NCAA Permits Patches That Promote Social Justice Causes ...
 

The NCAA will permit college athletes to wear patches on their uniforms that promote and support social justice causes.

As approved by the NCAA’s Playing Rules Oversight Panel, athletes in all sports will be permitted to “express support and voice their opinions” in two places on their uniforms: one on the front or sleeve of the uniform or on the nameplate on the back of the uniform — the spot typically reserved for the athlete’s last name.

The patches can also be for “commemorative and memorial purposes,” not solely for social issues. Predictably, the messages will require approval by “the school or conference.”

The patch on the front of the uniform will not exceed 2 ¼ square inches and “must be identical for those who choose to wear them,” though not all team members will be required to do so. The patch on the back will be an individual choice with “names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes” permitted.

Here’s how the NCAA explained it in a press release:

The patch on the front, which most sports already allowed, as authorized by the school or conference, may be a commemorative/memorial patch (names, mascots, nicknames, logos and marks) intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes. The patch must not exceed 2¼ square inches and must be placed on the front or sleeve of the uniform. While not all team members are required to wear the patch, they must be identical for those who choose to wear them.

The second location is on the back of the uniform where the player name is traditionally located and, as authorized by the school or conference, will allow names/words intended to celebrate or memorialize people, events or other causes. The names or words may vary by team member.

https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa-will-p...174050438.html

Absolutely ridiculous.


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No issues what so ever. The world is changing and so is this country. We put American Flags on things that is a political statement. Get rid of them all or do not complain when it is something that goes outside of your belief system. IJS.

Peace

NCAA Permits Patches That Promote Social Justice Causes ...
 

We don’t put flags on as a political statement. We put flags on because we live in the United States of America.

Adding social justice messages only serves to divide us.


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All Men Are Created Equal ...
 

... or they're an attempt to educate us and to unite us in causes supported by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

I can foresee problems with messages being approved or disapproved by colleges and universities, especially with state colleges and universities where there is probably more of an expectation of First Amendment rights not fully expected in private college or university settings.

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They were never on our jerseys before 9-11. I got pushed into that rightfully or wrongfully. I went along with that display which has caused more issues than you might realize. That was a political statement. It was not necessary before. So yes it was political. This is political on some level or because of social justice in itself it political. Divide who again? At least in basketball, a vast majority of the players are of one race who might feel very different than you do and in football, most of the top players (At the D1 level) are certain people that have been affected by things in this society. If that bothers you, get over it, they are doing it anyway. It also says that it has to be approved by the institution, so there are a lot of steps before it ends up on the court. I say that because people like me do not care what now divides us when we have been divided for years and decades. The funeral of John Lewis made that clear today alone. I am not threatened by social issues that need to be addressed with the people that look like me. Good for the NCAA, but they have other issues to deal with from my point of view. This is at least a good step.

Peace

I do not see this as an issue, I am sure this will be about what the players want to do. Now if they are made to do something, that word will get out and players that might be considering certain schools might decide those are not the places for them to go. Believe it or not, players are considering a lot of things when being recruited. You create a certain environment for the players, that could backfire. I do not think all schools will do this anyway. I do not think all teams will want to do this. But the option is there or you might have other situations where things end up on sneakers or other items.

Peace

I'm with you. I resisted the whole flag thing when it involved patches. I showed up and my partners would say "patch or no patch" and they'd give me the stink eye when I'd say "It's no patch tonight. I don't have flag patches." Eventually it was easier to just get flags than deal with crews that thought I wasn't patriotic enough cause I had to remind everyone what country I was in.


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The Flag Code ...
 

I believe that we started wearing flag patches during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Although I did wear it, I also felt that it wasn't right because of the Flag Code:

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.

I believed that it was disrespectful to equate basketball officials to our military, firemen, and policemen heroes.

Since 2003 I have used an image of the American flag and the Statue of Liberty as my desktop image on my personal computer, my laptop computer and my cellphone, vowing not to remove these images until the last American soldier leaves Iraq.

I've been waiting seventeen years.

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I purposely didn't wear flag patches on my uniforms. I served 22 years in the military (started officiated in my 18th year of active duty 2 months after 9/11). It felt like an empty attempt to show "patriotism" to me. I lived life everyday serving my country, I didn't need a display of symbolism to show my patriotism.

Why do the rulesmaking bodies even get into these minutiae? Are they afraid it'll lead to paid sponsorship of individual players? How does a worn patch affect the administration of games?

The Monkey's Paw (W. W. Jacobs) ...
 

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Let's go to the next issue..Kneeling during the National Anthem. NBA referees knelt the other night. On the High School and College level, what if members of the crew are split on this..some kneeling and others not?

Thoughts on how this will be handled at HS level? Will this come from NFHS or individual state associations?

Elephant In The Room ...
 

With Liberty And Justice For All ...
 

