SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is refusing to stand for the national anthem before games because he believes the United States oppresses African Americans and other minorities.Kaepernick sat on the teams bench Friday night during the anthem before the Niners played host to the Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game. He later explained his reasoning in an interview with NFL Media .I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color, Kaepernick said. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Saturday that players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem.The 49ers issued a statement after Pro Football Talk initially reported on Kaepernicks stand, saying that Americans have the right to protest or support the anthem.The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pregame ceremony, the team said. It is an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are afforded as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.Coach Chip Kelly said Saturday that he had not talked with Kaepernick about his actions or comments but said that Kaepernick also did not stand for the national anthem before last weeks game in Denver when he was injured and did not play.We recognize his right to do that, Kelly said. Its not my right to tell him not to do something. Thats his right as a citizen.Kaepernick, who is biracial, was adopted and raised by white parents. He has been outspoken on his Twitter account on civil rights issues and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.Kaepernick is not the first U.S.-based athlete to use the anthem for protest. In 1996, NBA player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf refused to stand for the anthem, saying the United States had a history of tyranny and doing so would conflict with his Islamist beliefs. The NBA initially suspended Abdul-Rauf for his stance before it was lifted when he said he would stand and pray silently during the song.Kaepernick said he is not worried about any potential fallout from his protest.This is not something that I am going to run by anybody, he told NFL Media. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right.Kaepernicks agent did not immediately return a request for comment.Kaepernick is in competition to win back the starting quarterback job in San Francisco that he lost to Blaine Gabbert last season. He made his first appearance of the preseason on Friday night after missing two games with a tired shoulder. He finished 2 for 6 for 14 yards and added 18 yards on four runs.Kelly said Kaepernick is still in the running to win the starting job and his protest wont impact the decision.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Puma Rihanna Baratas . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Zapatillas Puma Baratas . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. http://www.pumabaratas.es/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Venta Zapatillas Puma Baratas . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Puma Basket Baratas . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The pitching matchup for Sundays game between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium reflects the teams conflicting approaches to reconstructing their rosters.Right-hander Chad Green represents the Yankees immediate focus on youth. But another right-hander, the Angels Jhoulys Chacin, belongs to the squadron of stopgap solutions for an injury-riddled pitching staff.Green comes off one of the best performances by a starting pitcher in the Yankees history. In just his fifth major league start, Green the first 13 batters he faced, amassed 11 strikeouts in six shutout innings, conceded just two hits and issued no walks Monday night in a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.The 25-year-old compiled the most strikeouts by a Yankees rookie since Masahiro Tanaka struck out 11 Seattle Mariners in 2014. Green also became just the second rookie pitcher in team history to compile at least 11 strikeouts without permitting a walk or a run. Stan Bahnsen pitched a three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts against the Boston Red Sox in 1968, the year he was named the American Leagues rookie of the year.Greens start Monday night marked the beginning of his fifth stint with the Yankees after being promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Each time, he took his demotion the right way and said, OK, this is what I need to work on, and Im going to get better, New York manager Joe Girardi said. Hes got good stuff and his stuff has developed this year.Part of that development includes the rapid improvement of his slider.It was terrible, Green told the New York Times. It was pretty much non-existent. But the strides with that pitch have been huge.dddddddddddd I didnt really change the grip too much. I think it was more like a mind-set. Just being more confident with it was huge.Chacin, meanwhile, has experienced little success after the Angels acquired him from the Atlanta Braves in May.The seven-year veteran has lost five consecutive starts since his last victory June 14. But after being sent to the bullpen in mid-season, Chacin collected 20 strikeouts in eight relief appearances covering 17 2/3 innings while allowing just five runs, 11 hits and five walks.When Chacin returned to the rotation, however, that effectiveness evaporated. In his two starts since his return, the right-hander gave up 11 runs, 13 hits, five walks and a hit batsman while collecting just two strikeouts and pitching only six total innings.Against the Mariners in his last start Tuesday night, Chacin threw 88 pitches in 4 2/3 innings, allowed four runs on seven hits, walked two, hit one and struck out two. Seattle scored all four of its runs against Chacin with two out.He had trouble closing out innings, Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. It usually comes down to one pitch. The more a team gets looks when theyre ahead in the count, theyre going to put better swings on pitches.The Angels will play without Yuniel Escobar, who began Saturday ranked second in the American League with a .320 average and ninth with a .368 on-base percentage. The veteran third baseman went on the seven-day disabled list for concussions after bunting a ball off his nose in the fourth inning of a 7-0 loss Friday night. ' ' '