USC was supposed to take the field on Tuesday for one of its final practices of the spring football season.
The Trojans decided football was secondary.
A short time after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter for causing the death of George Floyd by holding his knee on the Black man’s neck — a killing that touched off worldwide protests — the Trojans decided the day would be best served reflecting and participating in the national conversation about racial inequality and police brutality.
“Following today’s verdict in the murder trial of George Floyd, our team has decided to postpone today’s practice, and instead discuss the racial injustices prevalent in our society and in our daily lives,” read the USC statement. “While we realize there is much work to be done, it is important to not push the conversation to a later date as our Los Angeles community has witnessed injustices for years.”
Some pro leagues braced for the potential of protests following the verdict — the NBA told its teams to have plans ready — but games went on as scheduled Tuesday except for those postponed by weather or coronavirus-related concerns.
“We as a league really didn’t know if we were going to play this game,” Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan said before his team played host to the Orlando Magic, one of Tuesday’s five NBA contests. “It was kind of on hold to see what the ruling was going to be. Possibly there would have been a cancellation if it had been a little different.”
The NBA shut down for three days last summer in the restart bubble at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Much of the league’s messaging in the bubble revolved around remembering some of those who had been killed by police, such as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Floyd.
Most leagues and teams put out statements following the reading of the verdict, condemning racial injustice. Many athletes did as well.
“Justice served on all counts. Good. Still a ton of work to do,” read a tweet from Bubba Wallace, the lone Black driver on the NASCAR circuit, who last year successfully pushed the sport to ban the Confederate flag at its events.
Augsburg University, a private Division III school in Minneapolis, called off its Tuesday games involving its men’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams. The school canceled classes for the rest of the day once word came that a verdict had been reached and scheduled an on-campus vigil for students, faculty and staff.
Some high school events in the Minneapolis area were also called off for the day.
Players respond
After Tuesday’s verdict, pro athletes spoke up again in tones that ranged from joyous to guarded.
“ACCOUNTABILITY,” Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James tweeted.
Magic Johnson was more effusive: “Thank God … guilty! Justice has been served!”
A little closer to the situation, the Minnesota Timberwolves and their WNBA colleagues, the Lynx, posted a statement: “We are hopeful that today’s decision will serve as a step forward, but it does not ease the physical and emotional pain that continues in an environment where systemic racism exists.”
The Milwaukee Bucks decided to sit out an NBA playoff game after Blake’s death, triggering walkouts that spread quickly to baseball, soccer, hockey and tennis.
At the time, James said: “I know people are getting tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America. Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified.”
Mookie Betts led the way for the Dodgers, deciding to sit out a game in San Francisco. His teammates quickly joined him, with Clayton Kershaw talking about “standing up for what we believe is right.”
The WNBA had played a particularly notable role dating back to 2016 when players drew league fines for wearing “Black Lives Matter” shirts during warmups.
Over the past few days, as the Chauvin trial concluded and the jury began to deliberate, the feeling of anxiety that seemed to grip much of the nation was just as evident in the sports world.
“The events of this past year have shown just how toxic and prevalent systemic and individual racism are to our community,” the owners of the Minnesota Twins posted Tuesday. “We understand more deeply than ever the need to listen, learn and empathize in order to find ways to move forward together to build a more just community for all.”
James was more succinct, quoting the author James Baldwin when he tweeted: “It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.”
Moments after the verdict was announced in a Minneapolis courtroom, teammate Markieff Morris posted a series of praying hands and former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller extolled “ACCOUNTABILITY.”
But some responses were measured, even after the jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson said, “Love wins.”
Tennis star Naomi Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother Japanese, tweeted this: “I was going to make a celebratory tweet but then I was hit with sadness because we are celebrating something that is clear as day. The fact that so many injustices occurred to make us hold our breath toward this outcome is really telling.”
Clippers center DeMarcus Cousins seemed hopeful in typing out: “Progress.” Chargers receiver Joe Reed adopted an angrier tone: “Throw the key away.”
Local teams reacted with a familiar message, the Dodgers and Sparks calling for continued support of social justice. Leagues such as the NHL and MLS sounded a similar note, the NBA vowing to keep working through the Social Justice Coalition that was formed in conjunction with the players union.
“It’s never a time to celebrate when someone is killed,” Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “Maybe this will help us heal and we’ll cease with the violence.”
— Los Angeles Times