General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsif the NFL owners were sincere (1%ers all) then Colin Kaepernick
would be employed. Until then, it is all theater.
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)PJMcK
(21,921 posts)Kaepernick's employment status may not have to do with his politics. It could be that his salary level is very high but his performance has been less than stellar.
I admire his position on our country's ongoing racism. But his player-status could have nothing to do with his beliefs.
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)Someone could sign him at least as a backup. The problem now is too much drama around his name
No one wants to deal with it
Amishman
(5,541 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)It's all on Kap
BannonsLiver
(16,162 posts)Because I do. and there is some really bad QB play in the league right now. Last year Kaepernick threw 14 TDs against 2 interceptions and had a QB rating over 90. He's being blackballed.
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)He severely tore his labrum. Rumor is his arm is dead
True Dough
(17,096 posts)Salary
Cam Newton -- $20.7 million
Jay Cutler -- $10 million
Colin Kaepernick -- Reportedly asking for $9 million to $10 million
Blake Bortles -- $5.1 million
Completion percentage
Colin Kaepernick -- 59.1%
Jay Cutler -- 59.1%
Blake Bortles -- 58.9%
Cam Newton -- 52.9%
TD/interception ratio
Kaepernick -- 16-4
Jay Cutler -- 21-11 (2015; didn't play many games in 2016)
Blake Bortles -- 23-16 (2016)
Cam Newton -- 19-14 (2016)
ghostsinthemachine
(3,569 posts)Then Kap is being blackballed. Nobody in the history of football has tossed more costly and untimely interceptions than Jay (fucking) Cutler. The Fins are finis!
mythology
(9,527 posts)The Dolphins lost their quarterback in the preseason, and Cutler knew the offense from playing under Gase. Otherwise he wouldn't be in the league either.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)Watchfoxheadexplodes
(3,496 posts)His college razzle dazzle he became a liability with a huge salary just like Tebow, luck and sometimes now cam Newton.
Is he better than a few now? Sure I think he would be a great back up. And I support his cause but leading at qb again not so much.
haveahart
(905 posts)i would hire him in a heartbeat.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)Kap is looking for starters money for a position on the bench. I fully support what he is doing but I don't think this argument is on solid ground.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)in a couple of weeks,watch and see. Like everything Trump screws up,after a week or two,the Media abandons that item for some new shinny thingee. All depends on Injuries and unsigned QB's are few if any. All about the money and owners Ego.
The_Casual_Observer
(27,742 posts)Jesus, even that vick guy that ran the dog fights came back.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)What Kap has done isn't even bad. There is simply no comparison.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)and his personal background pissed someone off in the Commissioners office. Hunch is some owner wanted revenge because Kap is a hard nosed player who will not sit down and shut up.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)He did make it to the NFL. He didn't perform to the level people had hoped. He wasn't targeted. He protested causing difficulty on the business end. That got some people concerned. It has nothing to do with his record on the field or previous actions.
ghostsinthemachine
(3,569 posts)Even closer the year before in the NFC championship game.
Then the O line quit, got traded, broke down and Harbaugh left. The Niners changed, it wasn't Kaps fault. The O line, once a strength became a liability.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)Your analysis doesn't back up Kap's statistics.
Orrex
(63,086 posts)Most comments I see about him are along the lines of "some things can't be forgiven," which strikes me as silly posturing.
He paid his fine and served his time. I probably wouldn't ask him to dog-sit for me, but are we to believe that he has no hope of redeeming himself?
A better target for this righteous ire is any of the many NFL players who moonlight as domestic abusers. Most of these aren't caught or, if they're caught, they face minimal penalties.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)I never said there is no chance of him redeeming himself. Never even insinuated it. My comment was clearly directly about the comparison. It can't be done in the manner it was.
"A better target for this righteous ire is any of the many NFL players who moonlight as domestic abusers. Most of these aren't caught or, if they're caught, they face minimal penalties."
Fully agree with the sentiment overall. It's still an extremely poor comparison when used as the individual did.
Orrex
(63,086 posts)I was referring to anti-Vick sentiment in general, rather than to something that you implied.
During football season, I see Vick condemned only daily in my limited social media universe, as though right-thinking harumphers have declared him evil beyond evil.
