Había tristeza, y también ira y lágrimas. “Fue tan real y auténtico como parece”, dijo el entrenador de los Rams, Sean McVay.
Los Rams regresaron el martes a su programa virtual habitual de temporada baja, pero McVay dijo que el equipo tuvo una reunión el día anterior emocional y “poderoso” que continuó resonando.
McVay dijo que cerca de 125 jugadores, entrenadores y personal participaron el lunes en una videoconferencia que ofreció una plataforma para discutir la muerte de George Floyd en Minneapolis, las protestas mundiales que siguieron y los sentimientos y experiencias que han moldeado la reacción individual y colectiva.
Floyd, un hombre afroamericano, murió después de que un oficial de policía blanco se arrodilló en su cuello durante más de ocho minutos mientras lo inmovilizaba. El oficial, Derek Chauvin, fue arrestado después de días de protestas y acusado de asesinato en tercer grado y homicidio involuntario en segundo grado.
“Nuestros pensamientos y oraciones están con la familia Floyd”, dijo McVay a los periodistas durante una videoconferencia. “Esta tragedia ha afectado a todo nuestro país y, realmente, a todo nuestro mundo. Y con todo lo que sucedía, pensamos que era realmente importante como organización tener una reunión... para proporcionar realmente la plataforma, lo más importante, para escuchar, para aprender”.
Durante el fin de semana, varios jugadores de los Rams utilizaron las redes sociales para expresar sus sentimientos sobre la muerte de Floyd, el racismo y la necesidad de un cambio. El mariscal de campo Jared Goff, el corredor Malcolm Brown, el liniero defensivo Sebastián Joseph-Day, el profundo John Johnson y el receptor Cooper Kupp estuvieron entre los jugadores que publicaron o retuitearon a otros.
“Me duele el corazón por nuestro país”, dijo Goff en Instagram. “Es necesario que haya un cambio y solo puede suceder juntos. Nunca pretenderé entender las luchas que la comunidad negra atraviesa diariamente en nuestro país y nunca conoceré esta lucha. Es mi responsabilidad educarme y participar activamente en la defensa del cambio que nuestro país necesita desesperadamente, en palabras y acciones. Ámense un poco más de lo habitual, únanse y continúen presionando por un cambio positivo en nuestro país”.
McVay dijo que los jugadores y los miembros del personal compartieron sus experiencias durante la reunión.
1/82
A protester dances on top of Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a demonstration by members of Refuse Fascism who are calling an end to the Trump administration on June 20, 2020. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
2/82
Deborah Jay Winams cries after singing a song at a Black Lives Matter Los Angeles rally to call for justice in the fatal shooting of Kenneth Ross Jr. by Gardena police in 2018. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
3/82
People participate in the All Black Lives Matter march in West Hollywood on Sunday, June 14. Thousands of demonstrators marched for racial justice and LGBTQ rights. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
4/82
A protester waves a rainbow flag on Sunset Boulevard during the All Black Lives Matter march on Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
5/82
Thousands hold up signs and march in the All Black Lives Matter solidarity protest on Hollywood Boulevard. The procession started at Hollywood and Highland and moved into West Hollywood. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
6/82
Jason De Puy of West Hollywood wears a mask that reads “Black Trans Lives Matter” as people fill Hollywood Boulevard during a solidarity march called All Black Lives Matter on Sunday, June 14. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
7/82
Protesters hold up signs at the All Black Lives Matter march, which was organized by Black LGBTQ leaders and organizations in place of a previously planned event by the group behind LA Pride. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
8/82
Protesters march, raising fists and signs in the air, on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
9/82
The Compton Cowboys ride horseback down South Tamarind Avenue, joining thousand of protesters Sunday during the Compton peace ride, which ended at City Hall. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
10/82
Houston Rockets star Russell Westbrook speaks to the crowd of protesters and the Compton Cowboys at the end of a peace walk at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
11/82
Elijah Estrada, 6, holds up his fist for 8:46, the length of time George Floyd was held down by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, at the conclusion of a peace ride and walk with the Compton Cowboys at Compton City Hall on Sunday. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
12/82
A family member of Breonna Taylor, right, is hugged by another woman after speaking to protesters in Beverly Hills Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
13/82
A woman tries to get between Black Lives Matter protesters and pro-Trump counter protesters during a demonstration at the intersection of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
14/82
Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Regina Scott takes knee next to Johnathan Jasper, brother of slain teen Anthony Weber, during a rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
15/82
A protester yells in front of a Black Lives Matter mural with the names of victims on Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
16/82
David Blackgold hugs Huntington Beach police officer K. Wood during a Black Lives Matter protest in Huntington Beach Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
17/82
A National Guardsman holds a rose given to him by a protester along Fairfax Ave. during a march Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
18/82
A Black Lives Matter protester blows bubbles by a police line in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
19/82
A protester lies on the ground under his horse with his hands behind his back as demonstrators including some on horseback rally in front of LA City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson’s office in Los Angeles Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
