Stampede Blue
I see the image of Daniel Jones being hugged by Pat McAfee and wonder out loud if that was the Colts accepting him back to The Shoe, or just Jones acknowledging an over-served, high profile talking head? This is the same guy that on his nationally televised show, went scorched earth, calling for dismissals anywhere he could point a finger. There are enough tweets and soundbites to confirm this, so let me paraphrase his dialogue since calling for mass changes in the building.
He started by jumping on the running narrative that the building was responsible for all of AR’s negative actions. It was a pretty easy leap based on national media and fan responses, so he hopped on the bandwagon and went public with his own view, which was a popular view at the time. Then he was somehow caught off-guard that some players were at minimum, unappreciative. This was followed by being booed at the stadium, which also somehow took him by surprise, even though the attending crowd is made up of folks that keep coming and supporting, rather than bashing.
He responded to the players and fans by saying how he’d been a champion for the team and wasn’t saying anything that others were not saying. Then he got a little wishy washy on whether he had any affiliation with the team. First, it was that he wasn’t speaking for the players as he really didn’t know many of them, but then went on to say he had a lot of friends in the building. When he went on to address his earlier rant, he said that Ballard was a great guy, great hair, great accent, but needed to go. I’d say that many to most of you agree(d). Then he sarcastically added that he was just a punter who shared a locker room with the all-time great Colts.
I’m not here to say that anyone who felt that way is/was wrong. I still do support Ballard and always have, but I had no qualms with the “Division title or else” mantra, entering this season. For me, the problem here is that McAfee wants it both ways. He want’s a platform that sees him discuss football with players, execs, and other media types (dang, is that me now?) as though he is in the know about NFL workings. On the other hand, he want’s a scroll across the bottom of his screen, saying “Don’t sue us, we’re idiots.” He went for clicks and got them.
It is not often that you get to burn bridges and rebuild them this quickly, or is he just trying to project that things are cool. He’s not been bashful about singing the praises of Daniel Jones, even if it was just for DJ’s ability to throw back a few cold ones in a downtown bar. That is not his only praise, but it was his first on air praise. He’s still playing both sides and if Jones falls flat, he will...
