Colin Kaepernick Is Trolling All Of Us

AP_colin_kaepernick_jt_160827_12x5_1600

In the latest edition of “Things That Should Absolutely Not Be News,” Colin Kaepernick, the former starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, has decided not to stand for the national anthem. This is only news because Kaepernick has about two more weeks before he’ll be sitting on his couch for the playing of the national anthem, having lost his starting job to none other than Blaine Gabbert. Prior to unseating Kaepernick in SF, Gabbert was formerly best known for being the worst quarterback in the league. So there’s that.

It’s true that Kaepernick had one brilliant, stunningly good season in the NFL, in which he replaced Alex Smith as the starter and led the Niners all the way to the Super Bowl, the first QB to do so since Hall-of-Famer Steve Young. In a city that had become somewhat accustomed to brilliant quarterback play throughout the Montana and Young eras, it’s understandable that he became somewhat of a celebrity overnight.

And while Kaepernick performed decently for the next two seasons, it’s easy to see that his strong play can be, at least in part, attributed to the coaching of Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh, who appears to be able to turn any quarterback he touches into gold, departed from the 49ers prior to the 2015 season. Perhaps not surprisingly, Kaepernick became immediately average, accounting for nearly twice as many turnovers as touchdowns before exiting for the season in Week Nine—partially due to injury, partially due to poor performance. At the time of his injury, the Niners were 2-6.

The only reason I mention all of this is because Kaepernick was nearly certain to be cut before the start of the season. Although the Niners are on the hook for a guaranteed salary of $12M, Kaepernick’s play has just been that bad. Plus, he’s coming off of a significant injury and surgery, and the one strength he had—that being arm strength—appears to have been diminished greatly. It seems that they may prefer to eat his salary and give themselves the chance to get a better backup quarterback. Yes, that’s correct—they’d start freaking Blaine Gabbert over him and pay him his salary to sit on the couch.

So what better way to ensure that you don’t get cut than to place yourself at the center of a Social Justice War?

“Kap” vaguely claims that he’s protesting police brutality, and that once that gets resolved, he’ll stand again. Far be it from me, the whitest of all white people, to judge Kaepernick’s street cred. However, is the half-white adopted child of two white, suburban parents who willingly chose the University of Nevada for his collegiate schooling, who currently earns eight figures a year to play a game…is this the guy who really understands police brutality in the urban war zones of this country? Does he know what it’s like to be a police officer in Chicago, where there were 57 shootings last weekend alone? Hell, does he even know what it’s like to be a resident of such a hellhole?

Of course not. And while I personally believe that the flag of this nation is beyond reproach and should be honored at every opportunity, I also understand that part of this nation’s greatness is the freedom to not honor it. I have no problem with Kaepernick’s decision to sit as a form of protest. I have a problem with the insincerity and timing of it.

The 49ers, as a result, have been placed in a terrible spot. If they cut Kaepernick, they’re racists. If they don’t, they’ve put themselves in a precarious situation at the most important position on the field, with a below-average starter and a malcontent backup.

Kaepernick, of course, knows this. He says that he’s prepared to be cut because of his social protest. In reality, he was prepared to be cut because of his poor play—now he’s prepared to be the center of a media storm purely of his own creation.

Well played, Kap. Well played.

25 Replies to “Colin Kaepernick Is Trolling All Of Us”

  1. Felis Concolor

    Put a Pepe stamp on his rejection notice and be done with him; I’d be surprised if he hasn’t already called CAIR to represent him in court.

    Reply
  2. SCE to AUX

    Kaepernick should be cut because he chose the workplace to air his political laundry.

    I’m not permitted to solicit for causes in my office, nor to wear clothing with any slogans or messages on them.

    His employer (the 49ers) has decided to play within the construct of this country, with the tradition of standing during the national anthem. He could still have stood out of respect for his employer, but chose to disrespect them as well as the country whose benefits he freely enjoys. On the side, he could also have waged a campaign against police brutality, or whatever, while still respecting his employer’s expectation that he perform a small civic duty while he is in the public eye.

    Being a professional sports player brings with it some expectation to perform for the public both on and off the field. Hockey players, basketball players, etc, who choose not to visit the White House when invited after winning their championship only make themselves look bad, while disrespecting their ‘company’. Such visits don’t mean you support the sitting President or his policies, they simply mean you’re getting to visit the White House.

    I would suggest that Mr Kaepernick, if he still chooses not to stand for the national anthem, do so when he’s not on the clock.

    Reply
  3. Bigtruckseriesreview

    I don’t pay much attention to sports, so I was on the fence for a while. I didn’t even know who Colin was till this scandal.

    Thing is: As an American Citizen who actually understands the Constitution and the context it was written, support his right to protest.

    Of course, the NFL and his paycheck signers have every right to cut him and stop paying him.

    I do not believe in the validity of the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s nothing more than a FLASH MOB financed by White Liberal Democrats to keep Blacks and other Minorities angry enough to come out to vote against Trump in November. They KNOW that the Democrat base isn’t excited or enthusiastic about Hillary. They KNOW voter turnout will be low.