20/82
Tempers flare between Black Lives Matter demonstratiors and pro-Trump counterprotesters in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
21/82
Black Lives Matter demonstrators raise clenched fist in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
22/82
Mek Bitul held up a sign with the words, “This Is The Tipping Point!!!” in front of City Hall, joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
23/82
Katyana DeCampos, a citizen of France visiting California, marched with a sign with the words “Anti Racism,” joining nearly 1,000 people gathered to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
24/82
Zoe Perkins, 4, of Glendale and her mother brought flowers to the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
25/82
LAPD Chief Michel Moore, left, talks with community leaders outside police headquarters after a candlelight vigil for George Floyd on Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
26/82
A man lays a rose at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
27/82
Braydon Deauce White, 4, fist-bumps a National Guardsman at LAPD headquarters Thursday morning. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
28/82
Allison Bracy of Fontana hugs daughter Brielle Bracy, 10, while attending a rally in Riverside on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
29/82
A protester drapes himself with a flag during a demonstration in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
30/82
Gustavo R. Ramirez of Pomona kneels in front of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
31/82
Protesters at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones / Los Angeles Times)
32/82
Crowds gather in downtown L.A. to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. At 9 p.m., for exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds, protesters shone lights into the sky. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
33/82
Protesters dance on Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles as a march attracted thousands of people. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
34/82
Thousands of protesters gather at the Los Angeles Civic Center. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
35/82
Thousands of protesters gather at the Los Angeles Civic Center. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
36/82
Thousands of protesters gather at the Los Angeles Civic Center. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
37/82
Stephen Chang, 32, left, of Silver Lake, with an American flag draped over his head, joins other demonstrators at the intersection of Spring and Temple streets in downtown Los Angeles, as they protest against L.A. Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey and also demand justice in the death of George Floyd. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
38/82
Miles Miles, 8, left, and Memphis Miley, 6, center, of Newport Beach, join protest against racism in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
39/82
Protester Vailing high-fives National Guardsmen as they march through Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
40/82
Protesters march through a residential neighborhood in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
41/82
Protesters walk through a residential neighborhood in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
42/82
A L.A. Sheriff’s deputy watches as protester Annik Chung holds a sign while cheering on marchers along La Brea Ave. in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
43/82
Mustafa-Ali, 27, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
44/82
Paul Villalobos, 28, from Oakland, joins other demonstrators as they protest on Spring St. in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
45/82
A huge crowd gathers in downtown Los Angeles to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
46/82
Protestors march through downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
47/82
Protestors march through downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
48/82
Protestors march through downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)
49/82
Riverside County Sheriff Lt Chris Durham tries to calm nerves after hundreds of demonstrators that marched to the police station protest the death of George Floyd in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
50/82
In a sign of peace, protesters reach out to Riverside County Sheriff deputies, who were there to enforce an 8pm curfew during a demonstration to protest the death of George Floyd’s in Moreno Valley. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
51/82
Hundreds of demonstrators block traffic as they march down both sides of Balboa Blvd. to protest against racism in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
52/82
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
53/82
Protesters march through West Hollywood to demand justice for the killing of George Floyd during march on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
54/82
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
55/82
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
56/82
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
57/82
Protestors rally on the steps Anaheim City Hall steps against last week’s in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
58/82
Bando Kev prays along Hollywood Blvd. in front of the National Guard and near TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
59/82
A couple promote peace on Highland Ave. in Hollywood as protesters continue to demonstrate. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
60/82
Makenzie Anderson, 2, rides on her father, Shawn’s shoulders as they join hundreds of protesters marching throughout downtown. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
61/82
Marcus Owen, yells out chants for George Floyd as hundreds of protesters gather outside City Hall in a daylong protest. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
62/82
