2016 NFL Offseason Thread

[Gunpowder]

If people really cared about the troops they'd vote the bastards (Republican and Democrat) out of office who pay lip service to respecting their sacrifices and continue to cut funding programs for veterans.

They're not troops anymore after they stop trooping, dummy!

[Gunpowder]

Kaepernick is a douchey guy, sure. Or at least appears to be. And he'd benefit from being cut. So let's remove him from the equation and say someone random like Ryan Clady did it because I think Kaepernick poisons the view a little bit.

Now...was the time and place unwise? You can argue that. You can say why do this here, this does look like it would be perceived as anti-American/anti-military, what does he actually hope to accomplish, whatever. But the frothy rage in so many responses and the reflexive use of the "SUPPORT THE TROOPS!" hammer to just bludgeon anybody who holds these kinds of opinions and makes these kind of stands probably just reinforces his beliefs and probably those of his fellow players. The constant denial that there is any actual institutional racism, the "blacks kill so much more often than whites!", the very common beliefs that actually if anyone is oppressed it's the white guy, the ticketing and random stops in Ferguson and in NYC as a matter of policy and the planes mapping Baltimore on a constant live feed - and then people tell you that you can't have an opinion because you make a lot of money? That's dogwhistly as hell, man. I'd probably be even more pissed off. And why does Kaepernick feel like he's oppressed? He's not saying that! He's...ok, I mean Clady - Clady is doing it because those people can't do it. He has the platform to do so. Why am I reading this dumb shit so much online? I hate Facebook.

But I do not doubt one bit that Kaepernick lives in a constant simmering rage. I bet his Twitter is a dark place, a guy with no criminal record and a 40-something Wonderlic score probably sees people calling him a dumb tattoo-ed thug (and much worse) every day for probably three years and telling him they should have never let go of Alex Smith and he's just pissed. I know I would be. That's obviously a complete guess but I'd put some money on it.

And it's the National Anthem, it's not the military's theme song. Yeah, they have the right to be offended. Of course they do. But so many people who haven't done jack shit in or for the military just do not allow you to even think stuff like this without hitting you with a love it or leave it! The military member doesn't own it anymore than some kid getting shot in Cleveland does. I would be pissed off everrrrrrry day if I were black and I saw how people reacted to shit not only online but in the media on fuckin' major news networks.

And a lot of these people turned a guy who yelled YOU LIE! at the US President during a State of the Union address into a damn hero. Freedom! For me!



Also, the Rams didn't do anything toward the flag and still the St. Louis police threw a fit and they got crushed by public opinion, too. It's a cop-out to blame all this simmering hatred of Kaepernick on the fact that the Anthem was involved, IMO.

[howard]

You guys are also forgetting that Chip Kelly hates black people.

Well, Kap isn't that black. So he might be ok.

[howard]

[SportsDoc]

Irony: SF trades Kap to Cowboys and NFL reverses its decision on the Dallas helmet decals.

[sancarlos]

[Joe K]

But how was anyone able to enjoy football if they didn't even know if the players were sufficiently patriotic? I wonder if this story would get anywhere near as much attention in a more individualistic team sport like baseball or basketball. Football has such an ingrained culture of wanting players to be robots that any deviation from that draws disproportionate scrutiny (see, e.g., Cam Newton celebrations). I could be forgetting, but I don't recall anywhere near this reaction back in 2004 when Carlos Delgado refused to come out of the dugout for God Bless America, in order to protest the Iraq War and US policy towards Puerto Rico. I get that the suggestion that racism still exists, particularly coming from a rich athlete, causes a special kind of hysteria from many. But at the same time, the Iraq War was still very popular back in 2004, and I don't recall Delgado's actions being a very big story.

[A_B]

But how was anyone able to enjoy football if they didn't even know if the players were sufficiently patriotic? I wonder if this story would get anywhere near as much attention in a more individualistic team sport like baseball or basketball. Football has such an ingrained culture of wanting players to be robots that any deviation from that draws disproportionate scrutiny (see, e.g., Cam Newton celebrations). I could be forgetting, but I don't recall anywhere near this reaction back in 2004 when Carlos Delgado refused to come out of the dugout for God Bless America, in order to protest the Iraq War and US policy towards Puerto Rico. I get that the suggestion that racism still exists, particularly coming from a rich athlete, causes a special kind of hysteria from many. But at the same time, the Iraq War was still very popular back in 2004, and I don't recall Delgado's actions being a very big story.

