Spurs coaches Gregg Popovich, Becky Hammon stand during anthem

[SlyPokerDog]

Gregg Popovich — a United States Air Force Academy graduate and coach of USA Basketball’s national team — along with his assistant Becky Hammon became the latest people to choose to stand for the national anthem during the NBA’s restart.

Both wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts but became the first coaches in Orlando for the restart of the NBA season not to take a knee. Asked about why postgame, Popovich said (hat tip Marc Stein of the New York Times).

“I’d prefer to keep that to myself. Everybody has to make a personal decision. The league’s been great about that; everybody has the freedom to react any way they want”

Popovich, who has never shied away from speaking on political matters or criticizing President Donald Trump, had this to say about the fight for racial justice before the game, via Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio News-Express:

“With the events that we’ve all witnessed in this last year, it’s just logical and wise to try to keep that momentum, going and try to keep this on the front burner. Because it’s a national embarrassment. It keeps us from being the country we should be and the country that was promised to everyone. Nothing could be more poignant than to have all of the teams here all committed to making statements and letting it be known that this has got to change. And not just a little bit.”

Hammon stood with her arms on the shoulders of Spurs assistant Will Hardy and team point guard Patty Mills (both of whom kneeled).

Spurs’ players had their back. DeMar DeRozan said postgame:

“You know Pop speaks out. When it comes to Becky, she’s been [on the] front line, fighting for equality since I’ve been a fan of hers playing in the WNBA. So everybody has their own right of making a statement and you can’t vilify nobody for not doing what the other group is doing. I’m all for it.”

Orlando Magic big man Jonathan Issac became the first player to stand during the anthem, later saying his decision was tied to his religious beliefs and that Black Lives Matter was something expressed in the Gospel.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/07/31/spurs-coaches-gregg-popovich-becky-hammon-stand-during-anthem/

 

[julius]

Um...so?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I've this mentioned a few times in a different thread and I knew nothing about it so I went to the googles.

Seems like a nothing burger to me.

The only thing interesting is that it was both Pops and Hammon standing but the focus today seems to only be on Hammon.

 

[Mr. Robot]

personally, i think kneeling during the anthem is a sign of disrespect

if you want to kneel, thats fine, kneel before or after the anthem and you will raise the awareness, but to kneel during the anthem, i would be offended by it

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Um...so?

Why do you hate America?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Disqualify Hammon from the coaching search!

 

[Serbian]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

 

[SlyPokerDog]

personally, i think kneeling during the anthem is a sign of disrespect

if you want to kneel, thats fine, kneel before or after the anthem and you will raise the awareness, but to kneel during the anthem, i would feel ofended by it

I grew up catholic, lots of kneeling during church services so to me kneeing or standing are both signs of respect. It's just kneeling. They're not flipping the bird or turning their back or anything that is IMO disrespectful.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

Huh? That really doesn't make any sense.

 

[BBert]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

MmmmmmKay

 

[ehizzy3]

Mods move this rookies thread to OT

 

[JoshuaHall]

Disqualify Hammon from the coaching search!

There is a contingent on Blazers Twitter that is advocating for this, actually.

 

[JoshuaHall]

PS - Feel free to move my posts here. Makes more sense now that this a post.

And it’s relevant exactly because what I posted.

I *want* her. But there is a section of Blazers Twitter advocating she isn’t considered.

Was curious why this hadn’t been mentioned here yet and what people thought.

 

[julius]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

Wait so the "woke movement" was about those who stood?

 

[julius]

Why do you hate America?

Its 2003 all over again!

 

[GDiama]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

You insult women saying the idea of them being head coach is bad and only sexual relationship can come out of this. And now you say this. Your posts are a disgrace to this forum.

 

[wizenheimer]

Huh? That really doesn't make any sense.

sly looking for common sense in S2:

 

[crandc]

I seriously doubt head coaching decision will be based on Twitter comments.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Hammond getting more hate for standing during the anthem from some than Kidd got for hitting his wife and drinking and driving

 

[Minstrel]

As background, I'm someone who completely supported Kaepernick's decision to kneel and his reasons for doing so, and I appreciated players who did the same over the intervening years.

As such a person, I never had a problem with people who didn't kneel. What I had a problem with was those who vilified players (or coaches) who did kneel.

So, in other words, not only is this not disqualifying, it's not even concerning.

 

[blazerkor]

As background, I'm someone who completely supported Kaepernick's decision to kneel and his reasons for doing so, and I appreciated players who did the same over the intervening years.

As such a person, I never had a problem with people who didn't kneel. What I had a problem with was those who vilified players (or coaches) who did kneel.

So, in other words, not only is this not disqualifying, it's not even concerning.

This is obviously it. The whole thing is about freedom and your freedom to support what you think the flag stands for and your freedom to object to the kinds of injustices that go on in the country that the flag represents. I wouldn't think anything less of someone either way, just like you said. The only people I have a problem with are those who try to curtail the freedoms of others.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Both are puppets of the pathetic woke movement that has destroyed this country

Last I looked this country is finally healing and getting healthier. Not even a pandemic or a bunch of idiots could destroy it.
I’m also pretty sure Greg Popovich is not a puppet. Guy seems to row his own boat.

 

[Labinot41]

Americans and their damn national anthem...

 

[SlyPokerDog]

As background, I'm someone who completely supported Kaepernick's decision to kneel and his reasons for doing so, and I appreciated players who did the same over the intervening years.

As such a person, I never had a problem with people who didn't kneel. What I had a problem with was those who vilified players (or coaches) who did kneel.

So, in other words, not only is this not disqualifying, it's not even concerning.

I thought you were Canadian?

 

[julius]

Hammond getting more hate for standing during the anthem from some than Kidd got for hitting his wife and drinking and driving

It speaks volumes about where women rank in society

 

[Minstrel]

I thought you were Canadian?

How dare you

 

[SlyPokerDog]

How dare you

Then why does @Natebishop3 call you Mr Maple?

 

[Phatguysrule]

PS - Feel free to move my posts here. Makes more sense now that this a post.

And it’s relevant exactly because what I posted.

I *want* her. But there is a section of Blazers Twitter advocating she isn’t considered.

Was curious why this hadn’t been mentioned here yet and what people thought.

Those people on Twitter don't matter. Standing for the national anthem signifies nothing but respect.

 

[Chris Craig]

So, this a dirt on Becky Hammon thread?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

So, this a dirt on Becky Hammon thread?

I heard she's a she.