Marshawn Lynch. He’s about that action boss. He’s only here so he won’t get fined. He’s here, and you know why he’s here. Lynch is only making media appearances this week because if he doesn’t, the NFL will obviously fine him. He’s been fined a few times for not talking to reporters. The media has made this a thing. Lynch really wants to just keep to himself, play football and promote his Fam 1st charity. The media just keeps asking Lynch questions, the interviews become more redundant, and somehow get more attention.
People want what they can’t have, which is exactly why the media continues to try this man. The problem is that they’re never going to get a Marshawn Lynch interview while he’s playing. Why? Because they’re white. No, it’s not a race thing, well it kind of is, just stick with me and I’ll explain.
Okay, so here’s how Lynch has been with the media this past season…
Yeah Interview
….ummm, yeah.
Thanks For Asking Interview
This is where my step mother fell in love with Mr. Lynch.
I’m Thankful Interview
…makes sense, this was during the holiday season.
Tuesday’s Media Day
…he’s more ornery than a bad rich kid.
Yesterday January 28, 2015
So yeah….he doesn’t talk to media and he doesn’t really care for it. Why? I’ve heard it all, from he’s always been quiet, to he doesn’t like the media, he’s got social anxiety, he’s just about that action and more. But here are some commercials and more loquacious interviews he’s done recently.
2015 Skittles Press Conference commercial
We’ll look at that. He cracked a smile and has some personality.
2015 Progressive commercial
Okay, this is funny.
Michael Robinson/NFL Network interview
He looks very comfortable here.
2015 E! News Interview (right after his “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” interview)
See! Look, this man is singing his heart out for Michelle Williams.
Super Bowl XLVIII Media Day with Deion Sanders
He clearly didn’t want to speak at last year’s Super Bowl media day, but he was more than accommodating to Deion Sanders.
E:60 Feature with Jeffri Chadiha in late 2013
He seems pretty comfortable talking here too.
Here are some interviews with Marshawn actually enjoying the media’s company
YardBarker Road Trip Interview
Rookie year in Buffalo
Marshawn Lynch with NOC Sports (Vice Sports)
When he first arrived in Seattle
Rookie Year at the Super Bowl
Marshawn can talk when he wants to. Something happened after a loss on November 25, 2012 to the Miami Dolphins. From that loss until January 3, 2014, Lynch went the final seven games of the 2012 season and the entire 2013 regular season without speaking to the media. I’m sure he was in Heaven during that time. So who’s the reporter that pissed off Lynch? Through much investigating, I’ve turned up nothing. Through much assuming, I’ve figured it was a white guy. I mean, let’s face it, black faces in the sports media world are about as common black quarterbacks in the NFL. As in, it’s growing, but it’s not where it needs to be.
Am I calling Marshawn a racist? No. What I’m saying that it’s pretty clear that since November of 2012, the only people he’s comfortable speaking with seems to be African-Americans like himself. He smiles with them, laughs, jokes. His demeanor is inviting. When he’s dealing with the other media folk, he’s cold, annoyed, frustrated. Name one non-black person to interview Lynch one on one since November 2012? You can’t. No, Lynch isn’t a racist, he’s just more comfortable with his own kind right now and that’s fine.
So let’s say a white woman gets robbed at gunpoint by a black man in a dark alley. She’s not racist in any way shape or form either. But she’s gone through a traumatic event. When she sees a dark alley, she harkens back to being robbed. Dark alley to her equals black man with a gun. Doesn’t make her a racist, that’s just what she associates dark alleys to and she’ll continue to do that until she gets some therapy to move past that traumatic event in her life. She doesn’t trust dark alleys anymore. When Lynch sees a sea of reporters he thinks back to November 2012, his last cordial interview with the media. Now, whatever happened or was written about Lynch wasn’t as traumatic as getting robbed at gunpoint, but when he sees the sea of media reporters that’s what he remembers. He doesn’t trust the media anymore. Correction, he doesn’t trust the white media anymore.