Two men, two very different outcomes.

[Stinky The Clown]

Michael Vick committed felonies associated with animal abuse and dog fighting. He spent time in prison. He was widely reviled by the general public. Yet he managed to play many more seasons in the NFL and finally retired officially in 2017. He was in the NFL as an active quarterback from 2001to 2015, with two years off in the middle for his prison term.

Colin Kaepernik, on the other hand, managed to get in six seasons before his perfectly legal and very well intentioned protests led to his vilification by rich white guys, including Bone Spur Boy, and subsequent blackballing from the NFL.

What the fuck? I mean, really. What the ever loving fuck?

[hlthe2b]

1. I may never have been the biggest football fan, but I followed for years--no longer.

Between the concussive injuries and the utter hypocrisy and pandering to RW white audiences at the expense of their player's laudable human rights protests, I'm done.

I still love some sports, but f..k the NFL and football in general.

[rurallib]

6. I am with you on this

[Ohiogal]

2. Evidently the right wing

considers that it is more important that Roseanne has the right to free speech but not NFL players.

[RandomAccess]

9. Rosanne is not a free speech issue

and the NFL issue only MAY be to the extent the owners' decision was based on Trump's words.

Free speech is only Constitutionally guaranteed vis a vis government censorship. "Congress shall make no law ... "

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

3. Perception...

One abused dogs, pit bulls fighting dogs. Not high on many people’s list.

The other “abused” the country. High on many peoples list.

This is just an observation, not my personal belief on either subject.

CK is a true patriot in my eyes.

[uponit7771]

4. K&R

[magicarpet]

5. First Amendment Rights denigrated into a blatant lack of patriotism, by a man of color to boot.

All to serve a racist political agenda, and sound the dog whistle of racial hate.

The camaraderie of hate must be constantly stoked to keep it front and center come the midterm elections of 2018 and trDump 2nd term election come 2020.

Nothing bonds macho meat-heads better than hate and de-humanization into a firm voting block.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Stinky The Clown

[dumbcat]

8. African-Americans should stop playing for wypipo

Really. Just stop.

Surely, there are some enterprising Black entrepreneurs that can form teams and start their own league?

[cwydro]

13. Lol.

This is a funny post.

[usaf-vet]

10. That ( Kaepernik's treatment) and outrageous salaries is why I stopped watching professional sports.

None! Football, baseball, hockey, basketball and soccer. I do occasionally attend high school sports events.

[BobTheSubgenius]

11. I remember the moment, if not the actual date and circumstances.

I was DONE with professional sports in an instant. I guess the moment must have been coming, but I didn't know it was that big and that close..

I was listening to sports news, and one of the stories was about a kid drafted out of college at...#4, I think. One of the spots that gets a huge contract, anyway. Basketball (which I never watched) seems to be a sport in which a Sure Thing is much easier to predict than in other big league sports, and this kid was one of those. Never played a second in the NBA, but was almost certainly going to be a solid professional player.

To me "going to be" was a key part of this. He had so far been unable to reach an agreement with the team that drafted him because he couldn't possibly play for the measly $13.4 million they were offering. Silicone chip inside my head switched to overload.

[djacq]

12. Are you not entertained?!!

It’s all about the blood sport.

I chosed not to watch NFL this season but you would be surprise that some in the African American community will still watch it.

[Lifelong Protester]

14. WTH???