National Anthem ...
 

The NBA as a league and organization (smaller group of people) are on board with these things. I guess a college or high school official can do what they want, but that does not mean something will not do something to them as a result. I guess it really comes down to the supervisor, but it also comes down to the leagues and their policies. There were not many officials doing this before, so I doubt they will do it now. That being said leagues and supervisors might want to be careful with trying to punish officials as you are opening yourself up for some kind of litigation if you make it an issue.

This was asked a few years ago at a college meeting with combined staffs and one of the supervisors (who is no longer assigning that league anymore) told everyone this is freedom of speech. Now I never heard of anyone doing this, but at least he did not say he would react negatively, but something tells me that would not be the response if such a thing took place. This will be handled for certain on a case by case situation.

Peace

What I Learned From A South Park Episode ...
 

I had a discussion today with an official buddy about a scenario where, with a racially diverse crew, a part of the crew decides to kneel and the other part decides not to, and how to handle that.

He imagines a game where the one entire team, players and coaches, kneel; and the other entire team, players and coaches, stand, with his racially diverse crew in the middle with at least one of the officials wanting to kneel.

Sports and politics have become very much intermingled, whether we like it, or not, which is why I decided to give my personal political take on this, of course moderators are free to delete, hopefully with no further penalty. These are my personal opinions. I promise to respect differing opinions from others. I'm not trying to start a political debate, I'm trying to prepare all of us for something that we may have to deal with this upcoming season.

While I support many Black Lives Matters issues, it’s a loosely organized umbrella organization with many leaders with many different issues. For example, while I’m all for non-armed experts dealing with the mentally ill and the homeless, I’m not 100% in for “defund the police”. While I’m all for decreasing school arrests in the name of discipline and slowing down the “school to prison”" pipeline”, I’m also a big supporter of school resource officers, they may be the only positive police presence in a school kid’s life. Demilitarize the police? While the “cop on the beat” (if there still is such a thing) doesn't need to be armed like a soldier, SWAT teams and such do for protection. Better training for police? 100% yes. Better supervision and oversight for the police? 100% yes. Better minority (and female) recruiting for police? 100% yes. Reparations for slavery? Not sure, but we still need some sort of “affirmative action” because we still don’t have economic equality in this country. Non-violent protests (maybe with some minor non-violent civil disobedience)? Yes. Violent (with destruction of property, including controversial statues) protests? 100% absolutely no. Legislative (legal) removal or relocation of controversial statues? Possibly, but only after much reflective discussion.

As a white male, in regard to race issues, I try to remember the moral of the South Park episode (With Apologies to Jesse Jackson) where Stan, even though trying to be very empathetic, finally understands why he doesn't get it. He tells Token that he will never understand how it feels to have the N-word used against him because he isn't black, which was what Token was looking to hear all along and they reconcile.

That being said, I’m supportive of kneeling protests, to me the flag, among other things, can be considered just a piece of colored cloth; and the anthem is a British song with a racist second verse. There are may ways of showing patriotism. One person’s patriotism can be demonstrated by respectfully standing during the anthem (as I've done my entire life up until this point), another's might be by wearing a pandemic mask (as stated by President Trump), and another's might be by joining the military. And, of course, a cloth flag is less important than our First Amendment rights (and other rights) that the flag represents.

To further complicate things, as a religious person I consider kneeling as a sign of reverence.

If I was sure that my kneeling wouldn't appear non-professional, and would not screw-up the teamwork chemistry between myself and my partner, and would not appear to be less than neutral to the players and fans, I would kneel. But that’s a lot of “ifs”.

My advice to my buddy:

Be proactive. Get advice from your local or state groups before the season starts.

Be proactive. Discuss it pregame in the locker room. Try to get on the same page. If not all do the same, discuss how the other(s) will handle it. Hold hands? Arms on shoulders? Maybe stay in the locker room?

Proactive ...
 

I just discussed my post with my son. If Forum members haven't seen many kneeling protests over the past few seasons, especially kneeling protests involving officials, get ready for a lot more this upcoming season due to the invigorated Black Lives Matter movement and its support by professional sports leagues (NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NWSL, NASCAR, NFL), including game officials.

Don't be surprised by it. Get ready. How will you personally handle it? Will it be part of your pregame, or discussed with game site administrators? How will your state handle it? How will your local organization handle it?

Officials can be brave and patriotic by standing, or can be brave and patriotic by kneeling. Just know that people will be watching, and that it may effect your game that night (coaches, players, fans), and your relationships with colleagues (partners).

Outside of guidelines from my local board, my default will probably be to stand, but I may really want to kneel. A lot will depend on my partners. I'm really not very brave.

How will I personally handle what?

