BEAUMONT, Texas -- A Southeast Texas youth football team that received publicity and threatening messages after player protests during the national anthem ended its season early amid strife among coaches and parents.The president of the teams predominantly black executive board, Seterria Anderson, told the Beaumont Enterprise (http://bit.ly/2dAsPBk ) that the Beaumont Bulls disbanded because the team of 11 and 12-year-olds no longer had enough members after several players quit. Three weeks ago, the teams board removed the head coach amid fallout over the protests, and some players then stopped coming to games.The Bulls were among players across the U.S. who followed the lead of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has cited racial injustice and police brutality among the reasons for his protest.Strife among the Bulls leadership, coaches and parents started after players first decided to kneel during the anthem at a Sept. 10 game to protest social injustice.Anderson said coach Rah-Rah Barber was removed after creating a hostile mood at a team meeting and trying to divide the team by singling out and pressuring players who decided not to kneel at the Sept. 17 game.Fourteen of the 19 players took a knee during the anthem before that game, according to the Beaumont Enterprise. Three of the coaches and five players stood, linking arms in solidarity.But parent April Parkerson disagreed with how Anderson characterized what has happened with the team. Parkerson -- who was banned from practices because of what Anderson called out of line behavior -- said that the board ended the season because of the protests. Parkerson said that after Barbers removal, some of the teams players stopped attending practices or games.We are not practicing anymore, nor did we quit, Parkerson said.Barber did not reply to a Facebook message from The Associated Press, nor did he reply to the Beaumont Enterprise for its story.In a statement after the first protest, the teams board said it supported the players silent and peaceful action.Since the seasons early ending was publicized, people from all over the world have called and sent Anderson hate mail.They dont know were predominantly an all-black organization, she said.---Information from: The Beaumont Enterprise, http://beaumontenterprise.com Cheap Flames Jerseys . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Calgary Flames Gear . The next step is a better finish. 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Since the start of spring training, he has made a conscious effort to periodically step back, take a deep breath and focus on the special moments so that they still resonate when his playing days are history.More than memorabilia, I want memories, Ross said during an interview in June. More pictures and videos this year. Its pretty cool. Its been fun.Sunday was a particularly chaotic day in Ross farewell tour. He spent the morning with family and friends, then headed for Wrigley Field to catch Jon Lester in Game 5 of the World Series. Before the night was through, Ross would throw out Clevelands Francisco Lindor on an attempted steal of second base and deliver a fourth-inning sacrifice fly off Trevor Bauer to drive in what turned out to be the winning run in a 3-2 Chicago victory.Ross is 39 years old and has more than a touch of gray in his beard, but he still approaches baseball and life with a youthful enthusiasm thats contagious. Late Sunday night, he stood at his locker in the Wrigley Field home clubhouse and reflected upon his goodbye to Chicago -- a storybook year, as he said Sunday night. -- Jerry CrasnickDavid Ross peeks over the chair at his daughter Harper as she plays with a Grandpa Rossy pillow at home before Game 5. My wife has been a little sick, and the baby woke up about 4, so I got a bottle and did that whole deal, he said. I couldnt go to sleep after that for a little bit.Ross talks hitting with his brother-in-law Jason Trumbower (left), and friends Jason Jackson (right) and Jason Robotham. My friends came in around noon, and I talked to them and we talked about the day, he said. They asked me to get them in some bars so they could start drinking.Ross displays a guitar signed by his teammates gifted to him by longtime teammate Jon Lester. Lester is a guy whos won a World Series for me and done a lot of things for me personally, Ross said Sunday night. Hes a friend of mine. To be on this stage here my last time at Wrigley and catching him was a pretty amazing moment.David Ross reads a handwritten note on a printout of a Wall Street Journal article that was left at his front gate by a fan. The note reads:Dear Cubs --I grew up in the days when you could ring Ron Santos doorbell and he would come to his front door and sign autographs. Please read this story before tonights game and feel the love and respect that the departed Cubs have for each and every one of you. You have brought joy to the city of Chicago.Gratefully,A devoted fanRoss holds his young daughter Harper while talking to daughter Landri.Landri Ross curls up with a Grandpa Rossy pillow on the couch.Bags are packed at the Ross household in anticipation of one more road trip to Cleveland.David Ross gives his wife, Hyla, a hug while daughter Harper looks on before he leaves for the ballpark.A bus with a sign of support on the front passes as Ross drives to the ballpark. I tried not to have too much downtime to think about things, he said. Im trying to win a World Series, you know? Ill have time to reflect on my career and these special moments, but Im trying to keep that at bay right now.David Ross walks between the curtains and through securrity as fans look on before game 5 at Wrigley.ddddddddddddRoss talks with Pete and Laura Ricketts during pregame warm-ups.Things didnt get too worked up until I got to the field and started my routine and my preparation, said Ross, who took a run through the outfield before the game. I wasnt able to do that much reflecting because I didnt want to get emotional. I was trying to keep my head in the game and not think of whats going on in my career.Ross closes his eyes in reflection during the national anthem. The fans were phenomenal when I was warming up before the game and my first at-bat, he said. The whole energy in the stadium was great. I was just happy to be starting tonight after sitting on the bench the first two nights and not being able to feel that energy on the field. It was fun for me.Lester and Ross pair up for one final game.Ross reacts after Anthony Rizzo catches a ball that Ross bobbled in foul territory.This time, Ross hangs on to a foul ball and lands on his back after colliding with Rizzo.Ross tries to get starting pitcher Lester to settle down. This was a phenomenal game, he said later. Well-pitched and well-played on both sides. That was your typical World Series game -- 3-2, and it came down to every pitch and every play made. It was just fun for me to be a part of this.Ross launches a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth inning that turns out to be the difference in a 3-2 victory over the Indians. Ive had a storybook year, he said later. So many things have happened to me over this year. Thats just another cool one, to get the sac fly that puts us ahead and we hold on.Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist congratulate Ross as he returns to the dugout after his sac fly.Cubs second basemen Javier Baez tags out Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor on a stolen base attempt after a great throw from Ross. That was pretty cool, right? Ross said. That was pretty neat. That was fun for me. I enjoy throwing guys out. Homers are nice, but for me, picking guys off and throwing guys out is really fun.Ross takes a familiar walk to the mound to talk with Lester.Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder acknowledges Ross before leading the crowd in Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh-inning stretch of Game 5. How about that? Ross said later. Ive gotten to know him a little bit being here, and Ive hung out a couple of times with him. Hes just a down-to-earth, genuine human being. And for him to say those things about me, I was taken aback.Everybody was looking at me like, Dude, Eddie Vedder just dedicated the whole seventh-inning stretch to you, Ross said. My mind is blown. Im thinking about being [taken] out of the game, and then I hear that. Hes a quality individual. Hes just a good person to be who he is. Hes a rock star. Everybody knows who Eddie Vedder is. When this guy says my name, its a huge compliment. It stems from all the guys around here saying nice things about me. Its pretty cool.Ross acknowledges the fans as he leaves Wrigley after his final home game. Were enjoying this win, Ross said. It was nice to give these fans something to cheer for. It was nice to hear Go Cubs Go after the game. ' ' '
