Sports
Chiefs kicker Butker says Pride Month is example of 'deadly sin'
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, speaking during a commencement speech at Benedictine College, referred to Pride Month, the events in June demonstrating inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community, as an example of the “deadly sins” as he advocated for a more conservative brand of Catholicism.
“Not the deadly sins sort of Pride that has an entire month dedicated to it,” Butker said, “but the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the holy ghost to glorify him.”
Butker spoke for more than 20 minutes to students at the Catholic school in Atchison, Kansas, saying he wanted the graduating class to prevent political leaders from interfering with social issues that impact their relationship with the church.
Butker, 28, criticized an Associated Press article on America’s Catholic Church, which detailed the institution’s shift “toward the old ways.” It highlighted Benedictine’s rules that “seem like precepts of a bygone age,” which include “volunteering for 3 a.m. prayers” and “pornography, premarital sex and sunbathing in swimsuits being forbidden.”
Butker said the story was an “attempt to rebuke and embarrass” places like Benedictine, and that it would be met with “pride” instead of “anger.”
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organization, said in a Wednesday statement Butker’s speech was “inaccurate, ill-informed and woefully out of step with Americans about Pride, LGBTQ people and women.”
“Those with expansive platforms, especially athletes, should use their voices to uplift and expand understand and acceptance in the world,” she said. “Instead, Butker’s remarks undermine experiences not of his own and reveal him to be one who goes against his own team’s commitment to the Kansas City community, and the NFL’s standards for respect, inclusion and diversity across the league.”
Benedictine, a college with more than 2,100 full-time undergraduates as of September 2022, describes itself as a liberal arts institution aimed at “the education of men and women within a community of faith and leadership.” Butker, who called on religious leaders “to stay in their lane and lead,” praised Benedictine for embracing what he called traditional Catholic values.
“When you embrace tradition, success, worldly and spiritual, will follow,” Butker said.
In October 2014, the school ordered basketball player Jallen Messersmith to remove a Pride flag from his dorm room window.
Butker also used the speech to criticize President Joe Biden on several issues, including abortion and the coronavirus pandemic, and questioned Biden’s devotion to Catholicism. Butker also addressed gender ideologies and said a woman’s most important title is “homemaker.”
“It is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you. Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world,” Butker said.
The Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While the NFL isn’t in season during Pride Month, the league participates in LGBTQ+ initiatives. On the Wednesday before Super Bowl LVIII, the NFL hosted a “Night of Pride” event in partnership with GLAAD, the LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. The Chiefs are among the NFL teams that have a Pride selection of apparel with rainbow colors.
Kansas City is among the many North American cities that host Pride events during June, led by the KC Pride Community Alliance.
Butker is a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 2017 and made 33 of 35 field goals in the 2023 season.
(Photo: Chris Unger / Getty Images)
Sports
Craig Morton, quarterback who led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance, dead at 83
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Former Denver Broncos quarterback Craig Morton, who was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame, died on Saturday. He was 83.
Morton was critical in helping the Broncos reach their first-ever playoff appearance, ultimately getting them to Super Bowl XII during the 1977 campaign.
After going 12-2 during the season, and getting wins in the playoffs over the Pittsburgh Steelers and then-Oakland Raiders, Morton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Year.
Denver Broncos quarterback Craig Morton stands on the sidelines with both hands on his hips. (GETTY)
“Craig Morton is unbelievable,” fellow Ring of Famer Haven Moses said after the Broncos won the AFC Championship in 1978, per the New York Times. “To me, he’s the most valuable player in the National Football League.”
Morton also won Sporting News Player of the Year, the PFWA Comeback Player of the Year and the NFL UPI MVP in 1977.
AARON RODGERS NEVER MET WITH STEELERS DESPITE RUMOR-FILLED WEEKEND AS QB’S DECISION REMAINS UP IN AIR
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of #BroncosROF quarterback Craig Morton, who died on Saturday at the age of 83,” the Broncos posted on social media.
Morton also led the Broncos to two different division titles and three playoff berths during his six seasons with the franchise. He finished his career in Denver with 11,895 passing yards, which marked the most in franchise history at the time.
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Quarterback Craig Morton #7 of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass during an NFL game at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo., circa 1978. Morton played for the Broncos from 1977 to 1982. (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
Morton also led the Broncos with pass attempts (1,594) and completions (907). But Morton’s time with the Broncos was the latter half of his NFL career.
He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1965, the fifth overall pick out of Cal. Morton spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Cowboys, where he threw for 10,279 yards with 80 touchdowns and 73 interceptions. He went 32-14-1 in his time with Dallas.
