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This situation clearly needs to be managed. They can’t just ignore it sans a concrete plan. Without a strategy, this is going to be like raw meat to a dog.
Brandon Marshall has been to five Pro Bowls, yet the Jets are his 4th fourth NFL team.
He also holds the NFL record for most receptions in a game (21), and is one of only five players in NFL history to catch at least 100 passes in three consecutive seasons.
Usually players with this kind of resume don’t bounce around as much as Marshall.
He has a mercurial, eclectic personality. He isn’t for everyone, every team.
And he likes to talk and is very opinionated.
With this market, with this uber-competitive press room, the Jets’ organization better come up with a strong Marshall plan, if you will.
Or this could get out of control, especially with the current social media landscape – Twitter, Instagram, et al.
On July 17, he went on Twitter, after midnight, and made news, when asked by a fan who was the best quarterback he played with, “Probably… Kyle Orton just bad body.”
He has played with 13 different quarterbacks.
While this comment surprised people, it’s probably not the end of the world, but it shows you that he can be a loose cannon.
And can be egged on.
The Jets beat is a steel-cage match with a lot of people adept at “egging.”
Manish Mehta has an innate ability to get players to say things that create headlines, garner a lot of clicks for the Daily News website.
Mehta has to be licking his chops with Marshall in the locker room.
On Sept, 18, 2014, Marshall held a 40-minute presser at the Chicago Bears facility, defending himself against an ESPN report on domestic violence that included him.
“This is a tough situation,” Marshall said. “It’s really tough because in situations like this, you’re not going to hear people defend themselves. There are certain things where, if you get defensive, if you speak your mind, you’re going to be judged and you’re going to make yourself look worse.
“For six or seven years I’ve sat back and accepted my part in everything that I’ve done, everything that I’ve been a part of and I’ve listened to representatives say, ‘Listen, you can’t win this one.’ And you can’t. There’s no need to try and win it. But I refuse to sit back and continue to let ESPN or any network or outlet exploit my story because they don’t know the real story.”
The Bears were ticked off at the press conference. It was distraction.
And that is point here.
The last few years the Jets have had way too many distractions.
Enough already.
The Jets need to focus on football moving forward.
Enough of the diversions, especially self-inflicted distractions based on verbosity from players and the head coach.
To paraphrase Stephen Covey, “they need to make the main thing the main thing.”
And that is football.
So they better have a heck of a media plan for Marshall.
You just can’t let the reporters in the locker room and let at him.
You need to greatly limit how often he’s available and coach him up about this market.
If not, the results could be a disaster.
July 20, 2015
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