The Sports Rumors

Little Things Go Along Way

Public perception.  Media saviness.  24/7 sports news coverage. 

We’re in 2008 people.  Every athlete knows how every action of theirs is watched, talked about, gossiped about, and written about.  Who you’re dating, your conflicts with teammates or coaches, what you say on the field, who you associate with off the field; all of this is public knowledge.  Bloggers like myself, millions of us, write about it every day.  Opinions are shaped and formed from all of these branches of media outlets. 

That being said, I have no doubt that Ladanian Tomlinson would give his heart and soul for his team.  I have no doubt that he is a tough player and he has the resume to back it up.  He has played through injury before, even when the games didn’t matter during the years of San Diego’s mediocrity.  I truly believe him when he says he thought he would be ready to go for the game, but simply couldn’t after the first two series.  I believe him. 

He is upset that people, such as Deion Sanders among other analysts, are questioning his heart and desire.  He is frustrated that people are looking at him as if he didn’t give it his all in the most important game of his career to date.  It doesn’t help that Philip Rivers is being touted for his bravery and passion by playing through his knee injury after having it scoped just days before.  I can understand his disappointment, but Tomlinson could have easily avoided it.  Easily. 

When you’re the star player of not just a team, but of the entire league as he is, you have to have understand that all eyes are on you.  Given that this was the AFC Championship game, even more eyes are on you.  If he didn’t want to be criticized for lacking heart, he should have shown some emotion on the sideline.  That’s what it comes down to.  Sitting on the bench, isolated from teammates for the majority of the game, having a big jacket on and wearing a helmet with a black tinted visor shows me and other viewers nothing.  You are being watched and judged based on your actions.  His actions the week before against Indianapolis included being caught on camera laughing on the sideline with a friend while the Chargers were down in the second half.  I’m not saying run around jumping up and down, because you can’t.  You have an injured knee.  However, standing near the coaches or talking to your offensive teammates between possessions shows that you are not only interested in the game, but trying to contribute the best you can.  If you can’t contribute physically, then contribute with your vast knowledge.  Tell Michael Turner what you’re seeing from the sideline, tell Rivers what kind of things you’re seeing from an angle that he can’t see, help your team the best you can.  By sitting on the bench and not communicating or showing interest and watching the game on the jumbotron, you’re showing that you don’t care.  I’m sure he does care, but what people see and hear on TV is what shapes their opinions about athletes. 

“Give it your all”.  How often do we hear that in sports?  Give it your best, your everything.  Well, I know that if I can’t contribute the way I normally do, I will find ways to try and help my team the best that I can.  Had LT taken off the helmet, put on a beanie, stood with his teammates and broken down what he saw or helped them with encouraging words, his character and passion would not have been questioned.  This would be a non story.  It needs to be pointed out that LT doesn’t owe anyone an explanation about how he was or wasn’t involved in the game.  However, if he’s going to be upset about how the media and fans are talking about him, he should take his actions, or lack thereof, into consideration.    

My opinion of Tomlinson has always been that he is an unselfish, team-first, genuine superstar that will go down as one of the best runningbacks who ever played.  But last Sunday, he was not a good teammate.  That’s my opinion, and my opinion is based on what I see. 

In sports, perception is reality.