The Only Thing Worse Than Not Answering A Reporter's Questions Is...Answering A Reporter's Questions?

Chip Kelly and reporter have a back-and-forth on Kaepernick's activism (via @SakamotoRyan) pic.twitter.com/Tw0dTdVelm

— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) September 22, 2016

 
For about five seconds I genuinely let this interaction get under my skin. I mean, how could I not? This was a man suggesting that someone who is trying to bring awareness to societal injustices turn down all questions that relate - in any way - to  societal injustices. This was a reporter bitching about an athlete doing the very thing that usually gives the average reporter an awkward public erection. This was a beat writer trying to instigate an argument with a head coach whose most newsworthy locker room presence was - apparently - TOO forthright. TOO honest. TOO open. TOO accommodating. TOO media friendly. 

That's when I realized something. This is a "don't hate the player, hate the game" situation. Now, that doesn't mean I don't feel extremely inclined to hate the player too. It takes quite the self loathing douchebag to intentionally be that hypocritical, no matter how much he is being paid to do so. That said, make no mistake that creating that controversy is likely in the first line of his job description. Doesn't matter what shamefully deceptive manner in which he achieves it, that guy - who sounds exactly how you would expect a condescending, self-righteous journalist to sound - is responsible for fabricating a polarizing talking point. He doesn't even have to believe whatever far fetched stance he takes on it (though he likely does because I get the vibe that he is very much a pompous jackhole). He just needs to get the people who read his arrogant crap to believe that he believes it.

So yeah, with all the animosity, hatred, and flat-out racism being shoveled in Colin Kaepernick's direction I would like to think we can give him a pass for giving the media - quite literally - EXACTLY what they asked for. However, as much as I want to, I can't totally fault the guy that won't give him that pass. After all, there's only so many times we can debate the appropriateness of someone taking a knee during the National Anthem. There had to come some point when we created an original, totally unrelated argument centered around the appropriateness of talking about taking a knee during the National Anthem.  


​h/t Uproxx