The NFL is the richest, most powerful sports league going these days. Therefore, they have the most money to spend on spin control and message manipulation. However, retired NFL players (and this goes for older ex-jocks across the board in sports, not just football) are almost a million times more quotable than what you hear from athletes currently beholden to the corporatespeak training of NFL public relations departments.
And then there’s Steve “Mongo” McMichael, who’s on another, unclassifiable level. When interviewing him, you can’t really do Q & A with this 1985 Chicago Bears and Texas Longhorns legend.
He’s too smart and interesting for that.
Instead, the process is like a more sophisticated word association exercise. And the end result resembles the feeling of playing a radio controlled boat game at an amusement park. You put an effort in towards steering the vessel in the direction you want, but there’s no guarantee you’ll get to your intended destination. And even if you do, it won’t be via your intended path.
For part 2 go here
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