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OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook is a multi-millionaire basketball player, far removed from the rough community he came from in the Los Angeles area.When the Thunder All-Star learned about the recent police shootings of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa and Keith Scott in Charlotte, his mind went right back to his old neighborhood.Me growing up in the inner city and being able to see different things on a night in and day in, day out basis -- it hit home for me, just being able to see the different things thats going on globally, and giving people across the world an opportunity to see it, Westbrook said at Thunder media day on Friday. Now, its getting to a point that theres something that needs to be changed in that aspect. Im going to use my voice as much as possible to relay that aspect.Crutcher, 40, was shot Sept. 16. Police say the unarmed black man was shot by a white police officer, Betty Shelby, who has been charged with manslaughter. Tulsa is just a two-hour drive from Oklahoma City. Westbrook said the impact goes way beyond the incidents themselves.A lot of people dont realize the families of all these young men, Westbrook said. Their mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles. I think its very important that we understand how the families feel throughout these situations.Westbrook said he plans to use his platform to help find solutions.Me, being an African American athlete and having a voice, I think its important that its important that I make a stand that something has to change, he said. I think that -- obviously, I dont have an answer. Nobody has an answer. If that was the case, we would have fixed it. But its important that we try to figure out what we can do to help improve the things thats going on.Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was shot in Charlotte on Tuesday by a police officer. Both men are black. Thunder player Anthony Morrow, who is from Charlotte, was shaken by the shooting in his hometown.Obviously, Im sad, that being in my own personal city, he said. Its a very unfortunate, sad situation. Its a sad and unfortunate time that were in right now. It really hit home with me with it being Tulsa, then the next day, Charlotte. Its just something that, weve got to continue to pray and try to find the right answer or medium, because right now, its kind of all or nothing. So Im praying for my city and Tulsa and everywhere else.San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has chosen not to stand during the national anthem, saying he wouldnt show pride in the flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color.Earlier this week, NBA players received a memo from the league and the National Basketball Players Association saying both were working on finding substantive ways to take meaningful action and effect `positive change.Neither Westbrook nor Morrow revealed whether they would stand for the anthem. Morrow said he has no issue if an athlete protests.If youve got a voice and youve got a stage and you feel like expressing yourself, I totally understand that, he said.Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday that, though hed prefer the players stand, he respects their right to free speech.We want to learn how we can help them take the symbol (flag) and try to create platforms for action, Presti said. And I think thats one of the great roles that any organization can play, especially here in Oklahoma City, which is great, given our relationship with the community.---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBruntAP Air Max 98 Sale Cheap . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. Air Max 98 Outlet . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.wholesaleairmax98.com/ . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. Air Max 98 For Sale . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Air Max 98 Clearance . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. CHICAGO -- As the Chicago White Sox conclude a fourth straight losing season, a couple of 23-year-olds provided some optimism for the future Friday night.Carlos Rodon tied an AL record by striking out the first seven batters and Tim Anderson finished a double shy of the cycle in a 7-3 victory over the Twins. It was Minnesotas 103rd loss, the most since the franchise moved from Washington in 1960.Rodon never gave them a chance.The lefty, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft, fanned Brian Dozier, Jorge Polanco and Robbie Grossman on sliders in the first. He got Miguel Sano on a fastball, Kennys Vargas on a changeup and saw Eduardo Escobar chase a slider in the dirt in the second.When John Ryan Murphy was caught looking at a 97 mph fastball to lead off the third, Rodon tied the AL record for strikeouts to start a game set by Joe Cowley of the White Sox on May 28, 1986, at Texas.Youve just got to throw strikes, go right at them, Rodon said.Logan Schafers ensuing double left Rodon one strikeout shy of the major league record to start a game shared by the Astros Jim Deshaies and the Mets Jacob deGrom.Rodons strikeout streak was 10 when figuring in the final three hitters he faced while fanning 11 in a victory Sunday at Cleveland. The last pitcher to strike out 10 in a row was Eric Gagne of the Dodgers over four games in May 2003.Tyler Duffey (9-12) gave up five runs in two-plus innings to ensure Minnesota wont have a 10-game winner in their miserable season.You kind of get what you deserve, Twins manager Paul Molitor said.Duffey gave up six hits while getting six outs. Omar Narvaez hit his first career homer in the fourth off Pat Dean as the White Sox built a 7-0 lead.Anderson, the 17th overall pick in 2013, finished a double shy of the cycle and irritated Duffey after hitting a two-run homer in the third inning.I mean he backpedaled out of the box. Stood there and enjoyed it, Duffey said. Its just one of those things. Its one thing to hit a homer. I gave up a 500-foot homer to Nelson Cruz and he jogs around the bases.ddddddddddddRyan ORourke threw behind Anderson in the eighth and both benches were warned. Anderson then grounded to third to end his chances at the cycle. He tripled and scored in the first and singled in the sixth.I wanted to hit a double. I did it in Double-A, Anderson said. When everything is clicking for you, I feel real great.Rodon (9-10) was dominant until a 31-pitch sixth inning when he gave up three runs -- two earned -- to end his night. He allowed three hits and three walks while striking out 10 in Chicagos sixth win in seven games.This was some electric stuff coming out, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. He was up there at 98 (mph), but I think that slider, when he has that working, its a devastating two-strike pitch. He can get some swings and misses, thats for sure.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: 1B Joe Mauer (quadriceps) remained out. ... Molitor said veteran C Kurt Suzuki has taken a beating and wont catch again this season. Suzuki is in the last year of his contract. Its probably been as awkward a month for him as anybody in that clubhouse when youre potentially playing out into your free agency as a catcher in your early 30s, Molitor said.White Sox: Tests showed 2B Tyler Saladino has a herniated disk. He had an epidural Monday and doesnt believe hell need surgery. It was kind of crippling for a little bit, he said.RODONS RISERodon finished 7-2 in his last 10 starts. He struggled early in the season and went on the disabled list after spraining his left wrist slipping on the dugout steps.It was definitely the best stuff-wise of having it all -- fastball, slider, mix in a change, Ventura said. I think thats just a big confidence boost for him of getting to that point where he can do that.UP NEXTWhite Sox RHP James Shields (6-18, 5.82 ERA) closes a tough season Saturday night against Twins LHP Hector Santiago (12-10, 4.87). cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '