George Floyd's murder has had a phenomenal impact in the world of sports (stories and social media reaction)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
The nation has been divided on a simple thing for months: do what it takes to save one’s own life and other’s lives, or protest the inability to get a haircut or eat at a restaurant. Rules and guidelines have varied between states, and from the White House on down, there has been no consistency, thus conflict and divide.
Most people in a position of influence were consistent in trying to get people to be safe for themselves and others, but a large faction in the country has chosen an interpretation of freedom over health.
It shouldn’t be, many felt, that complicated.
Then came Monday night’s death of George Floyd, a black man apparently doing nothing to inspire a physical confrontation from law enforcement, dying on a street in Minneapolis at the knee of a police officer, who seem unconcerned that Floyd was in serious pain, let alone dying.
The videos of ex-officer x Chauvin nonchalantly choking Floyd to death was, in general, a familiar one to the black community, which has watch black men doing very little wrong end up dead as a victim of excessive force from law enforcement.
Floyd’s reputation, his lack of resisting, the police presence for a forgery charge, and the lack of any action from other officers while Floyd basically begged for his life while an officer executed excessive force?
It may be a tipping point in this country. To be sure, the nation watched a man die, again, and protests followed, accompanied by the requisite violence and destruction, with local businesses – including those of minority owners – torched and destroyed.
The impact felt by a large portion of the sports world has been perhaps stronger than ever, from the scores of black athletes and coaches to the white athletes and coaches who have been around black colleagues most of their lives.
People have seen the murder, watched overwhelming and suffocating TV coverage, deciphered the legal ramifications, blasted their thoughts throughout social media, all while being unable, for the most part, to console one another with a hug, thanks to safety guidelines regarding COVID-19.
The Sports Report has compiled many different stories and scores of social media responses from the sports world to offer information and viewpoints, in a period of time where information and viewpoints are considered by many not exactly good things.
They are.
Nevertheless, let us pray.
Column (must read): Kap’s knee - this is why, this is why, this is why
And has been the point from the start
In 2016, Kaepernick explained for the first time what he was doing
Kap should’ve been signed by now
‘Inexcusable and horrific’, ‘a heaviness about everything,’
Hawks head coach Pierce knows the feeling
Stephen Jackson closer to the situation than most
Falcons’ Blank issues statement: “These are not political issues, they are human issues …”
Gophers’ Fleck: “accountability and justice”
Where is the outrage from college coaches?
Jared Goff: change can only happen together
Penn State’s Franklin is ‘gutted’
Celtic went 15 hours to Atlanta to peacefully protest
Trevor Lawrence “siding with my brothers”, others concur
Eric Reid counters Pence’s statements
US soccer’s McKennie pays tribute
Pistons’ Casey knows the problem