Colin Kaepernick files Collusion Grievence

I've only been following this tangentially, but from my perspective he seems like a pretty brave person and I hope he has a case.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21035352/colin-kaepernick-filing-grievance-nfl-owners-collusion

I assume teams are afraid to hire him because fans don't understand his protest and would not be happy to be supporting a team with him on it.  That's a real shame.

Sue the bastids !

I'm surprised he's waited this long. On paper Kaepernick is much better than many quarterbacks that have been hired since he was released. I think he'll have a strong case.

the statistical case for Kaepernick still being in the NFL is quite strong.  I hope he wins big.

His last two years were not so good for him.  Is he better than one or two starters? Probably.  He is better than a lot of back ups? Absolutely.

That being said, being able to throw and run the ball is not the only job of a quarteeback.  He is the team leader and by him putting his personal politics ahead of the team that took some of the belief in his team leadership away.  

I think most people know what his protests are, they may not agree with him but they know.

The problem is the platform in which he decided to do it on.  A lot of fans, (myself included) feel very patriotic and his kneeling during the anthem and his comments about the flag was enough for me to be turned off by him. 

He had plenty of ways to get his word out.  He was an NFL QB with Twitter and Facebook accounts not to mention the interviews he would have gotten had he asked for them.

I don't fault the owners for not signing a mediocre QB that might cause ticket sales, gear sales, and sponsorships to decline.  The NFL is a business - plain and simple, their profits come first as it does with most companies.

Did he have the right to do it when he did it is debatable.  Yes freedom of speech is protected but the league in which he signed a contract has rules.  Why the fact he ignored them and got away with it for so long is beyond me, other than the league wanting to be politically correct.

There were plenty of times when teams and players were told they could not wear a patch honoring someone or something because it had rules and it was political.  To name a few - wearing 9-11 patches after the attack, Dallas wanting to wear something honoring the police officers ambushed last year, a player wanting to wear pink socks honoring his mother who died from breast cancer and so on.  Kaoernick wore socks with cops depicted as pigs during a pre-game.  Why was there no discipline for him?

I am sorry but standing for the anthem and the flag is the least you can do for a country who has given you opportunities.  Its not perfect but its better than any other country.

EricBurbank said:
I am sorry but standing for the anthem and the flag is the least you can do for a country who has given you opportunities.  Its not perfect but its better than any other country.

Really?  Is our treatment of black people better than any other country?  Better than Canada say?

For white people, your statement is probably true but to argue that black people have been better treated by a country that preserved slavery long after most other countries had banned it and which continues to gun down unarmed black men at a PER CAPITA rate far beyond any other racial group is, to me, a sign that you have not really thought about what you are saying.

EricBurbank said:

The problem is the platform in which he decided to do it on.  A lot of fans, (myself included) feel very patriotic and his kneeling during the anthem and his comments about the flag was enough for me to be turned off by him. 

He had plenty of ways to get his word out.  He was an NFL QB with Twitter and Facebook accounts not to mention the interviews he would have gotten had he asked for them.

Kaepernick's 49ers teammate Chris Borland was a rising star who also had a Twitter account and access to interviews. What did you think of Borland's message?

I consider myself patriotic as well. The flag flies in front of my home every day. But I completely understand and support the NFL players' reasons for protesting during the national anthem. IMHO, the fact that people are losing their **** over this only goes to prove the players' point about the persistence of racism in our country. 

Here's a thought experiment. If white NFL players were kneeling during the national anthem to protest "radical Islamic terrorism" or "illegal immigration", would we be seeing the same outrage?  I doubt it. The reaction to this protest is IMHO that white people don't want to hear the message, and they are trying to deflect it. Instead of paying attention to the substance of the protest, white people are trying to make it about patriotism instead. 

As a gesture, kneeling is inherently more respectful than standing.  Could there possibly be a more respectful form of protest? 

To me, this is proof that the snowflake NFL fans that are offended by this are offended because the players are daring to protest, not by the manner in which they are protesting.

EricBurbank said:

I am sorry but standing for the anthem and the flag is the least you can do for a country who has given you opportunities.  Its not perfect but its better than any other country.

Gee, who would have thought that?

I don't remember Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton standing for the anthem and flag. I don't remember them writing about it.

Wonder why? There was no anthem after they founded our republic. Did they forget to include one? I highly doubt it. They were a pretty bright bunch. If they felt a loyalty oaths or anthems were advisable they would have provided for them.

If anything, I suspect they would be aghast at our current displays of forced patriotism.

EricBurbank said:

Did he have the right to do it when he did it is debatable.  Yes freedom of speech is protected but the league in which he signed a contract has rules.  Why the fact he ignored them and got away with it for so long is beyond me, other than the league wanting to be politically correct.

Are you referring to the advisory code that players "should" stand for the anthem? Are you concerned that the NFL regularly defies the US Flag Code that the flag should never be displayed horizontally?

demanding obedience in front of the flag or anthem, is about as Un-American a thing that there is.

I don't understand why otherwise intelligent people don't get that.

and seriously, what the flock makes the U.S. "better than any other country"? What does that even mean?

we have a system that just elected Trump. That indicates a country in some seriously, seriously deep sh**, and heading deeper into it.

I think Kaepernick was aware of the repercussions when he went into this thing. He is very cognizant of the NFL culture. He took a chance and there was blow back because he had the nerve to be both Black and "ungrateful". Plenty of teams could use his talents right about now but I doubt if it happens for him. I find it interesting that the golden boy Tom Brady and his coach were able to avidly support pervy and devisive candidate Trump and there was silence.