The fact that I remember what you are talking about makes me think it got some play nationally.

[tennbengal]

Pretty sure it was the blistering front page SportsFrog coverage that is seared in your mind...

[mister d]

Semi-serious question: Do you think these racist fucks stand up off their couches if the anthem makes the national telecast?

[Rex]

No, I think that's interesting. It's about the same time that the league went all out with public displays of piety, for vets, for breast cancer awareness, for 9/11 remembrance....you just know that somewhere, there is a cold marketing memorandum detailing the strategy of working these things into the league's branding.

[Gunpowder]

Hell, Dan Snyder was selling some kind of military or 9/11 merchandise and just keeping all the profits from it.

[BSF21]

Semi-serious question: Do you think these racist fucks stand up off their couches if the anthem makes the national telecast?

Not unless it's at or around the time they're headed to Golden Corral.

[mister d]

But I do not doubt one bit that Kaepernick lives in a constant simmering rage. I bet his Twitter is a dark place, a guy with no criminal record and a 40-something Wonderlic score probably sees people calling him a dumb tattoo-ed thug (and much worse) every day for probably three years and telling him they should have never let go of Alex Smith and he's just pissed. I know I would be. That's obviously a complete guess but I'd put some money on it.

Agree 100%. Its depressing to think about everything that underlies the whole issue; that a majority of the people criticizing him are doing so from a vantage point of "look at where he is, he shouldn't be complaining about shit" while being ignorant to (1) the fact that they themselves are in a position where they shouldn't be complaining about shit to a majority of those he's speaking on behalf of and (2) what a completely selfish, horrible core belief it is to think that if you're in a good spot, you shouldn't care about anyone who isn't. Add in the prejudice/bigotry angle and it succinctly sums up my reasons for hating half this country in one little event.

[SportsDoc]

Semi-serious question: Do you think these racist fucks stand up off their couches if the anthem makes the national telecast?

Serious question: who are "these racist fucks"? Does it include any and all who are opposed to Kap's actions? And, no, I don't stand for the anthem at home.

[Rex]

Why would all of the racist fucks have the same point of view about the anthem?

[mister d]

"These racist fucks" are the ones you and I know are apoplectic over this but would fully support Nick Mangold taking the same stand over something like blue lives matter or the liberal media's treatment of Trump. So no, not everyone. You can disagree with Kaepernick's message or approach without falling into that bucket.

[Johnnie]

Guys, Tomi Lahren weighed in. We can all put this issue to bed.

[howard]

Pretty sure it was the blistering front page SportsFrog coverage that is seared in your mind...

Well, that front page was a proto alt-right mouthpiece. I read that on Drudge.

[Gunpowder]

Semi-serious question: Do you think these racist fucks stand up off their couches if the anthem makes the national telecast?

Serious question: who are "these racist fucks"? Does it include any and all who are opposed to Kap's actions? And, no, I don't stand for the anthem at home.

SD, I see no problem with your previous responses in the thread. People may not agree but it's your opinion and I think it's rational.

I just see the virulent, ragey dog-whistly kinda hypocritical responses on the Twitters, et. al. and I think, bros, that's precisely why he feels the way he does and why a bunch of NFL-ers probably privately agree almost 100% with him. "I hope he breaks his leg!" - "He should be kicked out of the country" - "ban him from the NFL!" - yeah, that will teach him about our freedoms! That's what I've been addressing, at least.



Non-sequitur: I've always wondered how most blacks in Ali's day could respect and fight for a country that made them use separate bathrooms, etc (well, for the money and due to oppression but yinz know what I mean) and I'll bet people then said "you aren't really oppressed, there used to be lynchings but those days are over, you get paid decent money to box" and so on. I see so much similar stuff now that I think is helping prove his point, if anything.

[Gunpowder]

"These racist fucks" are the ones you and I know are apoplectic over this but would fully support Nick Mangold taking the same stand over something like blue lives matter or the liberal media's treatment of Trump. So no, not everyone. You can disagree with Kaepernick's message or approach without falling into that bucket.

Speaking of Blue Lives Matter, the SF cops now want their apology. I really, really think police orgs should be above this. Have they apologized to any of the families they've wrecked? Probably but at least Kaepernick didn't shoot anybody.

