a side note of NFL History…

Tommie Smith (left) & John Carlos (right) at the 1968 Mexico City Games

On October 4th, 2011, Haymarket books released “the John Carlos Story“. It’s a memoir styled book about John Carlos, Most famous for his 1968 Mexico City Olympic 200 meter bronze medal. In which he, and Gold medal winning American Tommie Smith, Stood on the podium & during the Playing of the national anthem, Raised his left fist in a “Black Power Salute”, in support of the civil rights movement. It’s a classic image and now part of american sports lore. Yet in 1968m it was seen to the American public as “defiant” & “traitorous”. Only partly knowing this story from my father & television, I was surprised to read an article with John which mentioned that he had a stint in the NFL & CFL.

Drafted in the  15th round fo the same 1970 draft that produced hall of fame players Terry Bradshaw & Mel Blount, Carlos played one injury filled season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He the moved on to one year each with the Montreal Alouettes & Toronto Argonauts. While his NFL story is short lived, It’s amazing to me when athletes take a stand against the issues of their times. I wonder if the current rebirth of activism, the Occupy protests & the like, will start rousing more athletes to take up positions against what they find as wrong in society. Ochocinco against animal cruelty?