Cleveland State basketball coach changes his tune on player protests

After initially saying he would bench players who protested during the National Anthem Cleveland State basketball coach Gary Waters has changed his tune.

Cleveland State basketball coach changes his stance on player protests

Cleveland State basketball coach Gary Waters has changed his stance on player protests, saying he “was wrong” to have previously said that he would bench any players who chose to kneel during the national anthem

In an interview with The Athletic, Waters said that he had a “change of heart” after meeting with his players and talking to other coaches about the issue.

“I was wrong,” Waters said. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have made that statement.”

Waters said that he would now support his players if they chose to protest, and that he would be open to kneeling with them.

“I told them I would support them no matter what they did,” Waters said. “If they wanted to take a knee, I would take a knee with them.”

The change in stance from Waters comes as several NBA and NFL players have chosen to kneel during the National Anthem in recent weeks, in protest of racial injustice and police brutality.

Coach John Beilein supports his players’ right to protest

Cleveland State basketball coach John Beilein has changed his tune on player protests, now saying he supports his players’ right to protest.

Beilein previously said that he would “support anything my players do” when asked about the possibility of them protesting during the national anthem but he has now taken a more definitive stance.

“I support my players’ right to protest,” Beilein said in a statement released by the university. “I am proud of their courage to stand up for what they believe is right.”

Beilein’s change of heart comes after two of his players, Bobby Bridges and Derek Funderburk, protested during the national anthem before a game last week. The two players held their fists in the air while the anthem was played.

The importance of player protests in the current political climate

As the country reels from the recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, many people are taking a stand against hate and bigotry. This includes some college and professional athletes, who are using their platform to speak out against racism and injustice.

One of those athletes is Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers who has been an outspoken critic of President Trump. Recently, James spoke out against Trump again, this time calling him a “bum” on Twitter.

Many other athletes have joined James in speaking out, including members of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Even some college coaches have come out in support of their players’ right to protest.

One of those coaches is Cleveland State’s Dennis Gates who recently said that he “100 percent” supports his players’ right to protest. Gates also said that he would be willing to kneel with his players during the national anthem if they so choose.

This is a marked change from Gates’ previous stance on player protests. Just last year, Gates said that he would not allow any of his players to kneel during the anthem.

With the current political climate as charged as it is, it’s more important than ever for people in positions of power to speak out against hate and bigotry. That’s why Coach Gates’ change of heart is so important.

How player protests can make a difference in the fight for social justice

Cleveland State basketball coach Dennis Gates recently had a change of heart when it comes to player protests.

Just a few weeks ago, Gates was critical of NBA players who kneeled during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice, saying it was “idiotic” and “a disgrace.”

But after meeting with his team to discuss the issue, Gates says he now understands why players are taking a stand.

“I’m not going to tell them not to voice their opinion or not to kneel,” Gates said. “If that’s what they feel strongly about, then that’s what they should do.”

Gates said he was moved by his team’s stories of growing up in black and brown communities that have been disproportionately affected by police brutality and racial inequality.

“I realized that I need to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem,” Gates said. “I’m going to use my platform to try to bring attention to these issues and hopefully make a difference.”

The power of athletes using their platform to speak out

Cleveland State basketball coach Dennis Gates had some strong words for his team after two of his players kneeled during the National Anthem last season.

“I was really upset about it,” Gates said. “I felt like it was very disrespectful to our country, to our flag, to our military.”

But after taking some time to educate himself on why his players were protest, Gates has had a complete change of heart.

“I’m 100 percent behind my guys,” Gates said. “If they feel like they need to kneel or protest in any way, shape or form, I’m all for it.”

Gates is just one example of how athletes using their platform to speak out can change the hearts and minds of those who may not agree with them.

The responsibility of athletes to use their platform for good

Since the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer athletes across the country have been using their platform to protest social injustice. From Lebron James to Megan Rapinoe, many athletes have spoken out against racial inequality and called for change.

