I was stunned this past weekend when Colin Kapernick basically said he may have been screwed by the NFL, but Eric Reid was screwed worse.
Holy Cow, Mr. Kaepernick and I agree on something.
On two separate occasions, I have said that no one has been screwed worse in the kneeling controversy than Eric Reid:
Beacon of Speech: Sept. 5, 2018
Beacon of Speech: June 4, 2020
But I noticed something this week. Despite the fact that most athletes support Kaepernick's stance, he still doesn't have a job.
Somehow though, Kaepernick is still releasing gear. Because now it's not about going back to football, but marketing Colin "The Martyr." Notice that brand spanking new jersey above? That money goes to Kaep and Nike, no NFL team gets that money.
Kaepernick wants a starting job, a platform, and $20 mil per year. No team will give him over $5 mil per year, and they're going to make him a backup. That's why he's still not playing. Marketing social justice pays better than playing football.
I am telling you, social justice is hurting the ratings. After Week I:
I couldn't wait for football season to start. I was salivating to watch the Browns-Ravens match up. Then Sunday morning I realized that the Browns were, like, 1-19-1 in season openers and decided at the last minute NOT to watch the game. Not because of any politics, but because of fear.
And the Browns didn't disappoint. They got curb-stomped 38-6 and they now haven't won an opener since 2004. Ted, our partner at BOS, DID boycott football because of politics. Then halfway through the day, he gave up his boycott and watched the end of the Browns-Ravens game.
The one game that DIDN'T have a ratings drop was the Saints-Buccaneers game. Brees v Brady. Both Ted and I watched parts of that game. Despite Ted's short-lived boycott, I told Ted that I didn't care if the players sacrificed goats at halftime, I was still watching football.
But there was a percentage that didn't watch football, even if they craved it. What percentage? 1%? 5%? 10%? Let's see if that number is still significant at the end of the season. The NFL doesn't care if they lose viewers as long as they make up new ones by the end of the season. If the net gain is positive through the 2020 season, maybe next year we'll have 4 anthems and Malcolm X speeches at halftime, what the hell.
Prediction for Browns 2020 record? 8-8.