Dear NFL Media and “Professional Football Writers”:
As a Seattle Seahawks season ticket holder I could care less about your so-called journalism that transpired during Super Bowl media day. What more can I learn about Peyton Manning that I don’t already know? The guy has been in the NFL for over 16 years. He has even hosted Saturday Night Live, and no, he will not be hosting SNL this coming Saturday.
If you don’t know Peyton by now, you will never ever know him. What revelations about Peyton can be learned from your 45 minute “question” and answer session at media day? Perhaps, you can inform me on who is Peyton’s favorite “Real Housewives” star.
Not only are your questions irrelevant, they are demeaning and disrespectful to the player. For many, playing in the Super Bowl is a childhood dream and you are turning their moment into a joke. For others, their career and livelihood hinges on the outcome of their performance in the biggest game. I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. Show some damn respect! Please act like you’ve been here before, and for God’s sake do not ask the player or head coach if this is a “must-win” game. If your friends can’t behave themselves either, then don’t invite them to the party.
The coverage of the Super Bowl has turned more into about you reporting on the Super Bowl, than the actually football game. Remember the football game is why you are here in the first place!
I am sure it is a lovely and exciting time for you to be in New York/New Jersey. One of your own, Mike Florio of NBC’s Pro Football Talk, told the Brock and Danny Show today that this event is rarely about the game. It is more about you having the opportunity to see other people and sell some things. By his own account you won’t even really focus on the game until Saturday.
I could only imagine the cocktail and dinner parties you are throwing for yourself at swanky Manhattan locations. It sounds so glamorous, doesn’t it? It almost sounds like your on vacation. I know it’s been tough, you’ve been working so hard since training camp and you feel like you deserve a break. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back, but please don’t mail it in this week.
What you probably really love this week is that you are finally the center of attention instead of those damn players and coaches. This is your time to shine.
I hate to rain on your parade, but I have some of my own news to break. An overwhelming majority of people really don’t care about your “stories” which are mostly fabricated and invented. They are irrelevant and meaningless. You’ve lost some of your credibility with the American public.
It also unattractive when you form a pack and corner these players, while shoving microphones in their faces, as if they are some kind of circus sideshow freak. It is reminiscent of a scene from Elephant Man. These players aren’t animals, they are humans. Maybe this why people think of you as leaches or parasites.
In regards to Marshawn Lynch, why are you and your friends just now forming his lynch mob (no pun intended)? He hasn’t talked to you for the past few years. What has changed since then? Perhaps one of your own, John Clayton, has taken on the self-proclaimed role as contract compliance officer of the NFL. Starting a few weeks ago, Lynch made himself available to you out of the blue. After that, I learned Lynch was threatened with a $50,000 fine for not speaking to you. That is a lot of money, so whoever called the NFL must have a lot of juice. It probably wasn’t your friend from the Everett Herald or the Wenatchee World. I mean for fifty large, it had to be one of your friends from the national market. My guess would be ESPN, and more than likely Mr. Clayton, based upon his comments yesterday to 710 ESPN.
Mr. Clayton seemed giddy that he knew Lynch would not follow through with his media obligation and therefore would be fined. Now Clayton sounds like a bitter cry-baby since Lynch wasn’t fined. Instead of “The Professor” he sounds more like the “Special Prosecutor” for the Feds trying to break up a ring of organized crime by forcing the bad guys to testify against each other. Mike Sando from ESPN also seemed really upset with Coach Carroll for not setting his uppity player straight. Things don’t alway go the way you think they should in life.
I know you are pissed about his behavior because his contract has a clause which requires him to make himself available to you. I am confused on this issue. Does Marshawn Lynch have a contract with you? Because I thought the contract was between him and his employer, the NFL. I don’t know why you are inserting yourself into other people’s business. My advice to you is to stay in your own lane.
I know you probably discussed this problem with Marshawn with all of your friends last night over cocktails in mid-town Manhattan, because this morning it was obvious you guys were gunning for Lynch and Carroll.
You’re probably scared right? I mean if one player doesn’t talk and he is not punished, then all the players are going to stop talking to you. I bet you see this as a threat to your livelihood, but your fears are unreasonable.
There is no upside in this war against Marshawn. What you see is what you get with him. To the rest of the world, you just appear to be a vindictive prick. In the words of the wise philosopher Ice Cube, you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Furthermore, it is clear that Marshawn does not like the way you and your friends crowd around him. Let the man breathe and give him some room. He seems to be okay with talking to your friends in a one-on-one setting. In fact, he just spoke to Mike Silver over at NFL.com a few days ago. I hope that isn’t why you are so upset. Are you jealous because he talked to your friend from NFL.com and not you? Jealousy is not a good look for you. Take some advice from one of your own.
I just want you to remember, the coaches and players make the news. You just need to report it.
Sincerely,
Professional Football Fan
