I love how everyone has the same, wrong answer, 'they're paid to play'. This is BULL. They are paid to PERFORM. Most of that is on the field, yes, but some of it is in talking to the media, making public appearances, and so on. And they are paid handsomely for it. If I went to work, and said "I'll do the majority of my job, but I won't do X", I'd expect to be docked at minimum for that as well.
Poll: Ok anyone else think this is BS?
- Thread starter ecoho
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Which shows favoritism, which reflects badly on the league.ecoho said:
I should point out that I'm not against him not talking to people in the locker room. Frankly, I think that the press should be banned from the locker room entirely. I'm just pointing out that he's not special, and that there's no expectations specific to him that aren't equal.
(It was noted that the contract said that 'the player has to be available'. Do his pants need to be available as well? Cause I know how I'd delay my interviews....)
not going to lie that last bit made me chuckle.prowll said:
But back on track how does that reflect badly on the league? I would think the vultures they allow into the games to do the interviews reflect more so when they misquote people they don't care for. Also id be just as pissed if they did this to the Dallas running back(cant remember how to spell his name and don't want to butcher it.)
I believe that the requirement is a BS one and as such should be removed I mean hell you got at least one guy on that team whos more then happy to talk to the press and is entertaining at it if not great in Richard Sherman, why not let him and leave the guys who don't want to talk the hell alone.
I've never been for fining him or anyone if they don't want to talk to the media.
It shouldn't even be a clause in the contract to make it mandatory to speak to the press if they don't want to, given how untrustworthy most news outlets are.
It shouldn't even be a clause in the contract to make it mandatory to speak to the press if they don't want to, given how untrustworthy most news outlets are.
I don't see why the guy can't go Malkavian on the media until they lose interest.
"What would you say your greatest play was?"
"well I call it the rubber ducky, and I run really fast with the ball in my hand, and then I move to the left a bit until I'm at the end of the field."
"Right...well, what do you think of your teams performance this season?"
"I think they're doing great, which is good because they're professional football players. If they were doing bad, our score would suffer."
Just annoy them, they'll go away.
"What would you say your greatest play was?"
"well I call it the rubber ducky, and I run really fast with the ball in my hand, and then I move to the left a bit until I'm at the end of the field."
"Right...well, what do you think of your teams performance this season?"
"I think they're doing great, which is good because they're professional football players. If they were doing bad, our score would suffer."
Just annoy them, they'll go away.
I feel like such fines are typically born from the person breaking an agreement, like a stipulation in their contract which states they'll talk to the press after games, or an agreement to participate in a specific news engagement (IE the news program schedules an exclusive interview ahead of time with the player's manager or team manager). If no such contractual obligations were involved then I would say it's BS as well, but otherwise that's just how these things work. Sports interviews are worth a lot of money, and is a major letdown for whatever channel or channels had blocked out the time for the interview and possibly made announcements ahead of time that it would happen.ecoho said:
Prowll hit the nail on the head. They're entertainers, no different from actors. They are not only expected to publicly perform, but to take part in the whole scene around the performance. Asking Lynch to give a few sentences about the game is no more bullshit than asking an actor to go to the Late Show and talk up his latest film. You don't have to be the most eloquent or original speaker, but it's a core part of the job; if all people wanted was the raw skill at sport, we'd just watch games of EA's latest football game being played by computers.
Yes. It happened with Lebron James during his first stint with Cleveland Cavaliers when he walked out without congratulating the winning team and talking to the media when they were eliminated from playoffs. James was fined by NBA through similar fashion.ffronw said:
I don't like it but I do think it should be customary to talk to media, (same level as shaking hands with opponent before and after game) rather than obligation.
But you know what's even bigger BS? Penalizing a player (Colin Kaepernick in this case) for wearing Beats headphone instead of Bose which is a NFL sponsor.
I have zero sympathy for the man
You are paid millions of dollars to do a job. Part of that job is being available to the media because the fans want to hear what you have to say. There's plenty of shit I have to do at my job that I don't like to do but if I decided to stop doing it, I wouldn't get away with a (relatively) pitiful fine against me; my ass would be fired.
You get paid a stupid amount of money to do a job; do your damn job and don't expect me to give you a shoulder to cry on when you get fined for deciding that you don't want to do a part of your job anymore.
