Darnold's remark gave viewers honesty rarely heard in mic'd up segmentsGETTY IMAGES
The Jets' anger over ESPN airing QB Sam Darnold's "ghosts" comment last week during "MNF" is "misguided," as remarks that come in the "heat of battle, in the frustration of a night's work going wrong, are fair game," according to Chad Finn of the BOSTON GLOBE. Darnold's comment was an "honest and fascinating confession," and the camera and microphone "did what they were intended to do: capture an honest and interesting vignette that helped tell the story of the game." Once the Jets signed off to allow Darnold to be mic'd up, "any clean comments that weren't mean or insulting were fair game" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/26). In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote all audio replay segments "should be immediately discontinued." Raissman: "They are a farce. They provide no insight or drama." However, if they are to continue, the segments "should not be censored." The "irony of the Darnold situation is apparent." A network "finally presented meaningful audio," and "delivered unscripted reality." But the "reaction was to complain and point fingers." Even the "unexpected truth hurts" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/27).
MOVING ON: In N.Y., Mark Cannizzaro wrote many people had the "hot take" that this "'ghost' thing is going to stick with Darnold and his reputation" for his entire career. Cannizzaro: "Not so much. Not when social media and talk radio, which is where these things gain their momentum in the first place, have the attention span of a gnat. Twitter and sports radio are already on to the next thing" (N.Y. POST, 10/27). NBC SPORTS' Peter King writes he was "bothered by the Jets making such a big deal out of the 'seeing ghosts' line." King: "But when you lose 33-0 and look hopeless and hapless in the process, then [Jets coach] Adam Gase says next the organization is quite upset about it, my first reaction was Gase is trying to deflect from the real story of the night" (NBCSPORTS.com, 10/28).
