Taking A Knee

[thestaggy]

Like this here thread it's turned into a mess, the original message has been lost but I guess that's the point turn into something it's not and just ignore the actual reason.

Yep. Once upon a time it meant something when Kaepernick knelt, then it was hijacked and became a fiasco.

Its more of a ''f*** you'' to Trump now than any sort of statement.

 

[Saber_rider45]

Yep. Once upon a time it meant something when Kaepernick knelt, then it was hijacked and became a fiasco.

Its more of a ''f*** you'' to Trump now than any sort of statement.

People even forget that he changed it from sitting to kneeling because veterans told him sitting is disrespectful rather kneel, but now that's also thrown out the window, I always laugh at America for voting for Trump then realise we have JZ then I get sad.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

As a 15-year follower of the sport, I call nonsense.

Kaepernick is not a good QB anymore, most certainly not good enough to start for any of the 32 teams. The consensus among industry insiders is that he is at best a back-up and because of this it isn't worth the media scrutiny and hype he will come with. This is even confirmed by a fellow - black - NFL player; LeSean McCoy.

Not to second guess your knowledge, but that's not an opinion that's universal at all it seems.

Aaron Rodgers, Richard Sherman, Brandon Marshall and Michael Bennett all think the reason he's being blackballed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...a-starter-this-year-scot-mccloughan-says-yes/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...in-kaepernick-good-enough-play-nfl/732726001/

Yep. Once upon a time it meant something when Kaepernick knelt, then it was hijacked and became a fiasco.

Its more of a ''f*** you'' to Trump now than any sort of statement.

It was never about him, but he made it about himself, and his pathetic toadies were all too gleeful to turn it into a culture war protest against the anthem or the flag or whatever BS else, which it's never been.

 

[RanzB]

NFL to allow players to kneel during anthem without penalty

The NFL will continue allowing players to kneel during the national anthem at games, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Tuesday, according to Reuters.

“We spent today talking about the issues that our players have been trying to bring attention to. About issues in our communities to make our communities better,” Goodell said at a news conference following a meeting between officials and team owners in New York.

The meeting included officials from the NFL and the NFL Player's Association, as well as 11 team owners and 13 NFL players who have protested during the national anthem.

“Today’s discussion with our players was very productive and very important. It reflected our commitment to work together with our players on issues of social justice,” Goodell stated.

According to Reuters, the NFL representatives did not press upon players not to kneel, but instead talked about ways to help them in their activism.

Goodell had previously said that "everyone should stand" for the national anthem, amid growing pressure for the NFL to take an official stance on the controversial protests.

Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles said after the meeting that there was no talk of penalties against players who protested, according to the New York Times.

President Trump has repeatedly slammed the protests as unpatriotic and disrespectful, calling on NFL owners to fire or suspend players who take part in the protests and for fans to boycott games if players continue to kneel.

The president's ire only sparked more protests, as entire teams began to kneel in protest of racial discrimination and disproportional police violence toward racial minorities.

“Our players are men of great character," Goodell said at the conference. "They have a very deep understanding and tremendous knowledge of the issues that are going on in all of our communities, and their commitment to addressing these issues is really admirable.”

Goodell said the officials, players, and owners would likely meet again within the next two weeks.

SAD

 

[thestaggy]

Not to second guess your knowledge, but that's not an opinion that's universal at all it seems.

Aaron Rodgers, Richard Sherman, Brandon Marshall and Michael Bennett all think the reason he's being blackballed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...a-starter-this-year-scot-mccloughan-says-yes/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...in-kaepernick-good-enough-play-nfl/732726001/



It was never about him, but he made it about himself, and his pathetic toadies were all too gleeful to turn it into a culture war protest against the anthem or the flag or whatever BS else, which it's never been.

Ray Lewis was a part of a group that got involved in a fight during which two men were fatally stabbed. Ray Lewis was wearing a whte suit that has never been found. One of the victim's blood was found in his limo and the only knife on the scene was void of fingerprints and DNA. Ray Lewis was also the current Superbowl MVP and All-Pro. His team stuck by him through his murder trial. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Mike Vick after he served 21-months in a federal prison on dog-fighting charges. They endured the fan protests outside their stadium and negative press.

NFL teams tolerate bad publicity - be it a murder accused or an ex-con - so long as the player's performance is worth the headache.

I agree with what many of those guys said, he's good enough to be in the league, as a backup. BUT, is the media circus worth it? You don't want hype over a guy that may not even play, especially if it is negative hype. He lost his starting job with the San Francisco 49ers midway through the 2015 season. Started 2016 as the backup and only got the job back because the guy ahead of him sucked. He's not starting material and he's just not good enough to have around if that means the circus will be in town.