Just so we are clear, there have been plenty of displays during the National Anthem. I will do the same thing I did when it happened in 2017. Nothing, absolutely nothing. It has nothing to do with the game itself. And the state already took a position on this, they are not governing what goes on with a school in that way. This happened several times during the football season with a fist, with someone kneeling and almost every game I see people not stand. There is nothing to do, this is not my business.

And I do not work for associations that tell officials how to officiate.

Peace

Stand Out In A Crowd ...
 

Having partners that want to do something different than you. Doing something that only one team is doing while the other is doing the opposite. Doing something that stands out as being very different than most of the fans at that game, that night, at that site.

As an official I never want to do anything that makes me stand out, especially for something that has very little to do with how the game is officiated. I don't want to start the game already on the "bad side" of the players, the crowd, or my partner, for standing, or not standing, but I would also like to have strength in my convictions. I'm guess that I'm really not very brave.

I personally don't care what any partner does; and I definitely don't care what the fans players or coaches do.

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I have never had a serious talk with an official wanting to kneel during a game. Never. Do not see that really happening now honestly. Not sure what changed since 2017? I know some NBA officials kneeled, but that is the NBA. The league controls that and everyone in the game is basically on the same page.

Peace

Ready ...
 

Then your definitely ready, and apparently have always been ready, for this upcoming season of possible protests, or no protests, by officials.

I'm supportive of many of the issues of the Black Lives Matter movement, but as an official I don't want to appear to be non-professional, would not want to screw-up the teamwork chemistry between myself and my partner, and would not want to appear to be less than neutral to the players and fans. Plus, I'm apparently not very brave, and don't appear to have strength to my convictions. I can talk the talk but I can't walk the walk.

At a game, I get paid to officiate, not to wear my political issues on my sleeve. Also I would never fault a partner for kneeling, I just hope that he gives me a heads up.

2020 ...
 

2020: Black Lives Matter has become invigorated and competes with COVID as the "big story" every day.

2020: Many major sports leagues (and many more players) are now actively supporting BLM.

2020: Some officials have joined the protests.

Would like to see guidelines from my local board. Maybe not mandates, but "Please do this ...", "We encourage you to do this ...", "We advise you to do this ...", etc.

The last time I had a supervisor bring it up at all was my D1 supervisor who said he didn't want us kneeling because of safety concerns. That was either last preseason or two years ago.

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You do realize that there were officials kneeling in 2017 right? There were college football players putting their fist in the air. There were players in other sports doing other displays. Not the masses, but many were doing something.

I do not need to see guidelines from a place I will not be. I am just saying that many of us have been paying attention for some time and even before Kaep kneeled. I have seen people sit for the NA for years. Often people of color that feel a certain way about the Anthem.

Peace

Correction ...
 

No I did not, at least not any televised sports (especially not NCAA, NBA, WNBA basketball), or any high school basketball around here.

Now I know. Thanks for the correction.

While Connecticut certainly has its share of white suburban and rural communities, we also have many black urban schools and I've never noticed black fans sitting for the anthem, although I've seen young black men (and young white men) have to be reminded to remove their hats.

I bet that that will change this upcoming season, and it may not be just black fans.

It was not at those levels that I can ascertain. But there were high school officials in different parts of the country that appeared to kneel. I said this before, it was asked what was the supervisor's opinion if it took place. It did not happen around me, but it did happen somewhere. I cannot tell you specifically, but it did happen.

Peace

Trust ...
 

I believe you, I was not being sarcastic, sorry.

Social Justice & Officiating ...
 

I just finished viewing, Social Justice & Officiating, a round table discussion from the National Association of Sports Officials Virtual Annual Summit happening this week.

Nationally recognized expert speakers discussed how official crews may have to deal with different attitudes within a game crew regarding "kneeling protests", including kneeling by the officials themselves.

All agreed that these situations should be discussed in advance, including proactive, rather than reactive, guidance from the leadership of various state or local officials organizations.

We must note that what is going on in the NBA is totally different than what most of us face. They all work for the same group and they also all are in a league that is totally for social justice attention. Unlike a college or high school official that might work for 10 different people and what you do in one league might hurt you in another. So the NBA officials have a lot of different cover. The same would be if the NFL does the same thing. I think it is harder to do as an "independent contractor" when it might not be approved in one place and just fine in another place. It can be discussed but I might have different concerns. I work for different people, I am not confident that all of them would be OK with this and I do not need to kneel to show my position on social justice issues. I am going to watch that session on the NASO page, but have not had the time to sit down and see it all. But I want to watch it for sure.

Peace

Oh Say Can You See ...
 

I only work for one assigner, who works very closely with the executive committee of my local board. I hope that we get some preseason advice regarding officials in crews who want to stand, kneel, or stay in the locker room, and to remind us that's it's none of our business (as game officials) if teams (or individual players) stand, kneel, or stay in the locker room (there have been a few problems in a few states where officials indicated that they would walk out if the flag was disrespected).

Spoiler Alert ...
 

