Bay Area sports teams react to Jacob Blake shooting, postponement of games
The Warriors called the shooting of Jacob Blake "appalling," and "another example of an unacceptable pattern across our country."
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Bay Area sports teams are reacting to the Kenosha police shooting of Jacob Blake, and the ripple of postponed professional games that is now unfolding.
It started in the ESPN Wide World of Sports bubble on Wednesday, when Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play in their playoff game, in support of Blake.
RELATED: Basketball, baseball, soccer games postponed amid protests over Jacob Blake shooting
That had a domino effect on other NBA playoff games being postponed, and the trend quickly spread across several other professional sports.
The San Jose Earthquakes and Portland Timbers game was postponed along with other Major League Soccer games slated for Wednesday.
The Quakes released a statement saying in part, their organization "stands with the Black community, our players, the Bay Area and the nation in the fight against injustice and inequality."
The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers followed suit among others in Major League Baseball.
Giants Manager Gabe Kapler addressed the media with a strong stance on the matter.
"I don't think it should require athletes needing to boycott playoff games to remind us Black lives matter, and that police brutality is unacceptable, and that systemic racism needs to be eliminated," Kapler said.
WATCH: 'Bigger than sports': Giants Manager Gabe Kapler addresses social injustice across America
Even teams not currently playing ball are making their voices heard.
The Golden State Warriors called the shooting of Jacob Blake "appalling."
"Unfortunately, this is yet another example of an unacceptable pattern across our country, not only in recent months with George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, but for many painful years," the team said.
The San Francisco 49ers updated their Twitter page to make the background an image of a quote from star corner back Richard Sherman.
"Unarmed and Black is not a crime and should not be treated as such. Basic fairness and justice is all that has been asked for and it has not been given," the quote says.
WATCH: Arik Armstead joins ABC7's 'With Authority' podcast
49ers defensive tackle Arik Armstead tweeted, "Praying for Jacob Blake. Aren't we all tired of seeing unarmed black people shot by police?"
This all falls on the four-year anniversary of when then 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began his protests against police brutality.
On August 26, 2016, he was first seen sitting during the playing of the national anthem.
TIMELINE: Colin Kaepernick's journey from San Francisco 49ers star to kneeling to protest racial injustice
The sitting turned to kneeling, which became a league-wide form of peaceful protests, and eventually transcended other leagues.
The Green Beret and former NFL player, Nate Boyer, who advised Kaepernick he should kneel, rather than sit, joined our "With Authority" podcast earlier this summer to talk about why he doesn't believe the gesture is disrespectful to the military.
Former Oakland A's catcher Bruce Maxwell, who was the first MLB player to take knee during the national anthem, also came on the podcast, explaining how that one decision changed the course of his life.
You can watch that episode here.
