Pirate Galaxy » said Wednesday that the time was com

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly said Thursday that Colin Kaepernicks protest during the national anthem is bringing attention to an issue that needs addressing.You look at whats gone on in Tulsa and Charlotte the last two nights, its an issue thats at the forefront of our country, Kelly said. It needs to be addressed, it needs to be taken care of. Because whats going on is not right. So, I think, again, (Kaepernick) is shedding light on the situation that is heinous and shouldnt happen in this country. We all have inalienable rights as a citizen of this country. Theyre being violated and thats what I think Colin is standing up for.The 49ers backup quarterback became a polarizing figure when his protest became public following a preseason game against the Packers on Aug. 26, when he sat on the bench during the national anthem in protest of racial oppression and police brutality. Kaepernick has since begun kneeling during the anthem instead of sitting and has been joined by several other NFL players and scores of high school and college players who have picked up the cause. Kaepernick has also pledged to donate $1 million to organizations supporting his cause of racial equality.Despite Kaepernicks position at the center of the broadening protest, Kelly said the quarterback hasnt had problems handling his responsibilities as the backup to starter Blaine Gabbert.Hes at every meeting. Hes done everything, Kelly said. He understands what his job is and hes balanced it really well. I think hes managed it really well. Hes focused, hes dialed in when were at practice, hes dialed in when were in meetings.---Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLDwyane Wade Jersey . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. 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Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. PHOENIX -- A person familiar with the negotiations says a "framework" is in place for a lease agreement that would keep the NHLs Phoenix Coyotes in Arizona. But while the person characterized the developments as positive, the Glendale City Council still must study the proposal and vote on it. The next council meeting is set for June 25 and the NHL Board of Governors meets two days later. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the proposed agreement hasnt been made public. Representatives of the teams prospective buyer, Renaissance Sports and Entertainment, have been talking with city officials about the lease, which is crucial for the sale of the team to go through and keep it playing at the city-owned Jobing.com Arena. The NHL has been operating the franchise since buying it out of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 2009. The report of a framework agreement on a lease first was reported Friday by Fox Sports Arizona. The city has budgeted $6 million per year for managing the arena, while the prospective buyers -- who would manage the facility -- reportedly need far more than that to make it work. The sides apparently have coome up with some way to bridge that gap.dddddddddddd NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday that the time was coming for some decisions to be made. Either the city was going to make the necessary decisions to keep the Coyotes or the franchise would find a new home. Bettman also raised the possibility the team might just take a one-year hiatus. "Obviously, were getting to the point where some decisions are going to have to be made, both by the city of Glendale and by us," Bettman said before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. "We havent set a deadline, but the time is getting shorter. ... Were still focused on making it work with the Coyotes staying in Arizona." RSE is headed by a group of Canadian investors, who have a purchase agreement with the NHL but its contingent on reaching a lease agreement with the financially-strapped Glendale. The city figures to lose money one way or another, at least in the short term, but presumably would lose less with the Coyotes as an anchor tenant. "This is really going to be a decision that the city of Glendale is going to have to make," Bettman said. ' ' '