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Robert Griffin has been taking heat recently for addressing his relationship with head coach Mike Shanahan, and to this point, he’s defended his decision to go out of his way to, essentially, say there’s no story. That much isn’t new. Now, however, he’s defending his open book-style, and in doing so, he seemingly took a potshot at New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
“It sucks. That's why I had to come out and make that statement,” Griffin told reporters. “But I sat down and talked to a few people to make a decision. Do I stop being who I am and stop being honest with you guys and give you guys ammunition to turn against this team? Or do I just go into a shell and Bill Belichick it all week? But I'm just gonna continue to be who I am.”
Now, there’s a couple points worth mentioning here. Robert Griffin was almost certainly not taking a shot at Belichick, although many will see it that way. Belichick just happens to be a great example of someone who gives the media nearly nothing to work with.
Even though Griffin likely didn’t mean to insult Belichick, his comment got me thinking; is “Bill Belichick-ing it” really a bad thing for coaches and players?
My first thought on the matter is yes, it can be a very good thing to give the media as little as possible. Outside distractions are never a good thing for any team, especially teams featuring an excess of young players.
On the other hand, it’s likely equally as unhealthy for a player to change their personality, and if that player happens to be the most important player on the team *cough* like RG III *cough*, it’s probably better for players to speak their mind.
At this point, it occurs to me that this may not be a simple black and white issue. There’s probably a grey area here, and in these situations, that’s probably where we should be looking for the best possible answer.
There’s a time to speak one’s mind, and there’s a time to shut up and Belichick it. That’s something that RG III will learn in time. He doesn’t always have to speak his mind, but in some cases, there’s nothing wrong with doing so.
Essentially, there really is no “right” answer on whether to Belichick it or not. Frankly, players should stick to who they are, which may be a boring answer, but it’s also the most logical one. Belichick-it may not be for everyone, but if that’s who you are, go for it. If not, I suppose you can just Griffin it.
