Will Kaepernicks "Inked Up" look prevent him from being a marketable star?

[Deberg_1990]

Interesting column


http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...contract-draft




San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick is going to be a big-time NFL quarterback. That must make the guys in San Quentin happy.

Approximately 98.7 percent of the inmates at California’s state prison have tattoos. I don’t know that as fact, but I’ve watched enough “Lockup” to know it’s close to accurate.

I’m also pretty sure less than 1.3 percent of NFL quarterbacks have tattoos. There’s a reason for that.

NFL quarterback is the ultimate position of influence and responsibility. He is the CEO of a high-profile organization, and you don’t want your CEO to look like he just got paroled.

Now along comes Kaepernick. Since taking over for Alex Smith two games ago, he has convinced everybody in the Bay area that he’s the second coming of Steve Young.

Smith is coming back from a concussion, ushering in the attendant QB controversy. But he is looking like Wally Pipp and Kaepernick is Lou Gehrig. All I can do is look in the mirror and sigh.

Forgive me, but I suffer from tattoo-ism. I sport no ink, and I don’t want any. I know that attitude qualifies me for an AARP card, and I’ve tried to get with it.

I realize tattoos are ways to pay homage to your religion, children and motorcycle gang. I’m cool with LeBron James looking like an Etch A Sketch.

I still cringe when I go to the gym and see middle-aged women with barbed wire circling their biceps. They have bigger arms than I, so I never make fun. But I can’t shake the notion that a person’s body is a temple, and you don’t cover temples in graffiti.

For dinosaurs like me, NFL quarterbacks were our little Dutch boys. The original hero stuck his finger in the dyke to save Holland. Pro QBs were the last line of defense against the raging sea of ink. When our kids said they wanted a tattoo, we could always point to the Manning brothers.

My guess is Archie would have made Peyton throw an extra 1,000 passes before dinner if he’d come home with a tattoo. The old man knew QBs are different.

Did Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitas, Doug Williams or Joe Montana have arms covered in ink? Do Tom Brady, Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers? The world will end when Tim Tebow shows up a tattoo parlor.

It’s not just a white thing, I hope. When the Panthers interviewed Cam Newton, owner Jerry Richardson popped the question.

Do you have any tattoos?” he asked.

“No, sir,” Newton said. “I don’t have any.”

“We want to keep it that way,” Richardson said.

He was OK with body art on other players, including the human canvas that is Jeremy Shockey. But Newton would be the face, arms and legs of the franchise. The boss didn’t want them covered in ink lines.

“Let’s keep it that way,” he told Newton.

I realize not all NFL quarterbacks are pristine. Ben Roethlisberger has a “COURAGE” tattoo on the right side of his upper body. Smith has one honoring his Serbian heritage. They can’t be seen when the players put on their uniforms.

Then there are Michael Vick and Terrelle Pryor. Neither exactly fit the CEO image, unless your CEO has done a stretch in Leavenworth or has gotten Ohio State on probation over free tattoos.

That’s what makes Kaepernick a threat to the stereotype. By all accounts, he’s polite, hard working, humble and has never been to prison. He sounds more like a Tebow who can throw.

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves here, but it’s not hard to envision him leading the 49ers into the playoffs. If not this season, in the years to come.

His ink-covered arms will one day raise the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Imagine the impact that could have.

For one thing, Jerry Richardson would clutch his chest in horror. At the next Pro Bowl, you might spot Peyton by the pool with a Papa John’s logo on his ankle.

Sigh again.

I still think tattoo removal is going to be huge industry in the coming years. But for now, I might as well accept that Holland is probably doomed.

If you can’t draw the tattoo line at NFL quarterback, you can’t draw them anywhere.

[Ultra Peanut]

This article's premise comes straight out of 1968, lol

[Radar Chief]

Saw a band called The Goddam Gallows at the Bottle Neck last year and after they played they mingled around in the crowd. As I'm looking at all the neck, face and scalp tattoos they were sporting I'm thinking, "Man, I sure hope this band gig works out for you."

[KCChiefsFan88]

The dumbshit sports columnist who wrote this trash column:



Looks like a pedophile.

[listopencil]

This week on The Death Of Journalism In America: Worthless Hack Creates Hype About Nothing.

[Marcellus]

The concept of this article is so outdated it was probably typed on a Commodore 64.

[JASONSAUTO]

Originally Posted by SNR

That's hometeam-style tattooing there. Gotta say, it's almost as gay as the shit Bray did.

My thoughts exactly.
Posted via Mobile Device

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

kids look up to this guy. this is the NBA's most marketable small market player. He has an entire city/fanbase by the balls and if he told them to go jump off a bridge to better the team they would probably listen.

Does he have any tats a short sleeve t-shirt won't cover?

[the steam]

Seriously??? Shouldn't this guy accomplish something on the field before worrying about being a marketable star?

[Rain Man]

It's not the concept of tattoos that will cost him marketing dollars. It's the simple fact that tattoos make people less attractive.

[Cannibal]

I am not a fan a Kaepernick's tat sleeves. But it doesn't bother me. He can do as he pleases. If big corporations decide his tats are a negative image that they don't want to deal with, I can certainly understand that.

It does have a trashy, low rent look to me.

[Ultra Peanut]

srsly y'all old

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

I am not a fan a Kaepernick's tat sleeves. But it doesn't bother me. He can do as he pleases. If big corporations decide his tats are a negative image that they don't want to deal with, I can certainly understand that.

It does have a trashy, low rent look to me.

Are you calling Kaepernick a whore?

[unnecessary drama]

my father told me as a kid...many times...no tattoos, no piercings

always stuck with me, and I do plan on teaching my children that some day as well

I just don't like them...and yeah, I do judge people with visible tattoos, it's human nature

that said, I think Kaepernick is a great QB and a great person

[NJChiefsFan]

No. See nba.com

[-King-]

Originally Posted by SNR

That's hometeam-style tattooing there. Gotta say, it's almost as gay as the shit Bray did.

The fact that Kevin Durant has 0% bodyfat and no muscle tone makes them look really bad.