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Phil Jackson Tweets Support For Anti-Redskins Protesters

By Phil Watson

Oct 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks president Phil Jackson watches the game against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks president Phil Jackson watches the game against the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Knicks executive Phil Jackson has spoken out about the Washington Redskins’ name and he supported protesters at the team’s game in Minnesota Sunday.

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The Washington Redskins faced their stiffest resistance to their controversial nickname at a road game Sunday, with a crowd of approximately 5,000 rallying against the name outside TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis before their game with the Minnesota Vikings.

CBS News reported that the event began with a march through the University of Minnesota campus to the stadium, where the Vikings are temporarily playing while their new facility is being built in downtown Minneapolis.

Outside the stadium, Native American leaders, local politicians, former sports stars and others criticized Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for his intractable stand on changing the name.

New York Knicks executive Phil Jackson tweeted out his support for the protesters, as well:

We assume by “Snider,” Jackson is referring to Snyder. Perhaps he was thinking of Brooklyn Dodgers’ Hall of Famer Duke Snider.
Jackson spoke to the New York Post in September about the issue, which he has followed for some time:

"“I put it out there on Twitter about a year ago, maybe,” Jackson said. “Got a lot of hate and stuff back from Redskin fans. But it’s been on my mind for a long time and I’ve been talking about it for years.“Simply because my college, the Fighting Sioux, had to change their name. Minnesota wouldn’t play against the hockey team. The NCAA had ruled that they had a five-year period of time in which to find a new name.”"

Jackson attended the University of North Dakota, which has opted to not adopt a new sports nickname since dropping the “Fighting Sioux” moniker for good after a statewide referendum in 2012.

"“But Redskins is a derogatory name. Braves isn’t, that’s not a derogatory name,” Jackson said. “But the Redskins is. It’s like calling someone Blackskins or Whitey, or whatever.”"

The bottom line is this: There is a bunker mentality on both sides of this issue and neither is likely to change their mind soon.

Snyder may eventually relent, but it won’t happen until there is hardcore financial pressure placed on him to do so.

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