Tattoos and NFL QBs

[GaUSFBull]

David Whitley, guy who wrote this, is taking some heat, and AOL put a disclaimer at the end of this article. Interested in people's thoughts. Personally, I could care less if people want to ink themselves up. I have three tattoos, but they are hidden when I wear a shirt. If someone wants to get inked up, it's not a big deal to me. Read:

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

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

“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.

David Whitley’s opinion is not reflective of the opinion of AOL, Inc.

[Bruce Blingstein]

I love the subliminal racism in this article. How he has to "throw in" Doug Williams as non tatted and Jeremy Shockey as tatted to make it look like he's not being racist. Then talk about Big Ben and Alex smith but their tats are for courage and heritage. Does he know what mike Vicks tats mean? Then uses cam as the good black guy with no tats and the mannings as the best white boys out there with a good dad. This guy is a moron. Ps I have no idea who David whitely is.

Time to step into today's world where people will have tattoos. And no tattoo removal will jot be a big industry boom. i have one too got it when I was 18, it is as well is covered when I wear a shirt...I want to add to it and though I do not report to a boss you can say I have a profession where my appearance does help me so I will keep them out of everyday sight.

Surprised he did t throw in these guys are role models crap too. Parents are role models and that's who I looked up to growing up.

Have no issues with tattoos.