🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Again, a sports figure makes comments in the public, leaving himself open for counterpoints, counteropinions, ridicule, praise--the whole gamut.

This time Colin Kaepernick held a press conference to make a statement that was fairly positive about Fidel Castro, actually just prior to Castro's death. Even wore a Castro T-shirt. Then Castro dies, and all the Cuban immigrants in Miami are dancing in the streets celebrating that tyrant's death. Then the 49ers play Miami at Miami, and poor Kaepernick is resoundingly booed by the Miami crowd, and he is stopped cold at the 2yd line from scoring a scrambling TD by a Miami Dolphin LB of Cuban descent.

To this observer, that whole scene was utterly poignant. It reminds us all we may NOT know all the details about what some ethnic culture has had to endure. Bottom line: what do the overwhelming majority of Cuban nationals, scholars, and immigrants actually say about Fidel Castro, and his reign? (Not good stuff).

Meanwhile, Kaep's 49ers have lost 10-straight. They have a dismal record.

I seriously question who exactly is giving Kaep his PR advice? We are watching a promising young athlete's career go down the tubes. It may not matter who his PR person is, as he may not be able to afford a PR man with a non-NFL-level salary. I feel sorry for Kaep. I am strangely drawn to his saga, because I've always said Montana was my fave QB of all time, and was a big 49er fan throughout the 90s, including the Steve Young era. And it is tantalizing to me why Alex Smith became available for KC, with whatever happened under Harbaugh over there in San Francisco. So to see Smith's successor at SF, and to compare what KC got in Alex Smith, are just fascinating subplots for me. Personally, I think Kaep is self-destructing, not only his image, but his on-field career. QBs more than any other position, are judged by W/Ls. What will happen to Kaep after this season? I wonder what SF 49er current fans/diehards think?

Wow...he isn't too smart...

@ralster Its actually crazy how many libs are upset he died and acting as if he was a great man. Cubans hated him, he imprisoned thousands of gays and tortured them.

As Bill Engvall would say, "here's your sign."

@brooksmd Ha! I actually use that line with patients in occasional picked settings, trying to get them to pay heed to some potentially ominous warning sign..."whats that comedian say? 'There's yer sign'...except its no laughing matter"...

@ralster I think we will see him cut after this season. He is only $5m in dead money. Which is well worth getting a cancer off of a team. He had a horrible 2015-2016 season and fell out of relevancy so he started this. It is nothing more than a publicity stunt. The guy is an idiot, and I feel sad that other players who followed in his footsteps weren't able to see that for what it was.

On the field though, he hasn't been awful so far this season. The team just fell apart after Harbaugh left. They had 2 Pro Bowlers retire at younger ages. Then Pro Bowler Bowman got hurt and Pro Bowler Aldon got suspended on top of that. So they lost the 4 guys that made their defense special. They let go of a solid QB, thankfully, in favor of a shiny new car. Then they hire Chip Kelly, for God only knows what reason. Essentially, the 49ers are going to be hurting for the next 5-6 years, and that is if everything is managed correctly. And they just built that brand new stadium for it to not get filled.

Statistically, Kaepernick has been fairly average this year. He's basically ranked in the 20's for all NFL QBs. While there are many that aren't thrilled with his comments and personal stance, there are only a handful of people on this planet with the physical tools to play QB in the NFL. He happens to be one of them. If the 49ers decide to cut him, chances are he will have an NFL job somewhere.

Cleveland, Arizona, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco (depending on what they decide to do), Houston, Buffalo (maybe), the Jets, and Jacksonville all could potentially use a QB that's as good as Kaepernick. That's a full quarter of the league. Hard to see how Kaep fades into oblivion unless his skills erode further.

Good perspectives. Havent followed 49ers since S.Young, Rice, and T.Owens days.

@justanotherfan Most people don't want to deal with side show bs some pretty good players that were considerably better than kaep didn't last

@justanotherfan

Owners, GMs and coaches do not like players that create news for the wrong reasons and become cancers in the locker room...unless they are great on the field. Kaepernick is there and he is now average at best on the field and if he gets cut, the opportunities will be few and far in between.

I dont follow football, I didnt even know Kap said anything about Castro. If he gets cut, kind of like Alex Smith did, maybe he would do better somewhere else.

Kaep certainly seems determined to keep his name out there. First, the flag demonstration, second, his statement about it, third, his explanation of not voting, and fourth, this. I would think he would run out of feet, or at least his mouth wouldn't have room for any more.

Maybe after the election, when Trump's allegedly fatal provocative Tweeting did not have the negative effects predicted, we will now see more and more bold and outrageous statements from people all over the political spectrum.

"140 characters of fame!" Instead of 15 minutes.

Kaep might be thinking controversy is the best way to success!

@mayjay

He also could have been laying the groundwork to blame politics instead of field performance for his probable release/trade. Remember that when he stared this circus act he had been replaced as starter by a QB that many consider a bust.

All I have to about Kap is that I lost any respect I had for him when he said he didn't vote.

All this talking about wanting change and when he has an opportunity to elect new officials in Sam Francisco that have similar beliefs and he chooses to sit on his ass?!?!?

Don't complain about stuff when you pass up the biggest opportunity you have to facilitate change.

You want change, find a candidate who you believe in, publicly lobby for that candidate to win whatever office he's running for, then go out and vote for that guy. Kap has no room to complain about anything after that admission becuase he chose to sit on his butt and not do anything.

@Lulufulu Alex Smith was not "cut" by SF. As per ESPN & Wiki he was traded for a couple of picks-a 2013 2nd round & a 2013 conditional pick in the draft. FYI he was having an outstanding year in 2012 when a concussion sidelined him several weeks & subsequently was replaced by CK. That team was loaded with talent, continued to win, & within a few years shortly thereafter disintegrated. Alex Smith was the 1st overall pick in the 2005 draft. JMO but SF traded the wrong QB. Thought they had a bargain but ended up with a bigmouth instead. Still may be a bargain to some other team but this niner team with Chip Kelley as HC is hapless. Should he keep on yappin & continue making a fool outta himself by proclaiming he did not vote, fewer & fewer will wish to be associated with his hypocrisy. Am afraid this dummy has already shot off his own feet. At least he need not worry abt getting them stuck in that yap after all.

@globaljaybird Agreed. Some KC fans (who hate on Alex Smith) have no idea what they really have. In all the seasons watching Alex Smith, the only game I saw KC lose specifically because of him was that endzone INT 2 games ago. Thats it. Then he goes out and does a game tying TD against Denver, followed by a 2pt conversion, and kept positioning his team for a chance to win, which they did.

Why take risks when you had Jamaal Charles, the KC D, a strong running game, and MARGINAL WRs (prior to Maclin's arrival). He's made great use of Travis Kelce.

Alex Smith is probably the 2nd smartest football mind in each NFL stadium on most Sundays, next to Andy Reid. And KC is surviving right now without Maclin or Jamaal, and are banged up.

People forget the whole dink & dunk offense that the West Coast offense is. Andy Reid is a disciple of that. Smith comes over from SF, specifically to fit into this system. It grinds on.

What was that stat they flashed up during the Denver game: Going back the last 20+ games, KC is 18-3, the best record in the NFL? Credit Alex Smith, Reid, and the KC D.