The Latest on the NFL’s new policy requiring players to stand if they are on the field during the national anthem but permitting them to stay in the locker room if they prefer (all times EDT):

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6 p.m.

Arizona Cardinals safety Antoine Bethea says the NFL’s new national anthem policy is ”not really a compromise [url=http://www.jaguarscheapstore.com/taven-bryan-jersey-cheap]Cheap Taven Bryan Jersey[/url] ,” as touted by the league.

The 12-year NFL veteran noted that ”if you want to use your right of freedom of speech and take a knee, you’re going to get fined. So it’s really not a compromise.”

(In reality, the team, not the player, would be fined.)

Bethea noted that the NFL did give players the option of staying in the locker room while the anthem is played.

”Either it’s going to be a team thing and everybody stays in the locker room or everybody goes out and stands,” Bethea said. ”But I think the fine thing is kind of overboard. I really do think fining players for really expressing what they believe, I think that’s kind of overboard.

”It’s a club policy so if the club supports the guys to do as they wish, then that’s fine, too. If the club decides everybody stays in the locker room, that’s a decision every team has to make.”

The players’ union also dismissed the idea that the policy was a compromise.

”The NFL chose to not consult the union in the development of this new `policy,”’ the NFLPA said in a statement.

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5:40 p.m.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott says he’s happy an agreement was reached on the anthem issue.

Prescott says that ”I’ll be out there standing.” He added: ”I’m sure we all know what (owner) Jerry (Jones) said. His statement was last year, and I don’t see that changing.”

While there was never a formal public declaration of such by Jones last year, the Cowboys owner had threatened to bench any players who did kneel.

During a Cowboys game at San Francisco in late October, about a half-dozen 49ers kneeled while all the Dallas players stood, though defensive tackle David Irving raised his fist after the anthem ended.

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5:30 p.m.

The Minnesota Vikings haven’t had any players kneel during the national anthem before games, and that’s fine by coach Mike Zimmer.

Zimmer has frequently avoided commentary on such non-football subjects [url=http://www.billscheapstore.com/tremaine-edmunds-jersey-cheap]Tremaine Youth Edmunds Youth Jersey[/url] , but on Wednesday after practice, he made his feelings known about the controversy. He said he was proud of the team last season for standing during the anthem.

Zimmer said: ”I think it’s important we represent our country the right way. A lot of people have died for that flag. That flag represents our country and what we stand for.”

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5:10 p.m.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor learned of the new anthem policy shortly after practice. He was a bit surprised players were not consulted.

Taylor said that ”to make a decision that strong, you would hope the players have input on it but obviously not.”

Taylor added that ”it’s what we have to deal with as players, good or bad. But at the end of the day, they call the shots and make their rules and that’s what we have to abide by.”

Taylor hopes that the focus will now be on ”what players and owners can do in the community.”

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4:45 p.m.

The New York Jets say they will pay any fines and not penalize players if they violate a new NFL policy to stand or stay in the locker room during ”The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Jets owner Christopher Johnson said Wednesday the team is focused on working with players to advance social justice issues rather than creating club rules or penalties that restrict demonstrations.

The ruling approved by NFL owners fines teams for their players kneeling on the field during the national anthem in a move meant to stem widespread debate over protests started by former quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The policy leaves it up to individual teams to decide whether to pass that cost on by punishing players directly.

Johnson says he plans to meet with Jets players and coaches to discuss the decision. He says he’ll support the players ”wherever we land as a team.”

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4:25 p.m.

Chicago Bears linebacker Sam Acho credits Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid and Michael Thomas for using their platform to raise awareness of social injustice.

But he sidestepped the questions when asked if he was OK with how the league implemented the changes to its national anthem policy and whether the union should have had more input.

Acho, a union representative, said that ”of course, somebody who is standing on the side of the union is going to say yes and people who didn’t give the union a say – the owners – are going to say no. And so, what I do think is, I think we’re in a really good place, as a team, honestly as a country. Because we’re at this point, almost like a point of contrition, right? What do you do now?”

Acho also said the players and league need to continue working together to address the issue. He said that ”it’s not an us-versus-them thing.”

