Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Losers need to stop talking smack

By Jeff

Professional sports needs more players calling each other out and talking smack. Before a game, or after you win the game, that is. Not after you lose.

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson got on Twitter after the Steelers held him to 34 yards and beat his team 19-11. Instead of talking about seeing them in the playoffs, he told the Steelers "Yall aint dat good mark my word".

Johnson is arguable the best running back in the league on most Sundays, but he wasn't last weekend. For him to come out and act like it was a fluke shows how clueless he is. The Steelers have gone 2-1 against the Titans during Johnson's tenure there. He has yet to record 70 yards, let alone 100. Maybe he should have run a little harder during the game, rather than running his thumbs afterward.

Apparently this man thinks causing seven
turnovers is not that good.
Go back and watch the game. Johnson was pummeled and at times appeared as if he really didn't want the ball. There were instances of him catching the ball as the check-down receiver, and immediately bracing himself. There were no thoughts of making a play. He just didn't want to get hurt. And honestly, I can't blame him after watching the way the Steelers bludgeoned the Titans.

Johnson also tweeted about how he got another big run called back because of a legit holding call. He left out the legit holding, but that's because all Johnson cares about are his own stats. A true leader and good teammate would have given a shout out to his defense, that happened to not give up an offensive touchdown in the game. A true leader would say the team was going to get back to work and come out swinging in Week 3. Johnson just wanted people who didn't see the game to know that his stats could have been better if a penalty wasn't called.

Not to be outdone, San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore had some interesting things to say after his team lost 25-22 to the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. According to a column in the Mercury News, Gore said "We whupped their behind up and down the field. They can't stand up with us. And we beat ourselves for the second week in a row. We've got to change that."
Someone tell Frank his team lost.

Love the passion from Gore. He talks about the team and not himself. But you can't say the opposing team couldn't stand up to yours when you lost. Obviously, they can stand up to you. The 49ers rallied to tie the game with 90 seconds left in the game, then the Saints marched down the field and won the game. They took your best shot, stood their ground and hit you back, Frank.

As much as some of the 49ers turnovers were their own mistakes, the Saints were there to capitalize. That's what great teams do. They take advantage of other teams' screw ups. Great teams also overcome mistakes and bad days. Gore needs to learn this, because the 49ers will never take the next step if they don't overcome a little adversity.

Athletes can pat their egos all they want before the game or after a win, but doing so immediately following a loss just makes them look like jackasses.

Genesis - Invisible Touch

4 comments:

  1. Great post Jeff and I totally agree.

    First, Chris Johnson should have learned from his predecessor Lendale White when he talked smack against a team and later stomped on the terrible towel. Giving a good team a reason to beat you has always backfired.

    Second, like you said, not owning up to what actually happened makes you look weak. Though it's not going to happen, I'd love to see Chris Johnson get under 1,000 yards this season, so then he'll tweet "dem D's really picked up this year" because it certainly wouldn't be his play turning down notch after inking a comfortable deal.

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  2. Dwayne, welcome to the comment section! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

    Chris Johnson being held to less than 1,000 yards is about as likely as the Browns making the playoffs this season, but it would be almost as sweet. I doubt he'd give defenses credit. I think he'd come up with a phantom injury or a ref conspiracy against him before he gave credited other teams.

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  3. I don't really have a problem with what Gore said. Chris Johnson on the otherhand, is coming off like a tool. Maybe it was just the frustration from losing.

    Ward called out Johnson, Said he quit towards the end of the game. Acted like he didn't want the ball.

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  4. If Gore said this to his team after the game, I wouldn't have a problem. But he said it to the media. How can you say a team can't stand up with you when they just beat you on your home field?

    I do agree that Johnson was worse, though. Gore's comments were the result of a very emotional game. Johnson's comments just show what an arrogant person he is.

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