Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin went on a self-described Twitter rant earlier today about the way the media covers the NFL. Regardless of how you feel about Baldwin or his team, he made some very profound points, and while you should draw your own conclusions about the things he says, this was deep enough and thought-provoking enough that we recommend all fans of the NFL at least take a look.
Editor's note: This was taken from a series of tweets and has been reformatted for this article, but all of Baldwin's writing has been left intact.
"Imma go on a lil rant real quick. The more I sit back and observe everything that has to do with the NFL the more I realize it’s just an entertainment business.
I was so caught up in trying to make football at this level purely football. But when I look around me, it’s nothing, NOTHING but a business. Understandably so. But I want to inform you, the fans. Don’t be sucked in to ESPN, NFL Network and all these money making media outlets.
Their singular purpose is to entertain you. Make you think something is important when it really isn’t. It’s not for news, it’s for ratings. They want you to be sucked into their opinions. Why? That pushes their brand and eventually makes them money at some level.
I’m asking you, the fans, to be informed. Do your own thinking. They will say a guy is too short to play QB… he’ll win a SuperBowl. They will say he’s too small to play linebacker. He’ll make an interception for a touchdown in this biggest stage the game has to offer.
They will say he is too tall to play corner, not quick enough, not smart enough… and become the best corner in the game. They will say he can’t because of this, he can’t because of that… and they will continue to be wrong… Why? Because they are human. They want to look at the 40. The shuttle. They broad jump. The vertical jump. All of these measurables. But they will continue to miss.
Why? Because you can not measure the Heart, Passion and Relentlessness to be great that someone has deep down in their soul. So while these pundits and so-called expert analyst fill the air with their irrelevant jargon, realize they are talking about PEOPLE. Realize these people are not just items to be shown off at the combine to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Didn’t think about that Because at the end of the day, the players are all expendable.
The only thing that matters to the NFL is the brand of NFL. So don’t get mad when players are deemed ‘selfish’ or ‘not about the team.’ They wouldn’t be at this level if that was the case.In a business that is geared to protecting itself, how could you blame the players who put their bodies on the line for doing the same? Just remember that. 100."
The rant was prompted by ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeting the height, weight and hand size of several QB prospects at the NFL combine:
@AdamSchefter None of that matters
— Doug Baldwin Jr (@DougBaldwinJr) February 21, 2014
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