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On Suh's return
Look, I didn't have a problem with Ndamukong Suh returning and not having a mea culpa about his stomping incident on the field Thanksgiving Day, and the two-game suspension it brought. Or if he didn't talk about his traffic accident in Portland. If he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't have to.
But it must be understood, the questions are coming. Our job is to ask what you'd ask, given the opportunity.
The three most overused words in our society are "I am sorry." They are said so often without being meant just to get out of trouble. If Suh doesn't want to go there, fine. At least he is not being phony about it.
However, Suh is coming across as boorish and self-serving. He has put himself above the team. His attitude Wednesday only added to that attention, and away from the Lions' huge game Sunday at Oakland.
This is where the rub comes in. Suh has benefited a great deal from media coverage. A zillion stories that have helped him and his reputation in the past, including landing numerous endorsement deals.
Now the shoe has turned, it's like he wants it only one way. If he doesn't want to answer the questions about the two incidents, I can respect that. But to act like the media is inflating the issues when they are not, is wrong. They are not the ones who caused them.
The only way Suh is going to win back the considerable support he has lost is to be productive on the field. I think he will be and this storm will blow over eventually, but there will be some lingering damage.
And why? Did the Lions collectively cause this? No? The organization has had to go into damage control. Suh is a huge distraction at the worst possible time for the Lions.
Did the media in this town pick this fight? No. There was respect there for Suh before he went up to the podium in the interview room on Thanksgiving and denied what he did - when it was clear on replay he did. Did the fans want this? No, they want to love the guy because he is a tremendous football player and had been playing with a rugged style that fits this town until crossing the line against Green Bay.
You know who caused this? Ndamukong Suh. If he doesn't want to publicly take accountability for his actions, that's up to him. What he shouldn't be doing is pointing the finger of blame elsewhere.
But it must be understood, the questions are coming. Our job is to ask what you'd ask, given the opportunity.
The three most overused words in our society are "I am sorry." They are said so often without being meant just to get out of trouble. If Suh doesn't want to go there, fine. At least he is not being phony about it.
However, Suh is coming across as boorish and self-serving. He has put himself above the team. His attitude Wednesday only added to that attention, and away from the Lions' huge game Sunday at Oakland.
This is where the rub comes in. Suh has benefited a great deal from media coverage. A zillion stories that have helped him and his reputation in the past, including landing numerous endorsement deals.
Now the shoe has turned, it's like he wants it only one way. If he doesn't want to answer the questions about the two incidents, I can respect that. But to act like the media is inflating the issues when they are not, is wrong. They are not the ones who caused them.
The only way Suh is going to win back the considerable support he has lost is to be productive on the field. I think he will be and this storm will blow over eventually, but there will be some lingering damage.
And why? Did the Lions collectively cause this? No? The organization has had to go into damage control. Suh is a huge distraction at the worst possible time for the Lions.
Did the media in this town pick this fight? No. There was respect there for Suh before he went up to the podium in the interview room on Thanksgiving and denied what he did - when it was clear on replay he did. Did the fans want this? No, they want to love the guy because he is a tremendous football player and had been playing with a rugged style that fits this town until crossing the line against Green Bay.
You know who caused this? Ndamukong Suh. If he doesn't want to publicly take accountability for his actions, that's up to him. What he shouldn't be doing is pointing the finger of blame elsewhere.
posted by Pat Caputo at
4:42 AM
3 Comments:
Right on the mark!
The "team" is acting like the parents of a huge all-star young football player that is behaving out of sorts but is a key to the team's success. "he'll change and mature".
We'll see.
Pat,
That's crap. If it was you, you would not want to talk the incident about ad nauseum either. The man owes you nothing. He is a football player, not the leader of the free world. As a football fan I am tired of this story. The story has been beaten to death. What exactly do you want him to say? If he says another apology then you guys will say, "it's not sincere or we still don't believe him" At this stage he cannot win. He screwed up, he has been punished, now you want a pound of flesh. It's low-hanging fruit, the easy thing to do is stand at his locker and pepper him with inane questions. Move on and find something else to report on. If he messes up again, then drop the hammer but he has been punished. Enough already.
Alan
I can understand Alan's frustration.
Yes he does not owe any sports writers anything.
BUT, he does owe his team. His craziness could have cost his team a playoff spot.
OK, let's stop. But that self-serving player had better learn from this incident.
I'm betting that he won't. Unless he has gotten a good slap in the face from the league and Lion's top guys.
For some reason, I don't get a good feeling that the latter occurred.
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