Media, leave Marshawn alone

[HolyCatfish]

As much as I love Beast, he needs to talk more to the press, and by extension to us. Can we please remember these guys are paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a game and be a beloved celebrity. They are also contractually obligated to talk to us and be just a tad more accessible.

His 6 minute interview with Dion was just winsauce in a bottle. He was very candid and sounded a lot like some of the kids I grow up with in Tacoma. It was very refreshing and frankly fascinating to hear from an inner city kid that makes good, makes REAL good.

Surely, he makes enough money to scoff at these fines, but it's the principle behind them I believe he's missing.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

For every Mike Sando that puts thought, care, research, and analysis into his writing, there are ten Terry Blounts.

Speaking of, if we had Sando, Nick Waggoner (or if ESPN had just put Eric D. Williams on the Seahawks blog), we'd be getting articles with actual substance from the ESPN Seahawks blog this week instead of the typical Williamson/Graziano/Seifert/Blount/etc. crap we're getting now.

 

[Yoonhawk]

I'm not saying he has to "face the wrath". I'm saying he knows what he's doing, and has a right to do it. But the press also have a right, without doubt, to complain about someone who is, admittedly, making it difficult for them to do their jobs. 3-4 threads condemning the press seems a little OTT for me. Let them all do as they please, Lynch and the press, and let's talk some football instead.

I've also tried, seemingly in vain, to try and counter some of the "all journalists are the devil" narrative because the vast majority of journalists are just really decent people trying to pay the bills -- with no agenda, just doing their jobs. An army of Mike Sando's, John McClain's and Danny O'Neil's. Just good guys out their earning a living and providing a terrific service to the fans.

Of course the media has the right to do what they're doing, and obviously no one is stopping them, but that doesn't mean that, we, as the public, can't criticize their behavior and misplaced sense of entitlement. I'm certainly not in the camp that thinks that "all journalists are the devil," but the few that whine and complain about not getting sound bites from a select few players to add filler to their articles won't get any sympathy from me. The same reporters that do seem to do a good job in spite of a lack of cooperation from all players don't seem to be the same reporters complaining about Lynch's unavailability.

 

[Polaris]

I'm not saying he has to "face the wrath". I'm saying he knows what he's doing, and has a right to do it. But the press also have a right, without doubt, to complain about someone who is, admittedly, making it difficult for them to do their jobs. 3-4 threads condemning the press seems a little OTT for me. Let them all do as they please, Lynch and the press, and let's talk some football instead.

I've also tried, seemingly in vain, to try and counter some of the "all journalists are the devil" narrative because the vast majority of journalists are just really decent people trying to pay the bills -- with no agenda, just doing their jobs. An army of Mike Sando's, John McClain's and Danny O'Neil's. Just good guys out their earning a living and providing a terrific service to the fans.

Of course the media has the right to do what they're doing, and obviously no one is stopping them, but that doesn't mean that, we, as the public, can't criticize their behavior and misplaced sense of entitlement. I'm certainly not in the camp that thinks that "all journalists are the devil," but the few that whine and complain about not getting sound bites from a select few players to add filler to their articles won't get any sympathy from me. The same reporters that do seem to do a good job in spite of a lack of cooperation from all players don't seem to be the same reporters complaining about Lynch's unavailability.

In addition to this (above), I also see far too few instances of reporters calling out and criticising other reporters and media sources in public for being irresponsible, and thus contributing to the media pack mentality (that I personally find revolting).

 

[-The Glove-]

The media gets no love from me. They're crying about not being able to get quotes for their stories and they need to put food on the table. Getoutahere! You guys don't want a story. If so there's plenty to choose from. How about Derrick Coleman and has hearing impairment; or Turbin and his sisters with disabilities; or how about MRob damn near death and fighting all the way back to make it back on the team. Nah, but that's too hard. You'd actually have to put some effort into writing those stories. What you all really want is someone to write the headlines and story for you. You want to keep antagonizing Marshawn, hoping he breaks and lashes out at one of you. That's the juicy stuff you all crave right there. To be on the other end of an angry black man while you're "simply doing your job" like how they made Erin Andrews out to be a victim

 

[twelthmanfan]

So far they got the S word out of him. They are like roaches. LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!

 

[Polaris]

So far they got the S word out of him. They are like roaches. LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!

:sarcasm_on: The Roach Anti-Defamation League would like to have a word with you. We Roaches have enough image problems as it is without being compared with the like of sensationalist media reporters. :sarcasm_off:

 

[253hawk]

John Lynch and Deion are hugely in Marshawn's corner on this. Love seeing ex-players step up on this media crap.

