jkitsune":325oulkx said:
I'll be the first to admit that I really hate Kaepernick and Harbaugh. I'll also readily admit I actually have a lot of respect for the 49ers otherwise, other than their handling of the Aldon Smith incident, and other than some elements of their fanbase. That may change if the Niners win on Sunday, but for now, it's how I feel. I still 'hate' them more than other teams, but it's not the pure, unbridled, disgust that I have for other teams. It's a hatred fueled by respect and competition.
That said, I think Kaepernick comes off as smug, brash, and a bit immature. He's still a kid, obviously, and I don't agree that he's significantly more smug, brash, or immature than other athletes (including Richard Sherman), but as quarterbacks go, I would argue he's moreso than average. I've never heard anything to suggest that he's literally a bad person, or that he's actually a thug, or a criminal, or anything. Still, that's the image he seems to want to cultivate, and IMO on a quarterback it looks worse than it might on other players.
Without attempting to levy any judgments about Kaepernick's merits as a human being, I'm curious if you (Marvin49 or others) would disagree with that statement?
I'd put it this way...
...there are times he does stuff I wish he didn't. I'm not a huge fan of Kaepernicking, but I also understand the context in which he does it (it started because he was kissing the TATTOO after the article came out criticising them). I also understand WHY he is short with the media and it has alot to do with his past.
I could do without the Beats by Dre commercial, the clown outfit he wore to the ESPYs, etc.
When it really matters tho, he's all substance. He works his a$$ off. His team respects him because he's the first guy in the building and the last one out.
The guy gets criticised publically for having tattoos and for not wanting to meet his birth mother. He is compared to an inmate at San Quentin because of the tattoos. He doesn't want to meet his birth mother because he sees his adoptive mother as HIS mother and doesn't want to hurt her...and then his birth mother takes money to go on TV and give an interview.
Seriously, wouldn't you have a negative view of the media after that?
Russell Wilson handles the media far better than Kap does. Of that there is no question. I just think people make WAY, WAY to big a deal of the stuff Kap does simply because people will read it and judge.
He has gotten better with the media, but he is just very uncomfortable in that setting.
One thing I really like about him tho...he will never, ever put the blame on someone else. Ever. His quote is ALWAYS "I wasn't good enough". He takes it personally. I remember a quote from one of the defensive players after the Seattle loss last year. Kap was EXTEREMELY down on himself after the loss and apologized for letting them down. The defender had to tell him that it was a TEAM loss, not a Kap loss.
That is one of the reasons he is not great after losses. He takes it personally and blames himself. I wish he would let it go a bit, but i can't fault a guy for that. He also ALWAYS credits his teammates after a win.