Just wanted to hear what everyone’s thoughts were
I’ve never bought Nike stuff, anyway. Too expensive, I never have liked their ads, I’ve never liked Phil Knight or Oregon. So, I’ve never been Nike’s target audience, anyway (and I’m certainly not now).
It’s going to be fun watching a liberal, social-justice image company like Nike squirm, being on the opposite end of a reverse boycott (usually, it’s liberals threatening to boycott conservative companies).
They knew that building an ad campaign around Kaepernick and kneeling would get attention. They were counting on it. I don’t think they thought it would lead to declines in quarterly sale numbers (and maybe it won’t actually).
I am proud to say that I’ve never bought or worn Nike stuff, anyway. I kind of wish teams would find local or new companies to outfit them, so they don’t become billboards for Nike, Adidas, Reebok, or whomever.
I feel a bit of joy inside when I hear that Nike is taking a beating for supporting a liberal cause not worthy of anyone’s support. I have never been a big Oregon fan, even though I grew up in Eugene and turned down a scholarship offer from Oregon to attend BYU. I guess part of the reason is when Phil Knight became the team’s “wardrobe” manager, providing their uniforms and gear so that they could be the best dressed team in the PAC 12. It’s the same way I feel about some pet owners. I love animals, but hate to see some owners who “dress” their pets in hats, sweaters, booties, etc. Some how it diminishes their pet’s dignity in my eyes. Maybe it’s just me.
I was with a former member of the military who believes this to be an attack on the country he defended in the battlefield and not on social justice for blacks. I agree. Kapernick enjoyes the fruits of capitalism but refuses to acknowledge it came from the founding fathers of this nation, a lot of blood, sweat and tears over a couple of centuries of the growth of our nation.
I haven’t seen the ad yet so I can’t comment on it. Nike has long been at the forefront of using often popular social causes in advertising. The old Tiger Woods ads come to mind when club rules wouldn’t allow for him to play in some clubs. As someone who has witnessed different treatment of minority groups in the community a grew up in, as well as in the church that I was raised in, I am not blind to people being treated equitably. I absolutely love America and I get the warm fuzzies when I participate in the national anthem at large events. It is often more spiritual to me than most church hymns. It is a large unifying experience. I also recognize that if you are going to get publicity for a cause that there is no better venue because of the publicity it will bring. Is it disrespectful? To some yes and to others no. We are a nation whose founding was based on the notion of challenging the controlling powers in unpopular matters so it does go into our DNA. Now I am a crazy lefty so I supported the LGTBQ movement before it was even openly talked about, I also questioned religious doctrines and practices that were commonly practiced/talked about with reverence that today we acknowledge as being a part of not the greatest past.
If I can help my brothers and sisters have a better life than I support most causes (I have to clarify this with a within reason because Scott could turn this into a people marrying goats segway). Who am I to judge if someone wants more individual freedoms/protections or to gasp, marry a non mormon. I have ancestors who had multiple wives, fought mine owners, fought on both sides of the civil war, fought on both sides of the revolutionary war, and even landed on Plymouth Rock because the Anglican religion allowed for evil practices like the celebration of Christmas. My lineage is one of going against the norm and my ancestors did and believed a lot of different things. One thing I do know is that I am not ever completely right in my knowledge, truth’s, and beliefs. I also know that no one else is. Here is a man (Kaepernick) who whether he is right or wrong was willing to stand up for a real/or perceived injustice and it has divided much of our country. This tells me one thing and that is that as much as we don’t like to admit it, we do have issues. This issue started with a person kneeling to protest one issue. It has then morphed into multiple issues from multiple sides and it slippery sloping into a protest against many things important to our American culture and lore.
