Kaepernick does not attend meeting of owners and players
Kaepernick declines to attend meeting
When NFL owners and players met Tuesday to discuss policy concerning social/political protests during the national anthem, the person who began the movement did not attend. Colin Kaepernick, the former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, was the first NFL player to refuse to stand while The Star-Spangled Banner played before the games. He said he was protesting racial injustice. Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins told reporters that Kaepernick declined to participate in Tuesday’s meeting at the NFL offices in Manhattan. But Kaepernick’s attorney, Mark Geragos, said his client had not been invited. Geragos is representing Kaepernick in a lawsuit charging the league with colluding to prevent the quarterback from resuming his career in pro football.
Between the Lines: Kaepernick is dodging controversy in hopes that at least one owner – perhaps in one of the smaller media markets – will think his franchise can prosper even with some distraction. Green Bay Packers fans are petitioning their ownership to hire Kaepernick as a replacement for injured Aaron Rodgers.
Browns’ owner Haslam pondering front-office shakeup
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is reportedly considering hiring one or more executives with NFL scouting experience, which the current front office lacks. The team is 1-21 since Sachi Brown became its president in January 2016. NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk reports that Haslam is thinking Brown needs help, if not replacement. Paul DePodesta, who formerly worked for Major League Baseball, is the Browns’ chief football strategist, and rumors have his position being vulnerable. Jim Donovan, “Voice of the Cleveland Browns,” said that on the team’s flight from Houston after Sunday’s game, word of the Browns’ latest executive search “spread row by row.”
Jemele Hill suspended by ESPN for tweeting against the President
Jemele Hill has been suspended for two weeks by her employer, ESPN, for tweeting negatively about President Donald Trump. Her suspension ends Oct. 23, but there are doubts that she will remain with the network more than a few weeks before leaving for another job. Hill, 41, has been one of the hosts of Sports Center.
Winnipeg center Scheifele says he’s ‘a hockey nerd’ who ‘can watch hockey all day’
Most professional athletes spend their off time other ways besides watching the sport from which they earn their living. But Mark Scheifele, center for the Winnipeg Jets, writes in The Players’ Tribune that he’s “a full-on hockey nerd. I can watch hockey all day. When we’re headed to the airport after a game I’ll pull out my phone right on the bus and start streaming the late games. I’m always fascinated by guys adding little tricks to their game. You watch any hockey game closely enough, there’s going to be things you can pick up.” Scheifele offers insights on several of the NHL’s greatest stars. He writes that Connor McDavid “is the fastest player in the league” and “has the best hands” and observes that the skills he displays at age 20 make him “scary.”
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