Players from the UCLA Bruins will be wearing one-word expressions to promote social justice during their Week 1 matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes.
According to a report from the LA Times, over half the Bruins football team will be wearing one-word messages on their name plates on their jerseys during Saturday’s matchup against the Buffs.
The players had five different messages to choose from, and their selections will be placed where their names usually would be on their uniform. Those messages to pick from were:
Justice
Love
Peace
Equality
Unity
We’ve seen it on the national stage for some time so far and the Bruins will be no different as they aim to continue to spread the message and promote social justice for all on Saturday. The NCAA ruled this offseason that teams could allow approved messages on jerseys for the 2020 season.
“I think it’s admirable because they’re trying to use their platform to make an impact, so I met with them and listened to their motivation,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said Wednesday. “Ultimately, I supported it because this is something that represents UCLA. This is what UCLA is about.”
According to the Times, ‘UCLA squad leaders’ brought the idea to head coach Chip Kelly, who was absolutely for the message.
“It’s a subject that I think everyone understands that we could use our platform to help and to help make this country better,” Kelly said last week while speaking generally about social justice, “so it’s something we totally support.”
Colorado will also have their own message in support of social justice across the country, donning ‘CUNITED’ on their jerseys, with the CU as a part of their school logo.
The Buffs and Bruins will be two of the 10 Pac-12 teams remaining on Saturday when the Pac-12 opens their shortened season, of course without the Cal-Washington matchup after the Golden Bears were forced to cancel the game due to a coronavirus outbreak.
The Bruins and Buffs play Saturday at 7:00 pm.