Hussain Sharif, left, Mari Drake, and Thomas Rosado chant as they ride along with hundreds of protesters at a downtown demonstration. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
63/82
Hundreds of protesters march throughout downtown ending with many arrested for curfew violations. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
64/82
“Hands up. Don’t shoot,” say hundreds participating in a march against the of George Floyd on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice onTuesday. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
65/82
Members of the California National Guard flash peace signs after protesters had marched by in support of Black Lives Matter in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
66/82
Protesters shoot hoops while taking a break from marching against the death of George Floyd by police on Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice on Tuesday. The basketball hoop was attached to the front of a bus that followed the protest for a while. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
67/82
Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
68/82
A woman stands next to an image of George Floyd as hundreds participate in a march against the in-custody death of Floyd in Venice. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
69/82
Terrence Burney, 36, left, and Commander of the LAPD Operation West Bureau Cory Palka, right, talk together peacefully in front of Getty House in Hancock Park. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
70/82
Protestors gather outside Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Hancock Park house as they continue to demonstrate against police brutality. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
71/82
Jessica Jordan takes a knee as she joins other protesters at Sunset & Vine in Hollywood on Tuesday. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
72/82
A young woman reacts to a group chant, while gathered with a couple hundred people to protest the death of George Floyd and in support of Black Lives Matter, near the Manhattan Beach Pier. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
73/82
Jayse Garcia, 27, of Los Angeles takes part in a demonstration in Hollywood. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
74/82
Protesters sit in front of National Guardsmen closing Sunset Blvd at Vine Street in Hollywood. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
75/82
Mira Ercingoz,16, from Palos Verdes, center in red hat, holds a poster with an image of George Floyd alongside protesters in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
76/82
Demonstrators take a knee during protests in Hollywood on Tuesday.
(Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)
77/82
A mother and daughter pass protestors in Hollywood. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
78/82
Several hundred protesters gather to demand justice for George Floyd at the Manhattan Beach Pier Plaza Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
79/82
Janie Hill,15, from Lawndale, receives a hug from a friend, following an emotional discussion with a Manhattan Beach Police officer, at the conclusion of a protest in Manhattan Beach. (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)
80/82
LAPD Cmdr. Gerald Woodyard takes a knee with clergy members from the Los Angeles area as they participate in a march and demonstration outside LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
81/82
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti walks out to address protesters and clergy members outside LAPD headquarters on Tuesday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
82/82
Several hundred protesters take a knee and hold their fists in the air during a moment of silence to honor George Floyd during a peaceful protest march from Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
“Una de las cosas que quería asegurarme de hacer eco y articular a nuestros jugadores fue, ya sabes, aunque nunca puedo decir que he sido víctima de perfil racial o discriminación, me criaron para saber lo que está bien y lo que está mal”, dijo.
McVay dijo que hacer preguntas con empatía y escuchar eran cosas importantes.
“No se trata solo del nivel de la superficie, ‘¿Cómo está tu familia?’”, dijo. “Pero realmente solo demuestra la empatía y la voluntad de tratar de aprender, tratar de comprender, y eso no se obtiene sin preguntar... Estoy un poco decepcionado de no haber hecho estas preguntas mucho antes de esto”.
En 2016, el exmariscal de campo de los 49ers de San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick, generó controversia cuando se arrodilló durante el himno nacional para protestar contra la brutalidad policial y la opresión racial en los Estados Unidos.
Ningún equipo de la NFL ha firmado a Kaepernick desde el final de la temporada 2016.
Se le preguntó a McVay si su perspectiva sobre la situación de Kaepernick había cambiado.
“Simplemente reitera tener empatía y comprensión, y permitir que las personas puedan manejar las situaciones y lo que mejor les parezca”, dijo McVay.
McVay dijo que apoyaría a los jugadores de los Rams si eligen manifestarse en el campo durante la próxima temporada.
“Sería extremadamente tonto de mi parte, si estoy sentado aquí diciendo que voy a escuchar, aprender y tratar de tener empatía y comprensión, no permitirles a los muchachos la plataforma si sienten que es la forma correcta para representar la curación y algunas de esas soluciones que estamos buscando”, dijo. “Absolutamente estaría abierto y con ganas de escuchar y estar abierto a eso”.
John Wolford, quien estuvo en el escuadrón de prácticas la temporada pasada, es el respaldo de Goff. Los Rams también firmaron a los agentes libres no reclutados Josh Love y Bryce Perkins.
¿Consideraría McVay fichar a Kaepernick?
“No ha jugado en mucho tiempo”, dijo McVay. “Nos sentimos realmente bien con nuestra situación de quarterback”.
McVay dijo que continuará buscando formas de darles a los jugadores y al personal la oportunidad de expresar sus preocupaciones y ayudar a cambiar los sistemas que causan problemas sociales.