If he could "prove" that there is a medical reason behind why he can't speak to the media (something he's had no problem with in the past and he seems to have no problem in front of the fans with grabbing his own crotch [http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12210256/marshawn-lynch-seattle-seahawks-fined-obscene-gesture] so he can't be THAT shy), then I could see the argument for why he shouldn't have to talk to the media. Barring that, all I see is an incredibly rich man bitching about a five minute interview that's part of his job.
You are paid millions of dollars to do a job. Part of that job is being available to the media because the fans want to hear what you have to say. There's plenty of shit I have to do at my job that I don't like to do but if I decided to stop doing it, I wouldn't get away with a (relatively) pitiful fine against me; my ass would be fired.
You get paid a stupid amount of money to do a job; do your damn job and don't expect me to give you a shoulder to cry on when you get fined for deciding that you don't want to do a part of your job anymore.
If he could "prove" that there is a medical reason behind why he can't speak to the media (something he's had no problem with in the past and he seems to have no problem in front of the fans with grabbing his own crotch [http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12210256/marshawn-lynch-seattle-seahawks-fined-obscene-gesture] so he can't be THAT shy), then I could see the argument for why he shouldn't have to talk to the media. Barring that, all I see is an incredibly rich man bitching about a five minute interview that's part of his job.
It'd certainly make sense for them to do so, but I think this is something that could use more work.Recusant said:
watched the game looked like he was adjusting his cup at the time. As far as him being required to be available to the media that's colossal bullshit the guy doesn't like talking to the media, he consistently gives non answers, and they keep harassing him! Take a fucking hint he DOES NOT LIKE YOU! and I don't blame him the way they misquote him and other players if it was me id of sued their asses for slander if not beat them into the ground.tippy2k2 said:
Now he may or may not deserve the crotch grab fine but at least that makes sense but whats worse is they fine him 20k for that but 50k for not talking to a reporter?! WTF is up with that the guy on the lions who intentionally hurt another player got fined less then 50K!
Frankly, I don't care if he doesn't like to talk to reporters. It's part of the job. He can go cry on the giant pile of money he's gained from fan support later if talking to reporters is something he hates so much. Hell, do the non-answers for all it really matters but being available to the media is part of his paycheck. If he refuses to do part of his job, he should be punished as I would be punished if I decided that I didn't want to do something at my job that I'm required to do.ecoho said:
As to the amounts of fines, I think that the problem is that the intentional acts of attempting to cause injuries should be a MUCH higher fine, not that Lynch is being fined too much for refusing to do something in his job description.
As to the crotch grab, it's not his only time doing it so I have a hard time giving him the benefit of the doubt that he was just "adjusting his cup".
Its bs but in their contract. Personally if I didn't want to talk i'd just proceed to troll the ever living hell out of the league/reporters.
Guess it depends on his contract. Pro sports lives and dies by celebrity players. Doing the on camera song and dance is just as much of a part of their job as playing their game.
If he's required to flog the sport to the press and won't then yeah fine him.
If he's required to flog the sport to the press and won't then yeah fine him.
yeah but both those are away games and directed at the opposing teams fans(and he was rightly fined for it), this one was at home which is why I think it was just an adjustment.tippy2k2 said:
OT:
It should never be part of his job to talk to reporters about anything if he doesn't want to, that's what im saying whether its in his contract or not is mute as its a stupid clause that should not be in there. Now heres a novel thought how about trying to encourage him to speak with the press by bringing in ethical people he trusts to do his interviews hell try the guys who do inside the NFL on showtime they're well respected and tend to be fair have them do his interviews and he might not mind doing it. Of course they cant do that it makes sense! It would also make sense to ban certain reporters who actively misquote players from ever having contact with them, because that right there would most likely solve the problem.
Hey, this is a serious offense, unlike beating your wife or torturing animals. They take this stuff very seriously. I, for one, am glad to see the NFL step up and take a stance about important issues like this.ecoho said:
Alright, sarcasm aside, this is pretty bad. I'm not surprised, though, I have zero respect for the NFL on the business side of things. Their priorities are all kinds of messed up. I almost wonder if this is just an excuse to punish him for something else, or if they really are just that petty.