*By Conor White*
The former NFL star Victor Cruz said the league's new rule requiring players on the field to stand during the national anthem exacerbates an us-against-them dynamic between owners and players.
"It just doesn't make sense to me," Cruz said in an interview Thursday with Cheddar. "I just don't understand why you're retracting a player's right to even protest or do anything that you wanted to do. It just feels like you're continuing the narrative that you're the player, and we're the hierarchy, and you have to listen to us, and pay attention, and do as we say."
The former New York Giants wide receiver vocalized what some current players have said they are feeling.
Last week, the NFL announced it would fine a team an undisclosed amount if any of its players were to kneel during the playing of the national anthem. Players can stay in the locker room during the anthem if they do not want to stand.
In an [interview with ESPN](http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/211882/victor-cruz-youve-got-to-respect-the-flag) in 2016, Cruz had said the American flag needed to be respected, and that he thought players should stand with their teammates during the anthem "regardless of how you feel about things that are going on in America."
Now, the 31 year old said NFL players should be able to express themselves.
"I still stand by those players who are protesting, fighting for a change, or fighting for the right things to be done, not only in the NFL, but across the world," Cruz said.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/victor-cruz-makes-an-impact-off-the-football-field).
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18Birdies has seen success as a one-stop shop for golfers, both amateur and pro, gaining 1.3 million members since its launch. The app lets players book tee times, navigate a new course, and choose the right club. But CEO Eddy Lui says the main goal is to create a community ー a social network ー of golfers.
The blockchain has made its way into a slew of industries. Next at bat ー the sports world. The Los Angeles Dodgers are moving away from traditional promotions and have begun using crypto tokens to give away digital bobbleheads to fans. Ralph Esquibel, VP of information technology for the team, said this is the first giveaway of its kind and could lead to more experiments with cryptocurrencies.
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Naz Aletaha, head of esports partnerships for Riot Games, said that the "priceless" experiences with new global sponsor Mastercard will start with the world championships in October, offering premium content and behind the scenes access to the biggest event for esports lovers.
Mastercard, seeing a market opening in the skyrocketing popularity of esports, signed a deal to become first global sponsor for Riot Games' "League of Legends." Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer for Mastercard, said the company will become exclusive payment service provider for the game. The deal represents the largest mainstream sponsorship thus far in the esports world.
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As the online gaming world continues to boom, professional sports organizations are working to marry the online and physical sports world. Hugh Weber, president of the New Jersey Devils, said that there is a way for live esports events to be compelling enough to translate to ticket sales.
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Chris Raybon, senior editor at The Action Network, breaks down the best bets for sports fans heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season.
