NBA issues memo urging teams to stand for the national anthem
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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-nba-issues-memo-urging-teams-stand-national-anthem-023852614.html
On the eve of the NBA’s first preseason games, the league office issued a memo to all 30 teams stressing an existing rule requiring personnel to stand for the national anthem and suggesting alternative ways for players to express their political and social views, per ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe.
The memo comes at the end of a week in which President Donald Trump rescinded a White House invitation to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors and used the term “sons of ? ” to describe NFL players who follow former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s lead of kneeling in protest of racial inequality, social injustice and police brutality during the national anthem.
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Trump’s remarks prompted widespread protests across the NFL this past weekend and elicited harsh words from NBA players, coaches, executives and owners earlier in the week, including LeBron James, who called the president a “? ” and even suggested people who voted for him were “uneducated.”
The outrage was so emphatic that it appeared the NBA was united in its stance against Trump and others who believe players kneeling during the anthem are doing so in protest of “the flag” or the military that defends it, when in reality they are using that platform as an expression of their first amendment rights to shine a light on the racism and injustices that have divided the country.
So, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about it at Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting.
“We have a rule that requires our players to stand for the anthem,” he said. “It’s been a rule as long as I’ve been involved with the league, and my expectation is that our players will continue to stand for the anthem.”
Prior to last season, after several high-profile players at the ESPYs called for political action in the wake of a series of police-involved shootings, there was some question as to whether NBA personnel would follow Kaepernick’s lead in kneeling. Instead, a number of teams interlocked arms during the anthem in an effort to demonstrate unity and remain within the league’s guidelines for conduct.
Silver expressed hope that players would continue to conform, and Friday’s memo reflected that.
“I have a concern as an American how divided our country is,” the commissioner said on Thursday. “We don’t live in isolation. We’re a country that faces extraordinarily difficult, complex global issues, and the fact that we’re so divided puts us at a huge disadvantage on the global stage.
“So in terms of our players and coaches, they have the same rights as all American citizens, and there is freedom of expression in this country. Ultimately, I believe our fans respect that. I don’t think our fans would ultimately want to be part of a system where there were consequences for what you’re describing as, in essence, core political speech. If you look at the origins of the First Amendment, there is probably no more pure speech than that which is political.
“Again, if they choose to express it, I think what’s important is they do it in a way that is respectful to our fans, respectful to people. They have these alternative platforms in which they can express their point of view.”
The league office laid a few of those alternative platforms out in the memo, according to Lowe, suggesting players communicate their concerns either through a pregame address or pre-packaged Jumbotron video in addition to continuing to participate in community outreach programs.
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Lowe also reported that there is a segment of owners who have expressed concern about how player protests and statements regarding the president might put off fans on the other side of the aisle.
Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said.
It’s almost as if the players are holding up a mirror to a segment of society, and some fail to see that opposing protests against racial inequality is just another example of discrimination. If nothing else, the protests are proving Kaepernick’s original point — racism exists in this country, and it’s a problem.
The NBA just hopes those protests come in the form of public statements and community outreach rather than during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” That might be the league accepting the fact that some people are so protective of the anthem and the flag that they can’t get past any perceived disrespect of either to actually consider rectifying the injustices that led people to kneel in the first place.
Asked on Thursday if he would consider fining players who do not stand for the national anthem, Silver told reporters, “All I can say is if that were to happen, we’ll deal with it when it happens.”
To which National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts responded, via The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears on Friday evening, “I don’t like to play the ‘what if’ game. I’ll just borrow Silver’s language: ‘We, too, in the event discipline is imposed, will deal with it.'”
On the eve of the NBA’s first preseason games, the league office issued a memo to all 30 teams stressing an existing rule requiring personnel to stand for the national anthem and suggesting alternative ways for players to express their political and social views, per ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe.
The memo comes at the end of a week in which President Donald Trump rescinded a White House invitation to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors and used the term “sons of ? ” to describe NFL players who follow former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s lead of kneeling in protest of racial inequality, social injustice and police brutality during the national anthem.
[Now’s the time to sign up for Fantasy Basketball! Join for free]
Trump’s remarks prompted widespread protests across the NFL this past weekend and elicited harsh words from NBA players, coaches, executives and owners earlier in the week, including LeBron James, who called the president a “? ” and even suggested people who voted for him were “uneducated.”
The outrage was so emphatic that it appeared the NBA was united in its stance against Trump and others who believe players kneeling during the anthem are doing so in protest of “the flag” or the military that defends it, when in reality they are using that platform as an expression of their first amendment rights to shine a light on the racism and injustices that have divided the country.
So, NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about it at Thursday’s Board of Governors meeting.
“We have a rule that requires our players to stand for the anthem,” he said. “It’s been a rule as long as I’ve been involved with the league, and my expectation is that our players will continue to stand for the anthem.”
Prior to last season, after several high-profile players at the ESPYs called for political action in the wake of a series of police-involved shootings, there was some question as to whether NBA personnel would follow Kaepernick’s lead in kneeling. Instead, a number of teams interlocked arms during the anthem in an effort to demonstrate unity and remain within the league’s guidelines for conduct.
Silver expressed hope that players would continue to conform, and Friday’s memo reflected that.
