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Opening day in the NFL saw Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters raise a black-gloved fist during the national anthem, a protest amplified later Sunday when four Miami Dolphins kneeled on the sideline with hands on their hearts as The Star Spangled Banner played in Seattle.The protests were inspired by San Francisco backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick , the first NFL player who chose to sit and take a knee during the anthem in preseason games to call attention to what he termed the oppression of blacks and other minorities.I chose to get involved to see if I could create change, raise awareness. And I want to make it clear that there is no disrespect to the military or to police officers -- Im not about that. I love everyone, said Miamis Jelani Jenkins, one of the Dolphins to kneel. I would like to keep moving forward in the right direction with everybody: equal rights, equal opportunity. From my position, it doesnt seem that its happening. Thats why I took a stand.The Dolphins got support from one very important person -- their boss, team owner Stephen Ross.I dont think it was any lack of respect, Ross said. I think everybody here, our team and our whole organization, respects the flag and what it stands for, the soldiers and everything. These guys are really making a conversation of something thats a very important topic in this country and Im 100 percent supportive of them.Peters gesture was the only one visible throughout the early games Sunday, as the anthems took on more significance because of the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks.I come from a majority black community from Oakland, California ... so the struggle, I seen it, Peters said after the Chiefs beat San Diego 33-27 in overtime. I still have some family in the struggle. All Im saying is we want to educate those, the youth thats coming up.The four Miami players -- Arian Foster, Michael Thomas, Jenkins and Kenny Stills -- registered their protest shortly before kickoff. The four players stood while President Barack Obamas message played regarding the 15th anniversary of 9/11 before taking a knee . All four stood at the conclusion of the anthem.If its about the knee that people are upset about, every Sunday people of faith take a knee to give thanks to their lord and savior, whatever faith or religion that they are, Foster said. Its not about a knee, its not about the (symbolism), its about the message. They say its not the time to do this, but when is the time?Several teams, including the Chiefs and Seahawks, saw their players link arms during the anthem. Peters, the 2015 defensive rookie of the year, was the last person in the Chiefs line and had his arm free to raise it.He spoke up about something he felt he needed to speak up about, Peters said last week. I salute him for that.Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall , a teammate of Kaepernicks in college at Nevada, took a knee during the anthem on Thursday night.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell weighed in on Kaepernicks protest last week as well, saying, I dont necessarily agree with what hes doing.Seattles locker room was engaged in a lengthy discussion over the past few weeks about what type of message to send. The players enlisted coach Pete Carroll in the discussions almost from the start, and brought Dr. Harry Edwards to help direct the conversations.Gestures mean nothing without follow through. Thats what Harry Edwards said and thats what I agree with, Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. People get confused that you have to go out there and put on a show and make this gesture and make people aware of it, and were more about action.Wide receiver Doug Baldwin, who became a default spokesman for Seattles actions, said the players are working to schedule a meeting with the mayor of Seattle and local law enforcement.We know that there has to be change and progress, Baldwin said. Change is inevitable. Change will always happen. But you got to apply direction to change, and thats when its progress. And so right now what were doing as a team, we have a follow through.A taped message from Presidents Obama and George W. Bush were played at each stadium. Bush attended the Giants-Cowboys match in Arlington, Texas, while Vice President Joe Biden was in Philadelphia for Browns-Eagles.Peters gesture was also a tribute of sorts to U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympics. Both then appeared on the medal stands with raised, black-gloved fists throughout the U.S. national anthem in what they called a human rights salute.And in the night game, New Englands Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty both held up their right arms. Teammate Danny Amendola was seen clutching the American flag unfurled on the field in Arizona.The International Olympic Committee ordered Smith and Carlos expelled from the games because of the protest.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLFelipe Vazquez Pirates Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . 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That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself.Chicago Sky star and reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne is ready to make her mark on the court for the U.S. in her first Olympics. Shes already added to the social conversation by discussing her sexuality for the first time publicly in a?Vogue?article that came out just a few days before the Rio Games opening ceremony.It was just one of those articles where they came into my home, spent a couple days with me, and [fiance] Amanda [Clifton] is a huge part of my life, Delle Donne said. So to leave her out wouldnt have made any sense. Its not a coming-out article or anything. Ive been with her for a very long time now, and people who are close to me know that, and thats that.The story -- which includes news of the couples June engagement -- is as important as it is meaningful. Education, awareness and efforts to create inclusive environments for LGBT athletes have all increased in recent years, but true equality is still a goal, not a reality.Former NBA player John Amaechi came out in 2007, a few years after he retired. He?became the first professional basketball player to openly identify himself?as gay, and his announcement was met with a mix of reactions, from celebration and acceptance to death threats and cries of, Why is this news??In the years since, reactions to athletes discussing their sexual orientation dont appear to have evolved. Amaechi said Monday on my Thats What She Said podcast that those who try?to shout down coverage of gay athletes do so to quiet the movement toward equality, not because they truly believe a high-profile player coming out is no longer newsworthy.Its not a naive response, Amaechi said. Its a calculated response. ... Its the kind of thing people say when they want you to shut up about it. But they dont want you to shut up about it because they actually believe equality has been met. They want you to shut up about it because they know it hasnt. And they dont want you to further this, because theyre uncomfortable about it.Amaechi and I also discussed the reaction to stories in which women speak openly about their sexuality versus stories in which men do the same. A greater acceptance of LGBT female athletes seems to be in no small part due to the fact that its easier to fulfill a stereotype than it is to shatter an expectation.ddddddddddddI think misogyny is at the root of homophobia. Amaechi said. What men often hate, without saying the words -- they often lack the nuance to say it -- but what they hate about gay men is the idea that a gay man is a man whos trying to be more like a woman. Or is?more like a woman, by virtue of their sexuality ... who cedes their masculinity to be a gay person. And they resent that deeply.Its not easier [for women to come out], Amaechi said. Its just that stupid people find it more acceptable.Delle Donne is one of?a record number of out LGBT athletes competing in Rio, and already at the Games weve seen signs of progress and regression when it comes to acceptance.?USA Today Sports reported that the crowd inside Maracana Stadium cheered when two men were shown kissing on a kiss cam before the opening ceremony and that the trans community was well represented in the parade of athletes. But just the day before, members of the U.S. womens soccer team were subjected to homophobic slurs shouted by fans during their opening match with New Zealand.Groups such as You Can Play?continue to push for inclusivity and safe sporting environments, athletes like Delle Donne inspire people looking for role models and leagues establish punishments for homophobic slurs and actions. But homophobia remains deeply rooted in many locker rooms and across the sports landscape. Its crucial that the media continues to cover these issues and for LGBT athletes and their allies to keep having nuanced conversations and keep pushing educational efforts.If we didnt cover it, we would regress, Amaechi said. We would go back in time. People would not be exposed to gay people and say: Oh, you know, my hair hasnt gone on fire and my son hasnt turned gay. Nothing bad has happened.When we choose not to act, when we choose to ignore ignorance, it flourishes. When we choose not to refute hate, it burns. ' ' '