Marshawn Lynch fined $50k for not talking to the media

[Cloud]

But he did talked to the media.. about 1:25 minute worth of press conference.

Marshawn Lynch First Round Bye Press Conference

 

[BoBlake]

So? A helmet to helmet hit can give someone a concussion.

Lynch is not hurting anyone by dodging interviews.

Not hurting anyone physically. But if all players dodged the media then it would hurt the NFL, the Networks who pay the Seahawks a lot of money, and Lynch himself since less money for the NFL means less money for the players.


Seriously, this is something that players need to do. He knew it. He didn't do it. He broke that part of his contract. He got fined.

It's simple and it's right and it's good for players and the NFL.

IT'S HIS JOB to talk to the media, as outlined by the job agreement (contract) that he signed.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Not hurting anyone physically. But if all players dodged the media then it would hurt the NFL, the Networks who pay the Seahawks a lot of money, and Lynch himself since less money for the NFL means less money for the players.


Seriously, this is something that players need to do. He knew it. He didn't do it. He broke that part of his contract. He got fined.

It's simple and it's right and it's good for players and the NFL.

IT'S HIS JOB to talk to the media, as outlined by the job agreement (contract) that he signed.

We will have to agree to disagree. I don't see how player interviews really generate a significant amount of revenue for the NFL, or even enough revenue to come close to warranting a $50,000 fine for not talking to the media.

To my knowledge most of the NFL's revenue comes from television (games), ticket sales and merchandise. When do you see player interviews on TV? Maybe a brief clip on the local news or on ESPN after a game but that is about it. If the interviews were optional for everyone other than the head coach I don't see that the NFL would lose any money.

 

[BoBlake]

We will have to agree to disagree. I don't see how player interviews really generate a significant amount of revenue for the NFL, or even enough revenue to come close to warranting a $50,000 fine for not talking to the media.

To my knowledge most of the NFL's revenue comes from television (games), ticket sales and merchandise. When do you see player interviews on TV? Maybe a brief clip on the local news or on ESPN after a game but that is about it. If the interviews were optional for everyone other than the head coach I don't see that the NFL would lose any money.

Really? You don't see how players talking to the media and media outlets help revenue? I listen to Brock and Danny; Wyman Mike and Moore, and various other podcasts and they have players on all the time. Fans email in questions. The players and their views get fans pumped for the games. What players say or hint at during the season provide a lot of fodder for fans getting excited about the team. Do you even read/watch/listen to any media outlets?

Plus, Seattle needs it's players to make noise, whatever way possible (ideally, positive ones).


But oh well, it's never going away.

 

[seahawksfan234]

Really? You don't see how players talking to the media and media outlets help revenue? I listen to Brock and Danny; Wyman Mike and Moore, and various other podcasts and they have players on all the time. Fans email in questions. The players and their views get fans pumped for the games. What players say or hint at during the season provide a lot of fodder for fans getting excited about the team. Do you even read/watch/listen to any media outlets?

Plus, Seattle needs it's players to make noise, whatever way possible (ideally, positive ones).


But oh well, it's never going away.

They would still be able to fill air time even without having players on the air. Plus those radio stations are independent of the NFL and the Seattle Seahawks I believe.

As I said earlier it could be because I personally view the player comments as canned and phony so I don't really find it interesting. I mean if you were to ask one of them "What do you think of your opponent next week?" a typical response would be "They have a lot of good players and we have to make sure we are prepared to win on Sunday" or something like that, regardless of the team. If you want to hear what they really have to say watch the RealRobReport.

 

[blstoker]

We will have to agree to disagree. I don't see how player interviews really generate a significant amount of revenue for the NFL, or even enough revenue to come close to warranting a $50,000 fine for not talking to the media.

I believe it generates money because it's part of the NFL's tv deal. The NFL has agreed to give the various media outlets access to the players as part of their deal with the networks. It isn't that it generates revenue for the teams as much as it generates revenue for the media, which allows the media to pay the NFL exorbitant amounts of money to broadcast their games. If NFL players start avoiding the media altogether, then the NFL could lose money as the networks start pulling out (or sue for breach of contract).

 

[gohusk]

We will have to agree to disagree. I don't see how player interviews really generate a significant amount of revenue for the NFL, or even enough revenue to come close to warranting a $50,000 fine for not talking to the media.

To my knowledge most of the NFL's revenue comes from television (games), ticket sales and merchandise. When do you see player interviews on TV? Maybe a brief clip on the local news or on ESPN after a game but that is about it. If the interviews were optional for everyone other than the head coach I don't see that the NFL would lose any money.

It connects the fans to the players. It doesn't seem like such a big deal because it's a RB but what if it were Russell Wilson was the one that decided he never wanted to talk to the press again for the rest of his career? I'm sure Lynch even knows this. For whatever reason he decided that it was worth the cost of a fine to not have to deal with it. If the league pushes the issue he'll have to be the guy who half asses it by giving really short answers to the press.

 

[Wolverine830872]

NFL players don't have to talk to the media if they don't want to. Lynch proved it, and it only cost him 50k. It's not like he is getting suspended and losing a game check. Players are asked to do certain things and if they choose not to do them then they will face the consequences. I think Cam Newton was fined for using non-sanctioned facemask clips earlier this year.

