Former Nevada coach Chris Ault weighs in on Colin Kaepernick
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision not to stand during the national anthem prior to the San Francisco 49ers’ first three preseason games seems to have prompted everyone to voice his or her opinion about the former Nevada quarterback’s protest, including his former college coach.
Chris Ault, a Hall of Fame coach who spent four years with Kaepernick at Nevada, penned a letter to the Reno Gazette-Journal on Monday expressing his dismay in Kaepernick’s actions.
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Kaepernick told media his decision not to stand for the national anthem was in protest of the way he felt people of color were being treated in America.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said.
Ault said in his letter that while he values Kaepernick as a person, he believes the young quarterback’s decision to use the NFL to get his message across was a poor choice.
I have no problem with Kap using his celebrity to champion or protest a cause for oppressed people of color. Prejudice unfortunately does still exist in our country. Although it’s a sword with two edges, it certainly deserves all the attention we can give it in order to rid all Americans of this terrible injustice.
However, Kap using an NFL game as his platform to show the importance of his cause was selfish. Not standing up for an American treasure such as the National Anthem is disrespectful and clearly has shortchanged the essence of his message because the attention of an uneasy America is on him, not the cause he values.
Kaepernick’s actions have become a lightning rod not only in NFL and other sports, but also in politics. Even Presidential nominee Donald Trump, whose slogan is “Make America Great Again,” suggested, “Maybe he should find a country that works better for him, let him try, it won’t happen.”
Kaepernick came into this NFL season on shaky ground. He was benched last year, underwent several offseason surgeries and was the subject of several trade rumors throughout the offeseason. His actions prompted a player-only meeting by the 49ers in order to keep the team together and minimize distractions.
Ault noted that Kaepernick’s protest could ultimately be a slippery slope and he doesn’t want to see him lose his NFL career over it. However, Kaepernick said he has no plans to stand during the national anthem until he feels like change has been made.
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Kap is too young and talented to get written off and I worry an act like this could have a negative impact on him and his career. He’s a great young man. Guys like him can make a difference, but it’s just a lot easier to make that point when you’re excelling on the field.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday
