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This link already made an appearance in the Golden Nuggets, but I still wanted to pull it out for a broader view. Matt Barrows put together a feature looking at Colin Kaepernick and his return to getting ready for the 2013 season. Kaepernick indicated he would be getting right back at things, and he has followed up quickly on that.
Prior to the Super Bowl, there was plenty of discussion about the development of the Kaepernick brand. His strong 2012-13 season put him in position to bring home some serious marketing dollars. However, his marketing and PR person, Shawn Smith, spoke about how Kap is so focused on football that she has to sometimes push him on this external front because he is so focused on football. This is showing as he gets back to the gym.
Kap is down in Atlanta at CES Performance training with 50 college athletes getting ready for the draft, as well as a dozen or so veteran players. My favorite part of the article might have been the discussion of part of Kap's workout:
[Aaron] Roberts said Kaepernick trains with the offensive linemen, who have a reputation as the hardest-working and most intense group at the facility.
They arrive at 8 a.m. and take off in the late afternoon. Wednesday's pool workouts are particularly tough. Imagine trying to swim while someone pulls on you - via a harness and bungee cords - from the opposite direction.
Chad Hall and Ricardo Lockette are in Atlanta, and A.J. Jenkins is expected to join them.
Part of the reason Kap is in Atlanta is the volume of people he knows around Turlock and Reno. I have to imagine anonymity is not going to be available much longer, but with fewer friends in Atlanta, he can avoid distractions as he prepares for 2013.
Kaepernick showed off a bevy of skills all the way through the Super Bowl. Now we are getting a better chance to view his off-the-field mentality. Prior to the Super Bowl, Ron Jaworski told me the only thing he thought Kap was missing was experience. At this point, given everything we've seen on and off the field, that seems more true each day. The future certainly is bright!