luated. The team did not specify what sort of injury.NOTESF Shawn Thornton and D Steven Kampfer entered the Panthers lineup for the first time this season. Rookies D Michael Matheson and C Kyle Rau were healthy scratches. LW Jussi Jokinen missed his fourth straight gam

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. Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Custom Los Angeles Clippers Jerseys .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. http://www.customjerseysbasketball.com/custom-cleveland-cavaliers-jerseys-237y.html . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Custom Golden State Warriors Jerseys . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Custom Oklahoma City Thunder Jerseys .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- After getting booed off the ice in their last home game, the Buffalo Sabres received a standing ovation from the crowd at KeyBank Center on Saturday.Anders Nilsson made 33 saves in his second NHL shutout and Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for Buffalo in a 3-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.Johan Larsson and Kyle Okposo also scored and the Sabres (2-3-2) snapped a four-game winless streak with their first home victory.Buffalo had one goal in its first two home games, but scored in all three periods Saturday.Thats the way we have to play, Reinhart said. Right from the start with that mentality, and thats been the struggle this year. To finally come out with a big push in the first and continue that with all four lines was important for us tonight.Roberto Luongo stopped 22 shots for Florida. The Panthers (3-4-1) have lost five of six and are winless in the first three of a four-game road trip.Its the first game Im really disappointed, Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. I thought we played well all season long. Tonight we didnt play well enough, we werent even close to winning that hockey game.Nilsson, starting his third straight game in place of Robin Lehner, made 13 saves in the third period. Floridas Vincent Trocheck shot high on a penalty shot with 57 seconds left in the third period.This was the first shutout for Nilsson since March 4, 2012, during his rookie season with the Edmonton Oilers.Of course, thats always nice, but I think the most important thing is the two points we got tonight, Nilsson said. Thats huge for us and it means a lot for our confidence.The Sabres scored twice on the power play while killing four penalties. The Panthers had a power-play goal in each of their last four games.Ultimately, it comes down to we werent able to find one on the power play and get that jump or spark that we needed, Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle said.The Sabres took a 1-0 lead on Larssons first goal of the year. Marcus Foligno pushed the puck into the corner where Brian Gionta sent a backhand passs to Larsson in the right circle while falling down.ddddddddddddLarsson lifted a wrist shot over Luongos glove.Okposo scored on the power play to make it 2-0 in the second period. Luongo stopped Reinharts deflection of Rasmus Ristolainens shot from above the right circle. Okposo lunged at the rebound off the crossbar and slipped a backhander under Luongos blocker for his second goal of the season.Colton Sceviours tripping penalty put the Sabres on the power play.A hooking penalty on Jaromir Jagr led to Reinharts power play goal with 11:12 left in the game. Reinharts pass from behind the net bounced in off the skate of Florida defenseman Mark Pysyk, a former Sabre. It was Reinharts first goal of the season.UP NEXTFlorida: at Detroit on Sunday.Buffalo: at Winnipeg on Sunday.INJURYBuffalo F Nicolas Deslauriers was hurt in a play along the boards and was being evaluated. The team did not specify what sort of injury.NOTESF Shawn Thornton and D Steven Kampfer entered the Panthers lineup for the first time this season. Rookies D Michael Matheson and C Kyle Rau were healthy scratches. LW Jussi Jokinen missed his fourth straight game with a lower body injury. ... Lehner dressed as the backup after missing two games with an illness. Lehner practiced Friday and said he expects to start the next game on Sunday. C Jack Eichel (high ankle sprain) and LW Evander Kane (cracked ribs) are both progressing in their rehabilitation but are not yet ready to practice, coach Dan Bylsma said Friday. ... Pysyk and Buffalos Dmitry Kulikov played against their former teams for the first time since the Panthers and Sabres swapped defensemen at the NHL draft. ... Ristolainen leads the Sabres with seven assists. ... Linesman Tim Nowak received a plaque and autographed sticks from each team for appearing in his 1,500th NHL game. Nowak is from suburban Buffalo. ... The Sabres sent G Linus Ullmark to the minors after the game. ' ' '