And like someone else here said awhiles back, if you don't think Blue Lives Matter, then go after one and watch as all of the city's resources instantaneously come down on you to crush you into the ground. Blacks shooting blacks or shooting whites out of racism means nothing in this context...it's the way they are dealt with that is at issue and so many people just can't or I guess just refuse to see this.

[howard]

Non-sequitur: I've always wondered how most blacks in Ali's day could respect and fight for a country that made them use separate bathrooms, etc…

in addition to the reasons you mention, there was a draft. You kinda had to respect that.

[Gunpowder]

That's true, but even on a deeper level than that.

"Wow, you won a gold medal, we're so proud, you represented America so well, congratulations! No, no, you're staying at the nigger hotel, remember? Ok, parade's at 8 am. See you then!"

[howard]

Well, some folks protested. And the same arguments were used then.



Didn't we settle this shit decades ago? I mean, asked and fucking answered.

[A_B]

Well, some folks protested. And the same arguments were used then.



Didn't we settle this shit decades ago? I mean, asked and fucking answered.

Well, honestly the absolute best case scenario for Kaepernick would have been to use that salute. He's still standing, but he gets his point across. If I were him, I'd co-opt that from here on.

[sancarlos]

Oh, yeah. Everybody will be watching him next game. He could stand at erect attention... then halfway through, give the salute like Tommy Smith! That would would really send some people's blood pressure through the roof.

[mister d]

He should stand and mouth the words to "The Humpty Dance" if he really wants to set the world on fire.

[The Sybian]

Well, some folks protested. And the same arguments were used then.



Didn't we settle this shit decades ago? I mean, asked and fucking answered.

Peter Norman, the white Australian guy on the podium, died recently and I read a fascinating article about him. Racism and segregation of aboriginals in Australia was very similar to Jim Crow era racism, and Norman strongly opposed the racism. Norman was in on the black glove idea. They only had one pair of gloves, and Norman had the idea for each of them to wear one glove. Norman borrowed a Human Rights badge US athletes were wearing. He went home to a shit storm, and basically had his life destroyed. That, plus an injury led him to an addiction to painkillers and booze. He got an apology from the Australian government in 2012, so it's all good.

[The Sybian]

Semi-serious question: Do you think these racist fucks stand up off their couches if the anthem makes the national telecast?

Serious question: who are "these racist fucks"? Does it include any and all who are opposed to Kap's actions? And, no, I don't stand for the anthem at home.

First, I completely sign on with everything Gunpowder said above. Saved me from having to write it. Like everyone else said, being outraged at Kaep is a perfectly acceptable, rational opinion. Even giving troops more weight in their opinion is totally understandable. I disagree, but I get it. The racism is people who don't care or don't believe that racism still exists, and blames poor blacks for their situation. Institutional racism is real. The Ferguson police department issued different protocol for dealing with black and white suspects. The court system is much more likely to give harsher sentencing to black defendants over white defendants in an identical situation. Stupid shit I got caught doing as a kid got a jovial arm punch and a "boys will be boys" response from the criminal justice system, but I have no doubt it would have been different if I was black and in a less Leave it to Beaver town. The few black kids in my town had parents who were middle class professionals, so they were followed around in stores, but otherwise treated equally.

I keep seeing and hearing people rail against Obama for reviving racism. Racism was dead, but Obama and his White hating agenda put black people in higher standing than whites, so they need to fight back. This is one of the few reasons ever given to support the position that Obama is the worst President ever and completely destroyed America. Racism never died, it just gained more subtle dog whistle language. Segregation and Jim Crow laws were eliminated, but there is a huge imbalance in society. Ask a black person who drives a nice car how many times they have been pulled over, then ask a white guy who drives the same car. The architects on the "War on Drugs" have fully admitted, driven by guilt, that racism and voter suppression (felony drug convictions for the Negros and Liberal hippies) were the reason for the disastrous policies.

Blacks shooting blacks or shooting whites out of racism means nothing in this context...it's the way they are dealt with that is at issue and so many people just can't or I guess just refuse to see this.

I think it's an Ayn Randian mindset; it doesn't affect me, so it's not my problem. And don't take any resources to fix it, because it doesn't affect me. Let them solve their own problems, I earned being born White! The people saying Kaep has no right to protest because he was raised by white parents is the height of racism. He was saved by White people, so he can't complain? Regardless of who raised him, he still has black skin and faces discrimination. Those arguing that he is rich, so has no right to be angry piss me off, too. The fact that he is rich and famous, but still gives a fuck about poor people makes the protest more commendable. The fact that he risked the backlash he is facing is commendable as well. He had a lot to lose, and nothing to gain on a personal level. He has a platform that disadvantaged people don't, so who else is going to make this stand?

