Colin Kaepernick's Tattoos

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-11-28/colin-kaepernick-tattoos-49ers-qb-start-alex-smith-stats-contract-draft

I'm guessing this isn't gonna go over very well.

The old time sports writer gets wind of a "quarterback controversy" brewing in San Francisco, notices one of the QB's is "inked up" and with that, which QB gives the 49ers a better chance of winning takes a back seat to generalizations and stereotypes.

And all of a sudden we're at the dinner table with my grandma again.

I'm not gonna lie. I notice Colin Kaepernick's tattoos. I notice them for about .03 seconds and then they get overshadowed by a 16 yard laser beam that bounces off Randy Moss' hands. Then I see his tattoos again and I marvel at how elusive Kaepernick is, how he seems to pick up an additional 6 yards at the end of every run. I draw comparisons to a young Randall Cunningham, not sure if he had any tattoos, not sure I'd care if he did.

As somebody who has a few tattoos myself, I'm always amazed at how much people do care. They really care. Mostly they care to give their opinions on the matter. It's strange because I never hear people with tattoos complaining about people who don't have them, but the people who don't have them love to tell you what they think about those who do have them.

Insecurity? Come on. Maybe just a little bit?

In response to this article Colin Kaepernick's mother Teresa wrote, "It annoyed me. You are categorizing this kid on something like tattoos? Really? Saying other guys are role models because they don't have them? Really? Some of these other guys don't have crystal clear reputations. That's how you're going to define this kid? It's pretty irritating, but it is what it is."

See now, I have a bigger problem with Teresa Kaepernick's response to this article than I do the pinhead who wrote it. I think we can all learn something here. Stereotypes, generalizations, whatever you want to call them will always exist.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me."

Remember that one? I learned that one in grammar school. Look, if you know who you are, I mean really know yourself, and love who you are, an article like this goes in one ear and out the other. It's passed off as ignorance. And ignorance is annoying, it's irritating, but you can't let it get to you. Yeah, maybe some people think Colin Kaepernick looks like he belongs in San Quentin, cool. Whatever. And to say something like that publicly could be viewed as disrespectful, especially by friends and family of Colin. But at the end of the day, Kaepernicks actions will speak a lot louder than any article written by some out of touch with reality sports writer.

Cut him some slack. He's old. And old people can't drive, think, express themselves the way they used to. It's frustrating. They wear diapers. Old people are dumb. And the older they get, the more they come to grips with the reality that death is right around the corner. It scares them. ;)

Old people.

You can stereotype anyone.