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4 p.m.

Denver Broncos union representative Matt Paradis says that while he wishes players were consulted on the new national anthem policy, NFL owners have every right to introduce new rules.

Paradis says that ”they are the employers [url=http://www.bearscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-anthony-miller-jersey]Anthony Miller Jersey[/url] , so if they want to create a stipulation, we’ll go from there.”

Denver defensive end Derek Wolfe agrees with the league&#

BOSTON — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers know they have to be better in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

The Boston Celtics appear ready for just that.

“I thought our guys played with a good aggression tonight. Going to have to play better Tuesday,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the 108-83 rout in the series opener — a game blown open in the first quarter.

“I have zero level of concern at this stage,” James said after the Celtics blew the Cavs out in the opening game — a rare poor playoff outing for James. “I didn’t go to college, so it’s not March Madness.”

Translation: one win does not a series make.

The Celtics, who keep handling every situation thrown at them regardless of who might be available to play, know what they are likely to be up against in Game 2.

Boston is 8-0 at home in these playoffs.

Before Sunday’s game, a video on the big board highlighted “experts” doubting these Celtics in the postseason. After all, there’s no Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward, with valuable rookie bench center Daniel Theis also gone.

Motivation?

“I would say it has (driven them),” said Marcus Morris, one of the guys who made life miserable for James in Game 1. “It gave other guys opportunity to step up. It’s very unfortunate that we had those injuries, but no one is going to feel sorry for us at the end of the day, so we have to take our approach of next guy up.

“That’s what we’ve been doing all season.”

If you need evidence of Boston’s team effort leading to the 9-4 playoff record, here it is: Jayson Tatum leads the team at 18.6 points per game, but Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier are both at 17.4 [url=http://www.saintscheapstore.com/marcus-davenport-jersey-cheap]Marcus Davenport Jersey[/url] , Al Horford at 17.2, Morris 12.9 and Marcus Smart 10.4.

That is balance, meaning they don’t have to rely on one or two players — as Cleveland does with James and Kevin Love.

“We’ve got to help ‘Bron,” JR Smith said after the opener. “We can’t just expect him to do everything. As role players, we’ve got to play our role.”

James came in averaging 34.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game in the playoffs but was lifted with 7:10 left in the blowout. He was 5 of 16 from the floor and had seven of his team’s 10 turnovers in his 15-point game.

The Cavs missed their first 14 3-pointers and finished 4 of 26 from behind the arc.

“Three-point shot is a part of our DNA,” James said. “It’s what makes us the best team that we can be. I think even early on with the shots that we had, we had some wide-open looks that just didn’t go. I think in the first quarter, J.R. and Kev, (George Hill), they had some great looks, they just didn’t go.

“We’re OK with that. We’re absolutely OK with that. And we’re going to take those same looks going into Game 2 if the opportunity presents itself.”

The Cavaliers, coming off a layoff that followed a four-game sweep of the Toronto Raptors, offered little resistance in the opener. They missed their shots, lost their men on defense and allowed a whopping 60 points in the paint.

“You definitely have to adjust. That’s what part of the playoff series is about,” James said. “The teams adjusting from game to game and seeing ways you can be better. I think that’s an obvious question.”

The Celtics have taken 2-0 leads in both of their previous series and [url=http://www.buffalobillsteamonline.com/josh-allen-jersey]Josh Allen Jersey[/url] , even though they needed seven games to dispose of the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, they can rely on the franchise being 37-0 all time when taking a 2-0 lead in a series.

But that’s history, and this edition of the proud franchise is clearly more about the present.

“I think we’re very alert to the fact that we’ll get a heavyweight punch on Tuesday night,” Stevens said.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue indicated Monday that he may insert Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup in a bid to neutralize Al Horford, one of several Celtics to dominate in Game 1.

“He’s our rock,” Stevens said of Horford, who has also averaged 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in the playoffs. “He’s the guy we really, really lean on.”

Thompson, who played well and had eight points and 11 rebounds in less than 21 minutes in the opener, issued a bit of a warning on behalf of James, saying, “Usually when LeBron has these kind of games, the next game he does something legendary.”
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