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Stop Trying to Make Colin Kaepernick Happen

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Listen, when it comes down to it we all know members of the media skew leftward in their politics and, frankly, I’m as guilty as every other pinko commie that writes about the sports you read. The truth is, when it comes to politics I consider myself a solid independent, but with social issues I’m generally as lefty as they come. That’s why I get why my fellow sportswriters keep bringing up Colin Kaepernick’s name in connection with open quarterback spots across the NFL landscape.

I understand the need they have to see a guy that made a significantly positive social statement, and he did, not get punished for it. Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee (and originally sitting) during the national anthem last pre-season was a brave one, mainly because he didn’t do it for publicity. He got “caught doing it” by a reporter who posted about it on Twitter. When pressed about it after the game, Kaepernick explained himself.

“I am not going to stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Instantly Kaepernick was seen as a hero by some and a divisive figure by others. I’m not the first person to say it, but it’s still true. Most white Americans are more likely to believe in Bigfoot than racism. As a person who had been making fun of how shitty a quarterback Kaepernick had been in the NFL, I landed right in the middle. I supported the protest and the thinking behind it. I thought they guy doing the protest was a toolbag.

I was not alone. While those in the periphery of the sport lauded or blasted Kaepernick, those of us who actually cover the game and had knowledge of Kaepernick before his sit/kneeldown protest had pretty much the same thought. I’ll let Inside the NFL and CBS Studio host James Brown sum it up.

“The message is a real one,” Brown said. “The vessel may not be the best one.”

Hearing the criticism, Kaepernick started doing some charity work and after re-doing his contract, actually got back on the field for the San Francisco 49ers. He ended up starting 11 games, won only one, and completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 2,241 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He rushed 69 times for 468 yards and two touchdowns. Not too bad, especially with his interception total, but he was hardly a clutch performer and much of those yards came in garbage time when the 49ers had already had their ass thoroughly kicked. It’s why you can’t trust stats.

I told a friend of mine after Kaepernick got all this attention that he was pretty much seen as a garbage person around the NFL and the NFL media. He was a prick. His teammates last season didn’t think so and actually gave him their courage award and I think that should legitimately mean something.

But Kaepernick is still Kaepernick and faced with the prospect of unemployment, with his social stance being a significant part of it, he made the decision a true garbage person would; having cured America of racism, he would now stand for the national anthem.

The decision, of course, had nothing to do with 32 stodgy, white, conservative, NFL owners and his potential employment. According to Kaepernick he believed, “the amount of national discussion on social inequality… affirmed the message he was trying to deliver.”

Now, I’m not against Kaepernick landing with another NFL team. Hell, I’m all for it. Our orange turd of a president, Donald Trump, made sure of that when he took credit for Kaepernick’s unemployment during one of his sycophantic non-campaign crowd fellating stops in Kentucky.

“And you know, your San Francisco quarterback — I’m sure nobody ever heard of him,” Trump belched, stupidly. “I’m just reporting the news. There was an article today. I love to report the news and then they said I made a mistake. I said, ‘No, the people reporting the news made the mistake if it’s wrong.’ But, there was an article today that was reported that NFL owners don’t want to pick him up because they don’t want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump. You believe that? I just saw that. I said, ‘If I remember that one, I’m gonna report it to the people of Kentucky because they like it when people actually stand for the American flag.’ Right?”

Now, Donald Trump wouldn’t piss on the people of Kentucky if they were on fire. He might hire some Russian hookers to do it, but that’s not the point. The point is when the Pussy Grabber in Chief stuck his be-ferret ed head into the mix, I suddenly became a serious advocate for Colin Kaepernick getting a job.

So did every one of my peers, which is why you see so many articles on why the Houston Texans should sign Kaepernick today.

The football argument for signing Kaepernick isn’t a good one. He had a great year and a half to begin his career when the read-option offense hit the NFL by storm. But by 2014 defensive coordinators had completely figured out how to kill it and the quarterbacks that couldn’t adapt, Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III, saw their careers spiral down the toilet. The guys that did turn into passers who could make pass reads and throw the ball accurately, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson, led their teams to Super Bowls.

Kaepernick never figured it out. He never improved and, in fact, was worse nearly every time he took the field. Kaepernick, on his best day, is a No. 2 QB in the NFL. Why would the Texans want to bring him in? They already have two No. 2s on the roster. What they need is a No. 1 guy. If Bill O’Brien brings in Kaepernick, I guarantee he’ll be fired at the end of the 2017 season. And that’s even if team owner, Bob McNair, would even let that happen. And unless you need me to spell it out for you, McNair is a huge republican. He’s been called a “super donor” and gave Donald Trump $254,000 last year.

To my liberal colleagues, I say this; Kaepernick isn’t the hill to die on. I told you guys last August this was the end of his career and I meant it. Aaron Rodgers could take a shit on the American Flag and someone would sign him, Cam Newton could spit on a baby and keep his job, but a low-end backup QB can’t stir the pot and expect to be let into a football stadium. It’s just not going to happen.

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Written by Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a writer and photographer based out of East Tennessee. His work has appeared on Cracked.com, in USA Today, the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs Vineline Magazine, AskMen.com and many other publications.

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