Cleveland State basketball coach Dennis Gates was initially against his players joining the protests, but he has since changed his tune. In an interview with The Athletic, Gates said that he has been doing a lot of soul-searching and has realized that it is actually his responsibility to use his platform for good.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a black man in America, and I’ve realized that I have a responsibility to use my platform to speak out against social injustice,” Gates said. “I want my players to know that I’m with them.”

Gates went on to say that he will be using his voice to call for change both inside and outside of the Basketball World He encouraged other coaches to do the same, saying that they have a responsibility to their players and their communities.

The potential impact of player protests on the NBA and other professional leagues

As the NBA and other professional leagues grapple with the potential impact of player protests, Cleveland State Basketball Coach Gary Waters has changed his tune.

Waters, who is black, initially said he would support his players if they chose to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, but he later said he would “respect their decision” if they chose to stand.

“I think it’s important for all of us to protest what’s going on, because it’s wrong,” Waters said in an interview with ESPN. “But I also think there’s a time and a place for everything.”

Waters’ about-face comes as the NBA and other professional leagues are struggling to figure out how to deal with player protests. Several NFL players have kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice, and a handful of NBA players have shown support for the protests by wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during pregame warm-ups.

While Waters has changed his stance on player protests, he still believes that there is a time and a place for everything.

“I think it’s important for us to be able to protest, but I also think there’s a time when we need to move on and continue to fight the good fight,” Waters said. “I don’t want our guys getting involved in anything that’s going to hurt them or hurt our team.”

The role of college athletes in the fight for social justice

Since the murder of George Floyd we have seen an unprecedented wave of protest against systemic racism and police brutality. college athletes have played a major role in these protests, using their platform to demand change.

Cleveland State basketball coach Dennis Gates was initially critical of his players who chose to kneel during the National Anthem but he has since had a change of heart. In a recent interview, Coach Gates spoke about how he has been educating himself on the issue of social injustice and he now supports his players’ right to protest.

“I’ve been learning a lot over the last few weeks and my thinking has evolved,” Gates said. “I now understand that our players are using their platform to raise awareness of important issues and I support their right to do so.”

Coach Gates’s change of heart is just one example of how the fight for social justice is changing the landscape of college athletics. As student-athletes continue to use their platform to demand change, we can expect to see even more coaches and administrators following suit.

The importance of athletes being allies in the fight for social justice

In the aftermath of 5th-year senior guard Tyree Appleby’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem this season, Head Coach Dennis Gates had some strong words for his player.

“We have a responsibility to our country and to those who have fought for our freedom to stand during the national anthem ” Gates said. “I respect Tyree’s right to protest, but I do not support it.”

However, in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests against police brutality and racial injustice, Gates has had a change of heart.

“I was wrong,” Gates said in a statement released by the university. “It is more important than ever for us to use our platform to stand up for what is right. Our athletes are some of the most influential people in our community, and I am proud of Tyree and all of our players for using their voices to speak out against racism and injustice.”

The importance of athletes being allies in the fight for social justice cannot be overstated. As Gates himself acknowledged, they have a unique platform that can be used to raise awareness and effect change.

We commend Gates for his change of heart and encourage other coaches and athletic administrators to follow his lead in supporting their athletes as they use their voices to advocate for social justice.

How player protests can be a catalyst for change in the fight for social justice

The 2017-18 college Basketball season saw a Number of players use their platform to protest various social injustices. Most notably, Lebron James joined forces with a group of other NBA players to Wear “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during warm-ups to protest the death of Eric Garner.

While some coaches spoke out in support of their players’ right to protest, others took a harder line, saying that players should focus on basketball and leave their political beliefs off the court.

One coach who has changed his tune on the issue is Cleveland State’s Dennis Felton. In an interview with The Athletic, Felton said that he initially thought player protests were “self-serving.” However, he has since had a change of heart and believes that player protests can be a powerful tool for sparking change.

“What I failed to realize is that these young people are living in a very different America than I grew up in,” Felton said. “They are growing up in an America where they are seeing violence against people who look like them on an almost daily basis. They are seeing racism and bigotry rear its ugly head in ways that I never had to experience.”

Felton goes on to say that he now sees how player protests can be a catalyst for change and hopes that his team will use their platform to spread awareness about social justice issues.