“Believe in something even if it means sacrificing everything.’’   

That tagline, part of a new ad featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, could also sum up the philosophy behind Nike’s decision to feature the controversial football player in its 30th anniversary “Just Do It’’ campaign.

The move has sparked calls for a boycott and images on social media of angry customers setting their Nike gear on fire in protest. But at a time when the teens who make up Generation Z are focusing their spending power on companies willing to take risks, Nike may have far more to gain than to lose by entering the fray, some retail watchers believe. 

“I think this is a brilliant move,” says Rick Milenthal, CEO of the marketing firm The Shipyard. “We all know that the Nike campaign ‘Just Do It’ is one of the most consistent and amazing long-term campaigns, but the truth is, it has become stale for this new generation. … People today have an interest in authenticity, and I think, long term, it will pay off – and I think it already has. We’re all talking about it.”

Nike’s ad echoes recent actions by other companies who have taken a stand on controversial issues during one of the most polarized cultural moments in memory.

On Tuesday, Levi Strauss & Co. announced that it was setting up a fund to contribute more than $1 million in grants over the next four years to groups and activists working to prevent gun violence. It will also help create a coalition of business leaders to try to stem the nation’s shooting epidemic.

More: If you’re burning Nike over Colin Kaepernick, you might as well cut up your Chuck Taylors too

More: Colin Kaepernick’s new ‘Just Do it’ Nike ad puts pressure on NFL to take a stand

More: Big & Rich singer urges Nike boycott over Colin Kaepernick ad: ‘Reebok, here we come’

 In 2016, Target announced a transgender bathroom policy, allowing people to “use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity,” sparking backlash from some conservative activists. And in February, Dick’s Sporting Goods banned assault-style weapons, high-capacity magazines and gun sales to buyers under 21 two weeks after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. 

 “As business leaders with power in the public and political arenas, we simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work,” Chip Bergh, Levi’s president and CEO, wrote in an op-ed for Fortune. “While taking a stand can be unpopular with some, doing nothing is no longer an option.” 

Kaepernick is one of several athletes, including tennis star Serena Williams, professional skateboarder Lacey Baker and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who are featured in the sneaker giant’s 30th anniversary campaign for its iconic slogan “Just Do It.” 

Kaepernick, whose ad debuted on Labor Day, became a lightning rod in the debate about social justice, patriotism and the appropriate way to fight for both, when he began kneeling during the pre-game playing of the national anthem in 2016. Many other players followed suit, and Kaepernick became a symbol in the Black Lives Matter movement protesting police brutality.

But 2016 marked the last season Kaepernick played in the NFL. He has filed a collusion grievance with the league, arguing that NFL owners have united to deny him a team position because of his protests. Last week, arbitrator Stephen Burbank sided with Kaepernick, when he denied the NFL’s request for a summary judgment and determined that there was sufficient evidence for Kaepernick’s complaint to go to trial.

Kaepernick, who signed a contract with Nike in 2011, is in some ways an ideal fit for the “Just Do It”  mantra, some marketing experts say. And Nike’s decision to stick with him in the midst of controversy may be particularly noteworthy to the members of Generation Z, a group that currently influences $600 billion in family spending and is expected to represent 40 percent of all shoppers by 2020. 

“Generation Z is all about authenticity,” says Bob Phibbs, CEO of the Retail Doctor, a New York-based consultancy. “When a brand states ‘this is who we are,’ that’s the best customer service you can offer because ultimately they’re selling a feeling and a world view and saying this is where we need to go and we’re willing to stake our brand on it.”

But Nike’s decision is potentially explosive, pitting Nike against the NFL, one of its most significant partners, while risking the loss of some customers who believe that Kaepernick should be shunned rather than embraced.

#NikeBoycott was trending on Twitter on Tuesday, and Nike’s shares were down 2.75 percent to $79.94 in afternoon trading. 

“Nike’s campaign will generate both attention and discussion which is, arguably, one of its central aims,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of retail consultancy GlobalData in a note. “However, it is also a risky strategy in that it addresses, and appears to take sides on, a highly politicized issue. This means it could ultimately alienate and lose customers, which is not the purpose of a marketing campaign.”

One critic, country singer John Rich of Big & Rich, posted a picture on Twitter on Monday of socks that had the Nike “swoosh” cut off. “Our Soundman just cut the Nike swoosh off his socks,” he wrote. “Former marine. Get ready @Nike multiply that by the millions.”

But the response to the boycott calls were equally fierce.

