Rivers’ Rants Revisited

If Philip Rivers didn’t talk so much smack no one would be talking about him. The only press he gets is about his verbal mugging of other players, which begs the question: is it better to be liked by a few or disliked by everyone?

Philip Rivers is a top tier quarterback, but performance alone isn’t enough when writing about professional football. Stats earn you a mention in the box score. Opening your trap gets you a headline.

Every so often the truly great let their work on the field speak for itself. Montana. Elway. Favre. Manning. They don’t need to jaw at the other sideline, have a zany touchdown dance or show up on gameday in a costume. When a player has trouble breaking into the elite core of guys in the league, well, then they need to be placed in some other niche category. So, Rivers is the ‘smack talker’ guy.

Some players turn their personality up to eleven so they get the cameras attention. Other guys just act as they normally would, for better or worse, the cameras gravitate over, and sports writers and fans alike enter attack mode.

I believe that on-field antics are interesting to a point. Once a player is a distraction, becomes bigger than the game, then it’s gone too far. Unfortunately, it all starts somewhere. Rivers hasn’t become a distraction, and he’d be smart to tone it down a little this season. Players have short memories and I’m sure Denver is waiting to give Philip a warm welcome.

So, Rivers is that ‘smack talker guy’. I’m fine with that. Better than ‘what’s his name.’