Ironically, what he has gone and done now will probably end any chance of ever playing again because he has now accused NFL owners of collusion. He's now made it personal with the owners and yes, they will probably ensure that he never suits up again.

Colin Kaepernick files grievance against NFL over 'collusion' not to sign him

 

[Alan]

NBC plans to televise any players who refuse to stand for “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl, but there may be nothing to show.

It appears that NFL players are no longer taking a knee during the national anthem, namely because none of the teams with still-active protesters has qualified for the postseason.

By the end of the regular season, only five teams featured at least one player regularly sitting or kneeling on the sidelines for the anthem: the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers, the Miami Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Oakland Raiders.

None of those franchises made the playoffs, even though four of the five did so in the previous season, leading to speculation about whether the take-a-knee protests wound up dragging down team performance along with TV ratings.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/15/nfls-kneeling-protesters-miss-playoffs/

 

[thestaggy]

I'd just like to make an observation based upon the above article.

“By their actions, the kneelers brought controversy into the locker rooms, and this kind of distraction is always going to be detrimental to team cohesiveness,” said Robert Kuykendall, a spokesman for the conservative corporate watchdog 2ndVote.

“They unfairly put their own teammates in the tough position, especially the players who believe the national anthem and the flag should be respected,” he said. “Obviously, teams without the distraction were going to be more focused on the game, and that is a catalyst for success.”

Sports psychologist John F. Murray emphasized that it would be impossible to quantify the impact on individual teams but said it stands to reason that the high-profile protests could have disrupted locker-room unity.

“As a sports psychologist, if my mission is to help a team play better, I see it as a distraction,” said Mr. Murray, who is based in Palm Beach, Florida, and has worked with NFL players.

The Oakland Raiders - the team I follow - was one of the teams that had a number of players kneel and was one of the teams that made the playoffs last season (2016) while missing out this time around.

They finished with a 12-4 record in 2016, tied 3rd best in the league and their QB was in in contention for league MVP before he broke his leg. This last season (2017) they bombed out at 6-10. The observation here is that they won their first two games, then the kneeling started and they subsequently lost 4-games in a row and the team rarely looked like it did in 2016. Furthermore, the Raiders offensive line - the guys that protect the QB - was one of the best in the league in 2016 and suddenly the Raiders' QB started taking a lot of hits in that run of losses, eventually resulting in him sustaining a number of niggling injuries. Their ability to score points on big plays - a trademark of their 2016 season - also evaporated. By the end of the season the Raiders' QB was showing signs of being ''gun shy'', i.e. not comfortable after snapping the ball, tell-tale signs of a QB that doesn't ''trust'' his protection and not what you'd expect from a QB that was in contention to be named the best in the league during the previous season.

The Raiders' offensive line were among a group of players that knelt while the Raiders' QB, Derek Carr, is your archetypal God and country American that stood.

Now I am not saying anything, but a lot of fans across the pond started talking about how one of the best teams in the league fell apart after the kneeling started. How one of the best protected QBs in the league started getting hurt and looked ''scared'' towards the end of the season. And so the rumours of disunity in the lockeroom started, an interesting point raised by the sports psychologist quoted in the article.

The above may contain a little too much tinfoil, but this politicising of sport, is in my opinion, an unnecessary distraction that can derail a team.

 

[Cius]

Fascinating.

 

[Cray]

Now I am not saying anything, but a lot of fans across the pond started talking about how one of the best teams in the league fell apart after the kneeling started. How one of the best protected QBs in the league started getting hurt and looked ''scared'' towards the end of the season. And so the rumours of disunity in the lockeroom started, an interesting point raised by the sports psychologist quoted in the article.

The above may contain a little too much tinfoil, but this politicising of sport, is in my opinion, an unnecessary distraction that can derail a team.

Quite plausible actually, if some people are strongly in favor on the kneeling while others are dead set against it, it could well cause dis-harmony in the dressing room. Especially in a gladiatorial type sport such as football, are people really going to give that extra 2-3% of effort and putting their bodies on the line for someone who they feel doesn't have their back off the field?

 

[Pitbull]

Bwahahahaha :crylaugh:

 

[Spliffcat]

Ra ra ree.
Kick her in the knee.
Ra ra runt.
...

 

[Unhappy1]

The above may contain a little too much tinfoil, but this politicising of sport, is in my opinion, an unnecessary distraction that can derail a team.

Makes perfect sense to me, hardly tinfoil imo.

 

[pinball wizard]

If you read any Douglas Valentine, is pretty clear what the NFL is and is used for and what the impact of this protest is. I don't follow the so called sport at all, but the staggy's remarks seem completely on point to me.