Quote:Yes.

 

Football players are people....people with emotions playing an emotional game.  They are human beings with human weaknesses, just like everyone else.

 

For YEARS, my philosophy has been "football players are public figures, not public property." 

 

If a player took a defeat particularly hard, I can't blame him for not being the most pleasant person in the world to the media.

 

That goes for Tom Brady, Blake Bortles...anybody.  People on this board got butthurt because Bortles compared fans criticizing the playcalling to kindergartners talking to a college professor. But the fact is he was right.

 

But I have long observed that fans can say whatever they want and express themselves any way they desire and it's their right as fans, even though we have little, if nothing to do with the outcome.  Media hacks can say what they want about a game or a player, and they do it under the guise of objective journalism, even though they are not privy to what goes on in game planning and are usually cloaked in ignorance.  Coaches can say what they want about something, and they are being honest.  But somehow, the guys who have the MOST to do with what transpires in a game-the players-are somehow not permitted to express themselves as they see fit.  I am befuddled as to how that dynamic came into being.

 

Manning left his Super Bowl against New Orleans without shaking anyone's hand afterward.

 

I never made a peep about it.  Under the totality of the circumstances, I can see that happening with him, just like under the totality of the circumstances, I can see why Newton responded in the press conference the way he did.

 

 

There really isn't much to say other than he has an obligation to sit there and answer questions.  It's why he is a multi millionaire.  All year we heard from him about opposing teams complaining about his dancing and being brash, stop me.  Well somebody did, and this is how you respond?  The happy go lucky, I love football, always smiling guy that everyone said was so genuine didn't seem so genuine after that.  Listen, I liked Cam all year and I'm guessing he will learn from this, but he was flat out wrong.  I don't know why people can't just admit that.  It's like some people are protecting a relative here.

 

Of course now all of his fans/supporters will come up with excuses on why he left, but the real reason was he was a baby.  It had little to do with Chris Harris and had more to do with he wanted to be there the shortest amount of time possible.

 

Manning left the field after the Super Bowl and he did face criticism.  There are numerous articles out there that I found, even five years after it happened.  He also came out and said he would call Drew Brees and congratulate him.  He also spoke to the press after the game.....

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