Into the Fire

In keeping with the politically correct climate of our current government, it seems the sports media has the same affliction as the news media: a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness which requires the person of their focus to comply with their demands.

The circus surrounding Marshawn Lynch (pictured above) has no clue why anyone would not want to speak to them followed by serious anger and outbursts such as, "How dare he not speak to us!"

As accustomed as the news media is to lying about its subjects and issues, it's not a stretch to inform the gullible public that they do the same thing about athletes. They sensationalize, they lie, they make up "information" from their anonymous sources, and they spread hurtful falsehoods and misinformation as often as the regular news media does the same.

If victimized by the press either by intentional errors, malicious reporting, and/or character assassination, it's only logical that a person would guard themselves from opening up to the possibility again.

The media needs to realize that few people really trust them. Although some of them take their jobs seriously, it's hard to take a group of pseudo-journalists seriously who seem to make no effort to verify and investigate the information they dig up. Much of what is read in the mainstream media is hearsay and wishful thinking. Sports writers can be equally guilty of damaging innuendoes and suggestions instead of facts and truth.

When Marshawn Lynch refused to answer media questions precisely because of the aforementioned reasons, some of that huge media presence became incensed and furious, ranting and complaining. It wasn't as if they had no one else to question. There was ample representation from both teams on Media Day and for each required appearance set aside just for the media.

It's long past time for media to realize they are nothing more than people, not more important than the people they seek to cover or the event they're recording. They're no better. The truth is they desperately need to get over themselves because much of what they write or report isn't worth the time it takes to read it or hear it.

Father, your word reminds us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. Help us to keep you our focus and act accordingly. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.