I didn't sense a 'hatchet job' that some others did.
While it is true one voice coming from the corporate media relations department is a rule applicable to and should be followed by all corporations (as the Patriots are), it just isn't the same as a flight attendant for Asiana Airlines being told not to say anything to the press about the accident at SFO. A flight attendant not talking to media is the absolute norm. But with a pro sports team, especially NFL, they are in the odd position of having young men with little to no media savvy, who are celebrities, and they are required to frequently speak with a wide range of media outlets -- and frequently in an off the cuff, right after the heat of battle way. To add to that volatility, prior to coming to the NFL, these were young men who were kings of their domains with throngs of people interested in what they had to say.
I think Klecko is overplaying the fear factor to some extent. He makes it sound almost as if guys are quaking in their cleats and in need of a valium just because the media asked them an uncomfortable question. I think he was over dramatizing it. Yet no doubt in my mind players have 'acute concern' about BB's reaction to not toeing the media line. And that 'acute concern' is much more robust with the Patriots than other teams. This is why a controlled media behavior has nearly perfect attendance among Patriot players. When questions like 'how is the injury coming along' or 'did you know team X called your mother a bad name? What is your response?' come along, everyone hear knows exactly what answer is coming from a Patriots player: "just trying to win the next game', 'we'll see how it goes', 'they're a real good team, we'll have to play our best to win'. You damn well know they want to speak their minds sometimes......especially when it comes to the trash talk and personal insults that the Jets (among others) are well known for. And it is BB's leading by example as well as his consistent, stone faced, no BS message he drills into their heads about it. It even worked on Ocho Cinco, one of the biggest talkers of recent memory. It's no accident it worked on him, no accident Klecko came away feeling concerned, no accident media line toeing participation by Patriot players is near perfect. That is the cold hard steel stamp of BB making that happen.
