PHOENIX – Marshawn Lynch didn't have a one-line script.
For his last media obligation of Super Bowl week, the quiet Seattle Seahawks running back expressed confusion why the media keeps showing up to hear what he has to say. He expressed at media day on Tuesday that he was just there to avoid a fine, and Wednesday he explained that the media knew why he was there. He kept repeating the same lines until his five-minute obligation was done.
This time, at the end of a long-winded question to start off, Lynch surprised everyone by wondering aloud why the media continued to document his few words.
"Hey, look," Lynch said. "I mean, all week I’ve done told y’all what’s up. For some reason y’all continue to come back and do the same thing y’all did. I don’t know what story y’all trying to get out of me. I don’t know what image y’all trying to portray on me. But it don’t matter what y’all think, what y’all say about me, because when I go home at night, the same people I look in the face, my family that I love, that’s all that matters to me.
"So y’all can go and make up whatever y’all want to make up – because I don’t say enough for y’all to go put anything out on me – but I’ll come to y’all event, y’all shove cameras and microphones down my throat. But when I’m at home in my environment, I don’t see y’all. But y’all mad at me. If y’all ain’t mad at me, what y’all here for."
A reporter started to say he wasn't mad at Lynch (many reporters aren't upset at Lynch, and they find the spectacle as confusing as Lynch does), and Lynch started again.
"I ain’t got nothing for y’all though," Lynch said. "I told y’all that, so y’all should know that. But y’all will sit here like right now and continue to do the same thing. I’m here preparing for a game and y’all want to ask me all these questions, which is understandable, I can get down with that. But I told y’all, I’m not about to say nothing. So for the remainder of my three minutes, because I’m here, I’m available for y’all – I’m here, I’m available for y’all, I’ve done talked, all my requirements are fulfilled – so now for this next three minutes, I’ll just be looking y’all the way y’all looking at me. Thank you."
Lynch didn't have an angry tone, he just seemed genuinely confused over the interest in him after he has made it clear many times he didn't want to talk. Lynch did somewhat answer a couple questions. On one that asked about his work in the inner cities:
"When I’m in the inner cities, come to them inner cities and come holler at me then," Lynch said.
Then came another question he didn't answer.
"Y'all got two more minutes to look at me," Lynch said with a laugh.
There were more idle chatter from reporters, maybe a question or two.
"Shout out to Oakland, California," Lynch said. "Shout out Westbrook. Shout out to my teammates."
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has been using Lynch's one-line approach to media interviews, and perhaps that's what Lynch was referring to.
"Shout out to my real Africans out there," Lynch said. "Y'all got another minute to look at me though."
A Spanish reporter asked him to say something in Spanish.
"Hola," Lynch said.
Lynch was wearing his "Beast Mode" brand hat, and he said where that can be purchased online when asked. Then he started his shout outs again.
"Shout out to my teammates," Lynch said again. "Shout out Family First."
Lynch was asked which of his teammates was the best.
"All of 'em," Lynch said. "I got 20 seconds. I'm going to sit here with my mouth closed and look at you."
And there was silence.
"Thank you," Lynch said, and walked off.
And Lynch was done with his media requirements for the week. At least until after the game.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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