“I have a concern as an American how divided our country is,” the commissioner said on Thursday. “We don’t live in isolation. We’re a country that faces extraordinarily difficult, complex global issues, and the fact that we’re so divided puts us at a huge disadvantage on the global stage.
“So in terms of our players and coaches, they have the same rights as all American citizens, and there is freedom of expression in this country. Ultimately, I believe our fans respect that. I don’t think our fans would ultimately want to be part of a system where there were consequences for what you’re describing as, in essence, core political speech. If you look at the origins of the First Amendment, there is probably no more pure speech than that which is political.
“Again, if they choose to express it, I think what’s important is they do it in a way that is respectful to our fans, respectful to people. They have these alternative platforms in which they can express their point of view.”
The league office laid a few of those alternative platforms out in the memo, according to Lowe, suggesting players communicate their concerns either through a pregame address or pre-packaged Jumbotron video in addition to continuing to participate in community outreach programs.
[Follow Ball Don’t Lie on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr]
Lowe also reported that there is a segment of owners who have expressed concern about how player protests and statements regarding the president might put off fans on the other side of the aisle.
Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said.
It’s almost as if the players are holding up a mirror to a segment of society, and some fail to see that opposing protests against racial inequality is just another example of discrimination. If nothing else, the protests are proving Kaepernick’s original point — racism exists in this country, and it’s a problem.
The NBA just hopes those protests come in the form of public statements and community outreach rather than during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” That might be the league accepting the fact that some people are so protective of the anthem and the flag that they can’t get past any perceived disrespect of either to actually consider rectifying the injustices that led people to kneel in the first place.
Asked on Thursday if he would consider fining players who do not stand for the national anthem, Silver told reporters, “All I can say is if that were to happen, we’ll deal with it when it happens.”
To which National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts responded, via The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears on Friday evening, “I don’t like to play the ‘what if’ game. I’ll just borrow Silver’s language: ‘We, too, in the event discipline is imposed, will deal with it.'”
Comments
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i wonder if they did this for hockey or cricket
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Someone will kneel
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I've seen warm up t shirts saying black lives matter on the court.
Thing is this is becoming a deflection of it being about the flag/anthem instead of the real reason: injustice -
The NBA under commisioner Silver and the NFL cant be compared when it comes social issues. The NBA does more in the community and is always in the forefront when it comes to change.
Most importantly, under Silver, the NBA lets is star players have a voice and as a whole the NBA acknowledges that our society has issues.
With that said, if ? wanna sit, they should sit, but I personally will give Silver and the NBA the benefit of the doubt and wait to see what their actual reaction to someone kneeling or which ever form of protest a player takes before killing the NBA. -
I dont remember anyone taking a knee last season. Dont expect them to this season
They did that lock arms ? tho -
Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said.
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I mean, they suspended Abdul-Rauf when he sat in the 1990s. Refused to let him play, straight up.
I really wanna see them try that after Lebron & CP3 sit 2 days before a nationally televised Cavs/Rockets game -
Swiffness! wrote: »I mean, they suspended Abdul-Rauf when he sat in the 1990s. Refused to let him play, straight up.
I really wanna see them try that after Lebron & CP3 sit 2 days before a nationally televised Cavs/Rockets game
That was David Stern tho.
Doubt Adam Silver would do that -
Sadly it tink they will fall inline and players will come up with some ? cop out i hope im wrong
Im tired of white people telling black people how to protest.. compromise shouldnt be a part o the fight
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Well, this IS the same league that was afraid of Iverson braids and tall tee's so ...
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Adam has won some fascist support w/ this move... -
? THE ANTHEM.
They got us thinking the protest is the end goal. -
The $40 Million Dollar Slaves saga continues. SMH
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Stand for what?
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It's happening y'all. Violation of our amendment rights.
Two Victory & Praise Christian Academy football players were kicked off the team for protesting during the national anthem at a game Friday night.
Cedric Ingram-Lewis raised his fist while cousin Larry McCullough knelt during the anthem ahead of the team's game against Providence Classical. -
They was always supposed to stand
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The same Dan Gilbert that barked at LeBron like a master losing his slave after he left to go to Miami? That Dan Gilbert?Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said. -
The same Dan Gilbert that barked at LeBron like a master losing his slave after he left to go to Miami? That Dan Gilbert?Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said.
Hes probly tryna get brownie points so LBJ dont leave next yr -
You know he is. You know he meant that ? when he said it.
The same Dan Gilbert that barked at LeBron like a master losing his slave after he left to go to Miami? That Dan Gilbert?Now is probably a good time to mention that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told CNBC on Friday morning that he received the “most vile, disgusting, racist” voicemails following LeBron’s criticism of Trump. “There’s an element of racism in this country that I didn’t realize existed,” he said.
Hes probly tryna get brownie points so LBJ dont leave next yr -
This ? is frustrating.
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so if this is in the first amendment....
for someoneto try to censor your right ...i think you have a case.
it should be alot of lawyers looking into this -
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Swiffness! wrote: »I mean, they suspended Abdul-Rauf when he sat in the 1990s. Refused to let him play, straight up.
I really wanna see them try that after Lebron & CP3 sit 2 days before a nationally televised Cavs/Rockets game
They suspended him for 1 game for doing it and then he agreed to keep his head down and he would recite a prayer during the anthem -
? memo
