New York Jets QB Geno Smith Already Taking a Media Beating

Apr 26, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Geno Smith (West Virginia) is introduced as the number thirty-ninth overall pick to the New York Jets during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Geno Smith has not been a member of the NY sports scene for a week yet, but already, the media is getting in their shots.

Have you all seen this article yet? Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports had quite a bit to say about Geno Smith in his post yesterday.

Jason here, writes an article that is very Manish-esque, quoting unnamed sources upon unnamed sources, that have unflattering things to say about Geno Smith.  People talking about how he doesn’t have a presence, isn’t a leader.  He made a point of how with some team visits, he was on his phone rather than paying attention to the visit.

I am sure you all know this, but we have to take this with a grain of salt.

First of all, unnamed sources are just that, unnamed sources.  We look on them poorly in Manish’s articles, we have to look on them poorly here as well.  Why are these comments coming out now?  Are these executives jealous that they don’t have the guy on their team, and now want to cast him in a bad light?  We can never know why these comments were made, forgetting that we don’t know who made them.  Even if he didn’t interview with a lot of presence, so?  John Idzik wouldn’t draft a guy if he didn’t see potential in him.  These quotes, even taken at face value, are just one person’s perspective.  It doesn’t make it truth.

Now, for the accusations about being disinterested during visits with teams.  Yes, it would be rude if he was on his phone while being spoken to, but we don’t know the context.  Was it for a second or two?  Did something come up that he needed to attend to?  Did it even happen?

Second of all, who released the information?  Take a look at what Greg Rosenthal of NFL.com had to say yesterday on Twitter:

So Geno Smith’s former agents leak details of a private client dinner and we’re talking about Smith’s character. Got it.

— gregg rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) May 1, 2013

He’s right. His agent is leaking this info, and Geno is the one taking the character assassinations? It doesn’t seem fair. First of all, you have to wonder if it is even true, and if it’s true, how true? And why is he leaking the information? Is it because he was fired? Sounds like sour grapes to me.

I have a crazy idea. Why don’t we let the man play some…I don’t know….football maybe, before we start giving the guy a bunch of grief? How’s that for an idea.