mykc14 wrote:A) As far as Kaepernick promising not to kneel last off-season I don't know if he actually said that. I remembered reading about how he wasn't going to kneel anymore but can't find anywhere where it actually says he did. So maybe he didn't?
That's an interesting story about Kaepernick and his promise not to kneel. I thought it was common knowledge that he said it, but I guess not. Nevertheless, the Hawks might have been under the assumption that he wouldn't until his recent comments that he would.
B) I know we have gotten rid of Lane and Bennett, although Lane's release was pretty clearly due to production. I know of 9 other Hawks who knelt for the anthem last year: Avril, Clark, Marcus Smith, Jefferson, Reed, S. Richardson, Jackson, Brown, and Whilhoite. Although some are gone there are still some who remain. As many of those are still on the team it would continue to suggest that they haven't changed their minds.
J/B the Hawks still have some kneelers on the team doesn't mean that we haven't changed the policy, but you're probably right. But Kaepernick is a huge lightning rod compared to all of those guys you've listed. Don't forget, he's done more than just kneel. Remember the piggy socks, the Castro tee shirt, and his saying that he didn't vote in the last election?
C) I very much doubt they were demanding he do anything, at least not publicly. It wouldn't be wrong to ask if a perspective employee has a regarding a matter that could very much influence the team. For instance, if a player had legal trouble a team could certainly discuss that with them and decide not to bring them in for a workout based on how they were moving forward with that. Lets say I had a lawsuit ongoing with a former employer a prospective employer could certainly decide not to interview me if I couldn't adequately explain my plan going forward with that lawsuit.
IMO it's OK to inquire about legal
"trouble" such as bankruptcies, garnishments, and most certainly crimes they've been convicted of. But filing a lawsuit is not legal
"trouble", at least not for Kaepernick. I don't see what Kaepernick intends to do with his lawsuit is any business of the Seahawks as it doesn't involve them, at least not directly. If I were suing the water works for not providing adequate service, is that any business of the electric company?
D) He is getting older, but I'm not so sure he is bending over backwards to get a job. He probably stands to make more money if he wins his lawsuit. Also, It's not like he has been doing much of anything to repair his image among NFL GM's (see point A). I do think he wants to play in the NFL again, but maybe not as much as he wants to continue to be a social justice warrior or win his lawsuit.
Perhaps. Maybe he's just going through the motions just because it would help his prospects in his lawsuit. But I can't see where he would have a whole lot of confidence that he's going to win it. Although there's undoubtedly individual teams that have passed on him because of his politics, I haven't seen any evidence of a collusion between any of the owners.