Interesting discussion regarding how officials should look more like the players, and how to recruit and mentor diverse officials so that this happens.

Some interesting statements like how assigning sixty-five year old white males to officiate basketball games on Native American reservations in New Mexico doesn't help to recruit Native American basketball officials.

Another state (I believe Washington) got female NCAA soccer officials, who also officiate high school soccer games, to give up their weekend college games so that they could officiate all the final games in all levels of the girls high school soccer tournament so that the girls could envision a future in soccer officiating.

I remember when Kaepernick kneeled and the country got caught up in that so much there were others doing the same things. And I remember discussing it in a few meetings "What are we going to do...." as if the sky was going to fall. Well, basically not much happened. I remember some people trying to penalize players for kneeling during the Anthem and the state saying to players, "Not our responsibility" for the most part and let the schools handle their school's protests. It went away. Honestly, I think we will have so many other issues at play this fall or winter that this will be the main issue. Yes there might be an officiating crew or two across the country that will do something. Maybe more, but I think a lot of officials will think that is not their role and either way I am OK with it. I think we are kind of overblow this being a challenge. Or at least for me, I do not need to discuss anything with my partners. If I do anything it will be personal, I am not looking for everyone's approval on a personal show of protest.

Peace

Agenda Item ...
 

The National Association of Sports Officials thought it was important enough to add to the agenda for their 2020 Virtual Summit, there must be, at least, a little something to this.

Social justice issues are "big" on the professional level of sports (look at what happened yesterday), and although it will probably get diluted, a little will probably filter down through the college, and maybe even to the high school level, possibly involving officials.

Officials starting getting "political" back in the early 2000's by adding flags to uniforms, who's to say they won't get political again?

I haven't seen widespread social justice protests like these going on now since the 1960's Civil Rights movement.

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I am not saying they do not need to discuss social justice issues. I think that the kneeling or not kneeling or protest vs. no protest is overplayed. We might not have games to play this year at all for many of us. I am not having a pre-game conference about this issue because as a Black person, I know I am on an island with many of my partners. I am not personally going to be used to stand out by myself in a thing that is not my actual job or that is an extra activity. I can voice those things, but it will not be on the court or field unless I have some support. Just my personal choice at this time. The NBA officials had the backing of the league from multiple levels. I could see the IHSA for example having a position, but then you get another fight with a school district or a conference. I do not feel like having this fight in this arena because I feel there are other areas to take action to get the social justice I would like to see as I have done for years already. I was raised in this, not just focusing on something that took place in the last few months or even decades.

Peace

1619, Jamestown Colony ...
 

400 years.

Just my lifetime.

Peace

Wise Coach ...
 

“It’s amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back.” (Doc Rivers)

This is such garbage. I get that Doc has a platform and he’s gonna use it to further the cause of his people. But don’t give me the “this country does not love us back” crap. I get so tired of this crap. It’s propoganda and he knows it. Does it suck that someone got shot? Absolutely, 100% yes!! But let’s also look at the facts of the case. I won’t go into them all here and how. But c’mon, man, be fair about what really happened.


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Liberty And Justice For All ...
 

Propaganda? That a group of people have been mistreated as second class citizens for 400 years?

It seems that white males have gotten more than their fair share of liberty and justice for "all" for quite a long time.

Time for that to change.

That is, time for that to peacefully change.

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My great grandfather was discriminated against as a nineteenth century Irish immigrant. He and his descendants lost their accents and were then treated well because they didn't have to change the color of their skin to fit into this American melting pot. Black Americans didn't have this luxury, whether they were kidnapped and brought here as slaves, or are descendants of slaves, or immigrated here in more modern times. The deck has been stacked against them for a long time, it's improved over the years (Civil War, Civil Rights), but this country still has a long way to go. White privilege is a stubborn old coot and it's not easily going to go away.

Moderators can certainly delete this post (hopefully no other penalty), I didn't post it to start a political debate, it comes directly from my mind, my heart, my soul, and my want to make this great country even greater for everybody.

I want the violence to stop, but I want the message to continue to ring loud and clear.

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This is what is inscribed on the Liberty Bell: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof (Leviticus 25:10).

And here's what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963:

"Let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old negro spiritual, 'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!'"

Black lives have to matter as much as all lives matter.

No more. No less.

Right now black lives don't matter as much as white lives matter.

Education. Housing. Employment. Criminal justice. Health care. Wealth.

Nope, I'm not touching it. Can't speak for the others.


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Then don't.

It is always funny that the people want to focus on the wrong things of an issue, but never want to face the overall problem being brought. Unless you are Black (and you are not) then you have no idea how many of us feel about this country. Sound more like the patriarchal position white folks love to tell Black people or other people of color how to feel about something. Even though you would not trade positions for a second. ;)

Peace

South Park, With Apologies To Jesse Jackson …