From
where I sit it looks like a great move from Brandon Marshall...
The
NFL guards their uniform codes very carefully. Maybe, even too carefully. Marshall is bringing attention to a very important cause.
As someone who suffers from depression knowing there is encouragement
from others serves to give me hope. Mental illness impacts many
families, and far too often it goes undiagnosed. The NFL does a
wonderful service with their pink everything. So, what's wrong with
raising a voice for mental illness? The league though, did allow him
to wear his green cleats. Yes, he got fined, but there could easily
have been a message to the referees to not allow Marshall on the
field at all. So, not only did he get the message out, but thanks to
the fines and media chatting Marshall got what he wanted. Publicity.
His message has been spread. And the NFL, albeit tacitly, gave
their support to his message.
There
are a lot of questions surrounding Joe Thornton's possible celebration
if he scores 4 goals in a game...
But,
the controversy does just cover what Thornton may or may not do...but
how it was reported. Jason Blatchford had it in his blog. He, in
turn, credits the whitetowel.ca with having Thornton's comment
available for all to read. At what point does yelling a comment at a
group of reporters become 'off the record'? How would it have been
treated if he had made a racist or homophobic comment? I've been in
plenty of locker rooms. I'm well aware of the quality of language
used by a majority of athletes is anything but quotable. Joe made a
joke. Depending on your sense of humour it's funny. But, at what
point should the media just laugh along with Thorton? Or does
Thorton deserve a rap on the knuckles for cracking a dirty joke to a
bunch of reporters and then being surprised when he gets quoted? All
that was needed to that comment was, “But, don't quote me on
that.”. That's it. It's a dead issue. Instead we end up with
questions about journalistic integrity. Here's a simple breakdown
for the uninitiated. If you don't want to be quoted, don't talk to
the media. Even if your comment never makes it to print or on air
it's remembered. And, no matter what the reporter says, you are
always on the record.
At
least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.
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