Chris Kluwe burning bridges

Well, we already know certain teams have no problems with psychopathic dog killers and redneck racists.

 

Basically, for any football coach, a "distraction" is defined as a "player having an independent thought that is not completely in line with what I think or what I believe the prevailing culture to be."

 

What kind of idiot would speak out in favor of gun violence?

 

Oops.

Against gun violence.

 

I'll change that just a tad:
Basically, for any football coach, a "distraction" is defined as a "player having an independent thought that takes even one second away from game planning for this week's opponent."

 

O.J. Simpson

 

Jovan Belcher

 

Blair Walsh is a damn good kicker who just finished his second year. He's got more than enough job security.

 

Walsh is one of the best kickers in the league, but he's young enough that he's content to tow the company line. His version also might be completely true. I wouldn't suspect Priefer would treat Walsh the same way he would treat Kluwe.

Priefer will be back in the NFL before Kluwe, Ayanbadejo and Kerry Rhodes are.

 

For all the talk about Walsh's statement, at no point does he say "I never heard Mike say anything like that." Says it doesn't sound like Priefer and vouches for his character overall, but low on specifics.

I don't think it will ever get to the "witness" stage Kluwe talked about, because the Vikings certainly have nothing to gain from that, but Walsh under oath is much different from Walsh in a team-coordinated statement.

 

Exactly, on all counts...

Kluwe may truly believe his views were the reason the Vikings drafted a kicker and then cut him. Maybe they are, but unless Spielman told him that, that's just his opinion.

Although if there is a GM who is dumb enough to tell a player he was cut because of his views, it would be Spielman.

 

Kluwe is a smart guy, though maybe not as smart as he thinks he is.

I know a lot of people, myself included, who temper our public comments and behavior as a nod to continued employment. Sure, we can be within our rights to shout out our social views from mountaintops and call out close-minded employers, but that path of most resistance isn't for everybody. And Kluwe's dealing with a cumulative effect here -- he has been outspoken about a lot of things, turning into noise for a franchise dipping deep into public pockets for its new stadium.

And punters = replaceable.