It’s been a volatile week around the country after yet another unarmed black man was killed at the hands of police. George Floyd, 46, died on Monday in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes while Floyd pleaded that he was unable to breathe.
When local prosecutors initially declined to bring charges against the officer in question, Derek Chauvin, protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis and elsewhere around the country in demonstrations that quickly turned violent. In the aftermath on Friday, authorities eventually arrested Chauvin and charged him with murder.
Several athletes have taken front center with protesters in solidarity, including retired NBA player Stephen Jackson, who was a close personal friend of Floyd, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves star who joined the demonstration in Minneapolis. Now Nike, the Oregon-based shoe and apparel company, has added its voice to the mix with a powerful new ad about the need to take action against racial inequality in America.
. @Nike releases “Don’t Do It” campaign in response to deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and racial profiling of Christian Cooper.
President/CEO John Donahoe also sent out companywide letter, stating: “Let me be as clear as I can: Nike is opposed to bigotry.” pic.twitter.com/27XF03o0xQ
— Aaron Dodson (@aardodson) May 29, 2020
Below is the full transcript of the memo Nike sent out to employees on Friday, in which Donahoe discusses the company’s responsibility to inspire others to take action, a sentiment reflected in its new commercial.
Full letter sent to all @Nike employees from CEO John Donahoe.
Opening line: “As we’ve watched racial tragedies expose prejudice and injustice in our cities … I can’t stop thinking about the individuals impacted: Ahmaud Arbery. Christian Cooper. Breonna Taylor. George Floyd.” pic.twitter.com/NjYpL5wesK
— Aaron Dodson (@aardodson) May 29, 2020
This isn’t the first time Nike has spoken out about these issues. In September of 2018, they debuted a campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick with the tagline “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Friday Night Smackdown results for May 29, 2020. This week’s show featured semi-finals matches in the Intercontinental Championship tournament being changed up due to a show-opening DUI crime scene and injury — no, seriously — and more. Make sure you’re here tomorrow for the complete Best and Worst of Friday Night Smackdown column.
WWE Friday Night Smackdown Results:
– As mentioned in the intro, the show opened in the middle of a car accident in which it appears a drunken Jeff Hardy has crashed his car into Elias in the Performance Center parking lot and run away on foot. Police find him and take him into custody as Elias is stretchered away.
WHAT. IS. HAPPENING???#SmackDown @JEFFHARDYBRAND @IAmEliasWWE pic.twitter.com/sRRDH6xBrd
— WWE (@WWE) May 30, 2020
– Backstage, a group of WWE stars headed up by Adam Pearce argued among themselves about what should happen with the Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles vs. Elias semi-finals matches in the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Styles accepted a bye to the finals. Bryan refused a bye, and agreed to face the winner of a battle royal.
1. Sheamus won the Intercontinental Championship tournament buy-in battle royal, last eliminating Jey Uso. Sheamus will face Bryan in the tournament semi-finals in the main event.
2. Sonya Deville vs. Lacey Evans ended in a double count-out when they wouldn’t stop brawling on the floor. Evans got back into the ring and challenged Deville to face her, but Deville said they’ll fight again on her terms.
– The Forgotten Sons still want to kill you for not loving the troops enough.
– New Day appeared on A Moment Of Bliss as part of a “Tag Team Champion Summit.” They were interrupted by Bayley and Sasha Banks, who argued with Bliss and Cross about being the most important Women’s Tag Team Champions. This led to a Bliss vs. Banks match.
3. Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss. Bayley caused a distraction by doing the Chicken Dance, saving Banks and allowing her to win the match with a roll-up.
4. Shorty G defeated Cesaro with a sunset flip.
– Mandy Rose and Otis ogled each other and made out by the pool.
– Kurt Angle announced that Matt Riddle will be coming to Smackdown.
5. Intercontinental Championship Tournament Semi-Finals Match: Daniel Bryan defeated Sheamus with the Knee-Plus after Jeff Hardy returned and distracted Sheamus.
5.