Its not like Lynch is starving because of this fine. If he truly doesn't want to speak to the media then when his next contract comes up, make sure he gets paid an extra 50k to pay the fine.

 

[dude82]

This is the NFL... a place where, as Wolverine said, you can be fined for wearing the wrong face-mask clips, or for wearing the wrong color shoes or for having your jersey un-tucked or for any number of mind-numbingly stupid things to get fined for. I don't think that giving the players a choice of whether to talk to the media or not, with no consequences for choosing not to, is suddenly going to mean that nobody will talk. There are players that seem to love talking to the media for one reason or another and they're generally the ones we hear on the radio or see getting interviewed on TV the most anyway. They're also the guys that generally end up becoming a member of the media when they're done playing. There would be no lack of media fodder if the guys that didn't feel comfortable talking to the media or didn't like talking to the media just stopped doing it.

In my opinion, if a player like that is forced to give interviews and ends up giving the absolute minimum required of them, it can give a false impression of that player's personality and open him up to scrutiny and ridicule that he doesn't deserve. Guys who give one word answers or say "no comment" to every question they get may give the impression that they're standoffish or angry whether they are or not. How could it possibly be good for the league to have its players give off that impression?

I understand why they're fining players who refuse to give interviews when it's a requirement (they don't want to appear as if there are different rules for different players), I just think they ought to get rid of the requirement.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Good post Dude. I think your right, many players love talking to the media, no need to try to force those not comfortable with public speaking to talk. Hell, Sherman by himself could fill in for a dozen players shy of public speaking.

 

[Banned 10x]

Beacon Plumbing will pick up the bill, it's in his contract.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Beacon Plumbing will pick up the bill, it's in his contract.

I'm amazed that he's doing commercials, but I guess they'll help pay those fines. I think doing a script is easier then talking off the cuff. I have to do presentations and preparation really helps, really hate it when I get asked something I'm not ready for.

Public speaking isn't for everybody.

 

[WizardHawk]

I'm sure Lynch just doesn't want to say the wrong thing and the best way to do that is say nothing at all. I've seen clips of some of his comments made in the past and he doesn't have public speaking as something he can ever put on his resume after football. He is really the very last player who will end up in the booth doing commentary.

The NFL has to fine those that don't partake in the required media access as not doing so would leave it so others would avoid it. Marshawn himself not speaking doesn't mean anything to the league. It is the larger issue of having others follow suit and that would at some point hurt the league.

I have no problems with Lynch avoiding the media and skipping out on his requirements and I have no problem with the league fining him for it. Both sides are well within their rights to do so.

 

[Mr. Tacoma]

I'm sure Lynch just doesn't want to say the wrong thing and the best way to do that is say nothing at all. I've seen clips of some of his comments made in the past and he doesn't have public speaking as something he can ever put on his resume after football. He is really the very last player who will end up in the booth doing commentary.

The NFL has to fine those that don't partake in the required media access as not doing so would leave it so others would avoid it. Marshawn himself not speaking doesn't mean anything to the league. It is the larger issue of having others follow suit and that would at some point hurt the league.

I have no problems with Lynch avoiding the media and skipping out on his requirements and I have no problem with the league fining him for it. Both sides are well within their rights to do so.

Furthermore, his agent probably told him this was coming last April and he's probably made some nice interest from the account that 50k has been sitting in waiting for this to become official.

 

[dredinis21]

What I want to see is Gore interview Marshawn and vice versa. Then turn it into a drinking game. If you can understand a word, you have to take a shot.

 

[Mr. Tacoma]

What I want to see is Gore interview Marshawn and vice versa. Then turn it into a drinking game. If you can understand a word, you have to take a shot.

Head butting/staring contest. Pay-Per-View all the way.

 

[BoBlake]

What I want to see is Gore interview Marshawn and vice versa. Then turn it into a drinking game. If you can understand a word, you have to take a shot.

Hmmm....I think the only way to maybe understand a word is to already be drunk. It'd be a game you play as a party winds down.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an extra $50k included in his contract to make sure he DOESN'T speak to the media. The man is a beast, for sure. He also may be extremely intelligent. When it talks though, it's more beast than brain.

 

[Mr. Tacoma]

It's his choice. The guy's a natural but for whatever reason he ducks the cameras for the most part.

After his first game with Seattle he did this:

 

[NinerSickness]

Marshawn Lynch of Seattle Seahawks fined $50K for media silence - ESPN

He gets fined $50,000 because he doesn't want to talk to the media? Why should he have to talk to the media? The NFL should be ashamed, what a joke.

Well it's in his contract. They have to be available to talk to the media; it comes with the job. They don't have to be amiable, but they have to go through the motions. That's one heck of an expensive "F-off" to the media.

 

[STBR 27]

Well it's in his contract. They have to be available to talk to the media; it comes with the job. They don't have to be amiable, but they have to go through the motions. That's one heck of an expensive "F-off" to the media.

Yep, just see Kaep's pathetic one word answer interviews. Completely useless and uninformative, but at least he isn't getting fined.

I did see Lynch interviewed recently though, so maybe he will start talking soon? He is pretty funny.