Tag Archives: National Anthem

ESPN reports: As details of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, continue to unfold, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler on Friday wrote that he is “not okay with the state of this country” and that he “felt like a coward” for not protesting “the lack of delivery on the promise of what our national anthem represents.” Kapler told …

The Texas Tribune reports: The Texas House gave preliminary approval on Monday to the so-called “Star Spangled Banner Protection Act,” a conservative-backed bill that would require any professional sports teams with contracts with the Texas state government to play the national anthem before the start of a game. Senate Bill 4 was passed on a voice vote, with no changes …

The AV Club reports: This year’s CPAC decided to really round everything off with one of the most astonishingly incompetent performances of the national anthem to date. A video from the event shows this exceptional version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” being belted out by a singer who’s decided that she’s been held back by traditional musicality for too long. Her …

NPR reports: The NBA says every team – including the Dallas Mavericks – must play the national anthem in their arenas, after news emerged that team owner Mark Cuban had ordered the Mavericks to discontinue the long-held practice. “With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in …

ESPN reports: The Dallas Mavericks have stopped playing the national anthem before home games at the direction of owner Mark Cuban, he confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. The Mavericks do not plan to resume the tradition to play the national anthem before games in the future. Cuban, who declined further comment, made the decision after consulting with NBA commissioner Adam …

Yahoo Sports reports: Saints quarterback Drew Brees has issued a second apology for his widely criticized comments likening kneeling during the national anthem to disrespecting America. Brees posted a video on Instagram looking into the camera, saying again that he’s sorry, and promising to work for change. “I know there’s not much I can say that would make things better …

Variety reports: It takes a lot to make a performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” before the NBA All-Star Game trend higher on social media than the game itself, but Chaka Khan has managed what Fergie was able to two years ago, with a unique rendering of the National Anthem that threatened to render anything that followed an afterthought. In …

The Miami Herald reports: President Donald Trump has repeatedly said all Americans should “stand proudly” during the national anthem, and publicly chastises those who don’t as disrespectful of the troops. But during the national anthem at his own Super Bowl watch party Sunday night, a brief video posted to Instagram shows Trump greeting guests, adjusting his chair, and straightening his …

TMZ reports: Beyonce, Jay-Z and their kid, Blue Ivy, chose not to stand up for the National Anthem at Super Bowl LIV – even with Jay being a big partner of the league now. The Carters were sitting together a few rows back from the field, and they clearly didn’t make an effort to get up during Demi Lovato’s performance. …

The Billings Gazette reports: The attorney for a 39-year-old man charged with assaulting a child who didn’t take his hat off for the national anthem says his client, compromised by a traumatic brain injury, believes he was acting on an order from President Donald Trump. Superior resident Curt Brockway was charged Monday with felony assault on a minor. His defense …

The Missoulian reports: A 39-year-old Superior man was jailed this weekend for allegedly assaulting a 13-year-old boy he believed, according to one witness, had disrespected the national anthem. Curt James Brockway was arrested by Mineral County Sheriff’s deputies around 11 p.m. Saturday. Montana Department of Justice records show he is registered as a violent offender. Brockway made his initial appearance …

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: A 49ers cheerleader knelt during the national anthem before Thursday night’s game against the Raiders at Levi’s Stadium. It is believed to be the first time an NFL cheerleader has taken a knee during the anthem. The woman was not immediately identified, and when reached by The Chronicle, the team had no comment. The kneeling …

The Huffington Post reports: Hawaiian singer and musician Willie K. stunned the crowd at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu on Saturday with a stirring new take on the national anthem. Accompanied by his ukulele, he dispensed with the traditional melody and went with his own for “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the game between the University of Hawaii and University of …

Yahoo Sports reports: Once again, a protester took action during the national anthem prior to an NFL game, speaking out on a cause important to them and using the anthem and an NFL game as a platform for their views. But this time, the protester wasn’t a player, and he wasn’t speaking out against racial inequality. During Sunday’s national anthem, …

CBS News reports: The heat Nike has taken over its controversial advertising campaign featuring former NFL start Colin Kaepernick seems to have had another effect: burnishing the iconic brand’s appeal to investors. Nike shares have surged 36 percent on the year, making the company the top performer on the Dow’s index of 30 blue-chip stocks. The run-up includes a nearly …

Bloomberg News reports: Ten days after Nike’s new Colin Kaepernick ad provoked calls for boycotts, shares hit an all-time high, closing at $83.47 Thursday. It will likely be months, if not longer, until anyone can fully measure the business impact of Nike Inc.’s controversial partnership with quarterback-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick, but early data from Edison Trends show sales tracking well above …

The Hill reports: President Trump in a tweet on Sunday knocked the NFL over lower ratings for its first game of the season. Broadcast viewership for the game dropped by 13 percent, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The game also saw a 61-percent spike in online streaming viewership, the news outlet added. Trump renewed his clash with the NFL after …

Reuters reports: A Miss America contestant won her preliminary round in the competition after she was asked what advice she would give NFL players on whether to kneel or stand for the national anthem. Miss Virginia, Emili McPhail, said that kneeling during the national anthem is “a right you have” but also emphasized in her answer that national anthem protests …

Business Insider reports: President Donald Trump has once again weighed in on Nike’s polarizing new ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. It’s true that Nike has been the target of anger from certain customers, with many on social media supporting a boycott and burning their Nike apparel in protest. Whether that anger is outweighed by the positive reaction for others will remain …

From his interview with the Daily Caller: President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Nike sent a “terrible message” this week by making former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick one of the faces representing the 30th anniversary of the company’s “Just Do It” campaign. “I think it’s a terrible message. Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent,” …