Indianapolis Channel 13 Sports Reporter Rich Nye was on 1070 The Fan yesterday with host John Michael Vincent (JMV), and they were talking about the Colts private workouts and where they were located.
Yesterday, we reported a pretty credible rumor, which we first heard about on JMV's show via a caller, that Colts players like Manning, Dallas Clark, Gary Brackett, and rookies like Anthony Castonzo were at the Carmel sports facility called Off The Wall Sports. The caller had seen them there. We contacted Off The Wall Sports yesterday and had a very pleasant conversation with the facility owner. He would neither confirm nor deny Colts players were there practicing, or had been there practicing.
Nye and JMV spoke of our report, along with other things pertaining to the lockout and these private workouts yesterday. They also stated what pretty much everyone else who isn't insane has been saying: The secret workouts seem silly, and the Colts players need to have fans see them working out and getting ready as a way to help quell the anger surrounding the lockout.
Nye: I'm just not sure what all the secrecy is about.
Me neither.
During yesterday's interview, JMV asked about the workouts, and why the players are being so needlessly secretive about them.
Nye: For me, I think it would be good for the players, to be out there in front of the media, in front of the public, and conveying that message constantly that we want to play football-
JMV: So you're tlaking about the lockout in mind here as opposed to playing up for the Colts fans?
Nye: Yeah.
JMV: OK.
Nye: Exactly. And to let them know that we want to play football. We're ready to play football, and we're staying in shape and working on next season so that whenever the time comes we won't be behind. We'll be right on top of things. And, I think about a guy like Dallas Clark, whose coming off an injury. I think it would be good for him to have an opportunity to show people that I'm OK. My wrist is healed. I'm looking forward to next season. I have a hard time seeing what the harm in that would be.
I don't see the harm either. Neither does Bob Kravitz, or Paul Kuharsky, or many Colts fans who just want to see if the players are getting ready for 2011, owners lockout be damned.
JMV then asked Nye if he planned to take his camera crew to, what Nye called, the 'semi-secret location.' Nye responded by saying that's a good question, but added:
Nye: Is it worth the damaged relationship to tick off [Peyton Manning] and anybody else for 30 seconds of video of the team working out?
JMV: Is it that big a deal? You really think it's that big a deal?
Obviously, it shouldn't be a big deal, but Nye stated the obvious in his answer to JMV:
It's a secret for a reason because somebody doesn't want us there.
As Nye, JMV, and many others have said, the secrecy is unnecessary, and all it does is add another layer of frustration to an already frustrating off-season. Instead of hiding in secret, maybe Peyton can do what his brother Eli Manning and the Giants have done, or do what Drew Brees and the Saints are doing.
Have some public workouts. Engage with the fans. Don't be secretive jerks.
Nye: I just feel like it would be generally good for players to be out in front with the media right now given the fact that it's a labor dispute, and its very easy to have an attitude of rich guys can't get along, and its a $8 billion dollar pot to split up and they can't figure it out.
Rich Nye did a nice job articulating how this access would be good for both players and fans. Contrary to what some people think, access like this is a good thing. JMV and Nye both agree that fans do indeed want to know that these guys are working through this and not sitting around. This isn't just 'the media' wanting to poke it's nose into other people's business. Fans care. We even had one go to the facility yesterday and snap some photos.
Honestly, all this silliness of media vs. players vs. fans is simple nonsense. It's the work of simple-minded people who, quite honestly, don't know what they are talking about. Dividing the groups into adversarial camps accomplishes nothing exact misinforming people and sowing seeds of contempt and paranoia.
And right now, with football teetering on the ledge of relevancy, with fans tuning out high profile events (like the 2011 NFL Draft, whose ratings went down significantly), we don't need more contempt, paranoia, and bitterness.