    The strategy: paint Trump as a racist, Hitler and Satan – and hope that enough high-profile White cops shoot enough Black suspects (preferably unarmed) to keep that anger strong till November. Then as many murders in Chicago and Camden can happen BUT HILLARY WON’T HAVE TO BE BOTHERED cause it won’t matter then.

    When you look at the left wing media and these braindead talking heads – AND EVERYONE HAS “DOCTOR” NEXT TO THEIR NAME…yet not a Goddamned one of them can set a bone or diagnose an injury… all over MSNBC, CNN, Sirius XM Urban View…

    …I empathize with Colin simply because he bought into the LIE that Black Lives Matter has perpetuated.

    So for him to protest in this manner is a logical conclusion – especially after the nonsense hurled at Gabby Douglas – who actually did the right thing BY NOT putting her hand over her heart. You don’t have your hand on your heart for the National Anthem.

    Furthermore, The Pledge of allegiance was written by a radical socialist, Francis Bellamy.

    Being forced to “pledge allegiance to the flag” also goes against the 1st Amendment rights in the constitution. In and of itself it’s very anti American – despite those who have no training in civics class don’t realize that.
    The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of speech but it also guarantees the right NOT TO SPEAK.

    It’s taken this whole Colin scandal to re-examine the National Anthem.

    Apparently Francis Scott Key was a deserter who was defeated by Colonial Marines (including freed slaves) and the 3rd stanza – which we don’t sing (or know) details his anger of getting beat…

    “And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
    That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
    A home and a Country should leave us no more?
    Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
    No refuge could save the hireling and slave
    From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
    And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
    O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

    Key was bitter that he got beaten by Black soldiers similar to many other White soldiers in the Confederate Army were during the Civil War.

    Basically, as we move closer and closer to the end of the Obama Presidency and the probability of Trump or Hillary – two people with NO PRESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE, QUESTIONABLE HISTORIES and HIGH NEGATIVES – Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities will slowly peel off of the DNC.

    The leave of Obama and family will be traumatic for many people – especially considering the replacement.

    If Trump wins, the DNC is going to implode.

    I appreciate Trump because his trolling techniques are perfected and he’s got so much money he can’t be silenced. When I look at him I see the 1st Amendment incarnate.

    When I look at Colin, I see the 1st Amendment incarnate.

    The difference?

    You can shut Colin up (liberals love to SILENCE opposition) but you can’t stop Trump because of his MONEY and influence.

    The question for me is: why is this such a big deal?

    How many underhanded things is the government doing while everyone watches the scandal unfold?

    Why are people so stupid?

    Colin is brave. I’ll give him that.

    To throw away millions of dollars for “your beliefs” is either extremely courageous or extremely stupid.

    Either way: it’s his right to do so.

    I’m just disappointed his reasoning is for a reason I find illegitimate.

    Dorian Johnson is a LIAR and should have been tried for false allegations and obstructing justice.

    “Hands Up Don’t shoot” DID NOT HAPPEN.

    Reply
    • VolandoBajo

      Mostly think along lines similar to yours, Big Trucks, and your point about the freedom to not pledge allegiance or salute the flag are constitutionally correct even though they are not popular everywhere.

      But I must disagree as to your assertion that Kaepernick was risking millions by taking his current position. If you look closely at Jack’s background to the controversy, he was on his way out the door because of poor play, so he risked nothing by taking an unpopular stand.

      Instead, he is trying to put himself in a position of embarrassing the organization that made him rich when he was better, in the hope of blackmailing them into keeping him on, and paid, past his useful value as an NFL QB.

      He’s just trying to game the system, and he’s smart enough to know that this move is the only chance he has of trying to get the 49er’s to keep him. Ergo, no courage, just a lot of gamesmanship to try to force the 49ers to keep him around.

      IMNERHO, he deserves zero respect because this is the same country and the same racism that existed a few years ago, yet he was totally silent when he was the golden boy of the Bay Area.

      He is within his right to protest this way, but he is showing what a hypocrite he is by the timing.

      Or as I have heard it expressed on the streets, he showed his @ss. Headed for safety, not for principle.

      The 49ers should cut him and let the chips fall where they may, but also put out some carefully worded statements about where he stood in the pecking order of QB’s when he was let go, and that that and that alone was the reason he is gone, Daddy, gone…

      Reply
  4. Bigtruckseriesreview

    I should also add that this whole NONSENSE and BULLSHIT of calling people who protest the government “anti-American” and “anti US troops” is completely ridiculous.

    “You don’t support the troops?”

    #1 the Troops are in no position to be supported by me.

    Unless you give me an F-35 and let me bomb targets at will or shoot at people on the ground and provide close-air-support… I can’t support the troops.

    The troops DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO DO – even if I disagree with the mission.

    #2 Protesting is AMERICAN.

    This country was born from a rebellion against the Crown.
    We took that tea and DUMPED IT IN HIS FACE.

    South tried to rebel… NORTH KILLED THEM.

    The very mention of the possibility of “communism” has many of us grabbing a gun.

    The very mention of “sharia law” has many of us loading an AR-15 in wait.