Matthew Chapman @fawfulfan tweeted “Here’s an idea. If you think America’s veterans deserve more respect why not donate your clothes to a veteran’s charity instead of cutting them up with scissors like a dumb, spiteful little brat?”

And Serena Williams tweeted “Especially proud to be a part of the Nike family today.’’ 

— 

Your take: Will the Kaepernick ad change whether you buy Nike products? Share your thoughts in the comments below or talk with us on Facebook.

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The attorney for a homeless man fighting a couple in court over the proceeds of a GoFundMe campaign said all the money raised is gone, says local reports.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Chris Fallon, the attorney for homeless man Johnny Bobbitt Jr., said he learned the money was missing following a call with attorneys for the couple who launched the fundraiser.

“It completely shocked me when I heard,” Fallon said, reports the Inquirer.

No details have been offered on how the money was spent, reports ABC affiliate WPVI in Philadelphia.

Last week, a judge in New Jersey ordered the couple — Kate McClure and boyfriend Mark D’Amico — to hand over the $400,000 raised through GoFundMe.

The campaign started after Bobbitt gave McClure his last $20 after she was stranded without gas. The gesture led to viral fame, including the GoFundMe campaign raising more than $400,000 from 14,000 donors.

Since then, Bobbitt has expressed concerns the couple was using money from the campaign for travel and shopping sprees.

Bobbitt’s attorney claims he’s only received $75,000 of the funds, while attorneys for the couple allege he’s received $200,000, reports the Inquirer.

In a statement, GoFundMe spokesman Bobby Whithorne said it is working with law enforcement to make sure Bobbitt receives all the money raised on his behalf and “is also working with Johnny’s legal team to ensure he’s receiving support while the remaining funds are being recovered.”

During an interview on “Megyn Kelly Today,” McClure and D’Amico claim they didn’t want to give Bobbitt all the money, fearing he would use it on drugs. 

A hearing on the case is scheduled for Wednesday, reports WPVI.

More: Judge orders couple to give money from GoFundMe campaign to homeless man

More: Homeless again, man fears he’ll never get most of the $400k from a GoFundMe in his honor

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

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Defending champion Sloane Stephens has been knocked out of the US Open in the quarter-finals after defeat by 19th seed Anastasija Sevastova.

The American third seed seemed to struggle physically in high temperatures in New York, with the extreme heat policy again in place.

Stephens hit 27 unforced errors and lost 6-2 6-3 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Victory for Latvian Sevastova sees her reach the first Grand Slam semi-final of her career.

She will play the winner of Tuesday’s night match between Serena Williams and Karolina Pliskova in the last four.

The high temperatures have been a significant issue during this year’s championships with the conditions described as “dangerous” in the opening rounds, while Roger Federer said he was “happy the match was over” after his defeat in high humidity on Monday.

“I think it was very physical today and tough to play,” Sevastova said.

“It was so hot in the stadium. I just kept fighting.”

Stephens struggled with her movement, was repeatedly being caught out by Sevastova’s drop shot and after a number of wayward errors was bent double on the court.

She failed to put up a fight in a one-way first set and soon fell 4-1 behind in the second.

Encouraged by her home crowd, the world number three threatened a comeback by getting the match back on serve at 4-3 but was then broken again before Sevastova served out.

‘I thought maybe I’d make the top 100’

The career-best Grand Slam performance for Sevastova comes after she retired from the sport in 2013 because of recurring injuries only to return in 2015.

The 28-year-old was appearing in her third Grand Slam quarter-final – the previous two also coming at the US Open in 2016 and 2017 – and admitted she was not expecting to hit such heights on her return to the sport.

“I did not have many goals,” said the Latvian. “Maybe the top 100.

“But now, obviously when you win more you have higher goals. And when you’re winning a tournament, you think that’s normal.”

Stephens said that despite the manner of her defeat on Tuesday she was content with what she had achieved at this tournament.

“The fact that I made it to the quarter-finals, played some really good matches and I competed as hard as I could, means I have a lot to be proud of.

“Defending a title is very hard, very difficult. If you were defending, you’d be playing the same exact people all over again, which I didn’t.

“I’m not going to dwell on it. Just keep building. There’s four more tournaments left. I’m just going to try to play the rest of the season as hard as I can and hopefully have some more good results.”

Deadly clashes continued in Iraq’s southern oil hub of Basra after hundreds gathered to mourn the death of a protester killed a day earlier.

At least six people were killed and 12 injured in violent demonstrations near a provincial government building on Tuesday when protesters stormed the office and set it alight, sources on the ground told Al Jazeera.

Sources on the ground said members of the security forces had also been injured. 

