WASHINGTON -- Tommie Smith and John Carlos were proud to raise their gloved fists in a symbolic protest at the Olympics, and now theyre proud that Colin Kaepernick and other athletes are staging national anthem protests to raise awareness about racial inequality and police brutality.The American sprinters who were sent home from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics for what they called a human rights salute say the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and others are right to use their platform in an attempt to affect social change 48 years later.Dont hate the kid because he stood up for something to change, said Smith, who won the gold medal and set a world record in the 200 meters in 1968. He stood up for the right to exercise Amendment 1.Speaking Wednesday at the Team USA Awards, the first U.S. Olympic Committee event theyve been invited to since their protest, Smith says hes backing Kaepernick because his protest is proactive and Carlos says theres no better platform than sports to stand up for something, even if it brings criticism.Protest is a good thing because youre trying to expose certain things through protest, said Carlos, who won the bronze in the 200. Then, when you sit back and say, `Well, I dont know whether its the right place to make statement here or there. In any protest, I think you make a statement to try and reach the far ends of the earth. What better way to do it than if youre in a sport.Several athletes have followed Kaepernick, who sat for the anthem, then modified his protest to kneel during it. Some have raised their fists like Smith and Carlos.Most recently, Nebraska football players Michael Rose-Ivey, Mohamed Barry and DaiShon Neal kneeled during the anthem before a game at Northwestern, drawing criticism from university officials.It is a sacrifice to deal with anything other than status quo, Smith said. As we know very well.While Smith said its important for athletes to study and understand why theyre protesting and what they want to come out of it, Carlos said backlash is part of the process.Any individual that makes a public statement or a public scene is saying we have issues that we need to deal with and we can no longer stick them under the rug or stick them behind the bus or what have you, Carlos said. By bringing attention to society, for them to be able to determine themselves why it was necessary that we take this thing called racism, violence and prejudice and bury it once and for all.It has taken almost half a century for the USOC to welcome Smith and Carlos back into the fold after being on the outside for breaking the rules. Carlos called their return a rebirth and both men hope they can be ambassadors and a positive influence on young people who werent born when they protested at the Olympics.We never denounced what we stood for, Carlos said. We stood for humanity. At the same time they loved the fact that we had courage. Thats what you need in athletics. For them to come and lower the drawbridge so to speak and welcome us across with open arms, its a beautiful situation. I dont think it gets any better. China NBA Jerseys Authentic . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. 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On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. NAPLES, Fla. -- Harris English and Matt Kuchar won the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Saturday, holding off Wisconsin friends Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly by a stroke at Tiburon.English and Kuchar also won in 2013 in their first start together and finished second the last two years.Its a thrilling event to come out with a win, amazing feeling, Kuchar said. I think its just such a fun partnership weve had. Weve had such a good run. To have our last four events together, to have our track record be first, second, second, first is quite amazing.English eagled the par-5 17th and they closed with a 7-under 65 in better-ball play to finish at 28 under.We had some good action there and it kind of came down to the last couple holes and kind of set up perfect on 17 for me, English said. Really reachable par 5 and hit a really good drive off the tee and knew Kuch was in really good position so I could play really aggressive. Hit a really good 8-iron right where I wanted to and made about a 12-footer.Thats the difference in these events, Kuchar said. Pulling out some shots like that, getting an eagle, getting that two-shot swing, thats a big deal. This event comes down to you need to make birdies, you need to make some scores under par,, and to do it on the 17th hole today and the position and the situation we were in, it was a battle.ddddddddddddWe werent making a huge number of birdies. Its not like we were just battling with birdies, it was a fairly challenging day. But for Harris to come through and eagle 17 and give us that one-shot lead.Stricker and Kelly also shot 65.We just couldnt get that momentum, Stricker said. A shot here or there. Jerry played great. Wish I could have helped him out a couple more times. I had some putts at it I didnt make, but it was fun. Harris made an eagle. I knew somebody was going to do something there. It was just playing too short. He hit two great shots there at 17 and that was the difference really.English and Kuchar each earned $385,000. They opened with a 57 on Thursday in the scramble round and had a 66 on Friday in modified alternate shot.Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel were third at 26 under after a 61.Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau tied for last at 16 under after a 67. Thompson became the second woman to compete in the event, following Annika Sorenstam with Fred Couples in 2006. 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