Seahawks' Lynch Ends His Silence, but Briefly
NEWARK - The mercurial Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was fined $50,000 by the N.F.L. this month for declining to speak with the news media this season.
At media day on Tuesday, he arrived wearing gold-rimmed sunglasses and a hood pulled tightly over his head, and he spoke with reporters for a little more than six minutes.
A large crowd had formed to hear what Lynch, who was not given a podium, might have to say. But after those few minutes, the interview session was abruptly cut off, and Lynch retreated toward a back wall at Prudential Center for the remainder of the hourlong period.
Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll made light of Lynch's aversion to the cameras.
'I heard he did six great minutes,' Carroll said. 'Some comedians make a career out of that.'
Why does Lynch maintain a mysterious public persona?
'I'm just about action,' Lynch said. 'You say 'hut,' and there's action. All the unnecessary talk, it don't do nothing for me. I appreciate that people want to hear from me, but I just go to work and do my thing.'
Lynch, in his seventh season, finished sixth in the league in rushing yards (1,257) and tied for the lead with 12 rushing touchdowns. In two postseason games, he has rushed for three scores.
'He's a great teammate,' Carroll said. 'He's just not comfortable in these settings. So? What's wrong with that?'
A spokesman for the league said players were simply required to participate at media day, and Lynch participated, albeit briefly. Lynch did not seem concerned that fans would get the wrong impression of him.
'They aren't worried about what I've got to say,' Lynch said. 'They just want to make sure I show up to perform.'
OLYMPICS OR ? With the Winter Olympics coming, Broncos kick returner Trindon Holliday could not help wondering what might have been had he pursued his dream of competing in the Summer Games.
Holliday was an eight-time all-American as a sprinter at Louisiana State, winning the 2009 N.C.A.A. men's 100-meter dash in 10.01 seconds, a year after reaching the semifinals at the United States Olympic trials.
But he chose to pursue football, winning a national title as a receiver and return specialist for L.S.U. This season for the Broncos, he was tied for fifth in the N.F.L. with an average of 27.7 yards per kickoff return.
At media day, Holliday said he missed lining up on the blocks of a track.
'It's something that I grew up doing, and it's one of those things that you miss but you can always go back and do,' Holliday said.
Holliday said that if he had stuck with sprinting, he would have shown off his speed in the Olympics.
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'If I took that route,' Holliday said, 'I think I would have been sprinting with the best.'
HARVIN SAYS HE'S HEALTHY Percy Harvin, Seattle's dynamic but oft-injured receiver, said his concussion symptoms had subsided, and he expected to be a key contributor in the Super Bowl.
'I'm here, I'm healthy and I'm ready to go,' Harvin said.
Harvin missed 15 of the 16 regular-season games after hip surgery, then sustained a concussion in the divisional round game against New Orleans, which knocked him out of the N.F.C. title game against San Francisco.
Harvin, a former All-Pro, dismissed the notion that he could be the decisive factor on Sunday.
'It's good to know people view me as a weapon like that,' Harvin said. 'But I just want to be a normal guy on the team that has a lot of weapons led by a great quarterback and a great coach.'
THE EXPERIENCE FACTOR Much is being made of the Seahawks' lack of Super Bowl experience; they are the first team since the Buffalo Bills in 1990 not to have a player or coach who has reached the championship game. Coach Pete Carroll noted that Ricardo Lockette was a member of San Francisco's practice squad last year when the 49ers lost to the Baltimore Ravens. 'We have heaps of experience,' he said, jokingly.
The Seahawks are constantly being reminded about their youthfulness compared with the experience of the Denver Broncos, who are led by Peyton Manning, a two-time Super Bowl participant.
'I thought about this a lot,' wide receiver Doug Baldwin said. 'I look at those guys on the other side of the field, and Champ Bailey, one of the guys I looked up to my entire career, he's played in the league for 15 seasons and never been to the Super Bowl. I can't say that lack of experience in a Super Bowl is going to do anything to hurt him.'
TOM PEDULLA
PRATER IMPROVING Broncos kicker Matt Prater said he was feeling better after missing three practices last week because of a virus and expected to be 'totally fine' for the Super Bowl. (AP)
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