Mizzou football cancels practice to make statement; stand up to racial inequality
The Missouri Tigers canceled practice Friday in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake and “in order to focus on the current state of our country,” a statement released from the team said.
Multiple Missouri players and coaches shared their unified stance across their social media, calling for change and concrete plans to tackle racial inequality and police brutality.
“On today, Aug. 28, 2020 (the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech), we as the Mizzou Football Team, with the support of our coaches, decided to cancel practice in order to focus on the current state of our country,” the statement reads. “We desire to use our platform as college student-athletes to shed light on the injustices that are plaguing our country, and to help promote CHANGE!
“We refuse to ignore racism and police brutality. We are in the process of fostering change within our community by continuously bringing awareness to the importance of every single American, and to implement change in our government, law enforcement (local and state), and youth.
“In the spirit of Dr. King’s Dream, we will continue developing a comprehensive plan and we will stand side-by-side as brothers from all races, backgrounds, and religions in our relentless purpose of equality for all.”
Mizzou wasn’t the only SEC to cancel practice and make a statement. Kentucky was the first team in the conference to do so Thursday, with Mississippi State joining them later in the day. Mississippi did the same Friday.
The Tigers’ canceled practice is now moved to Friday, and MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz, along with some players, will comment on the statement. Saturday’s scheduled scrimmage will now be played Sunday.
Blake was shot seven times by local officers in Kenosha, Wisc., in just the most recent example of police brutality against Black people. Protests have continued in Kenosha and in other parts of the country. The NBA also held its own strike, sitting out a few days of playoff games as the players hoped to spur change and use their own platforms. NFL teams have also sat out practices during training camp to make a statement, started by the Detroit Lions.
It’s not the first time Missouri student-athletes have raised awareness and used their platforms as student-athletes. The Tigers held a peaceful march from The Columns to Boone County Courthouse over the summer to stand up to social injustice. The walk ended in 62 MU players registering to vote.
Drinkwitz also spoke of Blake’s shooting earlier this week, adding he was “disappointed” by the outcome and seeing the same events happen over and over again.
“We gotta keep bringing attention because there is a real problem in the United States of America,” Drinkwitz said. “Abraham Lincoln said we’re striving to become a more perfect union. We’re not there yet. The atrocities that have occurred — on video tape — in the last three months, it’s not right.
“... I feel for my football team. I feel for our coaches. I was sitting with one of my coaches (Wednesday) while we were seeing it on ESPN and just the pain. We’ve got to make reform. We’ve got to address the issues so that this does not continue to happen. I want to be part of the solution. Our football team wants to be part of the solution.”