Robert Griffin III again and again and again
Far be it for me, a sports writer, to complain of an athlete talking too much to the media.
But even people in the media are becoming weary of seeing Robert Griffin III’s incessantly smiling face in front of the camera and hearing his almost daily updates on the health of his knee and how he doesn’t want to complain about his coach limiting him but he can’t lie to us about it, he wishes the coach would let him do whatever he wants to do.
He’s sounding like it’s all about him rather than about team.
Brian Dawkins, former All-Pro safety, said, “I think guys are getting tired of him.”
Dawkins referred to “RG III fatigue.”
Phil Simms, who, since the unfortunate canning of Warren Sapp, is the most outspoken commentator on Showtime’s Inside the NFL, joked: “Is RG III having another press conference right now? I couldn’t keep up with them.
“I saw Brian Dawkins express some of the thoughts I had. There’s so much publicity on TV about Robert Griffin the 3rd that it make players mad around the league. They want to play against him and see if they can stop him or get a shot. There’s been so much that there could be some animosity from other players.”
Indeed, professional athletes tend to resent the ones who crave publicity. Those who are perceived of doing that are likely to earn nicknames like “Newsy” or “Headlines” or “Paris Hilton.”
It’s not just players on other teams but Griffin’s own teammates on the Washington Redskins who are likely to become resentful of his schmoozing of reporters. The players accept that the quarterback receives far more attention than players at other positions. But the protocol is for the QB to spend little time talking about his aches and pains and preferences on how he should be used.
As the designated on-field leader, he’s expected to encourage recognition for his teammates. Talk about the wonderful protection your offensive line gives you and how easy it is to complete passes to such expert receivers running the brilliantly conceived plays your coach has provided.
You are the quarterback, but you’re not the whole story.