OT: The National Anthem Thread

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691077/article/colin-kaepernick-explains-protest-of-national-anthem

[RedneckNiner]

I'm officially done with Kaep... cut the douchebag. He is so oppressed forced to make millions while riding the pine... If all these people are so oppressed go move to a country where they arent....

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Colin Kaepernick - QB - 49ers

Colin Kaepernick sat during the national anthem before Friday night's preseason game.

This is a non-story, but it is something the 49ers could use against Kap if they decide to move on. "The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony," the team said in a statement to Pro Football Talk. "In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem." In response to the "controversy," Kaepernick told NFL Network's Steve Wyche he is "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color." The real story is Kaepernick was dreadful on the field Friday night, almost guaranteeing he will open the season as a backup.
Source: Pro Football Talk

Aug 27 - 9:46 AM

[CalamityX12]

** Before posters and myself included respond or discuss, lets please be respectful and mindful to each other's opinions and views on what this subject could potentially turn into.

This is a football thread/majority forum, politics and currents events outside of the game are involved in talks today, it unavoidable. Let's please be mature and respectful to everyone's insight and avoid any attacks or personal influence to get a message across.

I know most of us(if not all) and we all do a good job IMO when talking with one another, no reason it could not continue when approaching this potential debate.

This is not a response to anyone who has had already replied but to serve as a disclaimer and prevention. **

Thank you all,
Calamity

[CalamityX12]

With that being said, I feel like this gives a wrong message, my opinion, to me as a fan.

It does alienate himself or brings more attention to him that shouldn't be.

I feel the message he wants to portray won't be received as such by the majority.

[Jikkle]

It's his right but I completely don't agree with his choice.

There are other more effective ways to get a message across and the reason it rubs people the wrong way is it comes off as crying about being in a country where you're making 16 million a year for playing a game.

Not to mention it's coming from the same guy that was behind the whole 7tormComing when Texas was subject to severe flooding last year. So it's not like he's presenting himself as the most informed individual when it comes to the goings on in the country.

[wco81]

Seems like he's alienated from the team and now probably from the community.

He's not making good decisions but remember, last season the front office was trying to screw him over because he was Harbaugh's guy.

The villains are still York and Baalke. They were willing to destroy the team to screw over Harbaugh and then Kap, who they suckered into finding a team-friendly contract with the promise of retaining top players, only to let pretty much all of them go in free agency.

[RedneckNiner]

Kaep has the right to his opinion but again compared to the Houston comment...he lacks credibility. Racism is a horrible thing. But his actions last night are despicable to me. Donate money go on tv be an advocate of change. Use your celebrity status and leverage it into helping solve the problem. But showing disrespect for everyone who has died for his right to have an opinion.as you sit and pout seems more like a temper tantrum that he lost his starting job and wasnt traded. There are many meaningful ways he could bring focus to and help fight the issue. I take offense to the way he did and I hope the Niners give him the RG3 treatment bench his ass so he can sit in protest all 16 games... then cut him when they can clear his salary next year. Everyone wins them...Kaepernick gets to sit in protest all year and get paid The niners then get to get rid of him.

[bleu]

Kap is going about this in the exact wrong way. Nobody is going to argue that he doesn't have the right to do what he wants, and of course civil rights are important and there needs to be a lot more progress in this country. But an action like this does nothing but rub people the wrong way and cause further division. Lead by bringing people together and mending the divide instead of making it worse. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Serena Williams, and several other black athletes have set great examples of how to influence others and make their voices heard, while at the same time being proud Americans who represent their country well.

[ChrisPozz]

Seems like he's alienated from the team and now probably from the community.

He's not making good decisions but remember, last season the front office was trying to screw him over because he was Harbaugh's guy.

The villains are still York and Baalke. They were willing to destroy the team to screw over Harbaugh and then Kap, who they suckered into finding a team-friendly contract with the promise of retaining top players, only to let pretty much all of them go in free agency.

Mike Freeman:

Texts coming in from coaches, players, front office execs from around league on Kap. So far every player backs him. No coach/exec does.

[wco81]

That's good to hear but in general, over the last couple of years, with stories about him stealing girlfriends and the other players backing Gabbert, it sounds like he will just go away quietly after the season.

A lot of the players who played with him his first couple of seasons are gone too.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Read on Twitter

[I_am_1z]

Read on Twitter

If he's released, I hope it's not blamed on him sitting during the anthem. Driskel and Ponder so far have outplayed him by a lot thus far, although I rather have Kaep over Ponder just because of cap reasons.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Read on Twitter

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

[ChrisPozz]

Kaepernick addresses 49ers teammates, gains understanding

http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/kaepernick-addresses-teammates-gains-understanding/

[CalamityX12]

I hope Kap doesn't try to hide behind his "support/act of progression" as an excuse to the 49ers if he should be released/cut

[49rangER]

This whole damn thing is so overblown and I'm tired of hearing about it.

Even though there is support on both sides I still think Kap will never hear the end of this as soon as he steps on the field. Might not be something the front office will want to deal with and his declining play makes it easier to cut him.

[CalamityX12]

http://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20160829/a1/b0/89/3e/e35f66bb41a89e813642048c/Letter_to_NFL_Commissioner_and_SF49er_President-CEO.pdf

Letter from the SF Police Dept.

[wco81]

I can't believe this story has so much coverage.

In any event, the SFPD had a texting scandal with a lot of racist texts a couple of years ago. They're not exactly impartial.