Dr. Narcisse
Veteran
But the real intrigue (per usual) happened off the field. Before the game, ESPN’s Britt McHenry reported that Griffin had “alienated himself” in the locker room, detailed here at ESPN.com:
Griffin’s support with players, however, is not as strong as it is with the highest levels of the organization, according to sources.
When Griffin began addressing the media in the locker room on Friday for the first time since dislocating his left ankle in Week 2, about 15 teammates began shouting. It was so loud and distracting, the franchise quarterback — and reporters — had to leave the locker room so Griffin could speak someplace where he could be heard. That’s when the cheering got even more boisterous.
A source familiar with the incident told ESPN’s Britt McHenry that Griffin has “alienated himself” from the locker room.
After the loss to the Vikings, head coach Jay Gruden addressed McHenry’s report and unleashed an attack on her credibility, tossing out the word “amateur” multiple times and calling it “small time reporter reporting fiction.” Via the Washington Post:
“I saw those,” the coach said when asked about the pregame reports. “It was an amateurish report. It was totally not true. And for anybody who reads that to believe that, they’re an amateur. Anybody who reports that’s an amateur. It’s totally false. And just something else that you have to deal with up here at a press conference, that Robert has to deal with, that the players have to deal with, that they’re going to write about and ask about.
“But we are in D.C., and it is Robert Griffin, and they’re always going to try to tear him down and tear us down for whatever reason,” Gruden went on. “But we’re going to stay united as a locker room, and that’s that. We’re not going to let anybody get to us. That’s some small-time reporter reporting fiction.”
Those are as stern a words as you’re going to hear from a coach towards a member of the media. Clearly, the implications of the McHenry report are quite serious as nothing sends a football team and a fanbase whipped up into a frenzy like the old “quarterback losing the locker room” storylines. And when that person is as hotly debated as RGIII, magnify that times ten.
The most perplexing element about this story though is that there have been multiple voices who have backed McHenry’s report and denied it.
Local Washington reporters seemingly debunked McHenry’s report…
Re: ESPN locker room report: Grossly misinterpreted. The noise, yelling over intrvw was not directed at RGIII, but at Redskins PR.
— Mike Jones (@MikeJonesWaPo) November 2, 2014
Is Griffin loved by every member of the team? No. who is? Not even russell Wilson. The noise was not related to players upset RGIII was back
— Mike Jones (@MikeJonesWaPo) November 2, 2014
That established, the immaturity in the locker room had more to do with dislike of the media than it had to do with Robert.
— Jason Reid (@JReidPost) November 2, 2014
People who are around the team on a daily basis knew exactly what was going on.
— Jason Reid (@JReidPost) November 2, 2014
Have resisted weighing in, but immature antics in Skins locker rm Fri was continued hostility toward media & PR staff. RG3 incidental @ best
— Liz Clarke (@lizclarketweet) November 2, 2014
— Liz Clarke (@lizclarketweet) November 2, 2014
Also, I was in the locker room when "guys were yelling" along with other reporters. It wasn't about RG3. They were messing w/ Tony Wyllie
— Dianna Marie Russini (@NBCdianna) November 2, 2014
Meanwhile, others on the national scene backed McHenry…
— Dianna Marie Russini (@NBCdianna) November 2, 2014
Meanwhile, others on the national scene backed McHenry…
Britt McHenry's report was solid.
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) November 2, 2014
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) November 2, 2014
great job by my colleague Britt McHenry
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014
I know who I believe when it comes to credibility of the reporting or the Redskins denying…seen if up close for 30-plus years…
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 2, 2014
@AndrewLiv @BrittMcHenry what did you expect him to say? He's protecting his QB like you are. Move on man.
— Kevin Negandhi (@KNegandhiESPN) November 2, 2014
Local media denied it.
ETA: Another classic from I.AM.PIFF
— Kevin Negandhi (@KNegandhiESPN) November 2, 2014
Local media denied it.
ETA: Another classic from I.AM.PIFF
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