Panthers coach Ron Rivera yesterday suggested a "two-day cooling off period might not be a bad idea for players from losing Super Bowl teams," according to Joseph Person of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Rivera said, "What we ask players to do after a game like that is tremendously unfair. I really do mean that, too. I've always felt that in a situation like that there's only one person that needs to talk and that's the head coach. That’s the person you should pull out and you should put in front of everybody and let him handle the situation and answer the questions. If not that’s what you’re going to get. You’re going to get guys that are going to come across in certain ways." Panthers QB Cam Newton was criticized for his postgame press conference after Super Bowl 50, leaving the podium "after he overheard" Broncos CB Chris Harris "discussing Denver's game plan to make Newton beat them with his arm." Person: "Rivera’s point is if you’re going to put players in front of a microphone a half-hour or so after losing the Super Bowl, people should accept 'that some of these guys are not going to be happy-go-lucky'” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/24). Rivera said that he "hasn't made a formal suggestion to the league to change its Super Bowl media policies." FOXSPORTS.com's Mike Garafolo noted the criticism about Newton hearing Harris' comments "led some to suggest the teams should at least be separated during the postgame media availability to avoid a similarly awkward situation going forward" (FOXSPORTS.com, 3/23).
BACK TO REALITY: The Washington Post’s Kevin Blackistone called Rivera's idea an "absolutely ridiculous take.” Blackistone: “You always make yourself available to the media. Man up, answer some questions in a loss just like you do in a win.” The Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw: “This is a new event that Cam Newton stumbled upon. All we’re asking is to give some decent answers and move on” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 3/23). ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said the NFL and its TV partners "are not going for that.” Rivera has "absolutely no understanding about what goes into covering a sports team by a free press in a free market” (“PTI,” ESPN, 3/23).
