As Raiders coach Tom Cable continues to try to coax maximum effort and ability out of quarterback JaMarcus Russell, recently declaring that the starting job is open for competition, a joke regarding the reasons for Russell’s failure to live up to his potential has unexpectedly gotten legs in the Bay Area.
As Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle explains it, a sarcastic remark in Gary Peterson’s Bay Area News Group column regarding a rumor that Russell is being treated for “lethargy addiction” was later echoed as fact by a Bay Area sportscaster.
Oops.
The contention has since taken on a life of its own, with multiple people believing that: (1) laziness is now recognized as a condition; (2) there’s a treatment center for it; and (3) Russell has been enrolled in it.
Meanwhile, Russell apparently has been working out in Arizona in anticipation of the 2010 season. Or maybe he’s just at a fat camp there.
“Coming up at 11:00 . . . . JaMarcus Russell is at a fat camp.”
UPDATE:
Here’s the video of the guy who repeated the “lethargy addiction” thing as fact, via our pal Brooks. We hope he knows that Terry Bradshaw is still alive.