 

[hawkfan68]

Exactly... the mediots should leave Marshawn alone. Let him be. It's not fun for him and honestly, NFL shouldn't mandate that players give access to the media. It's ridiculous. They'll talk if they want to. It should be a choice not a rule. There are plenty of Richard Sherman's who love to talk. Seek them.

 

[Largent80]

John Lynch and Deion are hugely in Marshawn's corner on this. Love seeing ex-players step up on this media crap.

Here Here. I loved both of those guys as players, and they actually say things that matter.

I'm also liking Irvin a lot lately.

 

[TwistedHusky]

The Seahawks need to just let him take the fine.

Do we really want Lynch to associate going to the SuperBowl with something uncomfortable and unpleasant?

At some point even on a subconcious level it could impact performance in future playoffs. We don't need him dreading the finish line.

Just pay the freaking fine, get him off the stage, keep him off the stage and find a way to work in some bonuses or give him some endorsement contract to make up the money he loses not interviewing. But since all interviewing does is make him uncomfortable and set him up for ridiculous or worse - why do it?

This team needs a Marshawn with his head straight. It is a bad bad idea to ask him or even ALLOW him to sit in front of anymore cameras.

 

[Minne]

yes. Deion sticking up for marshawn tough. i love it.

 

[Basis4day]

As much as I love Beast, he needs to talk more to the press, and by extension to us. Can we please remember these guys are paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a game and be a beloved celebrity. They are also contractually obligated to talk to us and be just a tad more accessible.

His 6 minute interview with Dion was just winsauce in a bottle. He was very candid and sounded a lot like some of the kids I grow up with in Tacoma. It was very refreshing and frankly fascinating to hear from an inner city kid that makes good, makes REAL good.

Surely, he makes enough money to scoff at these fines, but it's the principle behind them I believe he's missing.

Why does he need to do anything except what is obligated by his contract? What question has been asked of him that he has not already answered? He volunteers a great deal of his time to kids down here in Oakland, which helps a lot more kids than speaking to the national media.

The whole point of media day is to try and get a player to:

a. answer a question he has likely already answered.
b. say something controversial to get a headline.

Most fans could care less what he has to say off the field and care a great deal more about what he does on the field. He says he loves the 12's and he plays his ass off every single game. Nothing more is needed, all that is left is what's required.

 

[DTexHawk]

I bet every person in this thread has something in their job requirement that they don't like doing, but they do it because it's part of the job.

Being an NFL player requires that you talk to the media.

Talk, give random answers, get over it.

 

[jammerhawk]

At this stage it's almost as if the media are behaving like sharks that smell blood in the water as Lynch is significantly discomforted by the media attention. If the negative attention continues I see it as the type of harassment that that the paparazzi heap upon celebrities in order to sell whatever embarrassing photograph they can get.

This is just all hype and Marshawn is not playing the way the mediots want him to play so he is belittled harassed and reviled when they know he doesn't like the process and wants little to do with it.

I don't agree he should have to face any consequences from not engaging with a situation he is uncomfortable being involved in. He owes the media nothing and they have no right to expect him to accommodate them.

 

[jammerhawk]

If they need a sound bite let them get it from Richard Sherman or elsewhere and let the Beast be the strong silent type.

 

[Polaris]

I bet every person in this thread has something in their job requirement that they don't like doing, but they do it because it's part of the job.

Being an NFL player requires that you talk to the media.

Talk, give random answers, get over it.

Per the NFL (and that's the only opinion that counts), Lynch met his contractual obligations. ESPN and the pro-football writers assoc and the others need to get over it, and get over themselves. The game isn't about them. It's about the players and the fans when you get right down to it.

 

[Minne]

I bet every person in this thread has something in their job requirement that they don't like doing, but they do it because it's part of the job.

Being an NFL player requires that you talk to the media.

Talk, give random answers, get over it.

If you even watched the latest interview, his legs are shaking, he is uncomfortable. when you have tons of cameras in your face wanting you to say something they can blow up, asking questions about beiber and strippers. how is it really relivent to anything?

 

[Basis4day]

I bet every person in this thread has something in their job requirement that they don't like doing, but they do it because it's part of the job.

Being an NFL player requires that you talk to the media.

Talk, give random answers, get over it.

Worked real well for Richard Sherman. Only talked for 20 seconds to Erin Andrews and was never heard from again.

 

[Polaris]

I bet every person in this thread has something in their job requirement that they don't like doing, but they do it because it's part of the job.

Being an NFL player requires that you talk to the media.

Talk, give random answers, get over it.

If you even watched the latest interview, his legs are shaking, he is uncomfortable. when you have tons of cameras in your face wanting you to say something they can blow up, asking questions about beiber and strippers. how is it really relivent to anything?

Frankly at this point I think the media wants to destroy Lynch with the same visciousness that a little kid pulls wings off flies.