It isapositivefirstsign.TheBeast
didnotroar.
Informed that this is thecrew
scheduled for the2p.m. interview,
thevoicesays: “Thatwascanceled.”
“When?”
“Twoweeksago.”
“But thedetailswereconfirmed
yesterday.”
“Well, sorry.”
Thedoorhasnotmoved; the face is
impassive.Considering theextensive
planningandcoordination thathas taken
place, somethingseemsamiss.Aftera
short, awkwardpause that feelsmuch
longer, andplayingahunch thatperhaps
adifferentsortofgame is inprogress, the
question isposed toMarshawnLynch:
“Areyoumessingwithus?”
For thefirst time,hechanges
expressions, smilesanduttersoneofhis
famousgroup interview lines: “Yeah.”
That is thebeginningofa two-
hoursessionwithamanwhobelieves
hisactionson the footballfieldspeak
louder thanhiswordsoff it.Asapremier
runningback for theSeattleSeahawks,
Lynch isamodel forhow thegame
shouldbeplayed:passionately,fiercely,
unrelentingly.Hehasbeen thatway
sincehisPopWarnerdaysplaying
youth football,whenhiscollisionswith
would-be tacklersweresoone-sided that
someoneremarked, “Thatboy’sabeast.”
Thenamestuckandevolved.When
Lynchunleashesoneofhisviolentruns
thesedays,he’s in“BeastMode.”
When thegameclockstrikeszero,
however,Lynchbecomesadifferent
character,onewhohasnodesire to
answerquestions
fromabunchof
strangerswith tape
recorders, cameras
andnotepads. If
fanswant toread,watchor listen to
Lynchdiscussingkeyplays, successful
strategyor thefinerpointsofbowling
over linebackers, itwillbea longwait.
Like, forever.
Thathasbeenacostlyapproach for
him.ThestandardNFLcontractrequires
players tobeavailable to themediaafter
gamesandat leastonceduring theweek.
Afterseveralwarningswere ignored, the
NFLfinedLynch$100,000 inNovember
2014.Following thenextgame,Lynch
answered12questionswith“Yeah”and
then left the lockerroom.
“Whenyou forceme todosomething,
AMERICANWAY
SEPTEMBER2015
47
THE
OVERSIZE
FRONT
DOOR
OPENS
SLIGHTLY
ANDA
HALF-
HIDDEN
FACESAYS,
“CAN
IHELP
YOU?”
LYNCHPOSESWITH
THEVINCELOMBARDI
TROPHYFROMTHE
2014SUPERBOWL. IT
WASTHEFIRSTTITLE IN
SEAHAWKSHISTORY.
