Let’s get this straight: Tensions run high when it comes to sports, especially following difficult losses or injuries.
Athletes get hurt, it’s the price they pay for having a passion and being good at it. And more often than not, when something negative goes down, athletes, coaches, staff will get emotional when a reporter covering them asks a basic question.
But should there be a pass if an athlete lets emotion bleed over into a press conference where the fan base is dependent on the media for information?
There’s a line, according to some professionals. And is called being respectful.
“First Take” commentator Stephen A. Smith pointed out that line when Chicago Bears’ injured quarterback Caleb Williams took issue with a question thrown at him by a media member regarding the grade of his hamstring injury.
To the point? He refused to say without offering an explanation why and instead became dismissive.
“If you don’t want to answer the question, that’s fine,” Smith said on Friday. “That’s not an issue. My issue is why are you having an attitude with the reporter for asking? 61,500 people fill Soldier Field. They support the Chicago Bears. They want to come see Caleb Williams play. They want to know every detail that they could possibly muster about why he’s hurt. That doesn’t mean they have a right to know but the reporter has a right to ask.”
On Thursday, the Heisman Trophy winner spoke to the media for the first time since his hamstring injury in Week 2. While Williams said that the Hamstring tear was serious, he wouldn’t reveal what grade the injury is. When a reporter pushed for an answer, and asked why Williams is keeping the details a secret, the QB got a little chippy.
“Because it’s not deserving,” Williams said.
“Why?” the reporter asked.
“Just not deserving. Next question,” he added, shutting down the question.
Smith went on to clarify his thoughts on the interaction.
“That’s where it gets tricky and this is why it’s so important to bring this up,” Smith continued. “Oh, ‘next question, next question,’ you’re dismissing grown-[explicit] men that’s asking you a question. He could have said exactly what Swagu (Marcus Spears) said and there’s nothing the reporter could have said.
“If I’m asking that same exact question, Swagu, that that reporter asked, and Calab Williams looked me in my face and went like this ‘bro, I ain’t telling you, I ain’t trying to give the competition that much information. I told you a hamstring, you should be happy you got that,’ I’d have went like this ‘damn, that’s a good answer.’”
Smith went on to say that he takes issue with the attitude Williams tossed out and called it being disrespectful to the reporter who is just trying to relay the information to Bears fans.
Initially, Williams’ injury was reported as minor before being diagnosed as a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He has expressed his frustration with not playing for the past three games.
“Not being able to be out there was frustrating,” he said regarding his reaction to the injury on the field, according to Mike Garafolo. “That was more of the tears or whatever that was. The other half of it was everybody making jokes and all that, but that doesn’t bother me.”
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