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U.S. womens national team midfielder Megan Rapinoe on Wednesday said she is unsure what she will do during the national anthem on Thursday night when she wears an American uniform for the first time since kneeling at a soccer game on Sept. 4.While its different than the club, I actually think its more meaningful to face the flag and try to have a conversation that ... I want to have, she said in an interview with Outside The Lines Jeremy Schaap.The U.S. plays Thailand in an international friendly on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.Asked what she has planned, Rapinoe said: Im still working through that a little bit. Ive gone back and forth with a number of different things. I want to ultimately bring as many people to the conversation as possible, and if Im doing something, whether I think its right or wrong, if Im doing something that immediately turns 20 percent of the ears completely off, that will not be open, am I really accomplishing what I want to accomplish?Addressing reporters at a news conference in Columbus on Wednesday, U.S. coach Jill Ellis said she understands and respects Rapinoes stance in terms of her willingness to talk about hard social issues.I support that, Ellis said. Those conversations should be had.Ellis, however, added that her preference would be to have U.S. players stand for the anthem.Me, personally, in this environment for a national team, I dont disassociate playing for your country, Ellis said. I think thats a part of a national symbol. So in terms of standing for a national anthem, I think thats an expectation of a national team player.Rapinoe joined the national conversation about not standing during the national anthem after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick received heavy criticism for sitting during the anthem before an NFL preseason game to protest racial oppression and inequality in the United States. Kaepernick knelt during the anthem the following week.Rapinoe knelt during the anthem before an NWSL game on Sept. 4 against the Chicago Red Stars with her club team, the Seattle Reign.On Sunday, on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, she stood and locked arms with her Seattle teammates.Abby Wambach, who played with Rapinoe on the national team, said on ESPN on Wednesday: I think Megan is in a position that, with the national team jersey ... it means something different. I think she actually might be one of the first people to protest in our jersey.Shes been brave in facing all the criticisms shes gotten, all that criticism that Colin has gotten. Shes not a person of color. And being somebody who knows what its like to be gay, to see somebody else whos straight whos fighting for my rights. Thats something that I think shes trying to do.Im proud of her. Its brave of her, Wambach said. Its something. Im excited to see how this progresses. Im excited to see where the conversation goes. Air Jordan 12 For Sale Cheap . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Air Jordan 12 Retro Cheap . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. http://www.airjordan12outlet.com/ . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Air Jordan 12 Outlet . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Cheap Wholesale Air Jordan 12 . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. BAGNèRES-DE-LUCHON, France -- Adam Yates was battered, bruised and bearing more than his share of stiffness as the Tour de France raced into the high Pyrénées on Saturday. But the day after the inflatable one kilometre to go arch landed on him in the finale of Fridays seventh stage, the Briton was still able to smile and set off in pursuit of his goal to defend the white jersey as best young rider.I didnt even see [the falling inflatable arch], to be honest, he said. It landed on top of me. I had no time at all to react. It is what it is, but Ill say it again: Today is another day. We will just get on with it and try to win again.Nursing a cut chin that needed stitches and a hurt shoulder, wrist and knee, Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) was visited in the team bus before Saturdays eighth stage -- 184 kilometers from Pau to Bagnères de Luchon in the Pyrénées -- by Tour race director Christian Prudhomme. I just wanted to say sorry to Adam Yates and to say to him, Thank you, Prudhomme said. He was very elegant in his speeches or interviews after. I wanted to shake hands with him and say, sorry.While second overall at 5:50 behind Belgian race leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Yates biggest threat for the white jersey was Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (FDJ). Yates had taken the jersey from Alaphilippe on Friday, and he was one second behind Yates in third place overall at 5:51.Yates, who was seven seconds ahead of the peloton when the arch fell on him Friday, said: The whole reason I was off the front [in Fridays finale] was because I was trying to get the jersey. I will just try to hold on to it for as long as possible and see what happens.The Brit did not hide from the fact that he was still suffering from his injuries in the crash. Im all right, pretty banged up. Another day to recover. We will just see what happens today, and hopefully I can get through OK, Yates said before he signed on for thhe stage.dddddddddddd.Yates welcomed Prudhommes gesture to walk approximately 700 meters from the start line to the Orica-BikeExchange bus positioned last of the 22 teams to meet with Yates. He was just apologizing for what happened. Its not his fault, just my bad luck, Yates said.The 23-year-old was unsure how the eighth stage would unfold. He said his plan was to stay with the overall contenders and to fight to keep his overall position of second at 5:50 to leader Van Avermaet. Yup, thats the plan, Yates said. Again, it will be a stage of maybe two different races. Maybe the break goes again, or maybe its a GC [general classification] day. In my opinion, its going to be another day for the break -- and we will just see what happens.However, Yates dismissed the notion that the yellow leaders jersey could be for the taking. We are not riding for GC, we are riding for stages, Yates said.Yates did not think Fridays incident and his injuries would impact his stage winning chances. I am pretty motivated every day if there is an opportunity, he said.A little more than five hours later, Yates was placed even better. After Stage 8, he was still second overall, but at 16 seconds behind the stage winner, defending Tour champion Chris Froome (Sky). Yates placed seventh on a day when Van Avermaet faded on the Col du Tourmalet to lose his yellow jersey, and temperatures soared to 36 degrees Celsius. Yates was also still in the white jersey, but 18 seconds ahead of South African Louis Meintjes (Lampre-Merida).Matt White, Orica-BikeExchanges head sports director, is optimistic about Yates prospects. Its a fantastic opportunity, White said. Crash aside, he is in good shape. He was in good shape at the [Criterium du] Dauphiné and he has just carried it through to the Tour. ' ' '