Opening day in the NFL saw Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters raise a black-gloved fist during the national anthem, a protest amplified later Sunday when four Miami Dolphins kneeled on the sideline with hands on their hearts as The Star Spangled Banner played in Seattle.The protests were inspired by San Francisco backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick , the first NFL player who chose to sit and take a knee during the anthem in preseason games to call attention to what he termed the oppression of blacks and other minorities.I chose to get involved to see if I could create change, raise awareness. And I want to make it clear that there is no disrespect to the military or to police officers -- Im not about that. I love everyone, said Miamis Jelani Jenkins, one of the Dolphins to kneel. I would like to keep moving forward in the right direction with everybody: equal rights, equal opportunity. From my position, it doesnt seem that its happening. Thats why I took a stand.The Dolphins got support from one very important person -- their boss, team owner Stephen Ross.I dont think it was any lack of respect, Ross said. I think everybody here, our team and our whole organization, respects the flag and what it stands for, the soldiers and everything. These guys are really making a conversation of something thats a very important topic in this country and Im 100 percent supportive of them.Peters gesture was the only one visible throughout the early games Sunday, as the anthems took on more significance because of the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks.I come from a majority black community from Oakland, California ... so the struggle, I seen it, Peters said after the Chiefs beat San Diego 33-27 in overtime. I still have some family in the struggle. All Im saying is we want to educate those, the youth thats coming up.The four Miami players -- Arian Foster, Michael Thomas, Jenkins and Kenny Stills -- registered their protest shortly before kickoff. The four players stood while President Barack Obamas message played regarding the 15th anniversary of 9/11 before taking a knee . All four stood at the conclusion of the anthem.If its about the knee that people are upset about, every Sunday people of faith take a knee to give thanks to their lord and savior, whatever faith or religion that they are, Foster said. Its not about a knee, its not about the (symbolism), its about the message. They say its not the time to do this, but when is the time?Several teams, including the Chiefs and Seahawks, saw their players link arms during the anthem. Peters, the 2015 defensive rookie of the year, was the last person in the Chiefs line and had his arm free to raise it.He spoke up about something he felt he needed to speak up about, Peters said last week. I salute him for that.Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall , a teammate of Kaepernicks in college at Nevada, took a knee during the anthem on Thursday night.NFL commissioner Roger Goodell weighed in on Kaepernicks protest last week as well, saying, I dont necessarily agree with what hes doing.Seattles locker room was engaged in a lengthy discussion over the past few weeks about what type of message to send. The players enlisted coach Pete Carroll in the discussions almost from the start, and brought Dr. Harry Edwards to help direct the conversations.Gestures mean nothing without follow through. Thats what Harry Edwards said and thats what I agree with, Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. People get confused that you have to go out there and put on a show and make this gesture and make people aware of it, and were more about action.Wide receiver Doug Baldwin, who became a default spokesman for Seattles actions, said the players are working to schedule a meeting with the mayor of Seattle and local law enforcement.We know that there has to be change and progress, Baldwin said. Change is inevitable. Change will always happen. But you got to apply direction to change, and thats when its progress. And so right now what were doing as a team, we have a follow through.A taped message from Presidents Obama and George W. Bush were played at each stadium. Bush attended the Giants-Cowboys match in Arlington, Texas, while Vice President Joe Biden was in Philadelphia for Browns-Eagles.Peters gesture was also a tribute of sorts to U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympics. Both then appeared on the medal stands with raised, black-gloved fists throughout the U.S. national anthem in what they called a human rights salute.And in the night game, New Englands Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty both held up their right arms. Teammate Danny Amendola was seen clutching the American flag unfurled on the field in Arizona.The International Olympic Committee ordered Smith and Carlos expelled from the games because of the protest.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Justin Schultz Jersey . JOHNS, N. Jack Johnson Jersey . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/ron-francis-jersey/ . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Matt Murray Penguins Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Bryan Trottier Penguins Jersey . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. A network of sports bars in Missouri found a novel way to root against the team that was once theirs: Lower the price of beer as opponents pile points on them.Hotshots Sports Bar & Grill, which has 10 locations in Missouri, will run a promotion that lowers domestic draft beer pitchers by $1 each time a team scores against the Rams, who moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles this year.The bar is calling it the Slam The Rams special.Its the least we could do, said Jay Korngard, manager at the St. Louis location..dddddddddddd People arent happy that our team was taken away.Pitchers of Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select are $9. With each touchdown, that price will go down $1. So if an opponent puts five touchdowns on the Rams, a patron can get a $4 pitcher.Fans dont have to buy anything else to take advantage, but the promotion is only available on game days beginning with the regular season. ' ' '