“The situation is continuing to escalate after the death of a protester yesterday,” said demonstrator Laith Abdelrahman. “Security forces are using live ammunition and tear gas to break up the demonstrations.”

Yasser Makki died in a hospital following clashes with security forces on Monday night, while six other people were hurt.

As the clashes continued, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi held an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the unrest and ordered the ministry of interior to conduct an immediate investigation into the protests, state media reported.

Months of demonstrations are ongoing in southern Iraq over poor government services, corruption, and a shortage of potable water.

‘Completely enveloped’

According to Abdelrahman, the government office caught fire after protesters hurled petrol bombs at security personnel.

“There is a big fire in the provincial government building, which has now become completely enveloped in flames,” he said.

Abadi ordered an investigation into Makki’s death, while the local head of Iraq’s Human Rights Commission, Mahdi al-Tamimi, also called for a probe.

“Our orders are clear in banning the firing of live ammunition during demonstrations,” Abadi said in his weekly news conference, according to state TV.

Escalating anger

Nabil al-Assadi, another demonstrator in Basra, told Al Jazeera despite attempts to break up the demonstration, protesters have not retreated.

“Security forces have been using tear gas and live ammunition to break us up, but that is making us more adamant to continue,” he said, adding they were demanding the local chief of security to step down.

“This extensive use of force against protesters, who are demanding legitimate rights, is unacceptable,” Assadi added.

Mustafa Saadoun, director of the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights, said six people were killed on Tuesday and 12 wounded in the violence.

Twenty-three protesters have been killed since July 8 when the wave of demonstratioins erupted across Iraq over electricity outages, unemployment, and official graft.

“It is clear the government is using excessive force. It is also clear the use of live ammunition is direct and targeted. Many of those injured have been wounded in the head,” said Saadoun.

Although Prime Minister Abadi suspended the electricity minister last month – saying his government is taking measures against those responsible for poor services in Basra – protests have continued.

Public anger in Iraq has also increased at a time when politicians are struggling to form a new government. An inconclusive first parliamentary session finished on Monday as two rival blocs continue to vie for power.

Contaminated water

In recent weeks, protests have also focused on water contamination in Basra as thousands were admitted to hospitals in the southern province.

Deepmala Mahla, country director for the NGO Mercy Corps, said the situation was extremely dire.

“There is a health crisis which stems from water contamination, and there have been thousands of cases of people going to hospital with symptoms as a result,” she told Al Jazeera.  

Tests showed fecal contamination was high while chlorine levels were low in water supplies, she said.

“There is an acute shortage in the quantity and quality of suitable drinking water in the south of Iraq. These conditions are worrying, making the stakes very high and the risk of a cholera outbreak possible,” Mahla said.

Iraq’s government said it is investigating the water supply in Iraq’s second-largest city.

A joyful shopping trip for new shoes turned into a nightmare for a mom and her 4-year-old daughter after she was hospitalized with sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication caused by the body’s extreme immune response to an infection.

The girl’s mother is attributing the five-day hospital stay to trying on shoes without wearing socks. 

Jodie Thomas, of South Wales, said her daughter Sienna Rasul became ill the day after trying on shoes in her bare feet. Her daughter began “to cry in agony” and had a high temperature, she told The Sun.

“The shoes she liked had been tried on by other little girls, and that’s how Sienna picked up the infection,” Thomas said.

‘Carry a pair of spare socks’ 

Thomas told the U.K. newspaper that doctors said her daughter had sepsis and thought they would need to operate. Doctors avoided surgery but drained the infection from her daughter’s leg.

Doctors think Sienna might have contracted what can be a deadly bacteria through a cut, graze or bite on her foot, allowing it to enter her body. 

After her daughter’s hospital stay, Thomas warned parents about the risk of potential blood poisoning that could happen when trying on shoes without socks on a Facebook post. 

“You don’t don’t know [whose] feet has been in them before hand!! Sienna has had one hell of a outing and thankfully and touch wood made a full recovery! Who would thought trying new shoes on could make someone so ill. So with back to school shopping under way, carry a pair of spare socks!”

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USA TODAY
Published 3:02 p.m. ET Sept. 4, 2018 | Updated 3:24 p.m. ET Sept. 4, 2018

Apparel company Nike unveiled a new ad featuring former San Francisco 49rs quarterback Colin Kaepernick, drawing mixed responses on social media.

Nike’s corporate bravery is on the right side

The Nike corporation just launched its “Just Do It” campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. And the sentiments that initiated Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protests have not gone away.

