How will you react?

funKYcat75

Heisman
Apr 10, 2008
32,457
41,148
112
When the first U.K. Basketball player kneels or raises his fist during the National Anthem, how will you react? I don't know if any of our guys are that hip to the political scene or that it even registers all that much yet, but will you think the same of them as you do the NFL players that are showing their feelings?

Just a thought.
 

Dig Dirkler

Heisman
Nov 20, 2015
2,963
10,846
0
Depends on if they wear black gloves or not. No black gloves? Meh. Black gloves? Revoke they schollies.



Blue shooting sleeves are a grey area.
 
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catdance

All-Conference
Feb 21, 2016
1,355
1,693
0
At their age, they are highly impressionable, and you know they are going to be pressured from both sides of the situation. I wouldn't like it, but I think I'd understand it.
 

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,274
84,873
113
Cal is pretty shrewd.

My prediction: He gets the guys together soon after Midnight Madness and he says, "Guys, this is going on. How do we feel about it? Whatever we do, we need to do it as a team."

If there is big sentiment in favor of it, I predict he puts out a team photograph -- with him included -- kneeling with a caption that they are doing it FOR JUSTICE IN THE WORLD or something innocuous like that. It gets some press in October, then he says, okay, from now on, this is behind us and we focus on our goals as a team, with no distractions.
 

sg24_

All-Conference
Mar 13, 2006
2,697
1,047
0
I guess it all depends on what actually happens. I would not have a problem with it if the player does something with the dialogue they create. Brandon Marshall for the Broncos is doing it know but is going out meeting with city officals and police due to the dialogue he created by kneeling. If they do something like that, then I see no issue with them making an effort to make a difference in something they believe in. I wold have an issue if they are just doing it just to do so with out giving back on the other side of it.

As Cal has said many times he can not hide these guys here. It is up to them to bring something positive out of any and everything that they do. Yet whether or not they do it is a mute point. There are some good, well spoken young men on this team. Take Fox for an example. He is a great kid that keeps things in perspective. Look at how he treated the fan on his recruiting visit with Cal. Then you have Willis who made an embarrassing mistake. They are in the spotlight here if their turds smell funny.

As a fan, you got to give them a little trust and understanding to see why they are actually doing what they are doing. I know this is KY and trust and understanding are not the strong suits of this fan base. So I hope that if a player does so that we can let them explain their reason's or intentions behind it before we crucify them.
 

MPLGGBB

Sophomore
Feb 13, 2016
111
133
0
For a player to wear the uniform that represents UK and protest during an event that they are taking part in because they play for UK is wrong. They wouldn't be in that position of it weren't for UK.

I would call for discipline of that player. Protest on your own time. Don't grandstand at a UK event.
 

JohnnyCope

Junior
Jul 8, 2016
114
262
0
For those that have no problem with this, answer one thing? What can any person do to condone disrespect to the USA and the flag? If anyone can rationalize this disrespect, there is no help for you.
i'm with you brother. i went into one of them cathedrals over i spain when i was jetsetting with one of my ladies. i walked into that place and saw all them catholics kneeling down in church. i said you fools better get up and respect the lord jesus christ your lord and savior. most of them didn't do anything though because i think they speak mexican.
 

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
For those that have no problem with this, answer one thing? What can any person do to condone disrespect to the USA and the flag? If anyone can rationalize this disrespect, there is no help for you.

You're begging the question. There's no guarantee that everyone sees this as disrespectful to the flag, or that the athletes are doing it out of disrespect. Protest and disrespect are very different things.

In fact, you could argue that caring enough about America to protest is a sign of more respect than allowing it to remain a flawed country.
 

CoachX11

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2016
302
2,045
0
This has been a big discussion between coaches lately. I believe most every school will be standing. I think you'll have a few small predominately African-American schools who may kneel or maybe a rouge player here or there.

Big schools like UK will almost certainly stand, like it or not, it's not good PR and as a program you don't want to be on SportCenter with that as a focus rather than the game. It's a distraction (good or bad) whether you support kneeling or not.

There is a recruiting aspect of it too. It's better to fit in than be outside the box and alienate families that feel very strongly the opposite way.

My school will be standing, personally I like what LeBron James said and I hope everyone will follow.

-Coach
 

FredTX

Redshirt
Sep 4, 2001
1,217
27
0
When the first U.K. Basketball player kneels or raises his fist during the National Anthem, how will you react? I don't know if any of our guys are that hip to the political scene or that it even registers all that much yet, but will you think the same of them as you do the NFL players that are showing their feelings?

This question was recently asked of Bobby Knight and I agree with his response. He said that such behavior would be a big distraction. Distractions cannot be tolerated. If he had a player do that, the distraction would quickly be removed.

Just a thought.
 

CELTICAT

Heisman
May 21, 2002
19,215
18,737
113
I'm pretty selfish and would be pissed that I can't just enjoy Kentucky basketball without a political distraction. I'm also, statistically speaking, far less likely to have my fourth amendment rights flagrantly violated than the folks who be inclined to kneel. So whatever.
 

Dig Dirkler

Heisman
Nov 20, 2015
2,963
10,846
0
Gatorade doesn't interest athletic felines as known martyrs allowed access especially after dungeons underground made formidable stations of blueberries.
Dammit Gonzo, it's blackberries, not blueberries -- when have you ever known blueberries to make accessible, much less formidable, stations? You're better than that.
 
