Super Bowl XLIX media week is underway with a slew of comical fiascos and none more than Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Throughout the NFL season, Lynch has dodged all questions from reporters’and continuously given vague answers to the media. The last two days have been no different, as Lynch resorted to opening up his press conferences with “you know why I’m here,” and, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.”
Ironically, Lynch might still receive a new fine, the fines he has continuously dreaded throughout his career. Few professional athletes know the feeling of being fined more than $100,000, but Lynch sure does. According to Men’s Journal, Lynch has been fined more than $131,050.
Although the media and Lynch sure don’t get along, the rest of the Seahawks have Lynch’s back.
“The guy loves the game,” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson told ESPN. “Sometimes people try to take away from people the way they are. I don’t think he should be fined, personally.”
Does he deserve that? Maybe. But Lynch is not the only player getting media attention before the Super Bowl. The game has yet to be played and still the media has found itself with plenty of stories to run.
Just ask New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. “DeflateGate” was trending worldwide on Twitter and half the world thinks the Patriots cheated in the AFC Championship game by alledgedly deflating their footballs by about 2 PSI. In fact, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling, 41 percent of Americans believe the Patriots cheated “by underinflating footballs.”
The Patriots are not new to cheating scandals or new to playing in the Super Bowl after doing so. During the 2007-2008 NFL season, the Patriots were disciplined for “Spygate,” a videotaping controversy where the Patriots filmed New York Jets’ defensive signals. Later that season, the Patriots would lose in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants in Glendale, Ariz.
Yup, you heard me. The last cheating scandal occurred right before the Super Bowl that was also in Arizona.
Eight seasons later, the Patriots have a chance to win in this Super Bowl against the “Legion of Boom” in Glendale. But the fiascos sure have added up.
Patriots tights end Rob Gronkowski read an excerpt in his media day session from a themed erotica book called “A Gronking to Remember,” a book about himself. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman danced salsa, while players’ facial hair gained attention as well.
Overall, Super Bowl XLIX has been one crazy pit of nationwide attention and media fiascos. Come on, NFL fans: Listen to Taylor Swift and just let the players play.
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