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'American Idol' alum Jordin Sparks to perform national anthem ahead of 108th Indianapolis 500
Read full article: 'American Idol' alum Jordin Sparks to perform national anthem ahead of 108th Indianapolis 500Jordin Sparks, the singer-songwriter who shot to stardom on โAmerican Idol,โ will perform the national anthem before the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend.
VIDEO: All the Yankees and Nationals players and coaches kneel during anthem in Black Lives Matter salute
Read full article: VIDEO: All the Yankees and Nationals players and coaches kneel during anthem in Black Lives Matter saluteThe New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals kneel while holding a black ribbon to honor Black Lives Matter before playing an opening day baseball game at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington. before the start of the first inning of an opening day baseball game at Nationals Park, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Washington. Players from both clubs wore T-shirts saying Black Lives Matter during batting practice, and the letters BLM were stenciled into the back of the mound at the center of the diamond. All players and coaches on the Yankees & Nationals took a knee before the national anthem tonight@MarkZuckermanpic.twitter.com/mLai859LzN Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 23, 2020In a poignant reference to the racial reckoning happening in the U.S., players and other members of both teams held a long black ribbon while standing spaced out along the two foul lines. That followed a series of videos: about Black Lives Matter, showing major league players such as New Yorks Aaron Judge and Washingtons Howie Kendrick; about the Nationals postseason run; about the COVID-19 outbreak.
Brees' anthem comments draw backlash from teammates, others
Read full article: Brees' anthem comments draw backlash from teammates, othersNEW ORLEANS Drew Brees was sharply criticized by fellow high-profile athletes, including some of his own teammates, on Wednesday after the Saints quarterback reiterated his opposition to kneeling during the national anthem. In an interview with Yahoo, Brees was asked to revisit former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's 2016 protest of police brutality against minorities, in which Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem before games. I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States, Brees began, adding that the national anthem reminds him of his grandfathers, who served in the armed forces during World War II. Brees has said he supports those protesting police brutality but that he does not see the national anthem as the proper forum for that. In 2017, Brees participated with teammates who knelt before the national anthem, but then stood in unison when the anthem was played.