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Dec 24, 2014
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I don't have a problem is a person wants to protest on their own. But when that person is wearing a uniform then they are representing that organization. What ever they do while wearing that uniform reflects on that organization. If they do something that is against the policy or practice of who they are representing then they can be punished. That is not a violation of first amendment rights. They have freedom of expression only when they are doing it as an individual or if expressing the opinion of the organization they are representing. If I were wearing a shirt which had the logo of the place I worked and in public I did something that went against the standards of my employer then I would expect to be reprimanded or fired.
 

CoachX11

All-Conference
Aug 23, 2016
302
2,045
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That sounds fine, but I'm not sure what you do if you have a player who is adamant about expressing himself. I'm sure the 49ers would have preferred to avoid it.

What would you do, coach? You can bench a kid or suspend him, but what if it's DeAaron Fox or Malik Monk? What if its three fifths of your starting five?

I like my suggestion above in this thread: Get out in front of it. Take it on as a team, and if there is a lot of sentiment to do something, get it over with before the season starts in a photo that shows team solidarity with the goals of racial justice or whatever. Let the coach be part of it -- hell, in PC America that'd be good PR. Then you say, "Alright guys, we made our feelings known as a team. Now we put it behind us as a team and focus on basketball, which is why we're here."

Good question:

I have every reason for people to think I personally should kneel, but I don't.

Coaches are role model and good coaches and programs handle their kids. Good coaches aren't going to be surprised with what their player do.

At my school, it wouldn't matter much, but at UK it would. At my school, we'd talk after the game. We won't have that issue because it's already taken care of.

You think Coach Cal wasn't any extra and potential negative attention upon his players and program?

Kneeling is an opinion whether it's right or wrong. What's a fact is that right now it's perceived as more negative than positive exposure overall.

I don't want to get political and go on about Black Lives Matters or whatnot but I don't subscribe to it when I have personally had issues with my family/friends and police over the last 5-10 years.

Bottom line is college students are impressionable and it's just as easy to convince them to stand as it is for them to kneel. Most coaches are going to stay neutral in the media and sup

I think there is issues in the United States, but you don't fight disrespect with disrespect and that's what myself and other coaches are trying to convey to our kids.
 
May 9, 2013
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I honestly don't care if they do it. It doesn't bother me in the least. What does bother me is the blind allegiance to this country and to law enforcement officers who are clearly overstepping their bounds and getting away with murder. The unique situation with athletes, student and professional, is that they have a bigger platform from which to protest. I think it brings some of these gross injustices to light and I commend those who feel strongly enough about it to use their position to bring it to light.
 

morgousky

Heisman
Sep 5, 2009
23,959
43,171
0
The problem with these young guys is ignorance. Without that flag they wouldn't be in a position so great. They wouldn't be afforded the opportunities they have. How stupid do you have to be to not realize you are disrespecting the very thing that allows you everything you have.

All of this nonsense is purely anecdotal and against the data. It's a way to play victimization and buy into the political divisive tactics known as identity politics.

America is as good as it can get. There's very few issues left that can be resolved in the nature that America is, unless you want full government intervention and that brings far more problems. There is no such thing as a perfect world. Get over it. You want to protest? Take it to the inner cities and get the men there to raise their children, stop selling poison, and riot the gangs out of the streets. You might actually make a difference then.

People promoting this are the worst. White knights and SJW's playing into this soft bigotry for political gain. Special place in hell coming their way.
 
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morgousky

Heisman
Sep 5, 2009
23,959
43,171
0
I honestly don't care if they do it. It doesn't bother me in the least. What does bother me is the blind allegiance to this country and to law enforcement officers who are clearly overstepping their bounds and getting away with murder. The unique situation with athletes, student and professional, is that they have a bigger platform from which to protest. I think it brings some of these gross injustices to light and I commend those who feel strongly enough about it to use their position to bring it to light.

Take a look at the data sometime. Correlate it with the violence data. I know you won't.
 

IH8bluedevils

Senior
Oct 2, 2013
372
694
93
Nothing I can do it about it, so there is no point getting worked up over it. I just watch the games and root on my Wildcats........
 

keefsopeng

All-Conference
Mar 23, 2005
5,015
2,068
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As someone mentioned with Brandon Marshall, I don't care if one guy does it or the whole team does it or what, but if that one player does it or the whole team does it they better be out in the streets protesting, traveling to new cities each time a corrupt cop does something to a black man or woman. They'll probably not have as much time to practice basketball but if they want to be political do it. Do it the Muhammad Ali way, you tired of rich white guys running the world? Tired of "the man" holding you down? Take a stance, quit basketball, live poor and broke, or see if the university will still honor your athletic scholarship even if you don't play every game while you're out protesting and don't be a com major or general studies major, be a pre law major and get out there and work for the people.

By the way, just want to say I'm not an anthem or flag guy, i don't give 2 hoots about them protesting the flag or anthem, it's the protest in general. Cause to me every guy thats done something other than Marshall is just doing it for themselves to be a diva, to create attention for themselves, not because they care. Remember at the ESPY'S when Bron Bron, Wade, Melo, and CP3 got up there and gave their whole talk? what have they done since? Not a damn thing, it was a publicity stunt.

There is a big problem in this country with the way law enforcement can treat people with no repercussions there is no denying that. There are a lot bigger problems than that though. I wont get into that on the basketball board though, suffice to say, white, black, asian, indian, latino, we all suck at getting along and not passing down prejudices from one generation to the next.
 
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GLR5555

All-American
Apr 2, 2012
17,380
5,234
113
Dang, Wildcat friend, you don't have to be so harsh. I was just a little confused by your tactics is all.
I'm sorry to be so pissed. But someone who spent 30 years of their life defending that flag, it sorta gets personal. My bad.
 

Dig Dirkler

Heisman
Nov 20, 2015
2,963
10,846
0