The NFL and the National Anthem

Eddie Jurak

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I just think it's a hard needle to thread financially. The Pats aren't going to want to pay Kaepernick $5 MM (which is what Bridgewater got) to be the #3, and Kaepernick isn't going to want to play for the veteran minimum (which is more than Danny Etling will make).
It is at least possible that whatever Kaepernick gets as a settlement takes his future NFL earnings into account. In which case the vet minimum might actually make some sense from his perspective. Given what has just taken place with him over the past 2+ years, it’s unlikely that there will be a horde of teams bidding up his price.

Playing time in NE could very easily be 0 or just a handful of snaps. That won’t interest him much but who knows what his market will look like.
 

E5 Yaz

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I'm sorry if this has been brought up, but ... could the agent's mention of the Patriots simply be a jab at CK's most vocal critic?

After all, it was following a plane ride with Kraft that Trump went off-script and brought up Kaepernick in a speech. Saying he would want to play in NE could just be sticking a needle under his skin.
 

Old Fart Tree

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As a purely intellectual exercise it would be fun to think about using Kaepernick to run the Paul Hornung option pass. All that is old is new again!

I doubt his body would hold up to the beating though, or that he’d be interested in that kind of a gimmicky role.
 

HomeRunBaker

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It is at least possible that whatever Kaepernick gets as a settlement takes his future NFL earnings into account. In which case the vet minimum might actually make some sense from his perspective. Given what has just taken place with him over the past 2+ years, it’s unlikely that there will be a horde of teams bidding up his price.

Playing time in NE could very easily be 0 or just a handful of snaps. That won’t interest him much but who knows what his market will look like.
I don't see Kaep signing for the minimum and there are much better opportunities to get snaps this year than in New England where he's had a headset on as a punching bag......literally nobody wins in that environment. I'm guessing this was a throwaway line by an agent who knows it would generate Kaep's name circulating to help gauge a market. Carolina makes sense with Newton's shoulder injury along with Reid showing ownership isn't afraid of PR hits (at least less than others). Seattle is another is the Russell Wilson trade demand to the Giants is true as Kaep already has a footprint in that market/division.

It will be interesting and Goodell has to be cringing as the prospect of Kaepernick wearing a jersey this summer/fall but if he signs I'd guess it's an incentive laden deal with a one-year out with a team where there is real opportunity.
 

mauf

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Have to believe this was leaked by someone on the owners’ side who was upset that the settlement was construed in many quarters as a tacit admission of guilt. Wonder if Kaepernick or Reid will try to reopen the deal or seek damages for violation of its confidentiality clause.

I personally thought Kaepernick might be disappointed in his damages award even if he persuaded the arbitrator that collusion occurred. Arbitrators tend to split the baby; the temptation would be there to find that while collusion occurred, Kaepernick’s career as a starting QB was over and he would’ve earned only backup money going forward. So I’m not surprised to learn that he accepted a settlement in the mid-to-high seven figures.
 

Marciano490

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Marciano490

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Eric Reid had some choice words for Jay-Z. Pretty disappointing stuff from an artist I respect a ton.
In a vacuum, Jay Z should obviously have the right to make business decisions as he wishes, and not as a black man. However, he was the one last year who publicized his rejection of the NFL's offer to play the halftime show, pressured other black artists to do the same, and even wrote a self-congratulatory lyric about it. For him to come in now and shit on a movement he played little part in is bullshit. Moreover, it's naïve to think the NFL will do anything but throw some cash at a few things and do a few PR stunts - look at the domestic violence initiatives that are now basically defunct.

I'd say he's letting the NFL use him, but it's more like he's selling out to the NFL knowing they'll be using him.
 

Ralphwiggum

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In a vacuum, Jay Z should obviously have the right to make business decisions as he wishes, and not as a black man. However, he was the one last year who publicized his rejection of the NFL's offer to play the halftime show, pressured other black artists to do the same, and even wrote a self-congratulatory lyric about it. For him to come in now and shit on a movement he played little part in is bullshit. Moreover, it's naïve to think the NFL will do anything but throw some cash at a few things and do a few PR stunts - look at the domestic violence initiatives that are now basically defunct.

