Die Allianz T-D-P » calendar of trials and camps given the n

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When Colin Kaepernicks national anthem protest initially went public, talk immediately turned to whether it would lead to a distraction that would divide the San Francisco 49ers locker room.Two weeks later, as the Niners prepare for their opener Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, the opposite has been the case, in fact, as the team has only gotten closer as players have had in-depth talks that have helped them learn more about one another.It leads to deeper conversations that need to be talked about, not just in our locker room, not just in barber shops around the country but everywhere, receiver Torrey Smith said. There are really issues. People get caught up in what Kap did by sitting down and not by the message that hes trying to send. I think thats the most important thing, to get people talking, and its worked.Kaepernicks protest became public after he sat during the anthem before a home game against Green Bay on Aug. 26. He later explained his reasoning, saying he was protesting the oppression of minorities and police brutality in the United States.That created a media maelstrom that the team had to handle. The Niners immediately put out a statement supporting Kaepernicks right to protest, and the players held a private meeting to allow Kaepernick to explain his reasoning and his teammates to ask questions.Thats really been the last that as a team that we talked about the situation, coach Chip Kelly said. We recognize and respect Kaps decision and his constitutional rights to do what hes doing and it sounds like its been a positive change. Theres been a lot of positive things that have come out of it. So, we havent had any meetings since.Safety Eric Reid joined Kaepernick in the protest in the final exhibition game in San Diego -- with the two kneeling instead of sitting, in a move meant to show more respect to veterans.Even the front office joined in despite a sometimes rocky relationship with Kaepernick that almost led to an offseason trade. Owner Jed York pledged $1 million to the cause of improving racial and economic inequality and starting collaboration between Bay Area law enforcement and the community.I think theres been a lot of open conversations, a lot more conversations going on in general, Kaepernick said. I think ultimately this team and this locker room have gotten a lot closer because of the gaining and understanding of individuals.Kaepernick and Reid plan to continue their protest before the opener and Smith said more teammates might join in. While Seattles Jeremy Lane also has joined the protest and others could as well, dont expect any Rams to do it.Coach Jeff Fisher made his stance clear at a team meeting at the start of training camp. In a message replayed on the HBO show Hard Knocks, Fisher spelled out how his players should approach the anthem: defensive players on the sideline to the left, offensive players to the right, helmets held under the left arm.Fisher said he does not demand that his players follow his rules but stressed how important it is to him.I do have, however, a respect for the anthem and a respect for this country and respect for our flag, he said. I have every right as a head coach and we have the right as an organization to express our feelings from that standpoint.The Rams have had other potential distractions to deal with this offseason as they have dealt with moving the franchise from St. Louis to Los Angeles. The team held offseason workouts in Oxnard, before holding training camp in Irvine and then setting up shop before the regular season in Thousand Oaks, all while moving the entire franchise halfway across the country.They will play their games at the L.A. Coliseum starting with the home opener next week against Seattle.There are just inconveniences, not problems -- little things, quarterback Case Keenum said. The team and organization have done a great job keeping us as comfortable as we can. Just trying to get in the regular routine and play in a regular season game.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Air Force 1 Low Italia . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air Force 1 Scontate . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. http://www.airforce1outletitalia.it/scontate-air-force-1-alte-nere.html . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. Air Force 1 Outlet . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Air Force 1 Alte 07 .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. A month since the Abhinav Bindra-led National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) review panel submitted its recommendations seeking a systemic overhaul following Indian shooters underwhelming show at the Rio Olympics, little has changed. The coaching staff remains unchanged, while Nationals continue to be conducted the way they have always been. While NRAI chief Raninder Singh had suggested the setting up of a second panel within 48 hours of the report submission to oversee the implementation of the proposals, details of both the panel and the intent of execution remain sketchy. Its not that theres a compulsion to have a second panel, Raninder says. Its just that we think it would be a good idea. Our silence should not be misinterpreted as inaction. In its report, the review panel noted that the Nationals should be seen as an aspirational event and to ensure better quality, the present qualification cutoff score should be upwardly revised.The recommendation, though, is yet to make it beyond paper. Participating in the recently-concluded shotgun Nationals in Jaipur, Raninder finished with silver in the mens trap event behind four-time Olympian Manavjit Singh Sandhu. While the willingness to introspect and allow criticism on part of the federation must be appreciated, the fact remains that little has been done so far to implement the suggested changes, says Manisha Malhotra, who was part of the four-member review panel chaired by Abhinav Bindra.Citing the instance of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Manisha added that if the cricket body does eventually implement the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel to overhaul its structure, it would set a much-needed precedent for other national sport federations.When I spoke to the NRAI president two weeks ago, he assured me that details of the panel which is to oversee implementation would be announced shortly, but there has been no word on that front yet, she added. Among the gamut of changes proposed by the panel, include the appointment of a high performance manager, not part of the NRAI, who would coordinate between the shoooters, coaches, NRAI and SAI and a committee of experts for picking national coaches.dddddddddddd Clarifying the NRAIs stance, Raninder told ESPN that some of the measures would require a considerable amount of time for implementation.The process for change in coaching staff has begun but it will take time to reach where we desire to arrive. After all, top coaches are hardly available a dime a dozen both domestically and internationally. As far as the appointment of a high performance manager is concerned, the job description has been finalised and we will be advertising for the position shortly. Raninders observation with regard to the difficult task of finding quality coaches at this time though is not too far from the truth. Almost all the top international coaches have possibly been signed up by other countries ahead of the Olympics, since the usual practice is to keep close tabs on contracts of high-profile coaches, initiating negotiations with them a few months before their existing contract with a particular national federation is to end with the Games. The introduction of mixed-gender events has also put the federation in a bit of a pickle, suggests Raninder, adding that they are still awaiting answers from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).We would have to revise our calendar of trials and camps given the new mixed events and were still unsure as to how long the three events (double trap men, 50m prone men and 50m pistol men) which have been dropped can continue for, he said. In the aftermath of Indias below-par show at the Rio Games, the NRAI was, in fact, the only national sports federation to set up a panel to help look into the reasons for its athletes far from flattering performance.The second panel, which would oversee the implementation of the recommendations, Raninder assures, would be nominated after the national squad is constituted following the Nationals.The Nationals (rifle & pistol) are scheduled to be held in Pune from December 12-26. ' ' '