NFL to play Black anthem
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” will be performed live or played before “The StarSpangled Banner” prior to each NFL game during Week 1 and the league is considering putting names of victims of police brutality on helmet decals or jersey patches, The Associated Press reported Thursday.
The league is working collaboratively with players to recognize victims of systemic racism throughout the season in a variety of ways.
Additional plans include the use of educational programs and storytelling about the victims and their families similar to the league’s PSA on Botham Jean released in January and the Super Bowl commercial on Corey Jones featuring his cousin, former NFL star Anquan Boldin.
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” is traditionally known as the Black anthem. It’ll be played first when the Super Bowl champion Chiefs host the Texans to kick off the NFL regular season on Sept. 10.
The NFL announced last month it is committing $250 million over 10 years to social justice initiatives, targeting what it calls “systemic racism” and supporting “the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans.”
Following the nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell denounced racism in a video prompted greatly by a players’ video seeking NFL action.
FedEx, which has naming rights to the stadium in which the Redskins play, made a request that the team change its nickname. “We have communicated to the team in Washington our request that they change the team name,” FedEx said in a statement. Frederick Smith, the chairman, CEO and president of FedEx Corp., also owns a minority stake in the Redskins . ... ESPN reported that in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus, NFL teams likely will bring fewer than the regular 90 players they ordinarily bring to training camp whenever it begins.
Baseball: All 30 teams will train at their home ballparks for the pandemicshortened season after the Blue Jays received a Canadian federal government exemption to work out at Rogers Centre in Toronto. This exemption doesn’t cover the regular season and player travel between the U.S. and Canada. Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro said the team hopes to know within 10 days where it will play regular season games.
College football: Texas A&M was placed on probation and coach Jimbo Fisher given a six-month show cause order by the NCAA after the Aggies were found to have violated recruiting and other rules beginning in January 2018..
Golf: Doc Redman shot an opening-round 7-under 65 and grab a share of a onestroke lead with Scott Stallings and Kevin Kisner at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. The 22-year-old Redman closed with four straight birdies and seven over the last eight holes.