Sgt. Largent":epcc1gby said:
kobebryant":epcc1gby said:
Seems simple- if you do good, high quality work with Bennett, like Kimes or Farrar have recently , he'll show respect in kind and foster strong relationships. If you put out crap like this Calkins piece then you get what you asked for; respect is earned, not given. Bennett, Sherman, and Marshawn have shown respect to those who earn it.
So it was OK for Bennett to bark at Bill Wixley about adversity when Wixley was a cancer surivivor.........and then not apologize?
This is not black and white like we have to choose sides. Bennett and Sherman do amazing things for the community, and I believe they are good men. But this article is spot on, they both have proven to have thin skin immaturity issues when it comes to dealing with the media.
The media has a habit of poking for quotes immediately after an emotional situation - losing or winning a big game, making or blowing big plays, etc. because when athletes are emotional they say things in the heat of the moment and it sells newspapers.
There's a big difference between interviewing a cancer survivor - for example - when he's feeling well and can wax poetic about his experience, and when he's puking his guts out from chemo and wanting to end it all because life sucks and he has cancer and he can see how much it hurts everyone around him and he feels like a burden and everyone would be better off if he wasn't there wracking up horrendous medical expenses.
I guarantee if you interview him at his most emotional, you will not get composed, mature responses.
But we expect our athletes to be composed and mature when they are at the height of their emotions?
Russell Wilson does that, but he's essentially a robot. Sherman and Bennett are examples of players whose blood runs hot. They get emotionally involved in what they do. They use it as a tool to motivate themselves to perform at their peak ability, and both are among the elite at their position in part because of their passion. Just don't expect to interview them in the grips of that passion and get robotic responses.