I stand and lead the pledge every time it is time for my class to do it. I ask my students to be respectful during it. The irony is not lost on me that my flag has a made in China label on it and that it would melt if in a fire. It is simply a physical symbol that represents many things in many different ways to many people. Our national anthem is also a symbol. Some people wear symbols on their sleeves, some on their clothing, and others through their actions. As a teacher, this whole issue is the greatest teaching moment because it is relevant in different ways to most of my students. They can all relate to some side. Those who support Kaepernick to those who believe he should be arrested for being disrespectful. It is a great way to talk about the history of those who right or wrong dared to stand up. The same thing has played out in our own gospels and in the church during our lifetime. If you protest anything, people often make it about the worst possible thing you could stand against whether it is once again right or wrong.
What I love about America is that we can have differing opinions and beliefs and at the end of the day we are still a civic nation that allows for discourse and dissent. I know my voice is not a mainstream one for most in the church or on this board and I am ok with that. I try not to use negative terms or narratives toward people and groups because it does no good but add fuel to a fire.
As a side note, I want to thank all of you in this community. I first stumbled upon Cougarfan in 2004 or 2005. Their have been many ups and downs in my life over the years and I have appreciated the many regulars and visitors who share their thoughts feelings and need for prayers. I know many followers of this board who have lost loved ones, had relationships fall apart, others who have fallen away from the church and those who have gained stronger testimonies. Thank you for posting and allowing me to be a part of a community when I get a few minutes each day of downtime to check out what you comment about and what you believe.
Thank you-long but well spoken. I am not a Kaepernik fan, because I believe him to be disingenuous, but I will defend his right to express himself, even though he fails to recognize what great opportunities he was given just by living in this country, but this could be said about millions of people. It’s not perfect, but if operated the way it was designed-it is the best thing out there. Nike-well-i believe it was a misstep- but being an Oregonian, I understand the liberal tendencies of the state and am not surprised by Nike’s approach. As far as Kaepernik and the NFL yes-he matriculated into a not very good qb and although there are worse qbs in the league, teams ultimately didn’t want the baggage that came with him and in my opinion-that is their right.
I appreciate everyone’s responses. having been raised in Idaho, I was insolated from racism in my early years. But gratefully have been exposed to everything the world has to offer by living in Mexico, Chile and traveling the world to 60 or so countries. Have a lot of Muslim friends, Hindi and about every religion under the sun so I know well how governments and religion oppress its citizens and members outside of this great nation.
For me it is very simple. Sports was a safe haven from politics…until recently. We would go there to get away from the crazies. Kap became wealthy and famous because of the NFL and now he wants to sue the NFL because no one wants his baggage. Kap can protest, that is his right but fans who PAY to watch the game also have the right to not buy tickets or buy NIKE gear.
I’m an Oregonian and everyone in my family has tons of Nike stuff. Our annual trip to the employee store, courtesy of a good friend and longtime Nike employee, is always epic. As far as athletic wear goes, we dig Nike. I buy all Nike polos to embroider and give to my coaching staff each year for game days. I’m not a Duck fan, but Phil Knight’s generosity to UofO and the whole UofO family is astounding. My folks went to Stanford and I grew up idolizing Jim Plunkett and Gene Washington, and people forget that Phil Knight has also been INCREDIBLY generous to Stanford’s business programs. I think Nike is an awesome company. That said,…
- I think Kap is disingenuous, spiteful, immature and is a total ingrate. What a hypocrite! I don’t know if he even knows what he was “protesting” in the first place, and I think he has looked like a total bonehead/idiot/joke/name your insult. Comparing Kap to John Carlos and Tommy Smith just insults those two dudes.
- I would NEVER EVER hire an average employee in my business if I knew in advance that person would be a spoiled brat and cause my business nothing but headaches, so I have ZERO blame for the NFL owners who don’t want Kap’s toxicity in their business.
- Just because Nike hires a guy who I think is a disrespectful idiot, I am not going to burn my shirts or take time away from my job, my family, or my coaching to join some protest. If I boycotted every company employing somebody I think is a turd, I’d probably be naked and starving and have nothing to watch on TV or at the movies.
