TheOak

Like most young people, Robert Griffin III fails to recognize God’s intent in blessing us with two eyes, two ears and one mouth.



I’m an RGIII fan. But I don’t particularly care about having access to him. I got my own friends. And I’m not going to cripple a talented black QB by blowing smoke up his rear.


The Creator intended for all of us to do four times as much listening and observing as talking. That’s how we learn and evolve. When we constantly run our mouths we oftentimes expose ourselves in unflattering ways.

RGIII exposed himself Monday afternoon. Just beneath the tough-guy, ultimate-warrior bravado he trumpets to the media lurks some major, Kirk Cousins-fueled insecurity.

Griffin doesn’t like the way he’s being handled by the Washington coaching staff because he doesn’t want Mike Shanahan, his teammates or Redskins fans to think the backup QB is a viable option as the starting QB.

“I don’t like it. I don’t understand all of it,” Griffin said of the coaching staff’s cautious approach to his return from a major knee injury. “But (Shanahan) gave me his word. ... When you give your word to somebody that’s all they have so I’m just banking that they will stay true to their word and I’m staying true to mine. I’m doing everything they ask me to do without any gripes.”

No gripes? Really? Sounds like griping to me.

“My integration to the team has been fixed without any aspect of how I’m doing personally with my knee surgery and with my knee rehab,” Griffin griped. “It’s pre-determined. That’s the one thing I don’t understand. What coach says, and he’s 100 percent right, I don’t have to understand it. I don’t have to like it. If he plays me Week 1 and I’m ready to go then I’ll give him a salute and I’ll play my butt off for him.”

Griffin is the Golden Child of the NFL right now. The media loves him. He’s an exciting player and a great quote. People are afraid to criticize him because they want access to him and they don’t want to be accused of unfairly criticizing a talented black QB.

I’m an RGIII fan. But I don’t particularly care about having access to him. I got my own friends. And I’m not going to cripple a talented black QB by blowing smoke up his rear.

Griffin needs to talk less publicly and deal with Shanahan privately. Griffin also needs to overcome his fear of Cousins, who was selected in the fourth round of the same draft as Griffin. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is not going to let his high-priced, meter-moving QB sit just because Cousins looks good in the preseason.

During last season’s playoffs, Griffin stayed on the field long after it was obvious his knee injury made him completely ineffective. I wrote a column at the time stating Griffin demanded to stay in the game because of arrogance. I should’ve pointed to arrogance, insecurity and selfishness.

He wanted the glory of leading the Redskins to victory, and he wanted to deny Cousins a role in it. Griffin’s foolishness cost Washington the game, a contest it led 14-0.

I’m not the only one who knows this. Mike Shanahan knows. Trust me, Griffin’s teammates know. Griffin’s attempt to play hero cost the Redskins a playoff victory over the Seahawks. He should’ve been benched at halftime. Shanahan couldn’t do it because his mouthy, leverage-having quarterback would’ve complained to the media.

Instead, Shanahan absorbed all the media hits for leaving Griffin in the game and jeopardizing the QB’s health. Griffin selfishly jeopardized his own health in that playoff game. He still wants to risk his own health -- in exhibition games.

This isn’t leadership or a sign that Griffin is hyper-competitive. He’s insecure.

His insecurity is starting to make me think Kirk Cousins is a better football player than I think. To me, Cousins is a dime-a-dozen young backup. But, hell, maybe he’s Kurt Warner, Tony Romo or Trent Green.

If Cousins is who we think he is, Griffin has zero to fear. As soon as he’s healthy, he’ll be the Redskins starting quarterback and back on track to compete with Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson for rulership of the young QB throne.

Right now, Griffin comes across like a kid in love with drama and running his mouth. He wants to be the lead story on SportsCenter more than he wants to build a relationship of trust with his head coach.

Redskins' Robert Griffin III needs to cut the drama and focus on the game - NFL News | FOX Sports on MSN

Crusader

I can tell you who I think Cousins is. He is the gonna end up being the better QB drafted by the Redskins last year.

ProMallNinja

Another black "journalist" angry at RG3....big shocker. I don't get it. The media begs for transparency with these guys, and then when they decide they don't like one of them they rip him for it. At the very least, the Redskins got a very athletic COMPETITOR in the first round of last year's draft. He is YOUNG and RAW. If you think for one second that a kid like RG3 is telling a seasoned pro coach like Mike Shanahan that he's playing in that playoff game and coach can't stop him then you're so off the grid there's no returning for you. Yes, RG3 has plenty to learn just like ANY other sophomore in the league, but he's insecure because of Kirk Cousins?! Give me a break. News flash: HE WANTS TO PLAY! Just like every single other player in history that has been injured. Whitlock needs to get off of the faded racial bull**** and try to write a meaningful article that doesn't make me wish I had been miraculously stripped of my reading skills just prior to coming across the link to this article.

rezburna

Robert Griffin III has the potential to be the best QB to ever play. The media doesn't know whether they want a player to shut up or talk. I want a player to be honest. He wants to play. My wrist was broke, i still wanted to play and would have if they would've allowed it. Kirk Cousins is great, and he'll be a starter. But he won't be better then the 3rd. The 3rd is the man.

Beastmode

Running his mouth is not the problem. It's running.

SloMotion

Wow, I saw that RGIII clip and didn't read anything more into the situation than you had a young, talented & injured QB chafing at the bit to get back in the game and a H/C who is looking to protect the team's investment by maybe sitting the kid a few games. When RGIII said, "I don't have to understand it, I don't have to like it", I took it that he was just expressing his disagreement while acknowledging that he'd follow the coach's decision.

The only way Cousins is ever gonna' replace RGIII is if RGIII goes down for good.

rezburna

You've got a group of blacks who want assimilate into white culture, and a group who wants to fight it. Being modest and quiet is viewed as assimilation by most blacks. So many issues...smh...

TheOak

BS on the racial comments, it has absolutely nothing to do with color... Did Alex Smith run his trap in SF? Please stop dragging race and color into everything that has to do with a black player... It has nothing to do with this.

If Payton tells Drew not to play in preseason you wont see him voicing his "opinion".. Neither would Brady, the Mannings... You don't see Tebow yapping with a negative opinion...

RG III doesn't get it, he is not bigger than the team.


When the coach says sit, you sit and shut up about it.

As my 4yo would say... "You get what you get and don't pitch a fit".

Cutler runs his mouth and the media doggs his azz too.

rezburna

Nah, its not racial. Not even close. But the post I made is a true representation of us. Insight!

ProMallNinja

It absolutely is racial. Give me a break. Ever since journalists found out that RG3 is a conservative African-American he has been black-balled by the African-American media. You have guys like ESPN's Rob Parker calling him a "cornball brother" and saying "he isn't one of us", and it has matriculated into this pile of turds disguised as "sports news". Even RG3 has said that while he is proud to be an African-Amerian QB, he does not want to be defined by that. Why does it even have to be mentioned that he is black in this article as if we do not know? Clearly it's because Jason Whitlock, along with other black media sources, have something against RG3 because of the combination if his personal beliefs and the color of his skin. Rez mentioned assimilation. Assimilation goes BOTH ways, and RG3 is suffering the consequences of not assimilating to the general beliefs of his race as a whole. In America, you clearly can not just be who YOU choose to be and escape racial persecution from any race, including your own. It's a disgrace. **** assimilation and **** the haters. Keep doing your thing RG3. You'll be respected even more for it in the end.