I also get pissed at all the TV pundits constantly bringing up gang violence in Chicago. "Well, they are killing their own in Chicago, so why should we help them?" I feel like these people dehumanize "them" as thugs, and refuse to believe that "some of them are good ones, I suppose." When people bitch about welfare leaches, they are talking about black people, and have an image of the "Welfare Queen," and drug dealing scam artist. The worst is the new argument that Hillary and Democrats are the true racists, because they believe black people need handouts to survive and aren't capable of fending for themselves, while Republicans respect black people so much, they refuse to help.

[Gunpowder]

Well, some folks protested. And the same arguments were used then.



Didn't we settle this shit decades ago? I mean, asked and fucking answered.

Peter Norman, the white Australian guy on the podium, died recently and I read a fascinating article about him. Racism and segregation of aboriginals in Australia was very similar to Jim Crow era racism, and Norman strongly opposed the racism. Norman was in on the black glove idea. They only had one pair of gloves, and Norman had the idea for each of them to wear one glove. Norman borrowed a Human Rights badge US athletes were wearing. He went home to a shit storm, and basically had his life destroyed. That, plus an injury led him to an addiction to painkillers and booze. He got an apology from the Australian government in 2012, so it's all good.

Australia is probably worse. Hell, they used to advertise it as...let's say black-free.

[Gunpowder]

I also get pissed at all the TV pundits constantly bringing up gang violence in Chicago. "Well, they are killing their own in Chicago, so why should we help them?" I feel like these people dehumanize "them" as thugs, and refuse to believe that "some of them are good ones, I suppose." When people bitch about welfare leaches, they are talking about black people, and have an image of the "Welfare Queen," and drug dealing scam artist. The worst is the new argument that Hillary and Democrats are the true racists, because they believe black people need handouts to survive and aren't capable of fending for themselves, while Republicans respect black people so much, they refuse to help.

Just addressed that on another site. Someone used it again (you know why) and said that murders in Chicago under "this president's 'reign'" total more than the Iraq War to make an anti-Kaepernick, anti-BLM point. Murders in Chicago are half what they were at their peak and generally have been for the last 10 years. Yet people write complete subtly racist bullshit like that and wonder why Kaepernick feels the way he does.

[Gunpowder]

Of course, that's ignoring the 100,000 Iraqis that have been killed while we wonder "why do they hate us?".

[tennbengal]

Bridgewater down 25 minutes into practice, clutching knee, and Vikings call rest of practice off.

That's Shaun Hill's music being played...

[The Sybian]

Of course, that's ignoring the 100,000 Iraqis that have been killed while we wonder "why do they hate us?".

Questioning that America bears any responsibility for anti-American sentiments in Unamerican! You have been brainwashed by your Librul Book-learnin' that American exceptionalism isn't real. America is always right, so if we do something horrible, it must be good, because America did it. They hate us because they are evil. Nothing more. We need to keep killing them until they understand how good and right we are.

[Gunpowder]

Black person: "Stop sanctioning cops killing us!"

Response: "Actually, why don't black fathers stop abandoning their kids? It's your own fault!"

Black person: "Oh, yeah, I totally see your point now"

[Gunpowder]

Bridgewater down 25 minutes into practice, clutching knee, and Vikings call rest of practice off.

That's Shaun Hill's music being played...

The knee? That's a really weird place for the cops to shoot him.

[Gunpowder]

Of course, that's ignoring the 100,000 Iraqis that have been killed while we wonder "why do they hate us?".

Questioning that America bears any responsibility for anti-American sentiments in Unamerican! You have been brainwashed by your Librul Book-learnin' that American exceptionalism isn't real. America is always right, so if we do something horrible, it must be good, because America did it. They hate us because they are evil. Nothing more. We need to keep killing them until they understand how good and right we are.

Well it was always good. It's not now and we're trying to make it that way again.

[Ryan]

My online poker name will now be Teddy ACL

[mister d]

So did god take out Bridgewater to smite Kaepernick because he didn't want to do it to Kaepernick because Kaepernick is half white and god's son Jesus was also white???????

[brian]

Just need the Green Bay PD to aim at one of the five black people in GB and accidentally hit Aaron Rodgers and all of the sudden the Lions have a chance in the NFC North.