Oct 8, 2016 4 min read

Where have all the real coaches gone? Not the coaches who teach the ins and outs of the game, but the ones who teach success in life. The National Football League seems to have adopted the Al Davis mentality of, “Just win baby.” This league needs a house cleaning.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, in his infinite wisdom, finds ways to only fine or suspend players who, in the normal workplace, would be out of a job. A player can be kicked out of the league for steroid use but guns, assault, drugs or spousal abuse seem to earn just a slap on the wrist.

In years past, the coach was like a father figure, but today there is so much emphasis on winning coaches won’t be that needed figure. These young men, mostly in their 20s and who came from nothing, are suddenly millionaires. Like it or not, they are role models.

Vince Lombardi stated he was more proud of the men he made out of football players than he was of the football players he made out of men. Bobby Mitchell, who played under coach Paul Brown in Cleveland, once said Brown stopped him from “slurping” soup when he was in public.

Wide receiver Cris Carter had a drug problem and was cut by coach Buddy Ryan. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings and, once clean and sober, had a Hall of Fame career. He stated Ryan, by cutting him, might have saved his life.

Hall of Famer Jim Marshall stated when Bud Grant took over as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings in 1967, the first day of practice Grant instructed all players how to line up and stand at attention during the national anthem. This was during the turbulent 1960s, amongst the Vietnam War and civil rights movement.

In the 1970s, when NFL coaches wore suits while on the sidelines, Dick Nolan was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. When his son had the same job, he wore a suit on the sidelines as a tribute to his father. What did the NFL do? It fined him $5,000 for each game because he was not wearing apparel sold by the league. Meanwhile, the guy who is probably the league’s best coach, Bill Bellichick, roams the sidelines in a cutoff sweatshirt.

Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson recently sat out nearly an entire season for what the league deemed a violation of its, “Code of Conduct” policy. Does this policy apply to all players?

All this leads to the question of the actions of San Francisco backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Where are the coaches, the owners and the league officials on this? He has the right not to stand during the national anthem but the question is, is it right? He said he is using this as a forum to voice his views. Where were these views in 2013, when he was playing in the Super Bowl? He had an entire week and probably 2,000 media representatives at the Super Bowl. Why didn’t he use that as a forum and speak up then? Perhaps because he was a starting quarterback.

I don’t question his right to protest or state his opinion, but the manner in which he chose to do so is disrespectful to most of America, and especially the armed forces.

This is an angry young man who could benefit from counseling, but it won’t happen. The league, coaches and owners are worried about appearing to be racist and infringing upon his rights. The worst part is the media. Had they ignored Kaepernick, he would be just another guy making $800,000 per week while sitting on the bench.

I think it’s fitting Kaepernick plays for the 49ers. Back in the 1970s, when industries were folding, people who lost their job went to the state unemployment office. People reported to line 49, “New and Reopened Claims.” Upon season’s end, I think there’s one 49er who will be at line 49.

Frank Trapuzzano

Washington