I'd say he's letting the NFL use him, but it's more like he's selling out to the NFL knowing they'll be using him.
I agree completely. I begrudge him none of the millions (billions?) he’s made and he can do whatever he wants. But this wound is still pretty raw and his explanation sucks. Maybe this is the only way in for him to becoming an owner but then maybe he should think twice about that as a goal.
 

InstaFace

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I agree completely. I begrudge him none of the millions (billions?) he’s made and he can do whatever he wants. But this wound is still pretty raw and his explanation sucks. Maybe this is the only way in for him to becoming an owner but then maybe he should think twice about that as a goal.
We've got some early footage of Jay-Z closing on acquiring an NFL franchise...

 

fairlee76

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I agree completely. I begrudge him none of the millions (billions?) he’s made and he can do whatever he wants. But this wound is still pretty raw and his explanation sucks. Maybe this is the only way in for him to becoming an owner but then maybe he should think twice about that as a goal.
Agree with this completely. I might be mistaken, but I remember reading forever ago that Jay-Z's primary goal was becoming a "brand," before everyone in the entertainment industry had that as their goal. I guess he sees this NFL partnership as another step in that direction? His recent critiques of the league sure ring hollow now.

Or maybe I am still annoyed that perhaps my favorite NYC hip-hop artist (Nas) is forever overshadowed by Jay-Z.
 

Kliq

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I don't have any big stake in this issue, but I think it is reasonable to believe that a black businessman becoming involved in the NFL and perhaps one day becoming an owner is something that should be encouraged instead of discouraged. I understand the frustration people may have with Jay-Z working with the NFL, especially because Jay-Z used the NFL's bigotry for some publicity last year as Marciano points out above, but NFL ownership increasing in diversity and background is a good thing.
 

Marciano490

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Agree with this completely. I might be mistaken, but I remember reading forever ago that Jay-Z's primary goal was becoming a "brand," before everyone in the entertainment industry had that as their goal. I guess he sees this NFL partnership as another step in that direction? His recent critiques of the league sure ring hollow now.

Or maybe I am still annoyed that perhaps my favorite NYC hip-hop artist (Nas) is forever overshadowed by Jay-Z.
At least we’ll always have Ether, even if the homophobia makes it a hard listen now.

Also, nice subtle dig by spelling it with the hyphen still. I think he dropped it years ago.


I don't have any big stake in this issue, but I think it is reasonable to believe that a black businessman becoming involved in the NFL and perhaps one day becoming an owner is something that should be encouraged instead of discouraged. I understand the frustration people may have with Jay-Z working with the NFL, especially because Jay-Z used the NFL's bigotry for some publicity last year as Marciano points out above, but NFL ownership increasing in diversity and background is a good thing.
If the cost of diversity is selling out your claimed principles, is that real diversity?
 

fairlee76

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At least we’ll always have Ether, even if the homophobia makes it a hard listen now.

Also, nice subtle dig by spelling it with the hyphen still. I think he dropped it years ago.




If the cost of diversity is selling out your claimed principles, is that real diversity?
On the hyphen, that just shows how far out of the loop I am as I had no idea he had dropped it.

On Ether, yikes, that is a hard listen. I'll stick to Illmatic.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Jay-Z's comment seems to have been taken entirely out of context. Here's a more complete account of what he said:

Earlier, asked how he could enter into this partnership while Kaepernick remains without a team, Jay said, “I think that we forget that Colin’s whole thing was to bring attention to social injustice so in that case this is a success — this is the next thing. There’s two parts of protest: the protest, and then there’s a company or individual saying ‘I hear you, what do we do next?’ For me it’s about actionable items, what are we gonna do about it? We get stuck on Colin not having a job, you know what I’m saying? And this is more than that.

