FoxBusiness.com reports that

Nike selected the controversial former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the new face of the athletic wear company’s “Just Do It” campaign, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

“Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt,” Kaepernick, who has been with Nike since 2011 though hasn’t played on an NFL team since the 2016 season, posted on Twitter on Monday afternoon.

The now-free agent quarterback, who led the Niners to Super Bowl XLVII where they fell to the Baltimore Ravens, stirred up controversy when he began kneeling during the playing of the national anthem prior to NFL games, beginning in the summer of 2016, to protest racial injustices against the African-American community.

Many other players have joined the movement since it began, which eventually led to NFL owners voting to enact a national anthem policy for the 2018 season. Under the new guidelines announced in May, players and others associated with the NFL who are on the sideline must stand during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, while those who choose not to stand must remain in the locker room.

The policy has been on hold since July under an agreement with the NFL Players Association, and while the league and players union have tried to come to a deal that pleases both sides, it doesn’t appear likely that the two parties will have an agreement before the start of the 2018 season on Thursday.

The movement also caught the attention of President Trump, who lambasted Kaepernick and other players who participated in the pregame protests. Last September, the president called on NFL owners to fire any player who kneeled during the national anthem.

Television ratings declined nearly 10% across all networks during the 2016-2017 regular season, according to data from Nielsen, though that cannot be blamed solely on the anthem controversy. An average NFL game was watched by 1.6 million fewer people in 2017 versus the prior year— an overall decline from 16.5 million to 14.9 million, according to ESPN. Ratings saw a similar decline last season, falling 8%, the sports network reported. Still, 20 of the 30 top-rated shows on television last year were NFL games, according to Nielsen data.

Let’s get something straight before we go any further: Colin Kaepernick has sacrificed ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He was a mediocre player, at best.

Our Brightest and Best who defend our Sovereign Nation every day and those who stand in that Thin Blue Line, who protect our cities and towns are the ones who sacrificially lay their lives on the line every day.

What Nike is doing is taking a gamble probably based on some sort of marketing survey which found that a significant number of those who support the NFL Players taking a knee during the playing of the National Anthem purchase Nike tennis shoes and other products.

In the minds of the Nike Corporate Brain Trust, they have made a strategic move designed to maximize their revenue by appealing to their customer base.

The problem with their decision is that they are alienating any potential customers who think that Kaepernick and the millionaires in the NFL who are still taking a knee during the National Anthem are a bunch of ungrateful idiots.

Back in September of 2016, a few weeks after Kaepernick started his protest, CBSSports.com reported that

In one poll, which was conducted by Reuters, 72 percent of Americans said that they thought Kaepernick’s behavior was unpatriotic. Another 61 percent said that they do not “support the stance Colin Kaepernick is taking and his decision not to stand during the national anthem.”

Of course, the whole thing mushroomed after that, with the Main Stream Media gushing about how noble that the protest by the NFL Players was, while ignoring the fact that if these spoiled millionaire athletes really cared about the “community”, they would have followed the example of the legendary Jim Brown and would have actually been working with and mentoring young men in the community during the off-season.

The Nike Corporate Symbol, which is recognized around the world, is called “The Swoosh”.

In basketball, a “swoosh” is when you shoot the ball and it enters the basketball net dead center, without touching the rim.

This Marketing Strategy which Nike has unveiled is most definitely NOT a “Swoosh”.

They missed by a country mile.

Until He Comes,

KJ