Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch’s much-discussed appearance at media day yesterday was a grudging acknowledgement of a contractual obligation.
It wasn’t particulary insightful, or belligerent, as he grinned his way through statements such as: “I think you’re just taking it wrong. It doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I’m just about that action. You say ‘hut’ and there’s action. All the unnecessary talk — it don’t do nothing for me. I appreciate people wanting to hear from me, but I just go to work and do my thing. Chilling, you feel me?”
But in other settings, those who know him describe Lynch as a passionate worker and loyal friend, with none of the stone walls to keep people out.
In fact, Lynch broke down in tears in front of former Bills General Manager Buddy Nix upon the trade to Seattle which he had lobbied for.
“I said, ‘What is it? This is what you wanted to start with,’” Nix told Jim Trotter of SI.com. “He said, ‘I came here to get this team turned around and see it through and get it in the playoffs, and I failed at that.’ It really bothered him. But that’s the kind of kid he is. It was such a culture shock for him coming to Buffalo, but he had a lot of pride — still does — and didn’t want to fail. He’s a team guy and wants to win. That day told me a lot about him. I really liked Marshawn because when you lined him up out there, you knew you were going to get everything he had.”
By all apparent indications, Lynch could be a serviceable interview if he chose. Local Seattle media tend to not complain, because they’ve learned how he is, and how valuable he’s not for their purposes.
In his 6:21 in front of the assembled media yesterday, he seemed more amused by the process than spiteful, more unwilling to divulge than unwilling to cooperate.
It didn’t have to be as hard as he made it, but it wasn’t such a problem to merit the scrutiny he received.