Coach supports players’ protest
Rosenthal praises athletes who knelt during anthem.
For the second week in a row, a small group of Austin High football players knelt during the national anthem that preceded their team’s high school football game at House Park.
Before the playing of the anthem Thursday night, six Maroons stood behind their teammates gathered on the east sideline. Four dropped to a knee at the start of the anthem while facing the American flag flying beyond the south end zone. They were flanked at each end by standing teammates who interlocked arms with them.
Across the field on the west sideline, a group of McCallum cheerleaders also knelt during the anthem for the second straight game.
After the game, Maroons coach Mike Rosenthal made his first public comments about the public protests by his players.
“I’ve talked with each and every one of those kids, and we’ve discussed the issues, positive and negative,” he said. “I’m really proud of them. They stand up for their values, and I support them with their values.”
Appearing at a campaign rally in Alabama for a failed U.S. Senate candidate on Sept. 22, President Donald Trump called for NFL owners to fire players who knelt during the national anthem before games to protest racial injustice and police violence.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired,’” Trump said at the rally.
In the wake of Trump’s remarks, every NFL team offered some sort of demonstration in advance of games Sept. 24 and Sept. 25.
A year ago, San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
Rosenthal, who played for nine seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman, is in his sixth season of leading the Maroons. He said he has talked to his players about taking action in the community in addition to protesting before games.
“It’s not enough to just kneel,” Rosenthal said. “We’ve got to go in the community, and we’ve got to do something about it. Let’s go to a rec center, let’s go to a kindergarten, let’s be role models, and let’s get out there and really do some good and really do some change.”
Rosenthal said a specific service activity involving his team hasn’t been set yet, but he has tasked the group of players who have chosen to protest with coming up with an activity that the Maroons can carry out and rally behind.
“I think you’re fooling yourself if you think in this country there’s not an issue and a divide,” Rosenthal said. “The beauty of the football locker room is guys from every demographic, socioeconomic (status) and race come together for a common cause.
“You unite in that locker room, and that’s where the world is pure.”