Tag: JSO

Podcast: Jags march for Black Lives matter, Dave Caldwell’s top-5 worst picks

In episode 19 of the “Bleav in the Jags” podcast, Phil and James compiled a list of Caldwell’s worst draft picks and the latest in team news.

After a week off, Jags Wire contributor Phil Smith and I got back in the booth to record another episode of the “Bleav in the Jags” podcast. To follow up our last episode where we looked at Dave Caldwell’s best draft picks, we wrapped up our two-part series by previewing his five worst in episode 19.

However, before getting into our main topic, Phil and I discussed the monumental march that took place off the field as the Jags protested for the Black Lives Matters movement Friday. We also discussed Shad Khan’s essay against racism and what we’d like to see from him going forward to help against the battle inequality.

All of that and more was tackled in our latest podcast!

Feel free to listen to the archived episodes of “Bleav in the Jags,” too, and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

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Leonard Fournette links up with Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry, police during protest

It was another monumental day for the Jags off the field after Leonard Fournette organized another peaceful protest for Downtown Jax.

Tuesday marked another monumental day for the Jacksonville Jaguars off the field as running back Leonard Fournette organized a protest with teammates and key figures in the city, including mayor Lenny Curry and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Fournette informed the public of the process last week and eventually set the time for 10 a.m. ET, and like the protest his comrades had last Friday, things went fluidly.

Fournette’s protest comes as many athletes have stepped up to speak for the black community (and minorities in general) after the death of George Floyd, who was a victim of police brutality. In the process of being detained, Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was seen in a disturbing video kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes. Despite Floyd declaring that he couldn’t breathe several times, Chauvin continued to kneel on his neck and it resulted in his tragic death.

Chauvin and officers Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng, and Tou Thao, who were also on the scene for the detainment, were all charged. Chauvin received second-degree murder (was initially third-degree) and manslaughter charges, while his accomplices received aiding and abetting charges on the counts that Chauvin received.

As previously mentioned, Fournette’s protest marked the second by a Jag representative. Friday, the organization gathered a group of about 300 that included players (present and former), coaches, front office personnel, and more for a march from TIAA Bank Field to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office down the road.

When they arrived at the police precinct, former Jags player-turned-police officer Ernest Wilford, running backs coach Terry Robiskie, and Chris Conley all shared powerful messages about racism and coming together. Conley’s message especially seemed to garner the attention of local officials as a nearby Confederate monument was removed before Fournette’s protest after Conley made mention of it Friday.

The teammates who joined Fournette on Tuesday included linebacker Myles Jack, running back Ryquell Armstead, safety Ronnie Harrison, and receivers Keelan Cole and Conley, to name a few. It was one of many showings by NFL athletes which involved the players personally protesting with the public.

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Doug Marrone encourages community to translate competitive energy into combating racism

Doug Marrone and his team got together Friday for a march, which symbolized a step towards fighting racism in America.

With all the recent lives that have been lost due to police brutality, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone knew his team had to rally and become part of a potential solution. That said, they huddled (virtually) and concluded that marching together through the city would be a great start.

Friday, the team met at TIAA Bank Field and marched to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office just down the road. The idea was one originally brought up by running backs coach Terry Robiskie, who has long been a friend of Marrone and marched for the same issues in the late 1960s.

When the team arrived at the sheriff’s precinct, Robiskie shared a powerful message about sticking together. He also discussed how the Jags’ support for his suggestion was unlike any he’s seen since becoming a coach.

After returning to their facility, Marrone made a statement to conclude the march, declaring that people in a position like him can make a huge impact by stepping back and listening to their black comrades and the black community. He also discussed what he believes will be the key to fighting racism — and that’s attacking it with an athlete’s mentality towards winning.

“When you are talking about sustaining [the approach against racism], you are talking through having adversity in the season, you are sore, you are hurt, there is job security [stress], all of that stuff – as far as your performance,” Marrone said. “That distracts from something that we all have to believe, which I do believe is much more powerful than the sport and try to use.”

“I think of the players that we have and the meetings that we have and how competitive our sport is. Our competitiveness is always to win. I’m talking about anyone that has played, whether you’re black or whether you’re white. I think that we need to channel that type of competitiveness and win this movement. If we attack this movement like we attack and compete as athletes, I think we have a hell of a chance.”

As we previously mentioned when Shad Khan made his statements about racism, fans feel his actions will ultimately speak for him heading forward. If the organization attacks the issue consistently as Marrone said, it would be a huge step in the nation’s battle for equality and speak volumes for Khan.