by ldh2013 » Mon Jun 13, 2016 8:39 am
NEW YORK -- Characterizing their meeting with the NFL about their disapproval of the use of Redskins by the Washington franchise as disappointing, representatives of the Oneida Indian Nation requested a meeting with all 32 NFL owners during Super Bowl week. . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Of course, were disappointed." The Oneidas asked Goodell and Snyder to "visit our homelands," and sought an amendment to league bylaws to prohibit franchises from naming a team with any term that is a racial epithet. Halbritter says the dictionary defines the word redskins precisely that way. And Halbritters group asked Goodell to "use his power to bring Snyder before the league executive committee for possible sanctions" should the team continue to use the name. The NFL released a statement about the meeting, which Goodell did not attend. The NFL was represented by senior vice-president Adolpho Birch, and executive vice-presidents Jeff Pash and Paul Hicks. Pash is the leagues general counsel. "We met at the request of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation," the statement said. "We listened and respectfully discussed the views of Mr. Halbritter, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Representative Keller George and their colleagues as well as the sharply differing views of many other Native Americans and fans in general. The meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue to facilitate listening and learning, consistent with the commissioners comments earlier this year." Many of the Oneidas requests were contained in a letter handed to the NFL representatives at the meeting. Since President Barack Obama recently said he would "think about changing" the name if he owned the team, many fans have taken up the cause. And many more have rallied around a name they see as a tradition or a tribute. Halbritter sees it as offensive and demeaning. In a letter to Goodell, he said the Change the Mascot campaign sought to "finally halt the destruct effects of the R-word on our people and Native peoples everywhere. Additionally, as financial sponsors of the league, we are concerned that the leagues marketing of a racially derogatory term undermines the NFLs ability to be a unifying force in America." NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the Oneida Indian Nation is not a league sponsor. The Oneida Indian Nation sponsors the Bills and the Wisconsin tribe of the Oneida nation does have a sponsorship deal with the Packers. The Oneida Indian Nation, which has approximately 1,000 enrolled members, is one of 566 federally recognized sovereign Native American nations, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior/Indian Affairs. Also Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle said it will no longer use the term "Redskins" when referring to the team. Managing Editor Audrey Cooper said the newspapers style committee decided to eliminate the term because of a long-standing policy against using racial slurs. "Not everyone has to be personally offended by a word to make it a slur," Cooper said in a statement titled "A name unfit for print. Make no mistake,redskin is a patently racist term." The Chronicle joins several other publications that have made the same decision over the years, including the Kansas City Star, Slate.com, and the Portland Oregonian, which dropped the term more than two decades ago. . Watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. In 2012, the Thunder prevailed in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Miami Heat, but the Spurs can relate, falling to LeBron James and company last year. . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. . The Habs open up the 2013-2014 NHL season at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 1 and even though camp doesnt start until September 11, all players were on hand with the exception of Tomas Plekanec and Davis Drewiske.HOUSTON -- The Texans have a starting quarterback. Now they need star wide receiver Andre Johnson back in the fold. New coach Bill OBrien named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starter, an announcement overshadowed somewhat by Johnsons absence Tuesday on the first day of a mandatory three-day mini-camp. Johnson hasnt participated in any of the teams voluntary off-season workouts and said last month that he wouldnt attend these workouts, either. On Tuesday, he missed the opening day of workouts that are the last before training camp in late July. Fitzpatrick signed with the team in the off-season a day before Matt Schaub was traded to the Raiders and OBrien made him compete with the three other quarterbacks on the roster for the starting job. "He definitely earned it," OBrien said. "He earned it with his preparation. He earned it with his accuracy. He earned it with his command at the line of scrimmage." A former starter for the Buffalo Bills, the nine-year veteran started nine games last season for Tennessee after Jake Locker was injured. Fitzpatrick threw for 2,454 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. "This is where I wanted to be," Fitzpatrick said. "I wanted another shot at it. I wanted another chance to be the guy." OBrien said this decision doesnt mean that things cant change as the year progresses. "Everybody on our team every single day has to go out there and earn their spot on the team, earn their starting spot," OBrien said. "So quarterback is no different. We have confidence in his ability to lead our football team. Hes done a really good job in the off-season of picking up our system and hes executed it well." Case Keenum, who took over as starter when Schaub was benched last season, T.J. Yates and rookie Tom Savage are vying to be the backupp to Fitzpatrick. . "With all three of those guys we need just a little bit more consistency," OBrien said. "It has nothing to do with effort or work ethic. Those guys have all worked extremely hard. Theyve all done what weve asked them to do." Johnson has said he has not asked for a trade but last month wondered if Houston was "still the place for me." The 32-year-old receiver is Houstons longest-tenured player after joining the franchise in its second season. OBrien said that he has spoken to and text messaged with Johnson, but wouldnt reveal any details. He said he isnt concerned that Johnson has missed the implementation of his new offence. "I believe based on the different systems that hes been in that hed be able to pick up on our system," OBrien said. "Hes a bright guy, a very bright guy and a guy thats done a lot in this league. So I think hed be able to figure it out." OBrien also doesnt think that Johnsons absence is taking away from the rest of the teams work. "Its really about the guys that are here and theyre working extremely hard," OBrien said. "They dont seem to be too distracted." With Johnson out, Houstons young group of receivers is led by last years first-round pick DeAndre Hopkins and includes third-year players DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin. "Weve thrown a lot at them," OBrien said. "Its not easy to play receiver in this system and those guys seem to be getting better every day." Houston had preseason Super Bowl aspirations last year, but wound up with an NFL-worst 2-14 record. Rather than choosing a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, they chose defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney, who is recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia and also not at the mini-camp. ' ' '