No less of a coach than Pete Carroll of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks says that Colin Kaepernick is “a starter in this league”, whatever that means.
It certainly doesn’t mean Kaepernick will have a job in the NFL this coming season.
Not in Seattle, which declined to sign him, and probably not among the other 30 teams that – under different circumstances – would be lining up to outbid each other to sign a quarterback of his talent.
A lot of NFL fans think that’s a good thing. They hate the idea that Kaepernick wouldn’t stand during the playing of his country’s national anthem, and hate any suggestion that the team they love might sign a player so publicly out of touch with how they feel.
New York Giants co-owner John Mara said as much when he told The MMQB last month that Giants fans made it clear to him that Kaepernick – who the Giants were not pursuing – would not be welcome at the Meadowlands.
“It wasn’t one or two letters,” Mara said. “It was a lot.
“It’s an emotional, emotional issue for a lot of people, more so than any other issue I’ve run into.”
Perhaps that’s what the Seahawks discovered after bringing Kaepernick in a few weeks ago to sound him out about backing up Russell Wilson.
The team isn’t explaining why, but their interest in Kaepernick suddenly waned to the point that on Monday they signed Austin Davis – who didn’t even play last year – instead of the former San Francisco 49er.
Not exactly the kind of move you’d expect a team to make when it had a chance to pick up a quarterback that just five years ago led his team to a Super Bowl.
If Kaepernick is too toxic for Seattle, he’s not likely to be welcomed anywhere else in the NFL.
There are no other teams courting him – at least publicly – and time is running out as teams get their rosters ready for the opening of training camps next month.
No, he’s not officially blackballed from the league, but he might as well be as teams in the past few months have signed lesser quarterbacks like Case Keenum and Mark Sanchez without even picking up the phone to see if Kaepernick is interested.
Taking a stand often means paying a price.
In Kaepernick’s case, not standing up for the national anthem may cost him his career.
He said as much at the time, knowing that what he did would not be popular among the majority of NFL fans.
Indeed, the backlash was so severe that some blamed Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for the anthem for a decline in the NFL’s television ratings.
But Kaepernick said he could not show pride in a flag of a country he said oppresses blacks and other minorities.
“If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right,” he said at the time.
Take away the controversy, and Kaepernick would seem an attractive candidate for any team looking for another quarterback.
Though the 49ers went 1-10 behind him last year, he threw for 16 touchdowns against only four interceptions.
He’s not dealing with any injuries, is well-liked by fellow players and donates his time off the field to several charities. He’s also reportedly indicated he would stand for the anthem this coming season should a team give him a chance to play.
Still, there are no takers. Aside from Seattle, no team has expressed any real interest.
“He’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine that somebody won’t give him a chance to play,” Carroll said last week.
Actually, it’s pretty easy to imagine.
You can kill dogs, be involved in sexual assaults or do any number of bad acts and still get a second chance in the NFL, assuming you have enough talent. Disrespect the flag in a league that sells patriotism at every turn, though, and good luck finding a job.
Kaepernick is smart enough to know that. Yet he felt his cause was so just that he took a knee with the 49ers anyway.
Praise him, if you like, for bravely going where other players feared to go. Condemn him, if that’s how you feel, for going about it the wrong way.
Just don’t expect to see him on the field anytime soon.
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Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
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Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
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- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
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Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12