D... I hear what you're saying... and I think it
is easy for most folks to forget that these guys are people too.
I don't play football in front of 70k+ fans, but I do make my living in front of the public... and my job performance is continually subject to review in public forums.
There have been a few off concerts, and I've had my tuckus handed to me each of those times. The first couple times, it hurt- bad. You spend hours and hours preparing for "the big day," and in a couple of paragraphs, the whole newspaper's readership finds out what an underserving hack you really are.
Over time, what makes it tolerable is
balance... if you throw down a good performance (and the writer is truly fair and honest each time), you get slurrped in front of the same number of people.
Getting that balance is MY responsibility. If I suck repeatedly, then I should expect to get hammered in the press. If I play well every time, but act a fool in interviews, backstage and at receptions, I should expect some neagativity, as well. Best defense: stay on top of your game, conduct yourself like a gentleman at all times, and never let them see how deeply your're hurt. If your skin isn't thick enough, you find out real fast. I've seen some very, very talented folks who could play circles around me burn out and dump the entire career for something a little less public.
Braylon, to his credit, has learned what to say and what not to say. Back when I was calling him "Brayleon" (my bad), it was because of his talk/production ratio. As soon as the talk died, so did his nickname. New year/clean slate... and we also seemed to see a new player who was much easier to like. I suppose he's always been this kind of guy, but the hard times were showing in his demeanor... and as a professional in a job with many similarities, I viewed this behavior as immature and unprofessional. Didn't mind voicing it, either. He's grown up a bit now...and my attitude about him has changed accordingly.
I also don't mind hearing him now admit to not liking his environs/situation... lends credibility to the things he will say down the road. Honesty counts with me. And as for him regressing if the Browns falter- it's possible, but less likely with each day being another closer to that all-important post-football TV career...
Kid's growing up day by day- and we Browns fans get a ringside seat to see it all happen. Kinda cool, if you ask me.
_______________________________________
btw- I did have a chance to turn the tables once... a few weeks after a particularly scathing concert review. I sometimes fill the role of Narrator for pieces that involve the spoken word. We were doing a piece by Camille Saint-Saens called "Carnival of the Animals." The players were tired of the Ogden Nash script, and asked me to re-write it. One of the movements is entitled "Wild Asses." I saw the music critic in the 3rd row when I walked out on stage, but it was too late- I only brought my script out with me. So with heart in throat, I recited:
In this world, there are "talkers" and "doers."
Translation: "performers" and "spewers."
So while good people play
Others sit back and bray
Like wild asses- or concert reviewers.
Brought the house down. Not surprisinly, the review was quie complimentary- narration and all. Sometimes the best way to handle an anonymous bully is to shine the light directly on him, as you sock him one in the nose.
