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May 17, 2017Oh boy, partisan politics have been getting a tad bit contentious. President Donald Trump continues to make headlines as he repeatedly throws his own administration under the bus after they have done their best to spin the latest episode of As the Donald Turns. The liberal folk haven’t helped themselves either as they have screamed after even the most innocuous moves, which has left many skeptical of anything said from that side of the spectrum. So, how about we retreat into the safe space that is professional sports today.
Not that sports are an actual safe space from politics. Just start a discussion asking those in attendance their feelings about either Colin Kaepernick or Tim Tebow. You can quickly decipher party leanings in a matter of moments or make a dinner date with the parents of your significant others quite uncomfortable.
It is humorous since these two are so similar as players and as men.
The quarterback
Kaepernick is a mobile quarterback whose pistol offense took the NFL by storm as he led the San Francisco 49ers to a Superbowl after Alex Smith was injured. NFL defenses caught up to his offense and he has struggled to continue to be considered a starting option since. In 2016, he lost the starting job to Blaine Gabbert before Gabbert did Gabbert things. Head coach Chip Kelly still waited until mid-October to make the switch to Kaepernick. He would throw 16 touchdowns to just four interceptions, but he did so by managing the game for a team that went 1-10 with him at the helm. He only threw for only 6.8 YPA and 186 yards per game.
Tim Tebow was an unstoppable force in college on his way to winning National Championships and the Heisman trophy. His ability to run over defenders and make accurate downfield passes was the perfect combination for those Florida Gator teams. He briefly was the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos after Kyle Orton was injured as he developed an uncanny ability to make the perfect throw late in the game to help them break into the playoffs. There he defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers on just such a throw to Demaryius Thomas. A wonky throwing motion would mitigate trust in his ability to quarterback as he was cut after just two seasons with Denver. The New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Philadelphia Eagles each tried him out as a fullback / tight end / quarterback combination player. He did not stick with any team though he would play two games for the Jets.
The man
Kaepernick is a liberal social warrior who is an activist willing to donate and speak out for causes he deems worthy. Even those who disagree with his causes should be able to discern he is a noble and spiritual man who is doing what he believes is the correct thing to do. He has given well over a million dollars to ship food to Somalia, help fund Meals on Wheels, sponsor the protests at Standing Rock, and, of course, continue his efforts with Black Lives Matter. As part of BLM, he has used his status to create a platform to seek out trust building discussions, town halls, and out reach programs between the police and communities they serve.
Tebow is a conservative philanthropist who has also made donations of money, time, and speech a daily part of his devotion. He started the Tim Tebow Foundation whose chief goal is to bring hope to those in need across the world- particularly children. Tebow even pays the salaries of everyone on staff in order to ensure that all donations go directly to outreach programs such as the mission trips he sponsors. He views his celebrity and athletic ability as a platform for his charitable works, which is the focus of his life. Even those who disagree with his religious message should be able to discern he is a noble and spiritual man who is doing what he believes is the correct thing to do.
The current controversy
Kaepernick is looking for a job. The pseudo-controversy revolves around whether or not he is being black-balled by the NFL. There are mixed reports, but it seems he asked the 49ers to remain as the starting quarterback for around $10 million per year if he were to re-write his deal. Instead, he was released, and he has not stated what his desires are. There are reports that only the Seattle Seahawks have even inquired about him as a backup option.
Quarterbacks such as Josh McCown and Blaine Gabbert have signed cheap deals elsewhere. Tony Romo and Jay Cutler have retired after being unable to find what they considered suitable employment. Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to look. Yet, it is Kaepernick who has had numerous articles penned on his behalf demanding an explanation for why he has yet to find gainful employment- and as a starter.
Many believe his kneeling during the National Anthem during games in 2016 that gave him status as a chief figurehead in the BLM movement is the reason he has yet to find a NFL job. Others note that his three-year sample looks awfully similar to Ryan Fitzpatrick in completion percentage (60%-60%), YPA (6.9-7.1), touchdown to interception ratio (41:19-60:40), yards per game (195-217), and quarterback rating (86-84).1
Colin Kaepernick last season:
-Better td-to-int ratio than Brees
-Better completion percentage than Cam
-Better passer rating than Jameis pic.twitter.com/wY9A55kBEy— Golic and Wingo (@GolicAndWingo) May 12, 2017
Tebow has a job. The pseudo-controversy revolves around his current employment being as a minor league baseball player after the New York Mets signed him to a $100,000 contract. There are many within the baseball community that feel it is unfair a 29 year old who spent over a decade away from the sport should displace even one minor league player from a roster. The furor is over Tebow being more marketing gimmick than actual prospect, which even the Mets have hinted to be true. The backlash has been loud against signing a player for such a purpose.
