Michigan State's men's basketball team before Friday's season opener against North Florida "will be doing their best to ignite conversations about what they see as social injustices in our society," according to Matt Charboneau of the DETROIT NEWS. The team plans to "wear T-shirts while warming up for the game" that read, "We talk, we listen," on the front and include a phrase from F Miles Bridges on the back that says, "It’s not about me, it’s about us." MSU coach Tom Izzo said that wearing the shirts "stems from multiple team meetings with players and staff that included discussions about everything from race to religion." Izzo: "There is so much divisiveness in our country. The players wanted to do something but not anything to offend anyone or anything else." Bridges said that all the players "understood the position they’re in and it was one of the big reasons they felt they should speak out." He added that this is not a "protest about any specific issue." Izzo made clear the team would "not be staging any sort of objection and would continue to stand together as a team for the anthem with their hands over their hearts" (DETROIT NEWS, 11/9). Izzo said, "We're not trying to capture the moment, we're trying to create a movement, and that is a major statement. This isn't for show, this isn't to make anybody feel good, it's not to make anybody feel bad." Izzo also said that the "future of the shirts is open-ended." In Michigan, Kyle Austin noted it is "undecided how often they will be worn or if anybody besides players and staff members will wear them" (MLIVE.com, 11/8).
