CHRISTINA: THAT WAS ROOTS OF MUSIC ALUM TREVON SULLEN-TROTT PERFORMING A PART OF LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING.
THE BLACK NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO KICKOFF OF EVERY GAME DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NFL SEASON.
THIS MOVE BY THE LEAGUE HAS GOTTEN SOME MIXED REACTION, BECAUSE SOME FANS AND ATHLETES ALL SAY THE NFL NEEDS TO DO MORE.
FLETCHER: IT’S CAUSED MOMENTS OF REFLECTION,ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
AND THAT CERTAINLY HIT HOME FOR THE SAINTS AND THE TEAMS GREATEST PLAYER.
CHRISTINA: DURING AN INTERVIEW IN JUNE, DREW BREES WAS ASKED ABOUT PLAYERS POTENTIALLY KNEELING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM THIS SEASON IN PROTEST.
I WILL NEVER AGREE WITH ANYBODY DISRESPECTING THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR OUR COUNTRY.
CHRISTINA: THE SOCIAL MEDIA FIRESTORM WAS HARSH AND IMMEDIATE.
>> YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO HIGH HEAD A GREAT DEAL OF -- I HAD A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR, AND YOU SHOULD SHUT THE -- UP.
CHRISTINA: COMMENTS LIKE THAT ISSUED IN THEM ISSUING APOLOGIES AND SHOWING MORE APATHY.
>> I KNOW THERE’S NOT MUCH I CAN SAY THAT WILL MAKE ANYTHING’S BETTER RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANT YOU TO SEE IN MY EYES HOW SORRY I AM.
CHRISTINA: THEY ARE NOW SPONSORING THE HBC YOU HALL OF FAME CEREMONY.
HE EVEN CALLED OUT THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE TWEETED THE QUARTERBACK WILL REGRET HIS APOLOGY.
DREW BREES SAID "THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE ABOUT THE AMERICAN FLAG, IT HAS NEVER BEEN." SO WHILE DISAPPOINTED AT FIRST, HIS TEAMMATES HAVE SINCE RALLIED AROUND HIM.
>> DREW BREES IS AN EXAMPLE TO ALL OF NONBLACK AMERICA TO BE ABLE TO SAY "I MISSED THE POINT, I CAN DO MORE, I CAN LISTEN BETTER, I CAN DO BETTER." >> YOU JUST HEARD FROM ONE OF
THE SAINTS’ STRONGEST LEADERS, LINEBACKER DEMARIO DAVIS.
ANOTHER GUY WELL RESPECTED IN THE LOCKER ROOM IS OFFENSIVE TACKLE TERRON ARMSTEAD.
ONE MANTRA HE LIVES BY IS ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
THIS IS FOOTAGE THAT CERTAINLY SHOWS THAT, A COMMUNITY CENTER HE HAS PERSONALLY FUNDED THAT WILL SOON OPEN.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK HIM ABOUT TOUGH TALKS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN HIS OWN TEAM, AND THE LEAGUE SEAN PAYTON HAS BROUGHT IN SOME GUESTS THIS OFF-SEASON,
INCLUDING SPIKE LEE, TO DISCUSS RACE AND SOCIAL ISSUES.
HOW IMPACTFUL WAS THE MESSAGE IN BRINGING THE TEAM TOGETHER?
>> IT WAS GREAT.
HE ALWAYS DOES A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING FRESH AND KEEPING THE GUYS ENGAGED.
IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF HIS BEST STRENGTHS AS A COACH.
WE HAD SHOULD CURE O’NEILL, SNOOP DOGG, SPIKE LEE.
SPIKE GOT A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT RACE AND HIS EXPERIENCES, THINGS HE HAS BEEN THROUGH WITH SOME SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, RACIAL INJUSTICE ISSUES.
IT WAS GREAT TO GET HIS POINT OF VIEW, SEE THE THINGS HE HAD.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE MOVIE HAD THAT WAS COMING OUT THAT IS OUT NOW.
JUST GOING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
A FEW OTHER GUYS SPOKE.
MOSTLY, JUST SHOWING GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR BEING ON THE CALL AND SHARING HIS THOUGHTS.
>> MARSHON LATTIMORE, MICHAEL THOMAS, AND A FEW NFL PLAYERS PUT TOGETHER A VERY POWERFUL VIDEO.
IN RESPONSE, ROGER GOODELL RESPONDED BY SAYING HE WAS SORRY, HE APOLOGIZED FOR HOW THE PEACEFUL PROTESTS WERE HANDLED.
YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT, AND THE CHANGES THE NFL IS TRYING TO MAKE.
>> IT WAS GREAT, WHAT THE PLAYERS DID, PUTTING THAT MESSAGE TOGETHER.
GREAT INFLUENCES.
SOE HUGE, NOTABLE NAMES AND FACES.
YOU SEE THOSE GUYS COME TOGETHER AND PUT THE VIDEO TOGETHER, FOR ROGER TO COME OUT AND MAKE THE STATEMENT, MAKE THOSE APOLOGIES, I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT, AS WELL.
TO BE ABLE TO ADMIT WHEN YOU ARE WRONG TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR FAULTS, AND GO TO THE NEXT ACTION.
PROVING THAT YOU WERE WRONG AND NOW WAYS WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND GO TOGETHER TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CHANGE.
>> YOU WANT TO AN HBCY, PLAYED FOR A BLACK HEAD COACH.
THE CHANGES BEING MADE RIGHT NOW, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IT WHEN IT COMES TO MINORITY HIRES?
>> IT GOES FARTHER THAN JUST COACHING.
THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN MINORITY HIRES AND A LOT OF WORKFORCES, A PLOT OF AREAS THAT SHOULDN’T BE THAT WAY.
I THINK THE MORE POTENTIAL WE BRING TO IT, JUST THE FAIRNESS OF IT, AND THE MORE POTENTIAL WE BRING TO IT, OR WE CAN SEE CHANGE.
WE CAN SEE THE STATISTICS CHANGE.
I WANTED THE RESPONSE FROM THE OWNERS TO BE GENUINE.
NOT FROM ANY TYPE OF GUILT, JUST TO BE GENUINE.
WE HAVE BLACK COACHES.
ANY RACE.
IF THEY ARE QUALIFIED AND DO THE JOB CORRECTLY, THERE’S NO REASON THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE THESE.
SAINTS LEFT TACKLE TO RON ARMISTEAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THE CURRENT PUSH FOR CHANGE HAS PROMPTED A MAJOR SPORTS FRANCHISE TO DROP ITS NAME.
THE NFL TEAM IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
IS RETIRING A NAME IT’S HAD FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS.
>> I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD WHEN TRAYVON MARTIN WAS KILLED.
SO WHY AM I HERE AT 16 STILL DEMANDING CHANGE?
CHRISTINA: STILL TO COME, LIVING THE TALK.
THE CONVERSATION ATHLETES AND SPORTS LEADERS ARE HAVING WITH THEIR KIDS AND PLAYERS.
>> AS PARENTS, WE ARE A STEWARDS, AN