Colin Kaepernick, the new face of Nike

[betiko]

Just google "49ers toxic locker room. I can't get lmgtfy to load.

Also, you can check out the Seahawks home record from 2013-2015. Since both teams are in the same division, every win for Seattle basically works as a loss for San Fran.

Look up marshawn lynch and beast mode for the richter scale story.

Griffin (the guy with one hand), I don't think has played (maybe he played today). He's on the Seahawks.

that's too much information you are asking me to search about a sport i don't follow at all. also... how the hell did i end up thinking he was the guy with just one hand? it's on that nike add right?

[elfish_lad]

I don't like when people flip the bird to the owners of the Packers though. The last small-town team in any of the big 4 leagues. The last team not owned by a Billionaire (although a few teams are owned by big corporations, Green Bay is unique).

Interestingly Green Bay doesn't really have a single owner like every other team, rather it's owned by shareholders. It's kind of a novel idea and it's probably the only reason that the team hasn't moved to a larger market. I think I read or heard somewhere that season ticket holders are offered shares, so a large part of the ownership group is in Wisconsin!

Wikipedia:

"Green Bay Packers, Inc. is the official name of the publicly held nonprofit corporation that owns the Green Bay Packers football franchise of the National Football League (NFL).

The Packers are the only publicly owned franchise in the NFL. Rather than being the property of an individual, partnership, or corporate entity, they are held as of 2016 by 360,760 stockholders. No one is allowed to hold more than 200,000 shares, which represents approximately four percent of the 5,011,558 shares currently outstanding. It is this broad-based community support and non-profit structure which has kept the team in Green Bay for nearly a century in spite of being the smallest market in all of North American professional sports.

Green Bay is the only team with this public form of ownership structure in the NFL, grandfathered when the NFL's current ownership policy stipulating a maximum of 32 owners per team, with one holding a minimum 30% stake, was established in the 1980s. As a publicly held nonprofit, the Packers are also the only American major-league sports franchise to release its financial balance sheet every year. "

this is exaclty how football clubs work in spain (real madrid, bacelona ect..). basically, "socios" are members and owners of the club with their season tickets, those are passed around from grandpa to son to grandson... and those guys vote for a new president of the club. I think there is like 51% that can always only be for socios and the other 49% is what you can buy or something.

Huh. These things? I knew not. Very cool. Cheers.

[Bigbullets]

Ali and Kaepernick were both banned in their prime, primarily because they were black sportsmen, and they peacefully protested against a white government that forced their sport to blacklist them.

Neither of them went in to this led by the idea of future fame and fortune. They were led by their consciences. That's admirable.

For you to say that Kaepernick chose to not play for the NFL and get an endorsement deal instead, that's simply a lie, TGD. That is not admirable.

That line of argument is lazy. Kaepernick not being on a team because he's black is like saying Tebow isn't on a team because he's white.

Kaepernick isn't on a team because he isn't worth the hassle. And it's nothing like Ali. Boxing and football are two totally different sports with regard to controversial players.

[Symmetry]

Ali and Kaepernick were both banned in their prime, primarily because they were black sportsmen, and they peacefully protested against a white government that forced their sport to blacklist them.

Neither of them went in to this led by the idea of future fame and fortune. They were led by their consciences. That's admirable.

For you to say that Kaepernick chose to not play for the NFL and get an endorsement deal instead, that's simply a lie, TGD. That is not admirable.

That line of argument is lazy. Kaepernick not being on a team because he's black is like saying Tebow isn't on a team because he's white.

Kaepernick isn't on a team because he isn't worth the hassle. And it's nothing like Ali. Boxing and football are two totally different sports with regard to controversial players.

And yet you bring in a white NFL player who now plays for the MLB as a point of comparison? I'd say that your point was invalid, but you probably already figured that out.

[thegreekdog]

Tebow plays baseball. The NBA is the acronym for the National Basketball Association which has very little to do with baseball. I think the acronym you're looking for is MLB.

[DoomYoshi]

Just google "49ers toxic locker room. I can't get lmgtfy to load.

Also, you can check out the Seahawks home record from 2013-2015. Since both teams are in the same division, every win for Seattle basically works as a loss for San Fran.

Look up marshawn lynch and beast mode for the richter scale story.

Griffin (the guy with one hand), I don't think has played (maybe he played today). He's on the Seahawks.

that's too much information you are asking me to search about a sport i don't follow at all. also... how the hell did i end up thinking he was the guy with just one hand? it's on that nike add right?