Companies that have spoken out against the NFL player’s protests, such as Papa Johns, have seen the internal racism within their companies get exposed. The NFL itself is even under fire for possible collusion against Colin Kaepernick to keep him out of the league. This is a very pivotal time for corporations associated with the NFL and its players — who are majority black. The revenue for the league and corporate sponsors is generated from the athletic talents of these players. 

Nike was recently under fire after a video of a man — related to a Nike merchandising director — making racist comments went viral. So Nike’s announcement that the company was working with Kaepernick was beneficial to the spirit of the protests and to its reputation, as well.

The predictable backlash has been swift and typical of the people who have been critical of the protests. Firstly, they are posting videos of themselves burning Nike products. This has the appearance of symbolic lynching. This punishment tactic was used for black people who “got out of line” in the eyes of the white supremacists.

Counterpoint: Why I’m boycotting Nike: Get woke and go broke

Secondly, critics of the NFL protests are deliberately trying to change the narrative to deflect away from discussing the realities of violence against African Americans in the United States. Systematic racism has been able to thrive for so long, because part of the code to maintain this unjust system, is to never acknowledge the role of white supremacy.

Once something unjust is acknowledged, the next logical step is to correct the injustice. This is why it’s necessary for critics of Kaepernick to try to spin the protests into a “disrespecting the troops” narrative. Nike should be commended for showing corporate bravery and standing on the right side of history. And other major corporations should follow suit.

Tariq Nasheed is the creator and producer of the critically acclaimed documentary film series “Hidden Colors.” You can follow him on Twitter: @tariqnasheed.

What our readers are saying

If you think any of this is about politics and not about racial injustice, then you are beyond help, given that this has been highlighted since Colin Kaepernick started the movement. And yes, Kaeprnick did sacrifice his career. He had no indication or reason to believe he would get any kind of deal out of his protests.

— Tania L Martinez-O’keefe

Great move by Nike. The majority of the world understands Kaepernick’s protest.

— Mike Leap

When I see the right is starting some sort of boycott, I figure they don’t even understand the issue and I want to patronize the business even more.

— Jeffrey York

What others are saying

Nancy Armour,  USA TODAY: “While the NFL and its owners have been trying to contain the issue, Colin Kaepernick and the other players have been playing the long game. The civil rights protests were wildly unpopular when they were occurring — go back and research the polls and opinions of the time — but are now viewed as righteous and essential to our ongoing struggle for equality. The NFL protests will be viewed much the same way through the lens of history. Nike has recognized as much, betting a very large and prominent endorsement deal that Kaepernick will one day be seen much like Muhammad Ali. 

The Baltimore Sun,  editorial: “Colin Kaepernick still matters because his message still does. NFL owners couldn’t make him go away by keeping him off a team (whether through outright collusion, as his lawsuit alleges, or a more informal groupthink), and they couldn’t stop the protests that stemmed from his activism through ham-fisted attempts at compromise with the players. President Donald Trump raised the stakes too high for that. Nike, who has had Mr. Kaepernick under contract since 2011, is doing nothing more than taking advantage of the opportunity the president and his allies so cynically created.”

Terence Moore,  Forbes: “Before you think I’m nominating Nike officials for an NAACP Image Award, let’s go back to that profit thing. They’re obsessed with that more than philanthropy. Nike took that double-digit plunge, but according to Brand Finance, it remains the world’s most valuable label at $28 billion. I’ll also mention Nike co-founder Phil Knight doesn’t have a net worth of $35.4 billion in retirement because he based decisions mostly on the fluttering of his heart. The same goes for Knight’s successors who realize that despite the heated words and presidential tweets hurled Kaepernick’s way since he first kneeled during “The Star-Spangled Banner” in August 2016, he makes people money. Lots of it.

To join the conversations about topics on USA TODAY, email letters@usatoday.com, comment on Facebook, or use #tellusatoday on Twitter.

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Rachel Atherton keeps her four world champion rainbow jerseys in a birdcage.

No bird has ever lived in the cage; Atherton says she “just really likes birdcages”.

“I didn’t want to frame my jerseys or hang them on the wall,” she says. “I like to be able to take them out, touch them and remember those races.”

The cage door may be opening once again this month, with the 30-year-old Briton attempting to win World Championship number five.

Victory in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, on Sunday would make her the most decorated world champion in downhill mountain bike history.

But Atherton, who won a record sixth World Cup title in August, is well aware of the perilous nature of the race that awaits her, calling it a “death-or-glory” situation.

“Most people either win or crash,” she tells BBC Sport. “No-one really cares about second place.”

