It's apparent NFL teams still rely on nonsensical old-school football stereotypes. This week alone, we saw: UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen get eviscerated by anonymous scouts for having an opinion, LSU running back Derrius Guice reveal he was asked at the NFL Combine if he likes men, and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announce he'll make all of his players stand for the anthem next season –– only to retract his statement one day later.
And some national media types are happy to support this nonsense. ESPN token conservative talking head, Will Cain, said it's worth seeing how a prospect like Guice reacts when asked a personal question. His radio show's Twitter account proclaims its fearless host isn't afraid to "take on the Twitter mob," which seemingly includes the NFL. A league spokesman called the sexuality question "wholly inappropriate."
Will, on the Derrius Guice combine question, isn't afraid to disagree with the Twitter mob:"What I'm telling you, that no one else is telling you, is that there is a reason that these questions are asked and there is value in the answers or the reactions that they get." pic.twitter.com/pvJ6qy7gDn
— The Will Cain Show (@WillCainShow) March 8, 2018It was a big week for the Serious Football Men who believe being outspoken is one of the worst traits an athlete can possess. The Seahawks traded Michael Bennett Wednesday on the heels of a report from NFL Media's Ian Rapoport about their desire for a quieter locker room. Given that Seattle reached two straight Super Bowls with one of the most colorful locker rooms in the league, it's likely more played into the decision to jettison Bennett, such as the three years and hefty cap hits remaining on his contract.
But that logic didn't stop Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd from launching into sermon Friday about how politics must be kept out of the locker room. Cowherd also tied Richard Sherman's release into his monologue, even though there's been no reports about Sherman's personality playing a role in his Seattle exit.
"This is the NFL's most tolerant, progressive team now admitting: 'Yeah, that whole political thing in the locker room did not work.' It doesn't. You need to realize that," Cowherd said on his radio show.
Never mind that the Eagles, perhaps the league's most socially outspoken team, won the Super Bowl last season. Dismiss the Warriors, too, or the Cavaliers –– or pretty much every successful NBA team.
There is no proof to support the claim that teams populated with cyborgs win because of their blandness. Bennett's incident with the Las Vegas police last year had nothing to do with Seattle's disappointing campaign. It's impossible to even see the connection.
Archaic mindsets usually fade away, unless they're involved with professional sports. Then, they seemingly live forever.
