STORYLINE & RULES » the sides of his head because he says it makes h

By now youve heard about San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand for the national anthem. He has said hell continue to sit until he sees a significant change in the treatment of people of color in our country.Reactions to Kaepernicks protest have been swift and strong, with many seeming to condemn the act without bothering to listen to the motivation.Some complained about him criticizing a country that has afforded him the opportunity to make millions of dollars playing football. Kaepernick said hes not speaking for himself but for those without a platform: Ive been blessed to be able to get this far and have the privilege of being in the NFL and making the kind of money I make and enjoy luxuries like that. I cant look in the mirror and see other people dying in the street that should have the same opportunities that Ive had and say, you know what, I can live with myself.Others have claimed that Kaepernicks act was disrespectful to U.S. troops. Kaepernick said he has great respect for our military, which has had his family and friends among its ranks. They fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. Thats not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isnt holding their end of the bargain up.Ever since the story broke Friday night, it seems everyones been eager to give a take. NFL coaches and players -- including Drew Brees -- have weighed in with their criticisms of the act, the message or both. Some players have said they support his message, but not the forum.The NFL communitys discussions about Kaepernicks actions stand in stark contrast to the responses many players and coaches have given when asked about domestic abuse in the NFL. Some players reacted strongly to the video of Ray Rice knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator. Some said theyd rather not have Greg Hardy in their locker room after photos surfaced of his then-girlfriends visible bruising the night of his alleged assault. But for the most part, when asked about incidents of domestic violence -- even those documented in photos or video -- players stay mum or claim they dont have enough information to criticize.Dr. Eric M. Carter, an associate professor of sociology at Georgetown College in Kentucky, spoke to the New York Times about the relative silence among pro athletes when it comes to hot-button issues like the Rice video. Why dont we see more collective action among athletes? said Carter. Because theyve got too much to lose individually, or at least they perceive they have too much to lose individually.Carter interviewed over 100 players for his 2009 book, Boys Gone Wild: Fame, Fortune and Deviance Among Professional Football Players and said job security is a big reason players keep quiet. I think its part of that We all have short careers, weve got to get what we want right now mentality. Weve got to protect ourselves, in that sense, Carter told the Times. Maybe it comes off as protecting their teammates, which is what we would all like to think, that theres this real social bond that exists among these guys, but maybe not so much as youd think.Were seeing that again now with Giants kicker Josh Brown, who has been suspended one game after a May 2015 arrest on a charge of assault in the fourth degree/domestic violence, for which he was suspended one game by the NFL on Wednesday. Browns ex-wife told police that he had been physically violent with her in more than 20 instances over the past several years.Said Giants defensive end Jason Pierre Paul: Were all family around here. People have their own problems to handle. Hes still our brother and we look past it.Said Giants QB Eli Manning: I dont think there is a whole lot to say. To the team, if Josh wants to say something, he can explain his case. I dont know a whole lot of details about what happened. I know hes been suspended and thats about all I know.Said Giants guard Justin Pugh: Obviously, you have to be there for your teammate. I dont want to get too into it because I dont know all the details ... but all we can do is support our teammate and make sure were there for him.Pugh did get into the Kaepernick situation, though, tweeting about how hell be sure to stand for the anthem.Ben McAdoo, who said shortly after taking over the Giants head-coaching gig that he wouldnt tolerate domestic violence, has made one statement on Browns abusive incident: I do support Josh as a man, a father and a player.Yet McAdoo had plenty to say about Kaepernicks protest on Monday, including this: Id be disappointed if one of our guys chose not to stand. Kaepernick speaking up for those without a voice is disappointing, but Brown earns McAdoos full support. Huh.It may not be surprising that while Browns coach and teammates are unwilling to speak out against him, no one else in the league has criticized the Giants, either, for re-signing their kicker to a two-year deal.Back in 2014, even Kaepernick himself played the not my business card when asked about the release of teammate Ray McDonald the day it was learned he was being investigated on suspicion of sexual assault. McDonald had previously been investigated for domestic violence.Hes a good friend to a lot of people on this team. No one thought bad of him, Kaepernick said then. Hopefully its just a misunderstanding. ... I understand why the team did what it did. Other than that, its not my business.Violence against women, like racial oppression, should be everyones business. And we should be able to talk freely about these issues.The fact that players are jumping at the chance in 2016 to speak out about Kaepernicks protest proves its not just about the desire to keep quiet for the sake of job security. The key is whether theyre willing to listen to the disenfranchised, be it a survivor of domestic abuse or a target of police brutality.I look forward to the day when people stand up and demand justice for people with the same passion they display in defending symbols. After all, whats the point of defending the American flag if youre not invested in protecting the very people it represents? Whats the use in defending the freedoms our anthem promises if youre not willing to listen to those who arent truly free?Standing for the anthem is easy because its expected. Loving your country enough to want to make it better is real patriotism. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Jerseys Paypal .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. http://www.authenticnfljerseys.net/ .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Wholesale NFL Jerseys Authentic . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. China NFL Jerseys . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast.ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Manny Ramirez didnt waste any time getting in the swing of things in his latest bid to return to the big leagues. The 41-year-old slugger hit the first pitch he saw for a single in his debut for Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, three days after joining the Texas Rangers on a minor league contract. Facing a top Kansas City pitching prospect in right-hander Yordano Ventura of Omaha, Ramirez hit a soft line drive to right field leading off the second but was stranded there. He grounded into a fielders choice to end the third -- again hitting the first pitch. With the cheers growing louder for each at-bat, Ramirez struck out swinging on a 94 mph fastball from Ventura to end the fifth. He walked against reliever Michael Mariot in the eighth and was taken out for a pinch-runner. "The future is greater than the past," Ramirez said after the game. A kinder, gentler Ramirez says he feels no pressure and has no timeline two years after his last appearance in the majors with Tampa Bay. The 12-time All-Star who once forced his way out of Boston and twice was suspended for testing positive for banned drugs said before the game he was "so happy to get a chance to play the game I love." "We all do a lot of things when we are young, but if you can make it through the fire, you are changed, made better and readdy for anything else," said Ramirez, who was sporting much shorter dreadlocks after getting them cut to conform with Texas minor league rules.dddddddddddd He shaved the sides of his head because he says it makes him feel cooler in the Texas heat. Ramirez retired rather than face a 100-game ban in his second suspension when he was with the Rays in April 2011. He served a 50-game ban for a positive drug test while with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2009. The lifetime .312 hitter was in Los Angeles because he forced his way out of Boston, where he won two World Series. He didnt want the Red Sox to pick up the option on his contract so he could sign a more lucrative deal elsewhere. While Ramirez is 14th on the career home run list with 555, he has just 28 since the start of 2009 because of injuries and the drug suspensions. He was 1 for 17 without a homer for the Rays when the drug suspension hit. A comeback attempt with Oakland last year failed. Ramirez recently finished a three-month stint in Taiwan. He hit .352 with eight homers and 43 RBIs for the Rhinos, but wanted to return to his family in New York and then put out the word that he preferred to play either in the U.S. or Japan. "I am just happy, my wife is happy," Ramirez said. "I am working very hard and well see where it goes. But it is a fun ride." ' ' '