    Has anyone realized that Americans are desperately waiting for something or someone to rebel against?

    Reply
  5. arbuckle

    I’m not really sure.

    On one hand this will help him stay on the roster short-term and I’m sure Kaepernick remembers the splashover goodwill and publicity he received when some journosaur criticized his tattoos.

    On the other hand, the current NFL is a league with a shortage of quarterbacking. Matt Hasselbeck was starting games last year and RGIII is going to be a starter in Week 1 this year. Even if the 49ers cut him, I bet Kaep could have landed a job somewhere by Week 3 just by virtue of showing some degree of competency in the past. If he managed to pull a few good games out of his @ss, he could probably stay in the league another 5 years. But now, he has openly made himself a distraction and I don’t think any team would want him. Most NFL coaches are crazy, single-focus robots so I don’t think they really care much about disrespecting the National Anthem but being a loose cannon and potential media hassle are generally unforgivable.

    And the news cycle is short. In 2 months people will almost completely forget about this and the 49ers can cut him if they want.

    The best play I can see with the “troll” angle is that he makes the team, Yo-Yo Gabbert either fails spectacularly or gets injured early while Kaep swoops in and manages to thrive in Kelly’s offensive scheme.

    Reply
  6. Ark-med

    Kaepernick is an equal opportunity troll. Courtesy Zerohedge.com, here’s an excerpt from the transcript:

    CK:” […] I think the two presidential candidates that we currently have also represent the issues that we have in this country right now.”

    Media: “Do you want to expand on that?”

    CK:” You have Hillary who has called black teens or black kids super predators, you have Donald Trump who’s openly racist. We have a presidential candidate who has deleted emails and done things illegally and is a presidential candidate. […]”

    Of course, what’s being ballyhooed is his comment on the putative injustice towards a select minority community; conveniently omitted was Kaepernick’s mention of Hillary.

    Reply
  7. Robert Howard

    The only thing I have to say about this nonsense is that the many anti-Cap Memes on Facebook have all been posted by friends who also want to “make America great again”. Isn’t that what he wants too? Why does he get the take down by conservatives for saying America isn’t great, when the heart of the Trump message is the same?

    America can’t both be great and need to be made great again. But then, that’s why I drive a Ford.

    Reply
    • jz78817

      they’ve gone way past conservatism and are firmly into “regressivism” (if that’s a word.) what’s not clear- and what worries me- is what era of greatness we’re supposed to go back to. The immediate post-WWII era? not happening in a million years. our post-war boom was a result of the stars aligning perfectly for us. We hadn’t had our stuff bombed to smithereens, while Europe and Japan had to re-build. Thanks to much of our manufacturing being tied up making military hardware, we had pent-up demand for consumer goods, and thousands of returning servicemen ready to start building them. Eisenhower put a ton of people on a huge public works project (the Interstate Highways.) And we had a bogeyman over there with a bushy mustache who meant we could spend like crazy on aerospace and defense. We literally had no economic competition for a long time.

      Reply
    • Jack Baruth

      I’m not sure the heart of the message is the same. Let’s boil them both down to their most reductionist interpretations, as delivered by people who are unsympathetic to the causes:

      Trump: “America is not great because we have too many Mexicans in the country and too many jobs leaving the country.”

      Kap: “America is not great because I don’t understand math well enough to realize that Black people are not in unusual danger from the police.”

      You could easily agree with one of those people and completely disagree with the other.

      It’s like the band Nickel Creek. My brother thinks they suck because of their music. I think they suck because Sara Watkins won’t perform in a lace bra. Doesn’t mean we agree with each other.

      Reply
  8. jz78817

    Does he know what it’s like to be a police officer in Chicago, where there were 57 shootings last weekend alone? Hell, does he even know what it’s like to be a resident of such a hellhole?

    Do you? this sounds like a “starving kids in Africa” argument.

    Reply
    • Bark M Post author

      Of course I don’t, that’s why I’m not judging the police who keep that place from becoming Fallujah.

      Reply
  9. Disinterested-Observer

    Getting back to Bark’s original point, I think it was a pretty smart, low-risk move on Kaepernick’s part in terms of his job. He was going to get cut anyway, this way there is a chance he won’t, and regardless he will dine for free in certain circles for years.

    Reply
  10. kvndoom

    Heh, he lives in one of the few countries that can make you worth 8 figures for being good at recreational activities while boys so young they’ve never legally bought a beer or possibly gotten laid get shot at by insurgents. And yeah, cops make me sick sometimes but I know I could never handle the stress of that job.

    …and he’s protesting.

    Reply
  11. tifoso

    Maybe a little gratitude would be in order from this ingrate towards the country and society that made it possible for him to live a life that 99.999 % of the population can only dream about.

    Reply
  12. Orenwolf

    While I agree with your sentiment, and the possible insincerity of the gesture (I mean, what a way to play the press if he does get cut), I’m most interested to see if anyone else will follow suit. I wager not only because I presume US Football fans, like worldwide football fans, have an element that are certifiably batshit crazy, and I’m not sure I’d want to rile them up. 😉

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.