TURLOCK -- You would think a place like this -- a railroad town, parked between Modesto and Merced -- would have its one NFL star on a pedestal. Places like these cherish the few celebrities they produce. It would be normal for Colin Kaepernick's No. 7 jersey to be plastered all over and a gazillion people to be claiming to be his cousin.
Turlock once felt that way about Kaepernick.The gave him a key to the city two years ago. A local restaurant named a hot dog after him. The city designated Feb. 2, 2013 "Kaepernick Day." Pitman High School graduates roared when he popped up on stage at the end of a commencement ceremony.