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Wednesday 16 august 2017

Goodell: Have to understand other side in anthem protests

By JOSE M. ROMERO holder “since Day 1,” said
Associated Press the commissioner “beat
GLENDALE, Arizona (AP) — around the bush” on the
Asked about players who issue. He said he’d like
did not stand for the na- Goodell to take a tougher
tional anthem before pre- stance.
season games, NFL Com- “The thing is, all he (Lynch)
missioner Roger Goodell has to do is stand up for
said Monday that while two minutes and he can
the playing of the anthem still have whatever beliefs
is a special moment to him, he wants. Go with what
“we also have to under- looks good for the game
stand the other side.” and to the people,” Olson
Goodell made the com- said. “He (Goodell) makes
ments at University of rules and, ‘You do this, you
Phoenix Stadium during a do that,’ why can’t he just
45-minute question-and- say ‘You stand up. You can
answer period with Arizona believe what you want or
Cardinals club seat hold- do what you want. Just
ers. One season ticket- stand up like a man.’”
holder, Bruce Olson, asked Goodell also addressed
the commissioner whether other issues:
players were going to con- NFL football Commissioner Roger Goodell talks with Arizona Cardinals season ticket holders dur- — On starting the season
tinue to protest during the ing an event at University of Phoenix Stadium ,Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. with a major star suspend-
anthem and if anything Associated Press ed, as is the case with Cow-
could be done about it. boys running back Ezekiel
“It’s one of those things fore the preseason opener back Marshawn Lynch sat ing any of the players, said Elliott, who is out for six
where I think we have to against the Los Angeles on a cooler during the an- other players are taking the games after the league in-
understand that there are Chargers on Sunday, a them Saturday night on the platform they have into lo- vestigated accusations of
people that have different decision he made before field at University of Phoe- cal communities to create domestic violence against
viewpoints,” Goodell said. weekend protests by white nix Stadium. Los Angeles dialogue toward positive him: “You never like to see
“The national anthem is supremacists in Charlot- Rams defensive end Robert change. that happen. That’s not
a special moment to me. tesville, Virginia. Bennett Quinn raised a first before “Protest to progress is what something good. Those
It’s a point of pride. But we has said that the aim of his team’s game. I call it, and we all have things are dictated by cir-
also have to understand his protest is to make peo- The fact that former San to recognize that if we cumstances. We do every-
the other side, that peo- ple uncomfortable. In the Francisco 49ers quarter- want to see change, let’s thing we can to make sure
ple do have rights and we process, he hopes to spur back Colin Kaepernick is go out and try to make we’re enforcing our poli-
want to respect those.” greater communication, still looking for a team to that change happen in a cies and holding the stan-
Seattle Seahawks defen- understanding and involve- play for after his kneel- peaceful and important dards to the highest level.
sive end Michael Bennett ment across racial, gender down protests last season is way,” Goodell said. That’s an unfortunate part
sat on the visiting bench and socio-economic lines. also still a hot topic. Olson, who described of that, but that’s what you
during the anthem be- Oakland Raiders running Goodell, without mention- himself as a season-ticket do.”q

Union appeals Cowboys RB

Ezekiel Elliott’s 6-game suspension

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL sure that the NFL is held to blasted Commission Roger
Players Association has ap- its obligation of adhering Goodell’s ruling, saying the
pealed Dallas Cowboys to principles of industrial league “cherry-picked”
running back Ezekiel Elliott’s due process under the col- evidence to reach its con-
six-game suspension over lective bargaining agree- clusion.
the league’s conclusion ment.” A hearing with Goodell or
that its 2016 rushing leader The NFL suspended Elliott an arbitrator will be sched-
injured his former girlfriend last week after a yearlong uled within 10 days with a
in three separate incidents investigation into an Ohio decision “as soon as prac-
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott looks on from the last summer. domestic violence case ticable” after the appeal
sideline during the second half of a preseason NFL football The union said Tuesday it that prosecutors declined is heard, according to the
game against the Los Angeles Rams, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, will represent Elliott “to en-
in Los Angeles. to pursue. Elliott’s attorneys labor agreement. q