Marshawn Lynch makes an entrance at Media Day for the Super Bowl on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. (Dean Rutz/Seattle Times/TNS)
To fellow members of the sports media, I have one request: stop the nonsense.
Marshawn Lynch does not want to talk to you. Marshawn Lynch should not have to talk to you if he does not want to. Marshawn Lynch is not here to do your job for you. Talk to somebody else.
Fifty-two other players and a number of coaches would be glad to give you a quote for your precious article. In fact, teammate Richard Sherman never shuts up, so why not talk to him?
Why not talk to that Russell Wilson fella who, when he's not visiting children's hospitals, or crying out to his lord and savior postgame, or doing commercials for American Family Insurance, is as quotable as he is handsome?
Why not talk to that Brady guy on the other side who is the NFL's golden boy, a veteran on this kind of stage, and arguably the greatest to ever play the position?
Why not talk to Rob Gronkowski –– an Arizona product and one of the most shining and hilarious personalities in all of sports?
Stop calling Lynch a thug (which is basically the TV and Twitter-friendly N-word). Stop complaining that he's interfering with your job and pointing to the Pro Football Writers of America rulebook as evidence. He is a human being who just so happens to be more focused on the task at hand, winning a second straight Super Bowl, rather than your petty questions that could very well be asked of someone else.
On Thursday, Lynch finally addressed the situation after two consecutive days of answering every question with either the phrase "I'm here so I won't get fined" or "Y'all know why I'm here."
One reporter in that clip tried to force an answer out of Lynch by asking him about the potential fine he faces for wearing unauthorized "Beastmode" gear that the NFL and its money-grubbing psychopathic front office can't make money from selling. Lynch did nothing more than adjust the hat bearing the logo in question.
Another reporter asked "How's your mom?" to try and get an emotional reaction out of Lynch, which, frankly, is a petty and sad example of just how absurdly desperate the sports media is to try and get a story out of Lynch. If you want a story, stop harassing him. That worked pretty damn well for the NY Daily News.
It's not just the media that is harassing and making an example out of Lynch, either. The stuffy executives at the No Fun League, led by the Ginger Hammer Roger Goodell, fined Lynch $100,000 over the last two years for refusing to speak to the media, are forcing Lynch to speak during this entire week, and is reportedly mulling another huge fine of Lynch for wearing the aforementioned "Beastmode" hat.
It is not remotely surprising to see the NFL doing something stupid, but this is starting to get ridiculous. Ray Rice was initially fined roughly $58,000 and suspended two games for beating his wife senseless in an elevator, and Marshawn Lynch has been fined over twice that amount for his refusal to talk to reporters and decision to make an obscene gesture following a score in the NFC title game.
So, by that measure, grabbing your crotch after scoring a touchdown is equivalent to one left hook to your wife's face. Note taken.
Oh wait, I forgot, the NFL isn't selling pictures of Ray Rice beating his wife in an elevator for $149.95. I guess there is a difference.
Reach the columnist at rclarke6@asu.edu or on Twitter @RClarkeASU.
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