Now let’s run the ball and beat Cal! When I was little, my dad taught us kids the Stanford lyrics to the Cal fight song:
Those Dirty Golden Bears, are losing all their hairs
Their teeth are out, they’ve got the gout, they don’t know what it’s all about;
Their eyes are made of glass, they’re losing all their class,
So beat those dirty Golden Bears,
We’re really gonna kick their A$$.
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now if we could get such lyrics for Utah’s song…but hasn’t more than one GA quoted their song across the pulpit?
I think Kap is a joke but I respect his right to protest whatever it is he wants to protest, even if it has little merit and he has no idea what he is doing.
I respect members of the military way more than I do Kap. I have known many men, mostly older, who are military veterans and they are good, honest men who have integrity, respect and I would trust them with almost anything. If we are making generalizations about a group of people, military veterans are the best.
When I see how upsetting the kneeling protests are to them it bothers me as well.
Also, I love having a poster like DevMo on this board. I don’t agree with everything he says but I see the value in most of it and actually understand and agree with his perspective on many things.
Thank you to all of you as well. I still enjoy this board, even though they messed it up several years ago! 
JH: Perhaps with the controversy involving the BYU football team has awakened some of us old farts and put some life into this Board, or is it BORED. Anyway I am an old Marine Corps Vet and enjoyed your post.
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Kap is a joke. He is only 1/2 black at the most. I didn’t even know he was black until he started the anthem protests and grew the big afro. I wasn’t sure what his ethnicity was. To me he looks less black than Tiger Woods who is only 1/4 black, 1/2 asian, and 1/4 caucasian. Kapearnick’s birth mother is white and the people who adopted him are white. He was raised by affluent white parents and other than being part black it would appear he would have little in common with the black urban culture.
If the protests were the only thing he did I would just consider him what Vladimir Lenin used to consider communist sympathizers in the west, ie; useful idiots. He is a person who should be ignored by all but the radical elements of the left. My biggest issue with him is that he has aligned himself with groups like Black Lives Matter and buys into the false narrative that nearly all blacks who are shot by cops are the victims of acts by racist cops. He has made a number of comments very disparaging to law enforcement, wore anti police socks, and praised the education policies of Fidel Castro. All of this makes him a useful idiot as the term was used by Lenin. He is a divisive figure. We don’t need public figures who divide the races and are used by the radical left. His actions are not those that a Christian would undertake to cure social ills. They are influenced by purveyors of hate and are not born of love.
He has a right to protest. If the consequences of his actions are that NFL teams don’t want him then he has made his choice and can’t choose the consequences. Nike has the right to use him as a marketing tool to appeal to a certain target audience. Other have the right to boycott Nike.
Agree with your comments 100%
The price you pay when you allow politics in sports.
somewhat true but the other thing to consider is that you can watch every single game every week with nfl sunday ticket or whatever it is.
So, for the price ofr a couple of tickets to a game you can watch from the comfort of your own living room. I think that helps keep a lot of people away, besides the fact that somethihng I have been saying for many years now, the rich are getting richer and the poor and marginally poor are getting poorer. The income disparity issue in this country is going to be a big problem down the road, wait and see.
There has long been a downward slide in many markets where people don’t want to pay the money for tickets and parking. Some stadiums are also in somewhat sketchy areas. I think that while some people have stopped attending because of politics, tv has gotten so good that it is cheaper and better to stay home. I turned down free tickets to a Broncos game a few weeks ago because I simply hate traffic.
Excellent post! Although, I think He’s not being used by the left. He is 100% with them. What turned him away from what got him where he is bad influence and education he received in college. Although Obama’s parents were communists, Kapernick’s aren’t. I fear Satan has placed in Americans so much divide in such a short period time that we may not turn this around. The communist running for Governor of Florida is ahead in the polls. I don’t understand why people knowing what communism (socialism) does. Marion G. Romney gave the best talk on the difference between socialism and the United Order. It was a devotional at BYU in 1966. Everyone should listen to it. Higher taxes is not consecration in the United Order.