Last year, former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen responded to criticism of his leadership skills by breaking out talking points that included Clausen referring to himself (more than once) as a “loving, caring person.”
Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett’s decision, as explained earlier today by Silva, to refer to himself as a “great kid and great person” means that Mallett has tripped into a similar trap of gratuitous self-promotion.
Though not quite as lame as applying to oneself the label of “loving” and/or “caring,” no one should refer to themselves as “great” in any way, if they want to truly be viewed that way.
Really, how many truly “great guys” have ever referred to themselves as “great guys”?
When we think of the next one, we will have thought of the first one.
That said, we need to remember that all of these guys are kids thrust into an adult world, prone to saying ill-advised things. That said, kids who think way too much of themselves very often become adults who think way too much of themselves, too.