By discussing whether the quarterback’s national anthem protest is unpatriotic America is failing to confront police brutality, profiling and racial inequalityA few nights ago the University of Florida law professor Katheryn Russell‑Brown watched four commentators on ESPN debate Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for the United States national anthem. For several minutes the men argued about whether the San Francisco 49ers quarterback was right in using the anthem to shed a light on racial inequities in their country. They spoke of soldiers away at war, veterans who died and the meaning of the US constitution. The debate raged until Russell-Brown finally realised the one thing they had not discussed were the issues about which Kaepernick is protesting. Related: Take heart,...
The Vikings and Green Bay renew their rivalry, while the Bengals will aim to go 2-0 at the Steelers. Plus, take part in our tipping contestNeither Super Bowls, nor frivolous NFL prediction games are won in September. Veteran participants in our Pick Six contest will know that one strong week can easily melt away into a midseason mess of analysis paralysis and unjustifiable faith in Chip Kelly. But there is a certain special kind of glory that comes with calling all six games correctly on the opening weekend. And it is only made better by knowing that nobody else achieved the same. So step forward, stephentheaardvark, take a bow and give the little people a wave. And then get back...
Almost 157,000 people flocked to Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend – but it was to watch college football, not cars. Can Nascar rediscover its glory days?For the first time this year, the big bowl of silver grandstands at the race track that hugs the Tennessee-Virginia state line was packed. Last weekend, nearly 157,000 people flocked to Bristol Motor Speedway, just like the old days – a spectacle, for sure. The big difference was that they were not there to watch a stock-car race, but a college football game. Tennessee raced past Virginia Tech on a field that had been built in the infield of the oval race track. Bristol is so enormous that some fans said that the players were...
Sick of players parking the bus and playing for a draw? Then maybe it’s time to start making sure they feel the wrath of the referee for sitting backCristiano Ronaldo and Hope Solo are – how shall we say this politely? – divisive characters in world football. Both attracted ire this summer when they attacked their opponents for a lack of adventure. Solo called Sweden “a bunch of cowards” after they ground their way to a penalty shoot-out victory against the defending champions, USA, at the women’s Olympic football tournament. And at Euro 2016, Ronaldo launched the biggest attack on Iceland since the Cod Wars when he disparaged the tactics of everyone’s favorite plucky underdogs. “When [Iceland] don’t try to...
Davis Love III stressed team chemistry when naming his first three USA wildcards and Bubba Watson is a lone wolf but he should be considered for the fourth spot at HazeltineIf you pay attention to subliminal messages, things don’t look good for Bubba Watson in a Ryder Cup context. Not only was the two-times Masters champion surprisingly omitted from Davis Love III’s first three wildcard picks for the United States team, there wasn’t much from the captain to suggest Watson will get the nod when it comes to the fourth.Love didn’t name Watson at all when setting out his plans for Rickie Fowler, JB Holmes and Matt Kuchar at Hazeltine. He completely played down the notion that big hitting will...