon Gilmore — giving a powerful message to the NFL.

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Jay Monahan releases letter to PGA Tour personnel on George Floyd’s death, social injustice

Jay Monahan released a letter to PGA Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing social injustice and how to proceed as a “Tour family.”

On Friday, the PGA Tour publicly addressed the topics of social injustice and the Black Lives Matter movement which is growing across the globe.

As part of the Tour’s first public reaction to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 and resulting protests, Commissioner Jay Monahan and Harold Varner III conversed for nearly 12 minutes in a video posted by the PGA Tour.

Monahan said earlier in the week, he released a letter to Tour staff, players and tournaments addressing social injustice and how to proceed as a “Tour family.” The PGA Tour plans to resume its 2020 season Thursday at Colonial Country Club for the Charles Schwab Challenge. The PGA Tour season was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The following letter was written by Monahan and sent to PGA Tour staff, players and tournaments this week and posted by the PGA Tour on Friday morning.

A time to communicate and search for answers

This past weekend, I – like many of you, I’m sure – spent a lot of time trying to understand and process the civil unrest that has engulfed many cities across the United States, following the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The hardships and injustices that have and continue to impact the African-American community are painful to watch and difficult to comprehend. And as a citizen of this country and a leader of this organization, I must admit that I’m struggling with what my role should be. But I am not giving up.  

I’ve often heard that if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. What can I say? What should I do?

I’m certain many of you are asking those same questions.

In the midst of that confusion, as usually happens, the PGA Tour family steps up to shine a light of perspective and compassion. First, I had several meaningful and emotional conversations this weekend with colleagues and friends in the African-American community, who – once again – showed me that sometimes listening and making a commitment to understand are the only things you can offer, and that’s OK. And I learned that two of our PGA TOUR YOU groups – CORE and HONOR – took it upon themselves to work over the weekend on a unified message … reminding all of us at the TOUR of our shared values, offering help for those who may need it and providing perspective on how to be there for each other as we navigate this incredibly complex and painful issue, together. 

What I was left with was this: make no mistake about it – someone you know and care about is hurting right now, even if they haven’t told you that directly (and, of course, our work-from-home, socially distant way of living right now is not helping the cause). And if anyone at the Tour is hurting, we should all hurt. That’s how a family works.  

To that end, please also spend a few minutes on THIS ARTICLE that expresses an important and powerful viewpoint from the African-American community, not only in relation to the recent tragic headlines, but also the fear and sadness created by the inequality and racism that still presides in the 21st century. Too often we just move on when we are not directly influenced by the news of the day. Yes, we have all been impacted by the global pandemic, but we should also be painfully aware and impacted by the dividing lines in our country.

We might not know exactly what to do right now, but we shouldn’t be deterred. We should communicate and learn. We should talk to our family, friends and colleagues in an open and compassionate way. We should grow as individuals and as an organization. And, most importantly, we should demand better.   

Jay Monahan