Does He Want to Play?

 

Last Saturday the NFL set up a tryout for Colin Kaepernick. Recently, a few teams had shown interest in him but were afraid to bring him in for a workout. In the past, Kaepernick had sued the league, a suit that was eventually settled. Teams feared that if they brought him in for a tryout and did not sign him, he would turn around and call them racists and maybe try to sue again. So, the NFL set up a workout and invited all teams to send representatives. This way they could evaluate the QB without being singled out and possibly face a bad public relations situation.

Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016. His play then was not great, but not terrible. Today, he may not be one of the top 32 quarterbacks in America, but he likely is one of the top 64. In other words, he could at least be a back up in the NFL. I believe the most important part of this workout was not going to be his throwing or running, but the interview. His protests, not his play, are why he is out of the league. No doubt some owners would be willing to help with the causes he stands for off the field, but they want to know how he will represent their franchises on the field and in press conferences.

Then came Saturday. Twenty-five teams sent people to watch the workout. A half hour before the scheduled start, Kaepernick pulled out and instead held his own workout at a high school field. He gave excuses including one about a standard NFL injury waiver. When the workout started he wore a Kunte Kinta shirt, which I guess was to compare himself to the slave from the book Roots. That would then make NFL owners the slave masters? The question now is, does he really want to play in the NFL?

I believe that if Kaepernick gave a good interview to the scouts, he would have gotten an NFL contract. Instead he pulled a publicity stunt that shows he is not serious about playing football. ESPN host Stephen A. Smith, a Kaepernick supporter through most of his protests and trials, couldn’t even wait to get back to work and filmed this video from home to show his disgust. I think Mr. Smith is spot on with his analysis.

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  1. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Nice info. My guess is that he’s been away too long, but, considering what I’ve seen on the field this year, I don’t think it’s a slam dunk. When Harbaugh dumped Alex Smith for him, Kaepernick was kind of the Lamar Jackson of his day, but defenses did eventually figure him out, as you indicated. But if he retains some mobility. there might be a back up role for him. There are some pretty bad QB’s out there who are basically stationary targets.

    Luke Falk started two games for the Jets this year. No doubt Kaepernick is better than some of the back ups in the league.

    If he was elite, teams wouldn’t have cared what he did during the anthem (Marshawn Lynch, aka BeastMode, sat on the bench and ate a banana during the anthem). But a back up needs to show a better attitude than that.

    Why would a team hire a guy that goes out of his way to alienate half of their customers? Antonio Brown is a name that comes to my mind. He has more talent right now than Kaepernick ever had. Brown also has more time on his hands as he waits for Nike to give out their next multi-million dollar Hunter Biden award.

     

     

     

    • #31
  2. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    Why on god’s green earth would this guy go back to football?  He’s making far more bank being a professional agitator and he doesn’t have to get hit.  He’s gotten everything he could get out of the NFL already.  This was just a PR stunt.

    • #32
  3. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Skyler (View Comment):

    I’m wondering what could possibly be less important than this guy?

    The gearbox for my boxster’s convertible top is malfunctioning. I am expecting a replacement bat wing crank for it tomorrow and I hope to get my car back up and running pretty soon. I’m tired of driving the spare car.

    Nope, fixing the car is more important. Here’s a picture of my zenith blue ’99, sadly no longer on this earth and replaced by an ’07 black that I’ve yet to take a picture of.

    My dog needs a bath, and I’ll have to work out the time to clip his hair too.

    Nope. Dog’s grooming is much more important. Here’s Bond guarding a sealyham terrier egg.

    I’m getting ready to send my Selmer Mk VII alto saxophone to get overhauled. It is 42 years old (back then it wasn’t so clear that the Mk VII wouldn’t be as good as the Mk VI) and it’s just about due for one. I’m pretty sure some of the pads are leaking by now. This will hopefully improve intonation and maybe make the low notes blow easier.

    Nope, that’s more important too.

     

    Mark VII Selmers are a little clunky but with a good tune up they are great horns.  I had a VII tenor which I liked very much, until I finally found an SML Gold Medal.  That horn is the cat’s meow.

    • #33
  4. Umbra Fractus Inactive
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    @UmbraFractus

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Anyone else thinks that fuzzball kinda looks like Kaepernick’s hair?

    • #34
  5. Cato Rand Inactive
    Cato Rand
    @CatoRand

    Umbra Fractus (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Anyone else thinks that fuzzball kinda looks like Kaepernick’s hair?

    Racist.  :)

    • #35
  6. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):
    Mark VII Selmers are a little clunky but with a good tune up they are great horns. I had a VII tenor which I liked very much, until I finally found an SML Gold Medal. That horn is the cat’s meow.

    I want to get a tenor, but my daughter keeps telling me she likes to eat every day.  I suppose the tenor will have to wait.

    I’ve never played an SML, but I’ve read that they’re awesome.

    • #36
  7. Bill Nelson Inactive
    Bill Nelson
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    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Having watched Mitchell Trubisky for a couple of months, he should be happy Kaepernick went for the publicity stunt.

    That’s the thing. Someone would have signed him if he just showed up.

    No, signing him is going to seriously irritate a lot of fans. And football fans will tend to be slightly more patriotic, more pro-cop, than the average person on the urban street.

    First rule of business: keep your politics home.

     

    • #37
  8. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Umbra Fractus (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Anyone else thinks that fuzzball kinda looks like Kaepernick’s hair?

    Actually the full Afro is not his hair, or at least it wasn’t.  Back when he was first protesting, he would put on an Afro wig.

    • #38
  9. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Umbra Fractus (View Comment):

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Anyone else thinks that fuzzball kinda looks like Kaepernick’s hair?

    Actually the full Afro is not his hair, or at least it wasn’t. Back when he was first protesting, he would put on an Afro wig.

    So he’s fake, too?  

    • #39
  10. MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam… Coolidge
    MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam…
    @ChrisCampion

    I listen to the Adam Carolla podcast a lot, and one of his frequent guests (and co-hosts) is Mark Geragos, who is representing Colin.  I like Geragos, but he’s representing someone who’s probably looking at very deep pockets.  I had heard about the NFL workout, Geragos was talking it up just the week prior, but haven’t listened in since.

    I look forward to hearing his take, because I think it’s all one big pile of hyped-up crap, and Colin is looking for a paycheck.  He’s not looking to play.  That’s just garbage.

    And Geragos?  I know he doesn’t care what people think.  But this is pretty sad.

    • #40
  11. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Skyler (View Comment):

    Doctor Robert (View Comment):
    Mark VII Selmers are a little clunky but with a good tune up they are great horns. I had a VII tenor which I liked very much, until I finally found an SML Gold Medal. That horn is the cat’s meow.

    I want to get a tenor, but my daughter keeps telling me she likes to eat every day. I suppose the tenor will have to wait.

    I’ve never played an SML, but I’ve read that they’re awesome.

    They are. 

    • #41
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