Lynch's antics need to stop

“Yeah.”
“I’m thankful.”
“I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”
“You know why I’m here.”
Those are the phrases that have been muttered by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch during his media appearances.
That is, when he decides to follow the NFL’s policy regarding media, which states:
“Players must be available to the media following every game and regularly during the practice week as required under league rules. It is not permissible for any player or any group of players to boycott the media. Star players, or other players with unusually heavy media demands, must be available to the media that regularly cover their teams at least once during the practice week in addition to their required post-game media availability.”
Pretty cut and dry.

But trying to understand the motive behind Lynch’s antics with the media is not.
It might be easier to just bang my head against the wall.
He’s a professional athlete. He makes millions of dollars to play a game. Part of his job requirement, per his employer, is to be available to the members of the media twice a week.
Lynch has skipped some of those media appearances — and been fined accordingly — and he even threatened to skip Tuesday’s Super Bowl media day. He still fulfilled the obligation, but answered every question with the same answer.
“I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”
Or, “You know why I’m here.”
Most of us have aspects of our job we don’t like. We may dread having to do those mundane tasks, but they still have to be done.
(Full disclosure, I have yet to find much about my career I don’t like. But I have had jobs in the past with which the displeasure outweighed the joys.)
For Lynch, it is clear that speaking with the media after a game or at a media day leading up to the biggest football game of the season is one of those tasks he doesn’t like.
But it must still be done.
Those reporters present at his interviews should be upset at his behavior. They’re just trying to do their job, and someone so self-involved as Lynch is making that difficult.
As a running back, it’s his job to carry the football, catch passes, block when needed and score touchdowns. He has to count on others in order to be successful at his job.
But imagine if those people beneficial to his success made it nearly impossible for Lynch to do so.
What if his offensive line decided not to block for a game? What if Pete Carroll and the Seattle coaching staff never allowed him to see the field or get any touches?
There’s no doubt he’d be frustrated.
Maybe then he’d understand what it must be like to be a reporter attending his media sessions, and all they’re getting is an answer that doesn’t fit the question.
Sure, his clowning around with the media is most likely accomplishing exactly what he wants — people, like me, are talking about him, keeping the conversation going and keeping him relevant.
The same-answer-to-each-question trick he’s pulling was comical the first time.
Now, it’s starting to get ridiculous.
His antics with the media need to stop.