National anthem protests haven't gone away in the National Football League.
During the first week of the preseason, the Seattle Seahawks' Michael Bennett and Oakland Raiders' Marshawn Lynch took a seat during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Asked about the form of protest, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated, "people do have rights."
Cleveland Browns Coach Hue Jackson has a much firmer stance.
"I think everybody has a right to, and I get it, but the national anthem means a lot to myself personally, the organization and our football team," Jackson said, according to Dan Labbe of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I hope -- again, I can't speak, I haven't really talked to our team about it -- I would hope that we don't have those issues."
Colin Kaepernick popularized the practice in the NFL, and it was picked up by a number of other players. No Browns player has participated.
"I understand there is a lot going on in the world. I like to just keep it here. What we deal with, we try to deal with as a team in our closed environment," Jackson said. "We talk about things. Hopefully, that won't happen. I can't tell you it won't happen, but I just know our guys, and I don't think that is where our focus is."
Pranks a lot
Justin Thomas said he pranked fellow golfer Jordan Spieth a bunch during his rookie year, and then he found out why he shouldn't do that.
"He got me back really good by moving my car from the courtesy car lot into a different lot because I parked in his parking [space]," Thomas said. "That's the thing about Jordan, he's going to go over the top and overreact, so I kind of can't go there with him. He's like that 6-year-old, your little brother, when you kind of push him, he retaliates a lot worse. So I kind of don't want to go there anymore with him."
Grand slam runner-up
Louis Oosthuizen went from a reputation of having the sweetest swing in golf to being the best at lip syncing.
All because of another runner-up finish.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion at St. Andrews, made a 50-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the PGA Championship and joined the list of players who have finished runner-up at all four majors. He lost in a playoff to Bubba Watson at the 2012 Masters, lost in a three-man playoff at the 2015 British Open and tied for second in the 2015 U.S. Open.
The South African handled it with a performance on the jet home that rates among his best -- mouthing the words, with more expression than he ever allows on the course, to "I'll Rise Up" by Andra Day.
Board games
Iceland's Thorir Thorbjarnarson is Nebraska's last basketball commit.
Wrote Dwight Perry of The Seattle Times: "Pundits predict he'll be a Scrabble All-American."
Sports quiz
Besides Louis Oosthuizen, who are the six other golfers that have finished as a runner-up at all four majors?
Sports answer
Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Craig Wood. Norman is the only player from that group to lose all four majors in a playoff (Wood lost in extra holes at the PGA Championship when it was match play).
Sports on 08/16/2017