It's not that I think you care, it's just that since you called me a liar, I gave you some more trails to research.

The one-arm guy is in the commercial, but keepernick is the shaggy-haired guy narrating.

[Symmetry]

Tebow plays baseball. The NBA is the acronym for the National Basketball Association which has very little to do with baseball. I think the acronym you're looking for is MLB.

Acronym, or initialism, corrected. Cheers TGD.

[Bigbullets]

Ali and Kaepernick were both banned in their prime, primarily because they were black sportsmen, and they peacefully protested against a white government that forced their sport to blacklist them.

Neither of them went in to this led by the idea of future fame and fortune. They were led by their consciences. That's admirable.

For you to say that Kaepernick chose to not play for the NFL and get an endorsement deal instead, that's simply a lie, TGD. That is not admirable.

That line of argument is lazy. Kaepernick not being on a team because he's black is like saying Tebow isn't on a team because he's white.

Kaepernick isn't on a team because he isn't worth the hassle. And it's nothing like Ali. Boxing and football are two totally different sports with regard to controversial players.

And yet you bring in a white NFL player who now plays for the MLB as a point of comparison? I'd say that your point was invalid, but you probably already figured that out.

My point is as valid as the one I was referring to. Interesting that you can see the one, but not the other.

Anyone claiming that Kaepernick is out of football because he's half-black is ridiculous.

[thegreekdog]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

[Bigbullets]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

I think Tebow could have won playing for someone who knew how to use him. He won two national championships at the college level. So to say he isn't good at football is a bit inaccurate.

I was responding to those who claim that Kaepernik is out of football because he's black. That's a ridiculous argument.

[thegreekdog]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

I think Tebow could have won playing for someone who knew how to use him. He won two national championships at the college level. So to say he isn't good at football is a bit inaccurate.

I was responding to those who claim that Kaepernik is out of football because he's black. That's a ridiculous argument.

Did someone say Kaepernick is out of football because he's black? I missed that one.

You can't run the option or rely on superior strength/speed when you're playing Southeast Mississippi State Technical School in the NFL so Tebow may have been good at football generically, but he was not a viable NFL quarterback.

[spurgistan]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

I agree, except for when we should necessarily believe rumblings against a player who may well have been blackballed. AFAIK, none of these come from Kap's camp.
In addition, as long as we're on the subject of player protest, why the hell does Eric Reid not have a job, except for as punishment for his legal protest? He's an undeniably quality safety. The NFL just loves player lawsuits, I guess.

[thegreekdog]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

I agree, except for when we should necessarily believe rumblings against a player who may well have been blackballed. AFAIK, none of these come from Kap's camp.
In addition, as long as we're on the subject of player protest, why the hell does Eric Reid not have a job, except for as punishment for his legal protest? He's an undeniably quality safety. The NFL just loves player lawsuits, I guess.

I'm more concerned about Reid than Kaepernick. He's 26 years old and at least an above-average safety.

[Symmetry]

I tend to think Kaepernick and Tebow are out of football for the similar reasons, namely they aren't that good. There were some rumblings that Kaepernick also wanted (a) to start and (b) more money than his performance dictated; whereas Tebow as just not good at football. Kaepernick had better statistics and was a better player.

On the kneeling, Kaepernick's kneeling is an act of protest and has been attacked by everyone from police to conservatives to the president. Tebow's kneeling was an act of prayer that was mocked (not attacked) by atheists and liberals and people who hated Florida football. They are very different things. Assuming that Kaepernick is out of football because of his protests (which I don't believe), it's poor form to compare him to Tebow who was merely mocked for his kneeling.

I think Tebow could have won playing for someone who knew how to use him. He won two national championships at the college level. So to say he isn't good at football is a bit inaccurate.

I was responding to those who claim that Kaepernik is out of football because he's black. That's a ridiculous argument.

Did someone say Kaepernick is out of football because he's black? I missed that one.

You can't run the option or rely on superior strength/speed when you're playing Southeast Mississippi State Technical School in the NFL so Tebow may have been good at football generically, but he was not a viable NFL quarterback.

I definitely think that a large part of why he was fired was for being African American and protesting against racial injustice against African-Americans.

This whole, "terrible quarterback" thing is new to me, and seems a little contrived as a get out for the obvious politicking that lead to his firing.

[DoomYoshi]

I was very surprised when I saw Kaepernick in the top 10 all-time NFL passer rating, according to the hall of fame website.

