Wednesday, September 27, 2017

SPORTS TEAMS PROTEST AFTER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S REMARKS

During Week 3 of the 2017 NFL season, many teams took a knee or showed signs of protest.

On Friday, Sept. 22 president Donald Trump held a rally in Alabama. According to BleacherReport.com, "President Donald Trump held a rally Friday night in Alabama ahead of the state's Sept. 26 primary election, and he didn't shy away from commenting on the NFL's television ratings and players who have decided to protest social injustice during the national anthem.

"NFL ratings are down massively," Trump said, according to CNN's Brian Stelter. "Now, the No. 1 reason happens to be that they like watching what's happening...with yours truly."

Speaking of anthem protesters, Trump asserted he would like to see owners take charge and cut those players from their respective teams: "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.'"

With that statement, it started off a firestorm of reactions across the NFL. The prior week, only six players protested the national anthem, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In the NFL owners and management protested alongside their teams. Owners and teams locked arms or took a knee while the National Anthem was played.

Many teams also came out with releases supporting the protests and for standing up for what they believe in and what they think was the right thing to do.

Other sports teams also took notice.

On Saturday, Sept. 23, Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell, took a knee during the national anthem. According to Gabe Lacques, of USA TODAY Sports, Maxwell, who hinted at such an action earlier in the day, knelt during the national anthem before Saturday night's 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers.

Maxwell, a 26-year-old catcher from Alabama, composed several tweets Saturday in the wake of President Trump's comments Friday night to "fire the sons of bitches " in the NFL who kneeled for the anthem. Kaepernick's protest was conceived in the wake of social injustices and the shooting of unarmed African Americans by law enforcement.”

During the WNBA playoffs, on Sunday, Sept, 24 according to the Swish Appeal, “Expressing their solidarity with the nation, the Los Angeles Sparks were not present on the court during the national anthem prior to tip-off of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals.

The Minnesota Lynx elected to be on the court and linked arms with one another.”

In my own thoughts, for the leader of our nation to come out and criticize a whole group of sports teams and calling them “Sons of Bitches” isn’t right on any level.

I think that people should be able to protest any injustices that they feel that they should be able to do. I also think when sports teams get involved in the protests it brings it to a whole new level. The reason is because athletes are looked up to as role models and when they band together and make a statement people with listen. How people respond to athletes taking a stand on the national platform will be shown on how they respond to different situations. 

As I have said before when I wrote about this issue last year, “The fight for justice will continue on and off the field/courts around the country.”

I also think what gave this motivation was that here you have the leader of our country coming out and calling a group of people, “Sons Of Bitches” has some really negative effects on the whole country.

Athletes are people also, they have feelings and they are active members of their communities and leaders as well. People look athletes and will continue to do that.

I know that high school teams from not only Minnesota but around the country have also taken notice. High school teams have “Taken a knee” before games across the state. Players and coaches have talked about this topic at length.

It will be interesting in seeing where these protests are headed and what forms and what teams are protesting and for how long now.

Just know I support what these teams are doing. #TAKEAKNEE


Friday, September 22, 2017

SMB WENT UP AGAINST WASHBURN IN A BOYS’ FOOTBALL GAME

SMB and Minneapolis Washburn went up against each other in a boys’ football game on Sept. 22, SMB is a cooperative sponsorship team between the high schools of Hope Academy, The Blake School, Minnehaha Academy, St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Going into the game both teams had a record of 2-1. The game was played at Washburn High School.

SMB kicked off to start the game. Washburn started on their own 17-yard line. Washburn’s Andrew Gotziaman started at quarterback. Washburn tried to use the running and passing attacks early. Washburn punted on 4th-and-8.

SMB took over on the Washburn 40-yard line. SMB got the ball into the hands of Jalen Suggs. Suggs was able to run the with ball and come up with first downs. Suggs also got the ball into the hands of his receivers. If Suggs thought that he had room to run, he would run and get yards on the ground. SMB looked to get into the end zone in the first quarter. Suggs came up with a 6-yard touchdown run with 6:00 left in the first quarter. The extra point attempt by Theo Crosby was no good. 

With 6:00 left in the first quarter the score was SMB 6, Washburn 0. 

Washburn took over on their own 20-yard line. Washburn got the ball into the hands of Jamar Nelson. Nelson came up with a 26-yard run for a first down. Washburn fumbled the ball and SMB took over on the Washburn 49-yard line.  

SMB’s Terry Lockett Jr. found holes in the Washburn defense. SMB fumbled the ball and Washburn took over on their own 32-yard line.  

Washburn’s Sir'Vell Miller came up with runs that produced first downs late in the first quarter. 

Washburn took a timeout with 1:00 left in the first quarter. The score was SMB 6, Washburn 0. 

Washburn’ s Jamar Nelson also came up with huge runs for first downs. 

After one quarter of play the score was SMB 6, Washburn 0.  

