Sports journalists are buzzing mad over Cam Newton’s post-Super Bowl press conference. OK, maybe he could have handled the Q & A session better, but tell you what: I’m not interested in hearing him explain why the Panthers lost.
It’s understandable. If your job is to get a quote for your paper or some good sound, yeah you’d want his to say all the empty bullshit that’s said in these interviews. It’s pretty rare to hear anything interesting.
From a fan’s perspective, all I need to know about why a team lost is on the scoreboard. Exceptions? Yes, there are a few things worth reaction: a blown call or injury to a key player that cost you the game. Journalists will argue that answering questions is part of the athlete’s job, a responsibility that comes with earning millions of dollars. That’s nonsense.
Maybe if athletes and coaches would simply answer like this, reporters would get sick of asking their stupid questions: “Well, we should have scored more points that the other team. Or prevented them from scoring so much. Or a combination of the two.”
Losing well means not offering excuses and explanations. Let’s allow the losers the little shred of dignity that comes with silence.