Colin Kaepernick stood tall while sitting down, which is not an easy thing to do. In fact, what he did in benching himself for the national anthem on Friday night was the hardest thing he could possibly do.The easy thing? That would be standing silently with his teammates on the San Francisco 49ers sideline, cutting against the grain of his conscience. Nobody wouldve known the difference. Nobody would have reason to challenge his patriotism, to call him all kinds of nasty names, and to remind him, by the way, that he has devolved into a lousy quarterback who should be spending more time with his playbook anyway.But he planted himself among the Gatorade buckets, understanding that in an age of 24/7 surveillance, he would be outed soon enough. Kaepernick didnt strike the kind of dramatic pose made by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City, and that was OK. He made his statement loudly and clearly.I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color, Kaepernick told NFL Medias Steve Wyche, confirming Pro Football Talks original report. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.An unscientific survey of Twitter reaction from players, fans and observers offered more evidence that the country is divided, perhaps still broken, along racial lines. This emerged as the one undisputed truth about a story that will have legs as long as the quarterback doesnt use his during the pregame anthem:Kaepernick is a 28-year-old biracial man who was raised by the white parents who adopted him, and who believes he can no longer remain silent in a country where young, black men are too often shot by overheated cops, and where blacks are forever asked by whites to rise above obstacles that whites themselves created.African-American athletes are often asked (unfairly, perhaps) to speak out on social issues and, well, Kaepernick just did. If you dont like what the man did or said, thats your prerogative. But telling him that what he said and did was un-American is to lose sight of what it means to be an American.In some corners of the globe, Kaepernick might face prison time or worse for publicly disrespecting his country. Only the quarterback didnt disrespect the United States. While pointing out its fatal flaws -- socioeconomic and justice systems still tilted against African-Americans after all these years -- Kaepernick unwittingly reminded the world that the U.S. is still a pretty damn good place to live.His team released a statement praising what the anthem represents but recognizing that Kaepernicks boycott matched up with such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression. His league said players are encouraged but not required to stand for the anthem. His coach, Chip Kelly, said he had no right to tell any player how to honor, or not honor, his country.This is what American servicemen and women have defended here and abroad -- Kaepernicks right to sing the national anthem at the top of his lungs, and to refuse honor it altogether. As long as hes not interfering with his teammates right to make their own red, white and blue choices, whats the problem here?But yes, people had problems. A lot of people. Matt Hasselbeck, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, tweeted this of Kaepernicks move: Easy way to make sure youre NOT the starting QB on opening day. #Sept. 11.On the job front, perhaps some broad-minded Niners players, coaches and executives were less concerned with the real-world distraction theyd have to deal with and more impressed by the fact Kaepernick showed some courage and leadership at great personal risk. If they take football away, my endorsements from me, Kaepernick said, I know that I stood up for what is right.On the Sept. 11 hashtag front, I remember standing near the smolder at Ground Zero?when an African-American cab driver from Queens told me he believed the terrorist attacks would spell the end of racism in America. He thought a common enemy would bring white and black together, and I recall thinking it was one of the nicest things I had ever heard. Sadly, it didnt prove prophetic. There remains a White America and a Black America, separate and unequal, and Kaepernick just became the latest public figure to speak out against the imbalance.And now youre going to tell him to stick to football? To just worry about beating out Blaine Gabbert? To stand before the game and show proper respect to everything that song and flag represents?Youre going to try to scare him into submission with a biblical flood of tweets?Most of todays athletes arent ready for the backlash, sociologist Harry Edwards told me at this years Super Bowl. Edwards was a source of inspiration behind the 1968 Olympic protest. And they forget they dont control that, especially in this age of 24-hour social media. This isnt the athlete revolt of 1967, when you were talking about a telephone and a single reporter at a major newspaper and then somebody else picking up the story. Today, you hit send and you have an instant worldwide audience.Kaepernick didnt fear that attention; go review his Twitter timeline, his retweets of issues in black and white. This day was coming for him, just as it was for many bold athletes who preceded him.They say football builds character. In America, we should celebrate the fact that Colin Kaepernick just revealed his. Air Max 1 Baratas .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Nike Air Max 1 España . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. http://www.airmax1baratas.es/ . 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METAIRIE, La. -- The return of New Orleans Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans is expected sooner rather than later, according to general manager Dell Demps, but it wont come on Friday against the LA Clippers.Evans, who has missed more than 10 months after undergoing a third right knee surgery in the span of nine months, experienced tightness in his left calf during practice Wednesday, per Demps, and has been ruled out of for at least the Pelicans next game.Were going to continue to hold him out until its safe for him to play, Demps said. Were very pleased with his rehab so far. Were not going to put a timetable on his return, but it should be sooner rather than later.Demps said Evans is in tremendous shape and that the team is pleased with his recovery. The Pelicans plan to work him back in slowly to get into basketball shape. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said theres no way Evans can play long stretches of minutes right now.Obviously were going to monitor him, Demps said. Whenever a player starts to play -- especially in the middle of the season - everybody else is already going 100 miles an hour and youre kind of playing catch-up. You have to be smart.Gentry said he doesnt expect Evans to look like the same player he was before the injuries until he has time to acclimate himself to regular-season games.Its not going to be right until hes out on the court and play some games and get a feel and timing and everything liike that, Gentry said.ddddddddddddWhen he does return, Gentry said he envisions Evans playing a role similar to the one Lance Stephenson held before Stephenson was waived in early November after suffering a groin injury that required surgery.I think he can be a point-forward. He can be a primary ball-handler. I think hes going to be off the ball. I think you can post him up, Gentry said. Obviously theres a lot of things you can do with him because thats kind of what hes been since Day 1 when he walked into the league in Sacramento.After playing in a career-high 79 games in 2014-15, Evans underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in May 2015 to remove loose particles.Evans then bumped knees with Kendrick Perkins in preseason practice, causing a chip in his right knee that required surgery.He returned Dec. 1, 2015, but persistent knee swelling -- despite the draining of fluid -- led to an osteochondral autograft transfer system (OATS) procedure in February to replace cartilage in three areas of his knee.Evans revealed on media day in late September that he also suffered a blood clot in his calf following the February surgery but that it went away after two days and didnt consider it an issue moving forward. The 26-year-old returned to non-contact action in practice on Nov. 15. ' ' '