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A22 SPORTS
Thursday 9 March 2017
Column: Kaepernick and the end of anthem protests

TIM DAHLBERG a fairly easy one. She was
AP Sports Columnist left off the U.S. women’s
Colin Kaepernick is look- national team for a major
ing for work, after a season tournament this month and
more memorable for what while it was ostensibly be-
he did before the games cause she is still getting into
than anything he did while form after tearing an ACL,
in them. her protests certainly didn’t
What he’s not looking to help her cause.
do, according to multiple It is, after all, the U.S. nation-
reports, is to continue his al team. If you’re making a
national anthem protest living playing for your coun-
wherever he ends up. try, the case can be made
The more cynical might that you’d better stand up
suggest those two things for the national anthem.
are related. And they just “It is an honor to represent
might be, though Kaeper- the USA and all that we
nick has yet to publicly ex- stand for — to be able to
plain why he’s dropping a pull on the red, white and
protest that got so much blue to play a game that
attention last season that I love,” Rapinoe said in a
some blamed him for a statement. “I will respect
drop in NFL television rat- the new bylaw the lead-
ings. ership at USSF has put for-
Megan Rapinoe won’t ward. That said, I believe
be kneeling during the we should always value the In this Dec. 11, 2016, file photo, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stands in the
bench area during the second half of the team’s NFL football game against the New York Jets in
national anthem either. use of our voice and plat- Santa Clara, Calif.
The soccer player — who form to fight for equality of Associated Press
kneeled in solidarity with every kind.”
Kaepernick at a pair of na- For Kaepernick, it might racial and social injustice. Kaepernick Foundation, cial.”
tional team matches last also come down to em- It was probably the only and he has hosted “Know That Kaepernick has a right
year — says she will obey a ployment. He opted out of way he was going to cut Your Rights” camps for un- to protest is guaranteed
new U.S. Soccer Federation his contract with the 49ers through the clutter and get derprivileged children in in this country. That others
policy that says team play- and is now a free agent, a mainstream audience to the Bay Area. have a right to vehemently
ers “shall stand respect- though there are indica- notice what he was doing. He’s also been a longtime disagree with his platform is
fully” during the national tions he could return to But it was always going to supporter of Camp Taylor, also their right.
anthem. the team under a different be short lived. The shock a camp for kids with heart This was never Tommie
And just like that, the great deal. That the 49ers are in value wore off, and it lost disease. The year he was in Smith and John Carlos on
national anthem protest desperate need of a quar- its effectiveness. Other the Super Bowl, his father an Olympic medal stand
movement appears dead. terback is common knowl- players who joined in for a told me Kaepernick got on in Mexico City in 1968, a
It didn’t live long, a few edge. It’s also common week or two moved on to stage and sang for the kids stance that reverberated
months at best. Several knowledge that the 49ers other things, like trying to during a day he spent at throughout the nation. It
players followed Kaeper- — and the 31 other teams remain employed. the camp. won’t be remembered a
nick’s lead, but for the most in the NFL — don’t want To Kaepernick’s credit, the “It was ‘This Little Light of half century later as a land-
part, they were a lot more players causing distractions protest was a small part Mine,’ a song he knew mark in the nation’s history.
preoccupied with keeping with protests that are un- of what he does. He took from Sunday School,” Rick Indeed, one of Kaeper-
their day jobs than crusad- popular among most fans. some of the money the Kaepernick said. “He talk- nick’s biggest mistakes was
ing for social reform. Kaepernick accomplished 49ers paid him and donat- ed about looking out at that he wasted the op-
For Rapinoe, the decision at least part of his goal by ed $1 million to help local those kids and knowing portunity to fully articulate
not to protest anymore was taking a knee to protest charities through the Colin they were something spe- what he was seeking. q

Veteran leads Iditarod as mushers jockey for lead

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Seavey and Nicolas Petit, a
— Mushers are jockeying native of France who lives
for the early lead in the just south of Anchorage. Aliy Zirkle departs
the Manley Hot
world’s most famous sled Petit was fêted Tuesday for Springs checkpoint
dog race. being the first musher to of the Iditarod Trail
Wade Marrs, a 26-year-old reach Tanana and the Yu- Sled Dog Race
veteran who had his high- kon River. in March 7, 2017.
est finish at fourth last year, A chef flown in from An- Zirkle was the sixth
was the first to leave the Idi- chorage prepared a five- into the checkpoint,
tarod Trail Sled Dog Race course meal, featuring but was first out af-
ter spending about
checkpoint in Tanana on cioppino and roast duck, 15 minutes resup-
Tuesday. served with champagne. plying and check-
He departed just ahead of The winner of the nearly ing on her dogs.
four-time champion Dallas 1,000-mile race across Alas- Associated Press
Seavey and Pete Kaiser. ka is expected in Nome
Rounding out the top five early next week.q
are two-time winner Mitch