Did shoe company miscalculate on Kaepernick?

Nike pushed the “any news is good news” mantra to the limit with its decision to hire Colin Kaepernick for its latest “Just Do It” campaign.

Some publicity-savvy public figures were known for telling reporters “just spell my name right” when questioned about stories that cast them in a less-than-favorable light.

That’s no mean feat when it comes to the name Kaepernick, but Nike shouldn’t count on any surge in sales in Trump country.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, infamous for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality, broke the news on Twitter. Kaepernick, who hasn’t played since the 2016 season, is suing the National Football League for allegedly blacklisting him.

If Nike wanted to create a social media buzz, it was successful — top trending hashtags included #BoycottNike and #JustBurnIt and photos and videos of consumers burning their shoes were among the most popular.

A Bloomberg analyst thinks the controversy will turn into a long-term win-win for both the shoe company and former player, but not if America’s military veterans have anything to say about it.

“Most veterans that I know are already done with the NFL,” said Brian Searcy, a retired Air Force colonel.

“The NFL ruled against the Dallas Cowboys wearing shoes that honored the five Dallas police officers that were killed, but somehow it’s OK for professional athletes, who are employees of the league, to show this disrespect. With Nike making this announcement, I see it as only fueling the divisiveness that this entire issue has caused.”

Nebraska football fans should be happy that the only current controversy surrounding their favorite sport revolves around the weather.