and that’s tough to hear and watch.
I hear the grumbling and from all walks of life of those who touch you. People who don’t even like ME have pulled me up and given whispers that what we’re seeing on the media dais from week to week – this angry, combative, confrontational soul — is not unlike their experience “off the field.”
Everyone knows your contract is coming up. Everyone senses that you’re “tight.” Everyone knows how important this game is to you and to the community. And we all want to win the Super Bowl.
Not to rub it in bro, but WE HAVE ONE – WE KNOW HOW MUCH FUN THEY ARE!!!
You’re OUR GUY! We want to see you holding that trophy in Dallas with your sporty family on that dais – the entire Harbaugh, Crean family tree of Midwestern pigskinners –family-oriented people who embody how football is handed down from generation to generation, across genders and encompassing all that makes the NFL great.
But this berating of people in public is unacceptable, John. It’s a bad habit. It doesn’t look good.
This intimidation/game with the media is tiring for all of us. Any of us in the media corps who are worth a damn – and I’ll leave that up to you to consider whom that encompasses – is competitive and wants to be great at what we do as well. It’s not a game for us. It’s our job.
Here’s Fact No. 1 that you must accept: You don’t get to write the questions or “approve” them.
That’s just not how it works.
The mutual respect is that we don’t get to “ambush” you, either. But every question isn’t designed to make a fool out of you. As a matter of fact, I’ve never heard anyone ask you a disrespectful question. And we are THERE to ask questions on behalf of the fans to learn more about the Baltimore Ravens. That means football questions. And you can say whatever you want about player injuries and you can get pissed off and fume but don’t insist that we compromise OUR integrity by NOT asking the question.
And the thin-skinned, reactive treatment of innocuous questions from harmless reporters is kids’ stuff. I’ve seen it wreck many, many good people. You’re an NFL head coach. Be the bigger guy