Then, during the 1974 season, Morton was moved to the New York Giants, a division rival of the Cowboys. He went 1-6 in his first seven starts that year and wouldn’t find much success in New York across three seasons.
Quarterback Craig Morton #7 of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass during an NFL game at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo., circa 1978. Morton played for the Broncos from 1977 to 1982. (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
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For his career, Morton threw for 27,908 yards with 183 touchdowns. He owned an 81-62-1 record across 207 games.
CITY SECTION
MONDAY’S RESULTS
QUARTERFINALS
DIVISION III
#1 New West Charter d. #9 Central City Value, 25-17, 16-25, 25-10, 17-25, 15-13
#13 Birmingham d. #5 University Prep Value, 3-1
#3 South East d. #11 Monroe, 25-16, 25-19, 26-28, 25-16
#2 Legacy d. #7 Lincoln, 17-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-20
DIVISION IV
#8 Annenberg d. #17 Canoga Park, 26-24, 25-19, 22-25, 25-27, 15-13
#4 Math & Science College Prep d. #12 Mendez, 25-15, 25-17, 25-20
#6 King Drew at #3 Manual Arts
7 Maywood CES d. #2 RFK Community, 25-12, 25-21, 25-22
DIVISION V
#1 WISH Academy d. #9 Alliance Levine, 25-19, 25-12, 25-23
#13 Rancho Dominguez d. #21 LAAAE, 25016, 25-20, 25-15
#14 Franklin d. #6 Gardena, 25-15, 25-22, 25-17
#10 Animo De La Hoya d. #15 Sotomayor, 28-30, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 7 p.m. unless noted)
SEMIFINALS
OPEN DIVISION
#4 Venice at #1 Granada Hills
#3 Chatsworth at #2 Palisades
DIVISION I
#4 North Hollywood at #1 Taft
#3 Cleveland at #2 Sylmar
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 7 p.m. unless noted)
SEMIFINALS
DIVISION II
#4 Marquez at #1 LA Hamilton
#7 Panorama at #6 Narbonne
DIVISON III
#13 Birmingham at #1 New West Charter
#3 South East at #2 Legacy
DIVISION IV
#8 Annenberg at #4 Math & Science College Prep
#7 Maywood Academy at #3 Manual Arts or #6 King/Drew
DIVISION V
#13 Rancho Dominguez at #1 WISH Academy
#14 Franklin at #10 Animo De La Hoya
Note: Finals in all divisions May-16 (sites and times TBA).
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Now the NBA playoffs are in the swing of things.
Let’s check out the odds for the second round of the playoffs, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 11.
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EAST SECOND ROUND
No. 7 PHILADELPHIA vs. No. 3 NEW YORK
NYK wins 4-0
No. 4 CLEVELAND (+200) vs. No. 1 DETROIT (-250)
DET leads 2-1
GAME 4 — DET @ CLE (May 11)
Spread: Cavs -3.5
Moneyline: Pistons +140, Cavs -166
O/U: 213.5
What to know: This has been a weird series. Each team has yet to lose on its home court, and the games haven’t seen much domination on either side. Take Game 3 for example: Cleveland held Detroit to 18 points in the second quarter and took a 16-point lead into halftime. Then, in the third quarter, the Pistons held the Cavs to 19 points, cutting that deficit to two heading into the fourth. But Cleveland put together its highest-scoring quarter of the game in the final frame to emerge with a seven-point win.
WEST SECOND ROUND
No. 4 LOS ANGELES (+7000) vs. No. 1 OKLAHOMA CITY (-20000)
OKC leads 3-0
GAME 4 — OKC @ LAL (May 11)
Spread: Thunder -11.5
Moneyline: Thunder -520, Lakers +390
O/U: 214.5
What to know: It appears the Lakers just don’t have the firepower to compete with the Thunder. OKC has won the first three games of the series by a combined 59 points (19.7 points per game), including a 23-point win in Game 3 in Los Angeles. And consider this: SGA is averaging just 21 points per game on 46% shooting. The Thunder are stacked, and sit at 7-0 in the postseason so far.
No. 6 MINNESOTA (+320) vs. No. 3 SAN ANTONIO (-390)
Tied 2-2
GAME 5 — MIN @ SAS (May 12)
Spread: Spurs -10.5
Moneyline: Spurs -410, Wolves +320
O/U: 218.5
What to know: We’ve got a series on our hands. Now tied at 2-2, both of these teams have won once at home and once on the other team’s home floor, with the Wolves winning a crucial Game 4 in Minnesota. But that wasn’t the story of the night. Victor Wembanyama was assessed a Flagrant 2 in the first half of Game 4, and was ejected from the game, after hitting Naz Reid with a vicious elbow to the head. He will play Game 5, but how chippy might things be after that?
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