??Social activists say Minneapolis is turning into a playground for the rich during Super Bowl week
Jamal Adams Jersey Youth , and critics are using the spectacle to rally against economic injustice such as the displacement of dozens of homeless people, and
the police shootings of blacks that spawned player protests at some NFL
games.Activists say the Super Bowl represents the pinnacle of corporate greed
with its expensive ticket prices, lavish parties and exclusive dinners. They
note that as wealthy football fans are celebrating, dozens of homeless people
are displaced because their shelter was inside the secure area around U.S. Bank
Stadium.“There is a full section of our community that sees the Super Bowl not
as a party, but as a problem,” said Jess Sundin, an organizer for a coalition of
community groups who are speaking out against racism and corporate greed.The
Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee says it’s focused on putting on a safe and
successful festival where all are welcome and everyone is respected. Super Bowl
Live, one of the main attractions surrounding the game, is free and open to the
public. The host committee has also used this opportunity to give out about $5
million in community grants ??most to help children living in poverty and kids
of color.“We have worked with local public safety officials and community
stakeholders for more than two years to create a welcoming environment … and we
invite all Minnesotans to come and share in the excitement,” host committee
spokesman Michael Howard said in a statement.But local activists say the event
makes the city inaccessible to most. Planned actions this week include a march
and rally outside U.S. Bank Stadium before Sunday’s game to protest corporate
greed and racism. The Minneapolis chapter of Black Lives Matter also plans
rallies to demand renter’s rights, living wages and the renewal of a program to
protect young immigrants from deportation.One group called Take a Knee Nation is
holding a two-day conference against police violence.The Minneapolis area has
seen some high-profile police shootings in recent years
Darius Leonard Jersey , including the 2016 killing of Philando Castile by a St. Anthony officer and the 2017 killing of Justine Damond in Minneapolis. Take a
Knee Nation organizer Mel Reeves said the conference is designed to educate
people about race, police violence and the right to protest.Mothers who have
lost their children to police violence, including Castile’s mother Valerie, will
speak. Student athletes who have suffered consequences for taking a knee will
also be part of the conference.Reeves said the event is an outgrowth of what
former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick started last season when he
knelt during the national anthem to bring more attention to the killings of
black men by police officers. The protests spread this season after Kaepernick
was unable to sign on with another team.Reeves said his group wants police who
harm citizens to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and he called
for all police shooting cases nationwide to be re-opened.“One of these days we
are going to have a more equitable society,” Reeves said. “It’s going to happen.
But you sure won’t get it if you don’t ask for it.”The Take a Knee Nation
conference will be held Saturday and Sunday and end with a rally outside U.S.
Bank Stadium.The Minneapolis area has a history of vigorous protests, including
some that have shut down interstates in the wake of Castile’s shooting. While
community organizers say they aren’t planning any disruptions during Super Bowl
week, Miski Noor of the Minneapolis chapter of Black Lives Matter said “we’re
not discouraging anyone from pursuing a different way forward.”Noor said the
Super Bowl has put marginalized communities in danger and highlights the
militarization of police departments.“They’re calling it a national security
event,” Noor said. “It’s a national security crisis that they created without
our consent.”While activists demand an end to police violence, Sundin said the
coalition is also calling for economic justice, noting that Super Bowl ticket
holders will be the only riders allowed to use the light rail on game day for
security purposes. Local riders are instead being offered free bus service.“We
don’t want our cities to be playgrounds for billionaires
Authentic Cordy Glenn Jersey ,” Sundin said.Some activists are also calling for changes to team names that some find offensive.Clyde Bellecourt, co-founder
of the American Indian Movement, was among those who protested the 1992 Super
Bowl in Minneapolis, when the Washington Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills. He is
still calling for the Redskins name to be changed.His group plans to rally
Thursday outside an invite-only dinner for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and
the league’s other team owners. He’ll also be part of Sunday’s rallies.“We
always hope that we have a great peaceful demonstration to educate people, but
we’re not backing down. We’re not going to let anybody push us around,”
Bellecourt said. “The whole world is going to be watching what happens here on
Super Bowl day … there can never be a better time to do what we’re doing.”
By late Sunday night, either the expansion Vegas Golden Knights will be headed to the Western Conference final or the San Jose Sharks will have forced a
winner-take-all matchup.
That is what’s on the line for both teams heading into Game 6 of their second-round series in San Jose, Calif.
Vegas took a 3-2 series lead after holding on for a 5-3 home victory Friday. Alex Tuch scored twice for the Golden Knights, who gave up three goals in a 6:09
span of the third period to make it interesting before Jonathan Marchessault’s
empty-netter.
Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said to keep the bags packed.
“It’s not over yet,” he told reporters. “We’ve got a home game now. We have to take it and start right away, and I believe we’ll come back (to Las Vegas)
for Game 7.”
He may be on to something. The Sharks have been nearly unbeatable at home during the 2018 playoffs
Adidas Taylor Hall Jersey , posting a 3-1 record and outscoring their opponents 17-6. In Game 4 on Wednesday in northern California, Martin Jones made
34 saves for his sixth career playoff shutout in San Jose’s 4-0 win.
Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant told the team’s official website Saturday that he wouldn’t need to offer any encouragement or words of wisdom about this
game.
“Our guys know that (San Jose is) going to come in and battle hard,” Gallant said. “They’re going to compete hard. That’s the way the game is going to be and
that’s the way this series has gone.”
While the Sharks have plenty of playoff-tested veterans in Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns and Logan Couture (three assists in Game 5), Hertl joins that group.
He scored during Friday’s third-period flurry, and leads San Jose with six goals
this postseason — including four at home.
“He goes out and plays a man’s game at an important time of the year,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said of the fifth-year forward, who set a career high with 22
goals in the regular season.
Vegas is a first-year team, but its roster is dotted with plenty of playoff experience, especially with Marc-Andre Fleury in net. He has surrendered 17
goals and collected three shutouts to lift the Golden Knights to a 7-2
postseason record.
Fleury said he doesn’t think the team is looking ahead to what might happen because that’s not how they approached difficult situations during the
season.
“I think we’ve had this mentality all year long. It’s all about the next game and it’s where our focus has to be,” said Fleury
Vita Vea Youth Jersey , who needs one win to become the 10th goaltender in NHL history with 70 playoff victories.
Vegas is 3-1 away from Sin City during the postseason but has been outscored 9-8. Seven players have goals for the Golden Knights, but only William Karlsson
has more than one. Despite logging more than 39 minutes and 10 shots combined in
Games 4 and 5, Karlsson failed to register a point.
He set career bests with 43 goals and 35 assists in the regular season.
In what might be the final game of the season, DeBoer said he expects the Sharks to start well and keep up that intensity throughout.
“If you are going to be eliminated or not, you don’t want to do it leaving your best game in the bag, so to speak,” he said Saturday. “We feel confident in
our game. We feel that we’ve done it all year. We’ve shown up and played our
best in tough situations.”
Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa doesn’t want to see a seventh game.
“When you have a chance to close out a series — you want to do it as quickly as you can. You don’t want to give them any chance or any life,” he said
Saturday.
Game 7, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
.