[Symmetry]

I was very surprised when I saw Kaepernick in the top 10 all-time NFL passer rating, according to the hall of fame website.

Most people seemed to rate him as a solid quarterback from what I can tell, then he was fired for prominently protesting the, let's face it, systematic mistreatment of his fellow African Americans, under the pressure of failed football owner Donald Trump.

Then there's this series of terrible excuses- that he hates America, that he hates the flag, that he hates American soldiers, that he did it to gain money from Nike...

That he was fired for being a bad quarterback seems just the latest in a long list of poor excuses.

[DoomYoshi]

Well, he was already benched prior to the flag protest, so calling him a bad quarterback isn't an excuse, it seems to be what his coaches were thinking.

[elfish_lad]

Well. I probably saw him play 5 or 6 times as a 9’er. I hail from Cali (all be it Solvang) and loved watching Montana and Young any time we could go. I got to admit I was hoping Kaep was going to be in that league. Who knows? Maybe given time he could have ranked right up there. But my experience was that he was solid but not awesome.

I wish him well.

[DoomYoshi]

I drove through Solvang once and determined that it was a city founded by Nordic vampires. Why they would want to move to sunny California is anyone's guess. Note to self: elf is a vampire; avoid at all costs.

[Symmetry]

I drove through Solvang once and determined that it was a city founded by Nordic vampires. Why they would want to move to sunny California is anyone's guess. Note to self: elf is a vampire; avoid at all costs.

I took a train through Hell and back when I visited Norway. It didn't seem as bad as bad as people say. Budo is probably Purgatory though.

[riskllama]

Well, he was already benched prior to the flag protest, so calling him a bad quarterback isn't an excuse, it seems to be what his coaches were thinking.

lol @ sym. epic fail...

[Dukasaur]

Well, he was already benched prior to the flag protest, so calling him a bad quarterback isn't an excuse, it seems to be what his coaches were thinking.

Misleading. He had some bad starts and was benched for a few games that year, but still ended up playing in 12 of 16 regular season games and was back in the starting lineup and showing good form by the end of the season. In the second-last regular-season game, he completed 28/37 passing attempts for a total of 266 yards and two TDs, plus ran in a third TD himself. In his final game on January 1st, he completed 28/37 passing attempts for another 215 yards, while running another 16. These aren't the stats of a wash-up; they're the stats of a future Hall-of-Famer.

Have a look.

Kaepernick struggled for parts of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, but still racked up impressive numbers (even more impressive considering how bad the rest of the team was during that period.) I don't think there's any doubt that he was on track to continue a spectacular career all the way to eventual Hall-of-Fame status, if politics had not intervened.

[DoomYoshi]

There's quite a bit of doubt that he was on track for hall of fame. First, a couple of games aren't indicative of hall of fame status, even a few good seasons aren't enough. Even winning a Super Bowl wont guarantee it (Jim Plunkett won it twice and never made it in). Second, as I stated way back, kap is known as a rusher, and that's just not popular right now at the NFL level (where the trend is towards more shotgun and throwing on every down, including first and fourth). He always runs about 10-25% of his plays. That's a fast track to the ER, not the HoF*. Third, there is the craziness about a toxic locker room. Usually that stuff is kept secret, but SF was very public. Either Kap led a mutiny or he let it go on. Either way, a quarterback is more than just an arm, he's also supposed to be a leader.

I won't rule out HoF in an alternate timeline. Players have been benched and even cut from teams to go on to HoF careers. Keep in mind how tough it is to get into Canton. There are 53 players per roster and 32 teams for around 1600 active players. Representing 100 years of football, there are just over 300 players in the hall of fame.
EDIT: joe flacco is a good comparison case. He has better passing stats than kap, won a super bowl, has been the highest paid player in the NFL twice, and will probably never make it into the hall of fame, because he's just not that special.

*the quarterback is often the most expensive and irreplaceable player on the team. Why a coach would build an offense around rushing this guy through 300+ pounders instead of in the safety of the pocket is beyond me.

[elfish_lad]

I drove through Solvang once and determined that it was a city founded by Nordic vampires. Why they would want to move to sunny California is anyone's guess. Note to self: elf is a vampire; avoid at all costs.

Heh. It was a creepy little town. I fled to Alberta.

Hall of Fame duk? Sheesh, gotta say that’s a bit if a reach think I. So very much can happen over the course of a career. Esp. under center. Bottom line? We’ll never know.