What makes this country better?  It used to be we held criminals accountable.  See my new thread where 3 black males just broke in to 3 cars in 2 driveways with all,the lights. Tv's, and a person sitting out back at 9:30 p.m.  Yeah drummerboy, I know how I dare I mention that they were black males.  It could have been worse, they could have knelt before they robbed me.

Maybe Trump will bring some law and order back.  With the snowflakes out there and the left politicians if they get caught they will get a slap o, the wrist and sent on their way to commit a more serious crime.

drummerboy said:

and seriously, what the flock makes the U.S. "better than any other country"? What does that even mean?

we have a system that just elected Trump. That indicates a country in some seriously, seriously deep sh**, and heading deeper into it.

EricBurbank said:

Yeah drummerboy, I know how I dare I mention that they were black males.

If you're going to dare mention their race, you really should also mention why you think it's relevant. 

YES

drummerboy said:

demanding obedience in front of the flag or anthem, is about as Un-American a thing that there is.

I don't understand why otherwise intelligent people don't get that.

I hope he wins.  That would be something.

I don't know, maybe because this whole thread is about how the black man is victimized but never about how a white man can be victimized by a black man.  All acts by a white person must be racist but if a black person commits a crime against a white person it's just life. Oh well ***,happens. 

Why can't I mention their race? 

Was there a crime committed somewhere? Don't get the connection to this issue

if this is your explanation for what makes America a great country, you might want to pause and reflect.

by the way, we already incarcerate at a far higher rate than ANY OTHER country but one (dunno when the Seychelles got so crazy).

I mean, how much "tougher" should we get?

EricBurbank said:

What makes this country better?  It used to be we held criminals accountable.  See my new thread where 3 black males just broke in to 3 cars in 2 driveways with all,the lights. Tv's, and a person sitting out back at 9:30 p.m.  Yeah drummerboy, I know how I dare I mention that they were black males.  It could have been worse, they could have knelt before they robbed me.

Maybe Trump will bring some law and order back.  With the snowflakes out there and the left politicians if they get caught they will get a slap o, the wrist and sent on their way to commit a more serious crime.

drummerboy said:

and seriously, what the flock makes the U.S. "better than any other country"? What does that even mean?

we have a system that just elected Trump. That indicates a country in some seriously, seriously deep sh**, and heading deeper into it.

So I guess being that we incarcerate so many people we should just let all new crimins go. Oh wait that pretty much happens now. Nevermind you are right.  I hope you have the same opinion when they hit your house, car or worse a family member., I hope you look at the incarceration rate if a crime is committed against you.

annielou said:

Was there a crime committed somewhere? Don't get the connection to this issue

Yes see my other thread. 

EricBurbank said:

Did he have the right to do it when he did it is debatable.  Yes freedom of speech is protected but the league in which he signed a contract has rules.  Why the fact he ignored them and got away with it for so long is beyond me, other than the league wanting to be politically correct.

Are you referring to the advisory code that players "should" stand for the anthem? Are you concerned that the NFL regularly defies the US Flag Code that the flag should never be displayed horizontally?

Still wondering what rule he broke.

EricBurbank said:

annielou said:

Was there a crime committed somewhere? Don't get the connection to this issue

Yes see my other thread. 

Saw your other thread and it was awful what happened to you and your family. But I still don't see the connection to this thread. 

There may be others who have not received NFL quarterback job offers. Garagos better staff up.  This is is looking like a class action.

I have no particular use for anthems and loyalty rituals etc.  I have no idea how they became s "thing" in sports.  We don't sing the national anthem before plays or musical shows.

But . . . I'm not seeing why this wold be a matter of collusion.  I see individual owners thinking the backlash isn't worth it.  Owners have forgiven players who have done much worse.  We had the dog torturer on the Jets.  Plenty of pro spots players who abused spouses and girlfriends have been deemed "reformed" by cynical owners looking to strengthen their rosters.  If an owner thought there was more upside than downside, he'd grab CK, although his star has fallen significantly since the superbowl year.

If someone running a business doesn’t want their business used as a platform for a message, any message, that’s their... business.

The utter cynicism of dropping a guy and leaving him dropped for using the business as a platform is fine by me- they’re in the popularity game. It’s amoral as you can get. Witness their willingness to allow people who have done all sorts of horrid things have a job. The owners play these guys because their fans let them play these guys.

Once you realize that most of these people care about anything except making money and couldn’t care less about your morals or beliefs, just your eyeballs and wallets, you realize how stupid and wasteful it is to tune in and watch them run around all weekend. 

Take your hours back. I promise you- after a weekend or two you will NOT miss football. Watch the Super Bowl for the party, maybe. 

I disagree with kapernick. I think he’s wrong. At least he believes in something and is willing to put his reputation out there.

Is he dumb? Wrong? Divisive? Maybe.  

“Cynical”, unless your view is his playing career was over and he wanted to parlay it into... I don’t know what.... is not a word you can use to describe his actions. 

I mean... Jerry Jones... how can anyone take that phony seriously? 

Jackson_Fusion said:

If someone running a business doesn’t want their business used as a platform for a message, any message, that’s their... business.

I don't know if he's correct, but Jeffrey Toobin just made the statement on CNN that the NFL's collective bargaining agreement with the players' association doesn't allow owners to cut players due to their political statements.  That would seem to extend to players looking to be signed as well.

that said, I don't see how proof of collusion can possibly be shown.  anyone who follows the NFL surely knows that Kaepernick is still unsigned because of his protest.  And it wouldn't surprise me that owners have talked to each other about blackballing him.  But that's not proof.