Consider any explosive racial issue you can think of -- White flight, voter suppression, racial protests, the killings of Black people on video -- and it has somehow detonated in Georgia in the past few years.
A White police officer killed Rayshard Brooks , a Black man, in an Atlanta parking lot last year only weeks after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, sparking protests and the resignation of Atlanta's police chief. Three White men are now on trial for the killing Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man, in February while he was jogging in a coastal city in south Georgia. And in March, over furious protests by Black voters and Democrats, the Republican-led Georgia legislature passed one of the nation's most racially restrictive voting laws.
The Braves 'Tomahawk chop' is getting political. Sports and politics aren't supposed to mix. But Georgia's current Republican governor ignored that adage during the Braves' playoff run this season.
After the Braves won the National League pennant, Gov. Chop On, and Go Braves. Kemp's "Chop On" reference only served to highlight the Braves' problematic "Tomahawk chop" symbol and gesture, which some Native American groups and activists say perpetuates "dehumanizing" racial stereotypes. Images of a smiling Trump chopping away, flanked by exuberant White fans doing the same, won't help the Braves' relationship with the city's Black community or their White allies.
Critics have long demanded that the Braves eliminate the chop and change their team name -- as the former Cleveland Indians did earlier this year -- from one seen by many as a racial slur.
Some have suggested the Braves change their name to the "Hammers" to honor "Hammerin'" Hank Aaron's nickname. Last summer the Braves said they were reviewing use of the chop , which is traditionally done by fans at the ballpark to rally the team.
But the Braves have so far resisted a name change, saying in a letter to season ticket holders that "We will always be the Atlanta Braves" and citing the team's relationship with regional Native American groups. To some fans, especially after the racial reckoning over George Floyd, this stance seems racially insensitive. A lesson from the Atlanta Hawks. Even Atlanta's sprawling geography contributes to this rift between the Braves and the city's Black community. As someone who has worked in downtown Atlanta for more than 20 years, I've seen a racial divide in the city's fan base.
The crowds for Falcons and Hawks games, in the city's downtown, are filled with Black and brown faces. But the throngs of Braves fans who passed through on their way to Turner Field were noticeably whiter.
And some White fans looked palpably nervous as I watched them navigate Black crowds on their way into the Hawks' arena and Falcons' stadium. Talking openly about these racial optics is what got a former owner of the Hawks in trouble not too long ago. Bruce Levenson, the former majority owner of the Hawks, sold his interest in the team in and apologized after emails he sent to other Hawks executives went public.
Levenson said crowds at the Hawks' arena were "70 pct black" and that they "scared away the whites. One writer said Levenson's sentiments were not unique in the Atlanta sports world. Add these elements together, and a perception has hardened among Black residents that the Braves don't cater to them, says Nubyjas Wilborn , an Atlanta native and sportswriter who covered the Braves from to The many challenges facing the Braves.
One of the biggest obstacles the Braves face in erasing that perception is a primary cause for the rift: the team's decision to move to a predominantly White suburb for the season. Team officials said at the time that they left Turner Field downtown because there wasn't enough parking and reliable mass transit. The Braves now play in Cobb County, near a constellation of primarily White suburbs north of Atlanta. The move reminded some of a big-league version of "White flight," the historical pattern from the s and s in which White residents fled urban neighborhoods across the country for the suburbs when Blacks moved in.
Yet for anyone who knows Atlanta, saying the Braves moved to a conservative, White community is overly simplistic. Cobb County, the Braves' new home, is becoming more racially diverse -- and is now a majority Democratic county. It's also unfair to say the Braves' challenges with race are unique to them. But few Black athletes are playing Major League Baseball in The presence of Black players in the majors peaked in at There are several reasons for this shift.
More Black athletes are going into football and basketball because it's less expensive to play and more college scholarships are available. And some Black players say they feel isolated in MLB clubhouses. Harris says the scarcity of African American players on the Braves is part of a bigger issue.
Their leader, Stetson Bennett, is a true underdog story, and he has the chance to go from walk-on quarterback to National Championship-winning legend. The book will be phenomenal one day, but the final chapter needs to be finished first. Tonight presents an opportunity for Georgia to nudge Alabama to the side and put itself in a huge spotlight.
The Bulldogs have every piece needed to win a championship, and this game looks completely different now than just over a month ago. Tonight, Kirby Smart can finally move into a different level of college coaches, as long as his team shows up with him. If the bet loses, the FanDuel Sportsbook will refund you in site credit. New users can lock in this offer NOW by clicking this link. Check our help guide for more info. Search Search for: Search. Cart 0. Videos by OutKick. If not now, then when?
My prediction: Georgia defeats Alabama One Comment Leave a Reply Georgia by two touchdowns. Log in to Reply. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Login to comment on this post. Game 2: Braves right fielder Joc Pederson questions a called strike three with umpire Ron Kulpa in the eighth inning.
Game 2: Astros fans hold up a sign rooting on their team. Slideshow continues on the next slide. Game 2: Astros second baseman Jose Altuve hits a solo home run in the seventh inning. Game 2: Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel is all smiles in the sixth inning. Game 2: Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies catches a fly ball in the third inning. Game 2: Astros center fielder Jose Siri scores on an error in the the second inning.
Game 2: Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud hits a solo home run in the second inning. Game 2: Astros second baseman Jose Altuve tags up and slides into third base in the first inning. Game 2: Fans reach for a foul ball during in first inning.
Game 2: Astros starting pitcher Jose Urquidy retires the side in the first inning. Game 2: Recording artist Paul Wall addresses the crowd before the game. Game 1: The Braves celebrate after defeating the Astros Game 1: Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel is called out by umpire Dan Bellino after the tag by Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies in the eighth inning. Game 1: A group of nuns in centerfield cheer on the Houston Astros.
Game 1: Astros fans cheer on their team from Minute Maid Park. Game 1: Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel singles in the fourth inning.
Game 1: Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel reacts after committing an error in the fourth inning.
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