For once, TV caught the confusion and terror of playing in the NFL
The NFL’s “Mic’d Up” segments, in which we’re given audio of individual players during a game, are an odd concept. They’re supposed to give the viewer a peek behind the curtain: come see what’s reallyhappening, yet they rarely inform the viewer. The really interesting parts – the play-calling, the foul-mouthed outbursts, the moments that show players as anything other than dedicated to the league and its product – are airbrushed out because the NFL wants to present a wholesome product. Packaging a game built atop testosterone, arrogance and violence to middle America requires such finagling of footage – NFL Films decides what audio it passes on to the broadcaster, so the audience hears only a very small fraction of what goes on during a game.
And so we hear the platitudes and coach-speak. We get the sweet, pregame interactions between teammates, players of the past or guests of honor. We get the whooping and hollering. And we get the clapping – so much clapping. And yet, every now and then, something slips past the censors.
On Monday night, New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold played his worst game as a pro, committing five turnovers against the New England Patriots. In the second quarter, after his third giveaway, he went to the sideline and said, “I’m seeing ghosts.” The clip instantly went viral. Darnold essentially admitted he was out of his depth against New England coach Bill Belichick, as was evident to anyone with eyes.
Why Darnold’s admission sent the Jets into such a tizzy – they were said to be furious that his comments were aired – is interesting. Was such a revelation a shock? Of course Darnold was confused by the Patriots. They have the best defense in football and are coached by Belichick, the greatest defensive mind in league history. Darnold is only in his second season as a professional, and Belichick has confused and clobbered the game’s best for decades. The list of quarterbacks he has outwitted is littered with Hall of Famers: Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Jim Kelly, and on and on. Warner himself came to Darnold’s defense, saying even the best quarterbacks sometimes find themselves dazed and confused during games. If someone uses Darnold’s
in-the-moment doubts to evaluate his long-term prospects or overall talent, more fool them.
Darnold admitting his confusion was the most illuminating thing from a Monday Night Football broadcast in years. Rather than see that as a positive, network execs will kowtow to the league – who wield the leverage of future TV contracts and competition from tech giants Amazon, Apple, Twitter and Facebook – and become even more reserved. The Jets are already rethinking wearing microphones, according to the New York Times. Jets head coach Adam Gase put a voice to the concerns. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that,” Gase said. “Where somebody that was mic’d up was basically ... a comment like that was allowed to air.”
What drivel. It’s rare that we get quality mic’d up segments, but when we do, they’re doozies. Darnold’s, in terms of its impact, has already entered the pantheon. Here are a few more classics.
1) Bill Belichick and Chad Ochocinco
Belichick is a first-ballot Hall of Fame mic’d up participant. There are two reasons why: he offers little insight into his mind in public, so we must feast on any morsel he offers us – any sense of his galaxy brain or humanity. One of his classics is an exchange with former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ochocinco. As he often does against star receivers, Belichick planned to double-cover Ochocinco, and he let him know about it –
probably as an attempt at intimidation. Belichick delighted in letting the receiver know his plan pre-game, even going so far as to give him the specific play-call “[Cover] 1 Double 85, [receiver number]”.
2) Bill Belichick and Derrick Mason
Belichick is also the author of probably the spiciest mic’d up quote. “Why don’t we talk after the game?” says Belichick to Baltimore Ravens receiver Derrick Mason. The language gets a little stronger after that.
3) All things Jon Gruden
You have to give this to Jon Gruden: the Oakland Raiders head coach is nothing if not himself. Long before he transformed from Super Bowl champion to living meme, he was entertaining the masses. Gruden has been, by his standards, more genteel since his return to coaching, but his time with Tampa remains legendary.
4) Cam Newton and Clay Matthews
You couldn’t script it better than this. Cam Newton v Packers linebacker Clay Matthews. Matthews identified the Panthers’ play based on their formation and the alignment of the running back. “It’s that wheel route; it’s the wheel route,” Matthews signaled to the rest of the defense. Newton, with his trademark smile, loved what he
Lamar Jackson had a monumental day against the Seahawks last Sunday, showing the kind of traits that make a great player greatbut don’t always show up in the box score. When the Ravens needed him to put the team on his back, on the road, in a hostile environment, against a swarming defense, he did so on back-to-back drives. It was a transformative game for the muchcriticized quarterback, and it came with its own Hollywood moment.
On fourth down, head coach John Harbaugh turned to Jackson and asked him if he wanted to go for it. “Hell yeah, let’s go for it”, Jackson replied.
It is the kind of soundbite the NFL wants you to hear, and this time they’re right. No cuss words, no selling out a player or a team’s strategy. Just a moviestar quarterback adding to his highlight reel.
at Everton was the latest infuriating result. A home match against Sheffield United represents a chance to get back on track and leapfrog them in the table. If West Ham are serious about cracking the top six, however, they must develop some consistency. “They’re one of those teams in that bracket,” said Wilder. “They’re an established Premier League team and when you’re in that position you’ve always got to be looking ahead at what’s above you and trying to climb to that next bracket. West Ham will definitely have ambitions and ideas to climb into the top six.” BF
• West Ham v Sheffield United, 3pm Saturday
9) Dubravka deal brings back Pardew memories
Martin Dubravka signing a new shiny six-year contract at Newcastle was well received on Tyneside but such a reward will inevitably bring back memories of the decision to hand Alan Pardew and his staff eight-year extensions until 2020. Pardew left Newcastle for Crystal Palace two years later but fans will hope Dubravka, who will be 36 when his contract expires, is there to stay. The 30-year-old has started every Premier League game since joining Newcastle from Sparta Prague last year, keeping 17 clean sheets in 59 appearances. Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot are both out of contract next summer so it will likely fall on Freddie Woodman, the 22-year-old who has impressed this season on loan at Swansea and whose godfather is Gareth Southgate, to compete with the Slovakian for the number one jersey. BF
• Newcastle v Wolves, 2pm Sunday
10) Will Gilmour be next Chelsea
With Callum Hudson-Odoi returning to the fold and another three academy graduates central to Chelsea’s six-match winning streak – Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham – it begs the question as to which youngster could be next in line to flourish in the first team. The 18-yearold Billy Gilmour was on the bench in Amsterdam in midweek and Frank Lampard handed the Glaswegian, who joined Chelsea from Rangers for an initial £500,000 two years, a start against Grimsby last month after giving him his debut off the bench at Bramall Lane. Lampard rates the defenders Reece James and Marc Guehi very highly but it is in midfield where he is blessed with a wealth of options, including teenagers Ethan Ampadu and Conor Gallagher, who has impressed on loan at Charlton, but there was a reason the Chelsea manager was reluctant to allow Gilmour to head out the door on a temporary basis in the summer: because he felt the teenager could make a splash in the first team. BF
• Burnley v Chelsea, 5.30pm Saturday
ible and that there is a dream,” said Gatland.
“If you don’t have that attitude and portray it, it will not happen. A big part of success is the belief and the desire to do something. That is what we will be building on in the next two days and I want to go back to New Zealand with my head held high.
“I thought we handled the end against France outstandingly after we had gone in front and you could see in the body language of their players that they did not expect to beat us. In the past, we might have panicked or got nervous but we were composed. That is something you cannot coach and which players have to learn themselves.”
Gatland said Wales were braced for the physical approach of South Africa who battered Japan into submission to reach the last four and predicted an ugly kick-fest.
“We have played some big teams in this tournament already,” he said. “This is a World Cup semi-final and we have to bring our own physicality, something that is always important against South Africa. They have improved under Rassie Erasmus and gone back to their strengths, but I am looking forward to this game more than I was last week and I am more confident.”