I Pastored for 11 years, and over time I saw my share of passive aggressive behavior. I have been uneasy with Mr Gurley this season, not just because of his potential health issues, but what seems to be a growing anger/frustration over the way he has been used this year. But...he smiles and seems laid back, and then things start spilling out of his lips... and I get surprised at the underlying anger. The question is who is he blaming? Is it Jared? Coach? Dr? I just saw comments from Todd that the Cowboys are in better shape than the Rams because the Cowboys are going to the playoffs....what????? Don’t break my heart Todd, keep your head and channel that anger at the opposition DL. Any of the rest of you getting a little concerned?
Ok, I’ll bite.
FWIW— yeah, I think Gurley has an angry side to him. He’s a COMPETITOR.
The greatest athlete I’ve ever seen in my lifetime was Michael Jordan. Jordan had an anger that was legendary. Jordan HATED to lose at anything, no matter how unimportant. Supposedly he’d exaggerate all perceived slights, just to give him more fuel.
In Gurley, I see a guy who’s got a ton of pride. Throughout his life, he’s been put up on a pedestal as a supremely gifted athlete whose talent is awe inspiring. But in 2019, for the first time in his life, he’s been deluged with endless scrutiny that (a) his physical health is questionable and (b) he might not be “the guy he once was.”
So has Gurley’s pride been hurt this year? Yes, I think it has. Does Gurley sometimes get angry at the endless speculation about his knee and diminished production? Yes, sometimes you can tell he’s pissed about it.
But here’s the key question: has Gurley always been a good teammate? From everything I’ve seen so far from him as a Ram, the answer is a resounding yes.
Lastly: could Gurley be a little more “smooth” with his dealings with the press? Sure. But who gives a shit? Yeah, sometimes he gets a little frustrated with stupid repetitive questions, but so what? He’s a freaking football player, he’s not a public relations rep.
So yeah, I think Gurley’s got a lot of pride, and I think he’s got an angry streak too. IMHO those two traits makes him a better football player. And if he doesn’t always give the most polished answer to an interview question, it really doesn’t freaking matter.