# Was Colin Kaepernick the wrong man to take on this mantle? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 16, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789 "2020-06-16T16:31:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/1 "2020-06-16T16:31:51Z")
Even before his protest, I never really cared for Kaepernick. I always thought he had a strange look about him. He’s lacking in charisma and I don’t recall ever seeing him smile or laugh. He claims he wants back in the NFL, but from what I’ve understand, he never really put the effort in to it. When reporters tried to talk to him about football, rather than discuss it with him, he’d move the subject back to his cause. Then there’s the story of his workout for the NFL and what a debacle it was. I think he was brave for what he did, but I wonder if he was the right man for the job. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/2 "2020-06-16T16:42:55Z")
What does this mean? \*“he had a strange look about him” \* He was brave, but it would have been better if a better player led the fight. Kaepernick wasn’t a great quarterback, it was easy for teams to decide not to employ him. Russell Wilson is a far better Quarterback, if he led the fight, he would have kept his job. Someone like Jordan or Derek Jeter would have been great to lead the way. Players that were huge names in there sports. One problem with Kaepernick is I was never convinced he was better than Alex Smith, the QB he replaced. They had different tools and Smith was less likely to lose the game for you. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/3 "2020-06-16T16:42:59Z")
People are complicated. In my view, he improved his image considerably by starting the kneeling movement. I never cared for him much as a quarterback, but perhaps that’s the Seahawk in me talking. Sure, Russel Wilson or Tom Brady could have been more successful if they had started it, but that’s not what happened. And don’t forget, Kaepernick was a Super Bowl quarterback, so that’s not nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/4 "2020-06-16T16:43:46Z")
So, it looks like you have two points here: He’s the wrong man for the job because he looks funny, and he’s the wrong man for the job because he wants to do the job. Is that an accurate summary? ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/5 "2020-06-16T17:11:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, it looks like you have two points here: He’s the wrong man for the job because he looks funny, and he’s the wrong man for the job because he wants to do the job. Is that an accurate summary? Not even close. If you want to break it down to bullet points: He has no charisma. He complains that he’s been blackballed and wants to start in the NFL, but is really not putting in the effort. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/6 "2020-06-16T17:32:37Z")
Since no one else did it and he did, he was the right person for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/7 "2020-06-16T18:12:56Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > He has no charisma. You mean the guy who is an international face for an entire movement? With a multi-million dollar endorsement from Nike? Has his face all over the news, the streets, and popular culture? The guy who is quoted by newsmakers, politicians for and against his cause, crowds in mass protests on the streets, and is recognized everywhere? That guy with no charisma? You may be a poor judge of charisma. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/8 "2020-06-16T18:41:41Z")
Maybe I am, but all listed above happened only because of his deeds. I give the guy props for standing up for what he believes. I just wonder if it would have gained more traction had someone else been the face. And by “someone else,” I mean plenty of other NFL players. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/9 "2020-06-16T18:45:32Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You mean the guy who is an international face for an entire movement? With a multi-million dollar endorsement from Nike? Has his face all over the news, the streets, and popular culture? The guy who is quoted by newsmakers, politicians for and against his cause, crowds in mass protests on the streets, and is recognized everywhere? > > That guy with no charisma? > > You may be a poor judge of charisma. This is a rather circular argument. Whichever athlete ended up being The One to kneel, would have gotten this sort of treatment - Nike endorsements, become the face of the movement, etc. But it could have been a better one. Had it been an even more successful one, like LeBron or Tom Brady, it would have had all the more impetus behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/10 "2020-06-16T18:51:59Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This is a rather circular argument. Whichever athlete ended up being The One to kneel, would have gotten this sort of treatment - Nike endorsements, become the face of the movement, etc. Eric Reid sat with Kap, and then later knelt with him, but he’s not the face of the movement. Marshawn Lynch sat for the national anthem for 11 years, but he’s not the face of the movement. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/11 "2020-06-16T18:52:43Z")
Not sure about the OP’s views on charisma, but I don’t think Russell Wilson or Tom Brady are nearly as charismatic as Kaepernick. That said, charisma is about the most subjective concept there is. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/12 "2020-06-16T20:31:21Z")
No, I still maintain he was pouting on the bench during the national anthem because he lost the starting job. When he got called out, he acted like a kid and came up with a story. He’s damn lucky, it went viral and he’ll make a shit ton more money being a martyr than a backup QB that would have washed out of the league years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/13 "2020-06-17T13:37:41Z")
Sure, he would have been more successful at it had he been a more skilled player. But he’s already worked as hard as he can to be as good a football player as he can be: That’s true of everyone who ever gets signed to an NFL team. Should he have decided that, because he wasn’t the best player in the league, he shouldn’t make his statement? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/14 "2020-06-17T20:49:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You mean the guy who is an international face for an entire movement? With a multi-million dollar endorsement from Nike? Has his face all over the news, the streets, and popular culture? The guy who is quoted by newsmakers, politicians for and against his cause, crowds in mass protests on the streets, and is recognized everywhere? > > That guy with no charisma? > > You may be a poor judge of charisma. Using this logic George Floyd has more charisma than Kapernick because he did all of that as well and more. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/15 "2020-06-18T02:59:43Z")
What job are we talking about? The Black Lives Matter movement didn’t choose Kaepernick to lead protests. As far as I know, nobody chose Kaepernick other than Kaepernick himself. He saw a need to protest a serious issue and he acted on it. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/16 "2020-06-18T06:43:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What job are we talking about? The Black Lives Matter movement didn’t choose Kaepernick to lead protests. As far as I know, nobody chose Kaepernick other than Kaepernick himself. He saw a need to protest a serious issue and he acted on it. Well, not really. He pouted on the sideline and then decided to use Black Lives Matter. But, he’s got more money than everyone in this thread, so good for him. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/17 "2020-06-18T13:33:41Z")
So, the reason you’ve heard of him is… that he was sidelined in the pros? All of the right-wing vitriol directed at him is just because he’s not a good enough quarterback? Get real. He’s known because he championed a cause, and did a very good job of championing that cause. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/18 "2020-06-18T14:20:26Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > No, I still maintain he was pouting on the bench during the national anthem because he lost the starting job. When he got called out, he acted like a kid and came up with a story. > > He’s damn lucky, it went viral and he’ll make a shit ton more money being a martyr than a backup QB that would have washed out of the league years ago. > [@dalej42](#): > > Well, not really. He pouted on the sideline and then decided to use Black Lives Matter. But, he’s got more money than everyone in this thread, so good for him. He annoys right wingers. That means he’s probably right. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/19 "2020-06-18T14:24:43Z")
Like beauty, charisma is in the eye of the beholder. I think Colin has plenty of charisma. Tom Brady is dull as dishwater. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789/20 "2020-06-18T14:41:55Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Using this logic George Floyd has more charisma than Kapernick because he did all of that as well and more. And yet other football players have sat and even knelt at games, but they aren’t the face of the movement. Being in the right place at the right time certainly helps, but he was in the right place because he put himself there, and it became the right time because of his actions. The argument that he has no charisma basically boils down to “I don’t like him”. But based on his impact it seems that enough people do like him and he’s polarizing enough to garner the attention needed to make the statement heard. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-colin-kaepernick-the-wrong-man-to-take-on-this-mantle/855789.md?page=2)