Look out University of Michigan football fans, your team just went woke.
The Wolverines welcomed failed NFL quarterback turned activist Colin Kaepernick to a team practice on Wednesday in Ann Arbor and announced that he will get the privilege of being an honorary captain at the annual Maize and Blue Spring Game on Saturday. The race-baiter has been in the sports news cycle frequently in recent weeks, as he is hoping to make an NFL comeback as soon as possible.
Football Family.
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) March 30, 2022
Excited to share the field with our honorary captain for Saturday's Maize and Blue Spring Game, @Kaepernick7 #GoBlue 〽 pic.twitter.com/2H6Yj2Ivwl
Some might think it's weird Kaepernick is getting welcomed by Michigan of all schools, since the social justice warrior graduated from the University of Nevada Reno in 2011. But the move does make a little bit of sense, at least from a relational standpoint.
Kaepernick and Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh spent four years together (2011-2014) with the San Francisco 49ers as quarterback and head coach, respectively. The tandem guided the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31. Plus, Harbaugh has always been a fan of Kaepernick’s social justice shenanigans, even going so far as to say that Kaepernick was “on the right side” of the racial issues in America.
Related: Iowa Hawkeyes Use Uniforms to Promote Woke Ideology
As we all know, Kaepernick was the first NFL player to blatantly disrespect the national anthem by kneeling in 2016 and was also outspoken when the country was in turmoil in the summer of 2020.
“You got to listen to people and really hear what they’re saying,” Harbaugh told Jed Hughes on a podcast in 2020. “Colin’s been on the right side of this for a long time. I remember some very early conversations, when Colin decided to take a knee during the national anthem, and the person that’s first gets so much backlash. So, just for Colin, like ‘I love you, man.’ Then to listen to him explain (it).”
Cue the eye rolls.
While the context for the situation makes sense, the potential ramifications going forward do not.
College football had just become palatable to watch again, as social justice messaging and ad campaigns did not permeate every college broadcast. Fans could watch football for the sake of football and not worry about any alternate messaging.
However, letting Kaepernick get this publicity stunt could reverse the positive trend, at least for the Michigan program, since they're basically allowing him into their brotherhood. While it might give them some short term popularity, it could alienate a large portion of their fan base.
Michigan should stick to "hailing the victors," not the social justice warriors that want to see our country's demise. It'd be better for all of us.