Sorry that I phrased it in a way that sounded specific to your comments.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)I am one of those people who truly believe we never run out of second chances. I would not be able to work with addicts in the manner I do without that thought process. I have seen some extremely poor excuses of human beings turn into people providing great value to themselves, society, and their families. Those stories are far and few between but I hold on to them dearly. I carry this thought process with me in every area of my life.
Still, Vicks actions cannot be forgotten. It was the perfect situation to highlight dog fighting. Many are using it as a club to beat him with today. I think that is wrong. By most all appearances, he has made dramatic changes to his life. He also had some good works before and during his time overseeing dog fights. When discussed today it should be used as a vehicle to talk about the current state of dog fighting in this country. Using it to condemn Vick to this day goes against how I feel people should be treated.
Thank you for your understanding with my earlier reply.
Weekend Warrior
(1,301 posts)He will take less money and begin fighting for a starting position. He would be a great go-to on the bench. Probably one of the top rated back-up quarterbacks. He adds a threat with his feet that few back-ups can offer. Considering he likes to throw the ball to the other team it will keep him viable.
JoeStuckInOH
(544 posts)Of the 32 NFL teams, there are maybe 2-4 teams in the in NFL that have offenses directly suited to Kaepernick's QB style. He's a good QB, no doubt, but wherever he goes he would be a backup and when you have an offense, you need a backup QB that already fits your style of offense. For example, if you have a starter that runs a lot of play-action-boot... or a pocket passer... or a read-option type of guy... THAT is what you want in the backup. Similar playing styles. The reason for this is that you want interchangeability. You don't want to have to build two separate offensive schemes to exploit the strengths of two different-styled QBs. And the fact is, the few teams that could utilize a QB like Kaepernick without retooling their offensive schemes don't necessarily have a need for another QB on the roster at this time at a price Kaepernick's skills/experience would command.
So Colin Kaepernick being out of a job it's by and large NOT a racist/political decision.
But there IS a political component to his unemployment (read on).
All that being said, he is certainly athletic and intelligent enough to maybe be a third-string QB somewhere with a shallow talent pool and LEARN to change his own personal game and develop into something he is not currently. But there are 3 potential issues here:
a) Does Colin Kaepernick himself want to invest work reinventing himself as a QB to be more appealing to more teams?
b) Age. He's been a Pro since 2010 and by most metrics, about half done with a fruitful career. Is it worth it for a team to spend resources developing someone with a half-life remaining or put that effort towards younger prospects?
c) Political. During a personal renaissance, he would not see the field. Inevitably, if the 1st and 2nd QBs on that team were shitty, there would be media questioning motives behind his lack of playing time. Not that it should be a valid concern, but perhaps many GMs and head coaches would like to avoid such accusations altogether. And like it or not, whether Kaepernick desires it or not, there will forever be some off-field media attention/distraction surrounding him.
IMO, all things considered his unemployment is about 70/30... 70% lack of need for his style of QB by a vast majority of teams and 30% politically motivated. If he were willing to accept less pay reflective of a 2nd/3rd string quarterback, he could be with a team next week. Otherwise his options are to change how he plays or wait for a team with QB needs that match his style to have a significant injury to their 1st or second string QB.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Good explanation.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)Response to ghostsinthemachine (Original post)
Weekend Warrior This message was self-deleted by its author.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)He helped elect Trump.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18058256/colin-kaepernick-san-francisco-49ers-not-voting-there-more-one-way-create-change
"In the run-up to the 2016 election, Kaepernick repeatedly made it clear he didn't approve of either President-elect Donald Trump or Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. On Election Day, Kaepernick said he would not be voting and followed through on that promise.
On Wednesday, Kaepernick told Arizona reporters on a conference call that it "didn't matter" who won the election because neither candidate was a good choice."
------------------------
Fuck Colin. He not only didn't vote but was public about why others shouldn't vote too. He is no better than a Trump voter.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)All the kneeling in the world is useless if you don't vote.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and as real people do almost always have a whole bunch of motives behind their actions.
This mix-motive reality very much includes those who see those they dislike only as flat black shapes at the ends of long, narrow tunnels.