Pedroia doesnt need to have a "C"

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is taking up a First Amendment clash over the governments refusal to register offensive trademarks, a case that could affect the Washington Redskins in their legal fight over the team name.The justices agreed Thursday to hear a dispute involving an Asian-American rock band called the Slants, but they did not act on a separate request to hear the higher-profile Redskins case at the same time.Still, a high court ruling in favor of the Slants could bolster the football teams legal fight. Both groups argue that it is unconstitutional for the government to reject trademark rights for offensive speech.The trademark dispute is one of eight new cases the Supreme Court added to its calendar for the term that starts Monday. The court continues to operate with only with eight justices since Antonin Scalia died in February. His successor appears unlikely to be confirmed until sometime after the election.In the Slants case, front man Simon Tam tried to trademark the name in 2011, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office denied the request on the ground that it disparages people of Asian descent. He sued, and a federal appeals court ruled last year that the law barring offensive trademarks violates free speech rights.The Redskins hoped to piggyback on the bands case, asking the Supreme Court to consider both disputes at the same time. The trademark office canceled the teams trademarks last year after finding they are disparaging to Native Americans.But the teams appeal has not even been heard yet by a federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia. In an unusual request, the team asked the Supreme Court to intervene before the lower court acts. The high court almost never grants such requests.Tam says his goal in choosing the name was to transform a derisive term about the shape of Asian eyes into a statement of ethnic and cultural pride. The Redskins have similarly claimed their name honors American Indians, but the team has faced years of legal challenges from Indian groups that say the name is racist.The team has also come under intense public pressure to change the name, but owner Dan Snyder has refused.In the bands case, a divided federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., struck down a portion of the 70-year-old federal trademark law. The courts majority said the First Amendment protects even hurtful speech that harms members of oft-stigmatized communities.It is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment that the government may not penalize private speech merely because it disapproves of the message it conveys, Judge Kimberly Moore said for the majority.In dissent, Judge Alan Lourie said the decision interferes with the governments authority to filter out certain undesirable marks from the federal trademark registration system. He said the ruling would lead to further the degradation of civil discourse.The Obama administration is urging the high court to overturn the ruling. The government says the law simply reflects Congress judgment that the federal government should not affirmatively promote the use of racial slurs and other disparaging terms by granting the benefits of registration.The administration also argues that the law does not restrict speech because the band is still free to use the name even without trademark protection.The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups have supported the Slants and the Redskins in their legal fights. The ACLU says the government cant withhold benefits just because it disagrees with the content of someones speech.The Slants and the Redskins can continue using their preferred names even without trademark protection. But a trademark confers certain legal benefits, including the power to sue competitors that infringe the trademark. For the Redskins, the team could lose millions if it cant block the sale of counterfeit merchandise.The Redskins say they have an even stronger case against the government than the Slants because team has already relied on financial advantages of trademark protection for many years. The team registered six trademarks including the name between 1967 and 1990.The justices will hear arguments in Lee v. Tam, 15-1293, early next year.Other new cases the justices agreed to take up on Thursday include:-a dispute over the minimum standards that public schools must meet to help learning-disabled students-whether state laws can prohibit merchants from imposing fees on customers who use credit cards-the Obama administrations appeal of lower court rulings making it harder to deport immigrants whove been convicted of crimes Nike Air Max 97 Kopen . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. 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The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem.If the Red Sox thought the contract extension they gave Dustin Pedroia would keep him in Boston for the rest of his career, they may have actually underestimated the tenacity that made the diminutive second baseman a star. "I dont know if Ill be done by then, man. I feel good, dude," he said after signing an eight-year, $110 million contract extension that would keep him in a Red Sox uniform until the age of 38. "Maybe I havent had my growth spurt, and Ill get taller." The Red Sox announced their new deal with the 2008 AL MVP before Wednesday nights game against the Tampa Bay Rays. At a table set up in front of the teams dugout, general manager Ben Cherington, manager John Farrell and Pedroia talked about his contributions as a hitter and fielder but also as a leader in the clubhouse. "Hes the straw that stirs the drink," Farrell said. "He sets the tone for our workday. Theres a pretty strong sentiment that if you practice at full speed, youre going to become a better player." Pedroia had been scheduled to receive $10 million next season under his old deal, which also had an option for 15 at $11 million. The new deal starts next season and runs through 2021. "This place is the only place Ive known since I started playing professional baseball, and its my home," said Pedroia, who was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 draft. "I cant wait to be here and put on that uniform every day. It means a lot to me to be with my teammates and represent the city in the right way." A 5-foot-8, 165-pound infielder who was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007, when the Red Sox won their second World Series in four seasons, and MVP the next year, Pedroia has grown into his role as a team leader. Cherington said that was the reason the team agreed to the long-term deal -- reportedly with a full no-trade clause. "This contract does represent an exception for us, and as we told Dustin in spring training, hes absolutely the right person to make an exception for," Cherington said.dddddddddddd "It was the right thing to keep him here, hopefully for the rest of his career. I just know were happy hes here, and theres no one wed rather have as our second baseman." As Cherington was speaking, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz walked up and presented Pedroia with second base from the Fenway Park diamond. "This is for you, buddy," he said. Pedroia is batting .306 this season with 25 doubles, six home runs and 58 RBIs. In his seven-year career -- all with the Red Sox -- he has a .303 batting average and an on-base percentage of .371. Cherington said there had been no talk about making Pedroia captain, a role last held by catcher Jason Varitek before he retired in 2012. But thats only because Pedroia doesnt need to have a "C" on his uniform to show that hes a leader. Rays manager Joe Maddon called Pedroia "a guy that plays the game properly, shows up every night, will be there in the difficult moments, will set the right kind of example." "Hes not the tallest guy in the world, but hes like everyman when it comes to this game," Maddon said. "Hes the type of guy that fathers can watch the game with their kid and say, You can be Dustin Pedroia. Regardless of how big you are or not, just play with that type of verb intensity and enthusiasm. Its good for the Red Sox. Its going to make it that much more difficult for us as far as competition." The deal eliminates one uncertainty for a team that could see centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury become a free agent after the season. Of the position players on the 2007 championship team, only Pedroia, Ellsbury and Ortiz remain. "Ive come up with some guys that left. Theres always that doubt," Pedroia said. "Always, in my heart, I felt like I would always play every game for the Red Sox. Just being here right now, this happening, its pretty special to me and my family." ' ' '