“I support any protest that’s effective,” he continued. “I’m into action, I’m into real work — I’m not into how it looks from the outside. If protesting on the field is the most effective way, then protest on the field. But if you have a vehicle that can inspire change and speak to the masses at the same time, it’s hard to steal the narrative away.”
When Jay was asked whether he views the partnership as a form of protest and an opportunity to change from within, he said, “Of course, yes.” But pressed for details later, he said, “America in general looked at rap as a fad, and it’s the number one genre in the world, you just can’t hide the statistics now because of streaming. But in 1998 rap was the no. 1 genre going forward to today, so I would love for these platforms to be more inclusive of our music.”
Jay became borderline defensive when asked by a reporter, “I’m sorry to put it this way, but if the National Anthem were playing, would you kneel or stand?”

Jay asked for the question to be repeated, blinked incredulously for a moment, and then said, “I think we’re past kneeling. I think it’s time for action.”

Asked in a follow-up whether he wanted people to stop protesting, Jay fired back, “No, I don’t want people to stop protesting at all. Kneeling is a form of protest. We need to bring light to the issue, I think everyone knows what the issue is” — he asked several people around the table, “Do you know what the issue is?,” then returned to his point. “We all know the issue now — okay, next?

“To be clear to the room,” he concluded, “I’m not minimizing that part of it, that’s a necessary part of the process. But now we all know what’s going on: The kneeling was not about Colin having a job, it was about ‘let me bring attention to injustice.’ Now how do we address that injustice? What’s the way forward?”
His overall point is that he thinks he can do more good on the inside, and that while protest is a necessary part of any change, a similarly necessary part is to work from the inside to make those changes and to make them last.

YMMV on how compelling you think that argument is, but he seems to have been making it in good faith. I think it's pretty reductive for everyone to focus on the "I think we're past kneeling" words without their larger context.
 

Marciano490

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Jay-Z's comment seems to have been taken entirely out of context. Here's a more complete account of what he said:







His overall point is that he thinks he can do more good on the inside, and that while protest is a necessary part of any change, a similarly necessary part is to work from the inside to make those changes and to make them last.

YMMV on how compelling you think that argument is, but he seems to have been making it in good faith. I think it's pretty reductive for everyone to focus on the "I think we're past kneeling" words without their larger context.
No. I don’t think anyone was focusing on one phrase or missed the larger context. He’s shitting on a form of protest that involved genuine sacrifice for other people, and then saying it’s time for action, which apparently means it’s time to partner with the NFL - an organization that notorious and repeatedly sucks at this - to do what exactly?

Just because he came up with the underpants gnome theory of progress doesn’t win him any extra points.

Also, this was a dick move by Brian Flores (starting practice with 8 Jay Z songs in a row in response to Kenny Stills’ criticism). Thanks for the SB game plan and good riddance.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadspin.com/brian-flores-loads-practice-playlist-with-jay-z-tracks-1837426839/amp
 
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Van Everyman

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Actually, I completely disagree that no one was "focusing on one phrase" or missed the larger context. People absolutely were reacting to "I think we’re past kneeling. I think it’s time for action" -- that was the headline of numerous articles and people were shitting all over that. In fact, a number of the articles described him "smiling and grinning" with Goodell like he was Sammy Davis Jr. defending Nixon.

I'm not going to suggest that anyone who sang "I'm not a businessman/I'm a business, man" is completely altruistic -- it's entirely possible that Jay-Z doesn't give a shit about BLM and is happy to profit off the NFL. I also get why Reid would be pissed. But I also think all the armchair social justice quarterbacks outdoing one another in concluding that Jay-Z definitively sold Kaepernick and the cause out here is OTT. And what I do know is that I'd rather the NFL had one or two Jay-Z's at those owners' meetings than another Bob McNair or Jerry Richardson.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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And what I do know is that I'd rather the NFL had one or two Jay-Z's at those owners' meetings than another Bob McNair or Jerry Richardson.
Is there really a realistic chance of Jay-Z becoming the principal owner of an NFL franchise? The Panthers sold for $2.2 billion, and Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s net worth is something like $1.35 billion, which is tremendous, but even at that level of wealth it’s hard to imagine them buying a majority stake of a team.

Or is the idea that he would have an ownership position like his Nets ownership stake, which was something like one-fifteenth of one percent?
 

Marciano490

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Actually, I completely disagree that no one was "focusing on one phrase" or missed the larger context. People absolutely were reacting to "I think we’re past kneeling. I think it’s time for action" -- that was the headline of numerous articles and people were shitting all over that. In fact, a number of the articles described him "smiling and grinning" with Goodell like he was Sammy Davis Jr. defending Nixon.

