So Marshawn Lynch has gone "Least Mode" in front of the microphones and cameras this week.
Good for him.
About time somebody was actually LESS accessible, LESS overexposed, or LESS cliched when it comes to the relentless hyping and marketing of players these days.
When Deion struggled to pry a few words out of Lynch, it turned out to be pure gold. Not just for Lynch gems like "I'm just all 'bout that action" and "Whole town's bidness gonna be up in the house" but also for how gingerly the normally high stepping Prime Time had to approach him.
But alas, the vaunted "Pro Football Writers of America" (PFWA) - which should be re-branded the People For Wonderful Answers - got their old man panties in a wad and fired off a letter to the NFL about it all.
Bitches.
“The Pro Football Writers of America, the official voice of pro football writers fighting and promoting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public, is extremely disappointed in the lack of meaningful access to Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch at the Super Bowl XLVIII media day on Tuesday,” the PFWA said in a statement issued by president D. Orlando Ledbetter.
“Several of our long-standing and high profile members were appalled by Mr. Lynch’s conduct and refusal to answer any questions. We find the statement that by the league that ‘Players are required to participate and he participated’ to be an affront to our membership. However, we are encouraged that the league will continue to closely monitor this situation.”See. This is why John Clayton got stuffed in trash cans alot
"The Marshawn Lynch thing was totally embarrassing for the organization I think because he went through the motions of answering questions non-football-related for six minutes and 21 seconds and bolted," Clayton said. "He didn't leave the area but he stood near the position where he was supposed to be and refused to walk back. I honestly think that he should get the $100,000 fine. He acted irresponsibly."
Yes, the seethingly ugly John Clayton, who provides nothing exciting or useful ever in his "reporting", wants Lynch to be docked well over double the average annual salary of the guy watching the game on TV. The same guy who willingly let ESPN make a promo of him, painting him as some loser in his mom's basement who mysteriously has a job doing television reports, is now acting all serious.
What a dick.
And he, along with many of these other pathetic dinosaurs sit in a closed room and elect players to Canton, and insist they are not biased.
Sure.
Once upon a time, things were much simpler. Like below. Joe Namath would sit poolside, writers would come up for a quote or two, blue haired old ladies would get an autograph, and nobody acted like a bitch.
If the PFWA wanted to carp to the NFL's Brian McCarthy in private about Lynch, fine. But the moment someone pulled out his Smith-Corona to write that letter, he should have been beaten to within an inch of his life by whatever remaining NFL writers have any sense of dignity.
Would you go into a staff meeting and say "Hey I'm required to be here contractually, but I refuse to participate so I'm just gonna sit in the back and play brick breaker."
ReplyDeleteAgree the PWFA is a bunch of children, but rules are the rules. Gripe with the NFL about required media availability if anything, but the truth is Lynch is being a baby because he doesn't like something he is required to do.
Hey Bruce any projects you working on now, may a new solo CD or a new Maiden one?,loved Accident of Birth another one like that would be great to hear..P.S.: I thought you limey's loved soccer and did not follow American Football to much.
DeleteNFL could have given Lynch some cliff's notes.
ReplyDeleteHis response to every question: "Aw hell, i don't know. We're just gonna show up Sunday and do what we do."
Repeat.
Also I Like the bald guy shading his head with newspaper in the Namath shot.
I know Czabe has issues with his Art Monk stance, but reporters like Paul Zimmerman didn't need to have jocks serve up gift-wrapped quotes that wrote the story/narrative for them. These guys today moan about the NFL players being divas, but the reporters are three times worse. And don't get me started on the Erin Andrews types who pee themselves when Richard Sherman starts yelling. Lose the mic and put your cheerleader costume back on.
ReplyDeleteBruce, players go to plenty staff meetings and have useful input as to their team's performance. The analogy you're looking for is talking to the media, not people internal to your organization. Companies have PR people who do this specifically so that they don't need to put employeees in front of cameras or newspaper reporters. How many companies require almost of their employees to talk to the media?
ReplyDeleteThe NFL requiring players to talk to the media can almost be viewed as a trap. These guys have their own opinions on matters concerning football and non-football issues. And while some are well spoken and are able to keep their communication style professional, not all can do this and a lot of them are not comfortable doing it and they end up being portrayed negatively by that same media who they are forced to talk to. So, whether the NFL recognizes it or not, it's a trap. I applaud Lynch for simply paying the fine and avoiding the media. His job is to win football games, work with his team, listen to his coaches, etc.
Seems today vast majority of interviews of players by radio, TV, what have you are pretty much just canned bs. The 24 hr news cycle and the internet has caused a lot of this with not really enough content to fill what's become an oversized box of radio, TV, satellite, cable, internet and print media. Occassionally you'll get a good interview (Emerson Walls was good Czabe) but most are crap-filled clichefests with equal contributions on both sides of the mic.
ReplyDeleteIf anything, you'd think the NFL would be happy Lynch is so uncooperative with the press. Someone of his checkered (or would that be "skittled") past is better left stashed away from the delving reporters, simply letting his actions entertain on the field on game day.
ReplyDeleteJoe Namath surrounded by Mad Men 1969. Lynch is just doing his best Don Draper..."ah, no."
ReplyDeleteHere's how it's done http://youtu.be/wpOSSmIo6N4
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ReplyDelete