‘Just Do It’: Colin Kaepernick featured in 30th Anniversary Nike ad campaign

Over the weekend, the new Nike 30thanniversary ‘Just Do It’ ad campaign was revealed. The ad features former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick has been signed to Nike since 2011 but, has not played in the NFL since 2016. It is worth noting that Kaepernick is involved in an ongoing legal battle with the NFL, a long-time, trusted partner of Nike.

Kaepernick shared the ad on social media with the featured message: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

At the beginning of the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick was seen sitting during the National Anthem in an effort to raise awareness around police brutality and social injustice against people of color. Later in the season, he began kneeling instead of sitting, at the advice of Nate Boyer, a former U.S. Army Green Beret. Kaepernick has not been signed to a team since the end of the 2016 season.

Nike’s decision to endorse Kaepernick has garnered a range of emotional responses from fury and ire to recognition and validation. Angry consumers have posted videos on social media of their burning Nike gear. Other consumers are posting comments in support of the brand’s bold decision.

Although Kaepernick has been kept out of the NFL, he has remained silently vocal about equality for all. From keeping his $1 million donation promise to continuing his philanthropic work in oppressed communities, Kaepernick is doing what he set out to do when he first sat down on that sideline bench: shine a light on social injustice and inequality.

Trump cancels WH visit days after the NFL introduces new anthem policy

Trump cancelled the Philadelphia Eagles’ White House visit because his ego is hurt.

The Eagles were scheduled to participate in the annual tradition after winning the Super Bowl this past February. Several prominent players said they would not attend the ceremony.

And Trump took to Twitter with this message:

Screen Shot 2018-06-05 at 1.32.44 PM

Trump has repeatedly ridiculed athletes who do not stand for the national anthem, calling for them to be fired, suggesting they don’t deserve to be in this country and during a rally in Alabama in 2017 said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b*tch off the field right now! Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!'”

More recently, the NFL announced a new policy in regards to players protesting injustice while on the field. The policy requires players and personnel to stand if they are on the field during the performance of the national anthem. As addressed in Trumps’ tweet, the policy gives players and personnel the option to stay off the field if they choose not to stand.  The policy also states that the league will fine a club “if its personnel are on the field and do not stand and show respect for the flag and the anthem.

The language of the policy is misleading. To say, “stand and show respect,” implies that not standing is disrespectful. If not standing is disrespectful then what else is considered disrespectful? Is taking pictures with your friends during the national anthem disrespectful? Is ordering a beer during the national anthem disrespectful?

Furthermore, who is deciding what constitutes being respectful?

Between Trump’s statements and the white flag the NFL just threw out with this new anthem policy, it appears that Donald Trump is deciding what is respectful and what is not. In another tweet from Trump on Tuesday, “NFL, no escaping to Locker Rooms!,” it is clear that unless the NFL will blindly agree with him, they can never win.

“Ball” Out of Bounds

LaVar Ball, father of Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, has made headlines yet again.

While in Lithuania with his two youngest sons, LaVar sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Goodman  and criticized Lakers head coach, Luke Walton.

“Guys look like they don’t want to play but, that’s what I said, they probably want to play for him as hard as they can but, it’s going on what I see,” said Ball.

Ball’s middle son, LiAngelo, was suspended indefinitely by UCLA for his legal trouble in China so, LaVar pulled him from the University entirely. LaVar also pulled his youngest son, LaMelo, from Chino Hills citing issues with the new direction of the basketball program.  Both boys signed deals at the end of 2017 to play for the Lithuanian basketball team Prienu Vytautas.

Back stateside, players and coaches around the league have come to Walton’s defense.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma said, “it’s just a lot of white noise, in a sense. Luke is my guy, you know, I love playing for him. Sure most of us love playing for him too.”

Golden State Warriors coach and friend of Luke Walton, Steve Kerr said that LaVar Ball has become the “Kardashian of the NBA.”

Kerr expressed feeling horrible for Luke saying, “I’ve never had to talk to a parent who’s upset about playing time. I’m sure there are plenty out there, but they don’t have a voice in the NBA. But for whatever reason, we’re giving this guy a voice and Luke’s got to deal with it. It’s a shame.”

Undoubtedly, LaVar Ball waging war against Luke Walton puts Lonzo Ball between a rock and a hard place but, the rookie point guard aimed to give the media a neutral answer.

“I’ll play for anybody,” said Lonzo to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times. “My job is to play basketball. I don’t decide who coaches.”

The Lakers organization did not immediately respond to the suggestion that Luke Walton had “lost the locker room,” but Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Lakers team president Magic Johnson later tweeted their individual support for coach Luke Walton.

 

Screen Shot 2018-01-17 at 7.35.33 PMScreen Shot 2018-01-17 at 7.38.56 PM

 

The Lakers previously met with the Ball patriarch in an effort to get him to temper his criticism, but if this recent criticism confirms anything about LaVar Ball; he is strong in his opinions and insistent that those opinions are heard.

Throwback Thursday: Kobe’s 81-pt game

Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers star shooting guard, injured his right shoulder in the Wednesday night Lakers loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. An early MRI exam showed a tear of the rotator cuff. His return to Los Angeles will be followed by an examination by team doctors and an update on his condition will be given.

According to ESPNLA, in true Kobe fashion, he isn’t too worried about the injury saying, “I’ve played on a torn labrum before, I’m not too concerned about it.”

bryant_kobe_leaned_over_jx18vb92_kdmwyui8

Kobe Bryant, now 36, has had many, many successful years  in his basketball career. On this day, January 22, eight years ago, Bryant scored an amazing 81 points in the 122-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors. It is the second-most points scored in one game in NBA history, only Wilt Chamberlain (100) has scored more.

Check out the NBA.com video of Kobe’s every shot during that record breaking game.

I am dedicating this blog to my Kobe-loving man, who so kindly asked me to post about his favorite basketball player.

*I do not own the photo in this post. Please click for credits*