I'm not going to suggest that anyone who sang "I'm not a businessman/I'm a business, man" is completely altruistic -- it's entirely possible that Jay-Z doesn't give a shit about BLM and is happy to profit off the NFL. I also get why Reid would be pissed. But I also think all the armchair social justice quarterbacks outdoing one another in concluding that Jay-Z definitively sold Kaepernick and the cause out here is OTT. And what I do know is that I'd rather the NFL had one or two Jay-Z's at those owners' meetings than another Bob McNair or Jerry Richardson.
Which people? The few discussing it here or the millions discussing it online, because focusing on arguments not made here is a weird way to further this discussion.
 

InstaFace

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Is there really a realistic chance of Jay-Z becoming the principal owner of an NFL franchise? The Panthers sold for $2.2 billion, and Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s net worth is something like $1.35 billion, which is tremendous, but even at that level of wealth it’s hard to imagine them buying a majority stake of a team.

Or is the idea that he would have an ownership position like his Nets ownership stake, which was something like one-fifteenth of one percent?
Just depends on how leveraged it is, and how liquid he is. Plenty of NFL teams were acquired with plenty of debt (Oakland's Debt/Value is 33%, as is Atlanta's, and the Rams are at 45%, mostly from stadium financing). And debt is very cheap right now. The NFL allows $350M debt on a team, and requires 30% equity by the general partner. Could you see Jay Z pledging most of his other assets as collateral in order to become 30% plurality owner of an acquisition vehicle to buy the Detroit Lions for $1.55B? I can see that. Would require liquid equity of $360M from him. With a few good years of P&L he could pay the debt down right quick, buy out a few LPs, and see his net worth jump up.

That's really not the question here, but if it needs answering: yes, Jay Z's bankers could come up with a plan to have him buy a bottom-10 NFL franchise.
 

RedOctober3829

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deep inside Guido territory
In public, New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft has largely been supportive of President Donald Trump.
There was a reported rift in their relationship over Trump’s handling of the Colin Kaepernick situation, though in February of this year in an appearance on Fox News, Kraft said Trump is “working very hard to serve the best interest of the country.”
Kraft hasn’t always been so supportive.
In audio released by TMZ on Friday, Kraft is heard calling Trump’s rhetoric around NFL players, particularly Colin Kaepernick and others who kneeled or raised a fist during the playing of the anthem to bring attention to issues of racial and social injustice, “divisive” and “horrible.”

TMZ says Kraft made the remark at an October 2017 “NFL Summit”; the Patriots have not yet responded to an email requesting clarity on when the comments were made and who was in the audience.
In September 2017, Trump said NFL players who protest should be fired; “get that son of a bitch off the field!” he shouted at an event in Alabama.
Here’s the text of the audio:
“...That’s what the players were talking about when they knealt, but the way it was interpreted in the marketplace, it was disrespectful of the flag, the military. Any of us who have the privilege of being involved in NFL franchises know how great the players are and how they’re different than the average Americans; they believe to be good, believing in teamwork, working together, all the stuff that all of us are privileged to know.
“But I must tell you: I think these dialogues are great, but the elephant in the room now, in my opinion, is this kneeling, which every player has a right to do if they feel it’s right, the problem we have is that we have a president that will use that as fodder to do his mission that I don’t feel is in the best interest of Americans — it’s divisive and it’s horrible and it’s actually the opposite of what you all are trying to do. If there’s a way we can link that to whatever we’re doing and now, understand — we’ve lost the message to America because there’s just 40 percent of the people who see this, who just see this as their own, whatever their own bigotry or misunderstandings are, it feds into it. I just hope that one of the things that can come out of here is we find a way to be unified and be able to carry through and follow through, and I do think most teams are doing this stuff already, maybe the connection between the players and ownership hasn’t been as strong as it should be.”
https://sports.yahoo.com/in-audio-robert-kraft-calls-president-trumps-rhetoric-on-nfl-players-divisive-horrible-171725732.html