According to ESPN’s Jim Trotter, despite the 49ers 1-2 start and the subpar play from qb Blaine Gabbert, there has been no support or push from the team to move to Colin Kaepernick as the starter. Trotter says nobody in the locker room is making a case for the now “controversial” qb.
Now, this could simply be because Kaepernick is hurt and the players are unsure what type of player he will be when he gets back. The last time we saw him, his play was less than inspiring. I wonder if there could be more to it though?
Colin has become a lightning rod, given his stance on the national anthem and racial injustice in America. If he becomes the starter that would push those issues even more to the foreground. But, what’s the harm in that?
Football is the ultimate conformity sport and the NFL and its teams champion that type of behavior. It’s all about the upcoming game and handling what’s directly in front of you. Having a bunker mentality and tunnel vision are virtues of America’s new pastime. The league frowns on anything that distracts or takes the focus away from the game.
The thing about sports is, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Sports is a microcosm of the larger society in which it operates. The NFL is no different. If Colin gives the 49ers a better chance to win shouldn’t the players support that? If they are not speaking up, is it because the NFL and by extension the 49ers have taken the ability to think and have an opinion outside the box away? Is it because they NFL has systemically created rules and procedures that take away individuality and freedom of thought? That might be extreme, but worth considering.