If this needs to be moved to another board so be it but my question is how is it considered Freedom of Speech and ok for NFL, NBA, NCAA, and High School athletes when they wear "I CAN'T BREATHE" tshirts yet it is considered punishable when the 3 (or possibly more) Oregon players who mocked FSU QB Winston with a "NO MEANS NO" version with the warchant tone?

(01-02-2015 09:04 AM)usm99 Wrote:  If this needs to be moved to another board so be it but my question is how is it considered Freedom of Speech and ok for NFL, NBA, NCAA, and High School athletes when they wear "I CAN'T BREATHE" tshirts yet it is considered punishable when the 3 (or possibly more) Oregon players who mocked FSU QB Winston with a "NO MEANS NO" version with the warchant tone?

As none of the first list are governmental entities/organizations (except the high schools, which have an interesting jurisprudence with freedom of speech) then freedom of speech doesn't come into it. Private companies can limit speech all they want. If the NBA, etc., want to allow such speech, they may do so. I.e., an employee at Target can't say their Freedom of Speech is being infringed by the company because Target can limit them however much they desire.

Public schools, on the other hand, have certain rights that must be followed, which muddies this situation up a bit. However, participation in a sport allows greater control over the conduct of the players.

tOSU folks were chanting $EC! $EC! $EC!

I had a chuckle.

(01-02-2015 09:04 AM)usm99 Wrote:  If this needs to be moved to another board so be it but my question is how is it considered Freedom of Speech and ok for NFL, NBA, NCAA, and High School athletes when they wear "I CAN'T BREATHE" tshirts yet it is considered punishable when the 3 (or possibly more) Oregon players who mocked FSU QB Winston with a "NO MEANS NO" version with the warchant tone?

If they're mocking Jameis Winston and concurrently making a statement against sexual assault by using the "no means no" slogan, then more power to them.

If they're using the "no means no" slogan solely to mock Jameis Winston, then I'd agree that it is problematic.

Do you really think they were attempting to make a statement against sexual assault? By singing it to the tune of their opponent's most recognizable chant?

All that being said, let's move on to your question:

"Freedom of speech" doesn't apply here. It very rarely applies to the situations in which it is invoked. Freedom of speech protects these players from being arrested or prosecuted for their speech. Freedom of speech does not protect them from the consequences of their speech. They are representatives of the University of Oregon, the university's athletic department, as well as their football team. If any one of those three bodies feel that the player's actions were detrimental to their mission, they have every right to punish the players as they see fit.

(01-02-2015 09:16 AM)49erlew Wrote:  

(01-02-2015 09:04 AM)usm99 Wrote:  If this needs to be moved to another board so be it but my question is how is it considered Freedom of Speech and ok for NFL, NBA, NCAA, and High School athletes when they wear "I CAN'T BREATHE" tshirts yet it is considered punishable when the 3 (or possibly more) Oregon players who mocked FSU QB Winston with a "NO MEANS NO" version with the warchant tone?

If they're mocking Jameis Winston and concurrently making a statement against sexual assault by using the "no means no" slogan, then more power to them.

If they're using the "no means no" slogan solely to mock Jameis Winston, then I'd agree that it is problematic.

Do you really think they were attempting to make a statement against sexual assault? By singing it to the tune of their opponent's most recognizable chant?

All that being said, let's move on to your question:

"Freedom of speech" doesn't apply here. It very rarely applies to the situations in which it is invoked. Freedom of speech protects these players from being arrested or prosecuted for their speech. Freedom of speech does not protect them from the consequences of their speech. They are representatives of the University of Oregon, the university's athletic department, as well as their football team. If any one of those three bodies feel that the player's actions were detrimental to their mission, they have every right to punish the players as they see fit.

Thank you as this is what I was looking for.