For every player who actually is fined for refusing to fulfill his regular media obligations, there are more than a few others who launched a temporary boycott that was resolved quietly, before the league office had to get involved.
That’s apparently what has happened recently with Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.
In his weekly podcast, Parsons admitted that he refused to speak to the media this week.
“I’m tired of people trashing my quarterback,” Parsons said. “I’m tired of people trashing my team. That’s why I had nothing to say to the media this week.”
On Wednesday’s PFT Live, Charean Williams explained that Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, who also serves as president of the Pro Football Writers Association, raised the concern with the team and received an assurance that Parsons will resume complying with the mandate to be available once during the week and after each game.
Here’s the reality. The reporters covering the Cowboys typically won’t be among those trashing Dak Prescott or the Cowboys. It’s the national voices who realize that all things Cowboys generate interest. And so, on the many shows that contrive debate, someone loves Dallas and someone hates Dallas. Someone praises Dak and someone trashes Dak.
It’s one of the realities of playing for the Cowboys. If Parsons played for a team like the Cardinals or the Panthers, he wouldn’t be hearing any trashing of his quarterback. He wouldn’t be hearing anything about his quarterback.
He also wouldn’t have a successful podcast.
It’s a blessing and a curse to play for America’s Team. Everyone wants to talk about the Cowboys. If the talk was universal praise, the shows doing the talking would not be very interesting.
So it’s nothing personal. It’s business. And talking about the Cowboys is always good for business. Especially if the talk includes an equal balance of treasure and trash.