Do the Celts Pay Too Much Attention To The Media?

[Roy H.]

Tatum called Perk and asked him to explain his criticism:

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/jayson-tatum-called-kendrick-perkins-discuss-ex-celtics-criticism

Smart called out the CLNS guys: 

https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/4/5/22368857/marcus-smart-calls-out-clns-medias-garden-report-celtics-hornets-rockets-defense-boston-clns-media

Thompson responded to the source-less Kevin O’Connor:

https://fadeawayworld.net/2021/04/08/tristan-thompson-rips-kevin-oconnor-for-saying-his-teammates-dont-like-him-i-dont-know-if-i-should-mention-his-name-or-not-because-he-doesnt-deserve-my-two-cents/

I honestly don’t understand this.  I assumed that once you became an NBA player — in this case, guys who have either been All-NBA, All-Defense and won a title — that you were mentally tough enough to ignore this stuff.  It’s not quite Kevin Durant level, but it’s hard to sympathize even a little with these guys after what pioneers like Bill Russell went through.

Is it the obsession with social media?  Guys spending too much time on Twitter and Instagram?  And is it a distraction, or could it be a motivator?

[Rondo9]

They should do what Lebron does every postseason: Shut off social media.

[BitterJim]

It certainly seems like they (do this year anyway)

Was it a big deal pre-Covid, or could it partly just be a result of having a lot less to do this past year? They wouldn't be the only ones spending a lot more time on their phones right now

IT is probably the recent player that I would most expect it from (adding to the chip on his shoulder), but I don't really remember it ever coming up. He was (understandably) more worried about the Brinks truck than what the media thought if him

[Atzar]

I don't know if they pay too much attention or not.  That depends on them.  If it distracts them, they should cut it off.  If it fuels them, then hell... maybe they should read even more.  I have no idea.  Saying that they "pay too much attention" or otherwise would be nothing but a guess on my part. 

I do think we have a particularly loud, opinionated, negative local media relative to other areas of the country.  New York teams probably have a similar experience.  I'm not sure other teams do, though.  And that is exacerbated by the fact that the Celtics are perceived to have underachieved this year (whether that's actually the case, and to what degree, is a separate discussion).  So given the environment, I'm not surprised that there is occasional friction between the players and the media. 

[gouki88]

The Tatum one seems pretty benign to me. Seems like he was genuinely curious on pointers from someone outside the coaching staff who pretty clearly has a very different approach to the game. I don't think I see too much harm in that.

I don't really like seeing veteran players get in their feelings about what journalists are saying though

[nickagneta]

If you look at each case separately, it gives a bit of a different context and, IMHO, shows it more an individual thing than some team wide problem.

Tatum calling Perk, being mature and asking for advice seems pretty innocuous to me. It doesn't seem Tatum had issues but more like he wanted to hear what someone else's opinion was and if talking about it would make him a better player.

Smart....well, Smart is an emotional guy and we have seen example after example of his being immature about being called out for various things. It's led to emotional outbursts that have hurt him and the team. No one should be surprised Smart confronted others because they were critical of him. Smart is what he is. You live with the bad and the good with him.

Thompson....the guy was with Khloe Kardashian for a long time. A member of social media's first family of attention and fame craving scum. Are we really surprised he reacted to something on social media.

I really think this is more an individual thing than some team wide issue. This seems like it's painting all the members of the team with a very wide brush because two individuals on the team got freaked about stuff in the media.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Twitter is a CESSPOOL of hating Idiots...People really need to get off of it.

[SparzWizard]

These guys are just too young.

They are not the old-skool type players. Everyone is too glued into their phones and the media outlet.

[Roy H.]

If you look at each case separately, it gives a bit of a different context and, IMHO, shows it more an individual thing than some team wide problem.

Tatum calling Perk, being mature and asking for advice seems pretty innocuous to me. It doesn't seem Tatum had issues but more like he wanted to hear what someone else's opinion was and if talking about it would make him a better player.

Smart....well, Smart is an emotional guy and we have seen example after example of his being immature about being called out for various things. It's led to emotional outbursts that have hurt him and the team. No one should be surprised Smart confronted others because they were critical of him. Smart is what he is. You live with the bad and the good with him.

Thompson....the guy was with Khloe Kardashian for a long time. A member of social media's first family of attention and fame craving scum. Are we really surprised he reacted to something on social media.

I really think this is more an individual thing than some team wide issue. This seems like it's painting all the members of the team with a very wide brush because two individuals on the team got freaked about stuff in the media.

It’s three guys in the span of a week, though.  And, Tatum obviously noticed the comments and had a reaction.  Nowhere did Perk say he wanted advice, just that they had a discussion like men.

I don’t know.  To me, if 30% of the rotation is worried about what the media is saying, I think Brad should be preaching a little more Zero Dark Thirty, or whatever Lebron said.  The media, particularly Twitter, is a garbage pile.

[PAOBoston]

It’s a generational thing imo. Those guys are glued to their phones and social media. I mean, KD literally has burner accounts he uses to argue with people.

[gift]

Do they pay too much attention to the media? Probably.

But athletes have always paid too much attention to the media, when it was newspaper and radio, and now that it's social media and podcasts.

[Roy H.]

Do they pay too much attention to the media? Probably.

But athletes have always paid too much attention to the media, when it was newspaper and radio, and now that it's social media and podcasts.

Some of them have.  Ted Williams is an example.

[Vermont Green]

Do they pay too much attention to the media? Probably.

But athletes have always paid too much attention to the media, when it was newspaper and radio, and now that it's social media and podcasts.

Some of them have.  Ted Williams is an example.

I have a fun Ted Williams story.  A relation on my wife's side of the family was a Red Sox bat boy when he was young.  Ted Williams would give him a ride home after games sometimes.  This guy became a sportswriter and author.  When he came back into the locker room for the first time as a sportswriter, Ted Williams told him to stay away because he was the enemy now.  Wouldn't even talk to him (or so the story goes, I have not fact-checked this but my source is very credible).

Point is that I think this stuff went on always, it is just more public and visible now thanks to the internet.  That doesn't mean that Roy is not right and that it would be better for players to ignore it all, I just don't think it is that easy.

Celebrity is a tough thing, be it athletes, musicians, whatever.  It is easy for us as fans to say just ignore it all and do your thing but that probably is not fair.  I suspect it is way harder than any of us can imagine, especially at such young ages.  Not everyone can handle it as well as Ted Williams or LeBron.

[Moranis]

They should do what Lebron does every postseason: Shut off social media.

Honestly I think Lebron should be a model on how to correctly use social media and the media in general.  You put out your content, but you don't respond at all.  You then just shut it off for a couple of months during the playoffs before turning it back on and stepping it up a notch in the offseason before scaling it back again when the season starts.  Lebron, for all his flaws, has seemingly mastered how to deal with the media (obviously not without a few missteps along the way i.e. the Decision and that initial presser in Miami), but he should be the guide for players on what to do.  Frankly, he should be a guide for players on what to do in general.  How to approach the game, staying out of the spot light off the court (unless intentional like movies), etc.  Even his approach to social issues has generally been the right approach.  Not over the top aggressive, but still getting his message out there.

[RJ87]

I think it's more due to the fact that the media has been absolutely trashing the team because of their underperformance. Then all that vitriol gets retweeted hundreds of times with the players tagged in it and it becomes this echo chamber of negativity that's tough to block out. It's human nature to want to defend yourself and honestly 3 responses to the media's season long take down is actually tame, imo.