‘I’m physically sick on race day’

Atherton truly announced herself on the downhill scene in 2008, when she won her first World Championship and World Cup titles, and has dominated the sport for a decade.

But even the very best are struck down by nerves, which Atherton says have got worse as time has passed – with a particularly drastic turn in recent years.

“I’m physically sick at least a couple of times on race day,” she says. “It’s only the past two or three years that it has happened.

“I think it’s my body’s way of getting ready, I’m going into war, so it’s that fight or flight mode.

“My older brother Gee – he also races and is a multiple world champion – started being physically sick and I guess I’ve always wanted to do what my brothers do, so now I do it as well!”

Atherton puts her nerves down to the growing pressure she puts on herself, such is her expectation of victory.

“I expect a lot from myself, and that, over the years, has become more and more,” she says.

“The more injuries you get, the more you become aware of the consequences, so I think that adds up to this one big ball of pressure.”

‘I’ve always felt a bit battered’

As is to be expected given the nature of the sport, Atherton has had her fair share of injuries, including broken wrists and collarbones, and has even had to have bone grafts.

In 2009, she needed a nerve graft after a collision with a pick-up truck in California when a dislocated shoulder – one of many she has had – severed a nerve.

Atherton is the oldest rider in the field, and her list of injuries is something she says she is becoming “more aware of” as the years pass.

“I do notice the injuries now. I had some big injuries relatively young and I’ve carried them throughout my career, so it’s nothing new,” she says.

“I’ve always felt a bit wrecked and a bit battered. It does take slightly longer to recover, it takes slightly longer to warm up in the mornings, but that’s counteracted with the experience I’ve got from racing for so long.”

Atherton says she has learned to cope with the ever-increasing aches and pains.

“You can carry injuries forever and you have to deal with that,” she adds.

“I find ways of racing and riding that mean I can still acknowledge that I am nervous. I ride perhaps a more calculated race now, and over the years that seems to have paid off.”

‘That one race that means so much’

Atherton will go into this week’s Mountain Bike World Championships, which start on Wednesday, in good form after an “emotional” World Cup final triumph in La Bresse, France, last month.

She won three rounds of this year’s World Cup before winning the overall title for a sixth time – a record feat she says is “very special”.

“Looking back, I didn’t really know it was going to be an historic number six – no-one had ever done that before,” she says.

“It’s an achievement that has spanned 10 years, from when I won my first World Cup title in 2008.

“When I think about that, with all the injuries I’ve had in between, it’s incredible really. I never set out with that goal in mind as a kid.”

Attention quickly switched to the challenge ahead in Switzerland and, with downhill not part of the Olympic mountain bike programme, Atherton describes the World Championships as “our Olympic final”.

“It’s weird to have one race that means so much,” she says. “You win the jersey and the stripes and there is this huge hype surrounding it.

“The whole year adds up to the World Cup title, and then this one race, one afternoon, is huge.”

In what has become a tradition for social media protests, consumers angered by the news that Colin Kaepernick will be one of the faces of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign are sharing shots of burning and cutting up all of their Nike gear to show their displeasure with the multi-billion dollar company.

But as #NikeBoycott continues, participants should keep in mind that not all shoes marked for death have to bear Nike’s signature swoosh.

Among the casualties? An iconic hoops sneaker born right here in Indiana.

Nike acquired Converse in 2003 for more than $300 million, meaning that the beloved All-Star sneakers introduced by Chuck Taylor in the 1920s are Nike products. The Chuck IIs, crafted in 2015, even incorporate Nike tech.

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Charles Hollis Taylor was born in Brown County in 1901. He played high school basketball in Columbus and became a shoe salesman after a brief pro career.

In 1921, after a stint with the Akron Firestones, Taylor went to work for Converse as a travelling shoe salesman. He pitched improvements to the company for its basketball shoe, such as cutting the fabric higher and making it stronger around the ankles.

The new design was a success, and Converse showed its appreciation by adding Taylor’s signature to the canvas uppers.

But it doesn’t stop there. Nike owns other brands with no Nike branding at all.

Jordan Brand was introduced under the Nike banner, and continues as a Nike sub-brand to this day. A year before making the deal for Converse, Nike purchased surf and skate brand Hurley.

Nike is the NFL’s official apparel sponsor and manufactures the jerseys and game day apparel worn by all 32 franchises.

Nike signed Kaepernick in 2011 to endorse its products, but inked a new deal with former NFL quarterback with the launch of the “Just Do It” 30th Anniversary ads.

USA Today contributed to this story. Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.

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