FanPost

Media Spirals

As is obvious by now, seemingly inflammatory media reporting can sometimes turn out to be based in truth. But I'm finding the NFL.com blurb on DJax's jersey number kind of hilarious. While the article itself only suggests he casually mused RGIII might switch to 3, so he could have 10, the front page blurb reads:

"Now that DeSean Jackson is with the Redskins, he made it sound like a possibility that he could get Robert Griffin III to give up the No. 10 jersey. RGIII shot down that notion on Twitter."

At first glance, that reads like a juicy bit of gossip. And the first glance is often all it takes to get things moving in a juicy direction.

What's hilarious is not only the downward spirals that can get started by the words reporters choose, but the fact the words seem chosen specifically to get the spirals going... which can eventually translate into actual drama in the lives of the players, e.g. RGIII feeling the need to respond to the Twitter hysteria (Twysteria) and shoot the rumors down.

For the sake of it, let's follow the hypothetical downward spiral all the way to the bottom. DJax is an immature kid, so he says something in half-seriousness about wanting to keep his number. The media makes a big deal out of it, knowing fans will make an even bigger deal out of it. Then RGIII, because he's also an immature kid, feels the need to say something about it. DJax, being DJax, feels a tiny bit slighted by RGIII's twitter post, and carefully files it away under the category: "Future Drama Fodder." Already there's a little doubt in DJax's mind about the sincerity of RGIII's brotherly reception. And, already, RGIII is beginning to wonder if his brotherly reception if being taken for granted. Then, once the season kicks off, Washington's O-line can't keep RGIII safe, so he doesn't have time to look deep to DJax, who's numbers suffer while the coverage he draws translates into Garcon and Reed putting up monster numbers. Then, after an ugly loss (to the Eagles) early in the season, in which DJax doesn't record a reception in the first half, he says something like, "I didn't come here to be a decoy." The media turns it into a story about a lack of chemistry between RGIII and his new weapon, and then... Well, you get the idea.

Of course, this is only a mildly useful exorcise, but I think certain players tend to attract these sorts of spirals, because the media knows who they can get a rise out of, like the bully who's attracted to the kid who tends to spaz out when provoked. It's just more fun that way.

Whatever the extent to which DJax truly is a locker room liability, he's Washington's liability now. I'll miss him, but it should be kinda fun to watch and wait for the first round of fireworks.