Lowell Cohn writes: All this makes you wonder what is going on with Kaepernick.
How about this? Kaepernick is desperately flailing for attention. And he’s getting it. He always has been an attention junkie — all that “Kaepernicking” — kissing his bicep. He filed for a trademark for that in 2013. Quite the capitalist Kaepernick despite our corrupt system. And that “7tormscoming” hashtag I’ve never understood. Big ego. Me-firster.
He’s getting less attention for his quarterbacking.
He only started his protest this year when he was out of the headlines. Needed to find another way to get ink and air time. It’s all about him, not the team. Maybe not even about society. When asked what one thing he would change in America right now, he said, “That’s a tough question because there’s a lot of things that need to change. That’s something that it’s hard to lock down.”
Really? Not one thought yet?
It’s the attention he needs. He’s shot as an athlete. His confidence is gone, has been since last season. The Cardinals called him out, said they could intercept him if he threw outside the numbers. Proceeded to intercept him four times. His confidence probably was gone before that. He’s afraid to compete with Gabbert, is using his complaint against America as an excuse. I wonder if he even knows what he’s doing.
In spite of his diminishing returns, he’s the center of the sports world now. He is the center of hard news in America. This Kaepernick news cycle way exceeds the time the 49ers offense controlled the ball Friday night.
Again, what do I really see? I see Kaepernick grabbing the spotlight any way he can.
What Kaepernick did — he will continue to sit in future games — changes his equation with the Niners. They issued a statement defending his right to protest. You can bet it galled them to do it.
Last week, he made snotty comments about Trent Baalke. He’s doing everything he can to make himself persona non grata, to get cut or traded. Taking the focus away from football and from the team with the season fast approaching. What football team needs that?
Of course, when the 49ers get rid of him next week, Kaepernick will say, “It’s not because of my play. It’s because I took a political stance.”
He’s created a can’t-lose system for himself, a way to cushion the blow.
