Jackson Free Press

It hasn't been a very good couple of weeks in the sports world. Donald Sterling got most of the press, but he was not the only sports figure exhibiting racist behavior.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman P. K. Subban was the subject of racist tweets after he scored two goals, including the winning point, against the Boston Bruins. Subban, one of the few black players in the NHL, took the high road, saying the Bruins and their fans shouldn't be singled out for a few bad apples.

But this isn't the first time Bruins fans have taken to Twitter and made racist remarks when a black player has scored the winning goal in a playoff game. In the 2011-12 playoffs, Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward was the focus of racial slurs on Twitter when his overtime goal eliminated Boston in the first round.

Over in Europe, Spain especially, things haven't been much better. An incident in La Liga involved Barcelona defender Dani Alves, who picked up a banana and took a bite after a fan threw it on the field. Alves' team scored a 3-2 win over Villarreal, but the banana took the headlines. Villarreal found the fan who threw the banana and banned him for life from Estadio El Madrigal. This isn't Alves' first brush with racist acts. In 2013, sections of Real Madrid's fans heckled him with monkey chants.

This past weekend, Atletico Madrid fans harassed Levante's Papakouli Diop with monkey gestures, marring La Liga games for the second straight week.

Soccer players all over Europe have been subject to racist gestures, acts and chants. The soccer clubs of Europe have tried things such as criminal prosecution and lifetime bans on fans to curb the issue.

But now, for some lighter news. The 2014 NFL Draft is Thursday through Saturday, and a few players from Mississippi could hear their names called.

Jackson State cornerback Qua Cox could be a Saturday pick in rounds four to seven. Even if Cox isn't drafted, I would be surprised if he wasn't signed quickly as an undrafted free agent.

Mississippi State guard Gabe Jackson should hear his named called early—he should be drafted in the first three rounds.

Ole Miss wide receiver Donte Moncrief left school early and could be a third-day pick. Moncrief has the speed NFL coaches love, and a team could try to grab him late on day two just on potential.

If Southern Miss sees a player drafted, it will likely be defensive tackle Khyri Thornton. He could be picked on day three of the draft.