Washburn turned the ball over on downs. 

SMB’s Suggs could get through the Washburn defenders and come up and make big plays. Suggs found Terry Lockett Jr. for first downs. Suggs found Lockett for a 48-yard touchdown reception. The two-point conversion was no good. 

With 9:09 left in the second quarter the score was SMB 12, Washburn 0. 

Washburn took over on their own 39-yard line. Washburn kept the ball on the ground late in the second quarter. Washburn was picked off by SMB’s Noah Hanson on the 29-yard line. Suggs kept the ball in his hands as he could get past the Washburn defense and come up with big plays. 

Washburn called a timeout with 6:11 left in the second quarter. The score was SMB 12, Washburn 0.

SMB’s Siegel Howard came up with a 30-yard run that set up a Suggs 1-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was good.  

With 5:54 left in the second quarter the score was SMB 20, Washburn 0. 

Washburn took over on their own 35-yard line. Washburn’s Jamarien Wheeler came up with a first down catch. Washburn punted on 4th-and-14.

SMB took over on their own 21-yard line. SMB kept the ball on the ground late in the second quarter. SMB’s Craig McDonald came up with a huge reception for a first down. 

At halftime, the score was SMB 20, Washburn 0. 

Washburn kicked off to start the third quarter. SMB recovered it on the 48-yard line. Suggs found Alexey Koeckeritz for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was good. 

With 10:58 left in the third quarter the score was SMB 27, Washburn 0. 

Washburn took over on their own 20-yard line. Washburn couldn’t move the ball down the field and they punted on 4th-and-20. 

Howard continued to move the ball down the field. He could get through the defense. SMB’s Suggs came up with a 10-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was good. 

With 4:45 left in the third quarter the score was SMB 34, Washburn 0. 

Washburn punted the ball and on 4th down. SMB looked to get into the late in the third quarter. 

Washburn called a timeout with 2:03 left in the third quarter. The score was SMB 34, Washburn 0. 

Suggs found Lockett for a 20-yard touchdown reception. The extra point attempt was no good. 

With 1:01 left in the third quarter the score was SMB 40, Washburn 0. 


Washburn continued to try to move the ball down the field late in the quarter. 

After three quarters of play the score was SMB 40, Washburn 0. 

Washburn turned the ball over on downs. 

SMB kept on pounding the ball down the field in the fourth quarter.

SMB was too quick for Washburn. Lockett and Suggs came up with big plays throughout the game. 

Washburn couldn’t get their offense going and couldn’t get into the end zone. Both teams played hard. 

SMB came away with the 40-0 victory over Washburn.

 

Sunday, September 17, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST WENT UP AGAINST PROVIDENCE ACADEMY IN A FOOTBALL GAME

On Sept. 15, Minneapolis Southwest and Providence Academy squared off in a football game. Providence kicked off to start the game. Providence’s Maxwell Anderson found Taylor Meissner for a 28-yard touchdown reception with 5:22 left in the first quarter.
After one quarter of play the score was Providence 7 Southwest 0.
Providence used mostly a running attack. The Southwest defense stepped up and Providence punted on fourth-and-short.
Southwest took over on the Providence 34-yard line. Southwest lost yards and was turned over on downs. Providence took over on their own 44-yard line.
The football changed hands multiple times throughout the first half. Providence’s Justin Mason came up with runs that became first downs.
Providence called a timeout with 1:08 left in the second quarter. The score was Providence 7, Southwest 0.
Providence fumbled the ball and Southwest came up with it.
At halftime, the score was Providence 7, Southwest 0.
Southwest kicked off to start the third quarter. Providence started on their own 34-yard line. Providence used both their running and passing attack in the third quarter.
Meissner continued to come up with huge runs for first downs. Southwest’s Dakota Michael Caige Vallone recovered a fumble on their own 45-yard line. Southwest punted on fourth down.
Providence took over on their own 19-yard line. Providence moved the ball down the field late in the third quarter.
After three quarters of play the score was Providence 7, Southwest 0.
Providence fumbled the ball and Southwest recovered it on their own 30-yard line. Southwest got everyone involved in the offense. They used different passing and running plays as they wanted to confuse the Providence defense.
Jayzee Brown found Levi Wilson for a 46-yard touchdown reception. The extra-point attempt was no good.
With 7:50 left in the fourth quarter the score was Providence 7, Southwest 6.
Providence’s Jeff Ekior came up with a 53-yard run to the Southwest 2-yard line. Ekior came up with a two-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was no good.
With 5:15 left in the fourth quarter the score was Providence 13, Southwest 6.
Southwest took over on their own 43-yard line. Southwest couldn’t come up with a first down and they punted on fourth down.
Providence ran out the time the last 15 seconds of the game.
In a game that saw the ball change hands quite a few times and a very competitive game Providence came up with the 13-6 victory over Southwest.