The playing level of Tebow has been a surprise to many. It took a current 0-for-10 slump to allow Dash Winningham to pass him as the second-best hitter on the team (Michael Paez being the best) as he has a slash line of .227/.309/.645. The numbers are not eye-popping, but they are adequate. In left field, he has two errors and an outfield assist. Moreover, as a marketing tool, he has been useful as the gates are up 30% at home and even more on the road (eight of the first 11 road games were sold out). His teammates have embraced his positive outlook, while also treating him as the rookie he is.
The Mets may promote Tebow to the next level of the minors sometime after the All-Star break.https://t.co/6Gi9OoY1cV
— SB Nation (@SBNation) May 13, 2017
Last Word
Tim Tebow has long been a champion of many conservatives, and Colin Kaepernick is a newfound champion of many liberals. Maybe there is hope for all of us though because these men aren’t all that different. Sometimes it is nice to remember- no matter how strong we debate each other- neither are we.
- Cody Kessler eight GS, 66%, 153yd/gm, 6TD, 2INT, 7.1YPA, 92.3QBrating [↩]
146 Comments
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But, but… Zimmer?
Not my station today. Hattery’s got you.
This is a thing I have only read one place (so take it with a grain of salt):
If a team signed Kaep before May 9, they would have surrendered a compensatory pick. So, in effect, he’s been on the free market for 8 days.
Now, I’m sure the other stuff plays into it as well. But the above fact, if true, is one you never hear from all the people going nuts about the situation.
A fine choice here. I cannot even tell you why but I sort of wanted Derrick Alexander here. I loved him as a kid for no real good reason.
You are correct. It is why there was a flurry of minor moves in the days afterwards.
If a team wanted him to be a starter, then they wouldn’t have risked letting him be free. But, as a backup QB option (which most people view him as), it is a decent strategy.
Alexander was my first choice…until the Browns released the rookie numbers.
Although, I did give some thought to Clarence Weathers. (You can tell in which era my number love lies…)
*Sees “Tebow” in the headline*
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In that annoying Mike & Mike tweet, they also forgot to list:
– 30th of 30 in passing yards per game
– 24th of 30 in ypa
This isn’t to say that I don’t think some teams don’t want to touch him because of the SJW angle. I think that is true. But the Kaep truthers like to ignore some pretty important facts.
Kaepernick has bible verses prominent among his tattoos too 🙂
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I apologize for my tragic use of negatives in the above sentence.
There are 32 NFL teams 😉
Yes. The Jets owner all but said he wouldn’t touch Kaep due to his activism (though the Jets are also doing everything they can to tank in 2017).
There are those blind to Kaep’s flaws even among the prominent media (such as Mike Freeman), but it comes from a place of respect for the man. I can understand why they desire him to be better than he is.
I don’t care about Kaepernick and his protests. I don’t think he is the player he once was and NFL teams figured him out.
A fine era
Michael, I think making this a lefty/righty match-up is a bit forced. Let’s not go there.
1. For the longest time, I couldn’t stand hearing about Tebow. But it wasn’t his fault, it was the fault of the panting news media. He was famous for being famous, and he got a lot of coverage because he got a lot of coverage.
But I have all the respect in the world for him for going through the slog of the low minor leagues. He could have a lot of cushy jobs and make way more than $1,100 a month. But he’s riding the bus, sleeping in cheap motels, and chasing his dream, and no other prospective minor leaguer has any more right to a roster spot than he does. I hope he does well.
2. I think what Kaepernick did was, shall we say, deplorable. It was the wrong way to protest. But I think one likely reason that he’s not been signed is that teams don’t want the trouble that comes with him. There would be a backlash from many of their fans, and who needs that? He’s not worth it. I don’t blame any team for not wanting all his baggage.
And fine ink it is. But only Tebow makes me think of this every single time I see or hear of him
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Another worthy candidate. I think this photo made the cover of SI.
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I guess only 30 threw enough passes to qualify in the particular database I was using.
So, you are saying with Colin…
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Understandable. Kessler would have beat him in YPA but not in yds/gm.
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It has come up a bunch of times in different conversations the past few months. I feel they parallel each other well. It’s not so much of a lefty/righty match up as it is to show how similar both sides can be if we are willing to step back a moment.
(1) make way more than $1,100 a month : Tebow makes $17K/mo. as they are the terms of his contract with the Mets. He has been buying things for his teammates.
(2) Maybe they don’t want the backlash. But, is it deserved backlash is the question?
The pig cop socks, the Castro shirt (and defending him in interviews about it), and others during his initial stint as activist were poor. But, he did his research, he accepted invitations to talk with PD, and he went out and did positive acts. I disagree with some of his stances but I also respect the maturity he has gone through in this process.
As for the kneeling, it might have been the ‘wrong’ time to protest except it was a peaceful protest that undoubtedly helped elevate him to figurehead and gave him a platform, which is what he was gearing for with it.
My choice.
I got you tomorrow.
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Well, neither have weed tattooed on themselves…
Okay, but I didn’t say it was the wrong time to protest, it was the wrong way. You can do stuff, but you can’t do that. You can protest without being so disrespectful. It detracts from your message and automatically puts people against you who might otherwise be sympathetic to you.
Also, it just so happens that I was reading a story on Tebow in SI earlier this morning, and it said that when one of his associates was trying to talk him out of trying baseball, he said he’d be making only $1,100 a month. So that’s where I got that figure. I haven’t finished the article, so his $17K salary is probably mentioned later. (Nothing gets past Bode!)
everyone knows i lean to the right … but right now i would take Kaep over Tebow.
RGB, you da man!
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Anyone else have the urge to send random letters to Mr. Ralf Crosskreuz, at 7720 W Brentwood in Milwaukee? Or is it just me?
Yeah, it is a fine line between doing enough to garner attention (otherwise, why protest) and not doing something that will push people away from you. Given the amount of actions he has done outside to try to pull people together, I’m OK with it.
Wait, kneeling for the anthem is a bridge too far in terms of protesting? It was simple gesture that physically harms no one and gets one’s point across. I understand not agreeing with his cause, but in terms of his choice of protest? I fail to see a problem. What sort of thing should he have said/done that would have been more appropriate?
The Crosskreuz residence, tomorrow afternoon
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You’ve got me wrong. I do agree with his cause. I just don’t agree with his method of protest for the reasons stated above.
I don’t know what else he could have done, but I’m sure he could have done a lot better things than that.
7720 does not exist. I think it’s 7728…
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Just seems to me that there is no such thing as a form of protest that someone, somewhere won’t find “disrespectful”. And on the list of ways one might show/voice their opposition to something or someone, taking a knee during the anthem seems pretty tame to me. He didn’t throw on a pair of his Beats headphones during the song and listen to something else, he didn’t throw up a couple of middle fingers…he knelt.
Harbaugh had the magic fairy dust for the kid. Part of me wonders if this is what Brady is like without Bill B.
The thing is, you have to live with the consequences of your actions. If you anger a bunch of NFL owners, then you have to live with it. BLM isn’t going to pay him $10 million a year, so that’s the choice he made, eyes wide open. And that’s fine. Just don’t complain when your protest isn’t universally applauded. And to be fair, I haven’t heard anything at all about Kaepernick himself complaining, just other people.
Also, Crosskreutz is not a known German surname, though Großkreutz is. Which means that ol’ Ralf changed his name to hide something. Probably that he was a former German soldier, likely a POW who stayed in the USA after the war, and almost certainly an SS officer. This house is a fitting hideaway for a former SS trooper on the lam from the Wiesenthal Nazi hunters.
#TeamConspiracy, finding its legs.
(Please, descendants of Mr. Crosskreutz, do not sue for libel. This is meant to be humorous.)
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I think it was specific to the pistol offense not being dissected by defenses right away.
Absolutely, Kaep is off continuing doing his things (in full visibility of cameras – much like Tebow does to keep name in consciousness). He is not the one complaining publicly.
It is an interesting question of what would have happened had he not protested. I think he’d be signed but it would depend on his demands too which we still don’t know.
I’m in. Failing to tear off his address label, that fool is basically asking for it. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8c6d2483d7178401e0a87472faa4c155da96298daf41a99ebe6edfa184e78e22.gif
I wonder where he got the idea to kneel?
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Damn you, Tebow! Actually, I figured it was Todd.
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Check the public records to see if his forwarding address is Argentina.
I checked. Nothing in Argentina. But I did find this interesting record from Mexico. Apparently, Mr. Crosskreutz moved to Wisconsin from Mexico under a different name. I’m sure it’s nothing.
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