Clinton Portis of the Washington Redskins should have been more careful with his comments, about the interpersonal dynamics of a professional locker room, where a female reporter is working. Even if every single word of what he said is true, what is the point in spelling out your sentiments on human sexuality, and then run the risk of offending someone ? It’s just not worth it.
Portis told a radio show his feelings about the sexual politics of a locker room environment when female reporters are present, this past Tuesday, as noted in an Associated Press article. “ You know, somebody got to spark her interest or she’s going to want somebody. I don’t know what kind of woman won’t, if you get to go and look at 53 men’s packages. I know you’re doing a job, but at the same time, the same way I’m going to cut my eye if I see somebody worth talking to. I’m sure they do the same thing.” Portis may be as smart as the popular social affairs commentator, “Dr. Phil”, but until he gets a degree in psychiatry or psychology, he has to keep his analysis to himself, when he is in a public setting, or surrounded by the media.
Regardless of his comments, if professional sports leagues are concerned about the potential for harassment of an individual in a team’s dressing room, the easy answer to this kind of problem, is to bring any player that a media member wants to speak with, outside to a designated room. For this to be successful, the respective clubs would have to co-operate with the individual media members, to make sure that the athletes requested would follow through, and meet with the various journalists.
For most of the electronic and print media, the locker room is a potential gold mine for interviews, because there are times when a player will really open up emotionally with strong comments, after a game. In reality however, there is no set time that is guaranteed to be the optimal one for conducting an interview with an athlete. Like a lot of things in life, sometimes it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, in terms of getting a good interview, and also knowing which athletes on any particular team, are conversational and articulate.
Clinton Portis is the sort of player the media wants to speak with, because he makes their work so much easier. Now he has to just remember, to keep his dialogue centered on sports instead of sex.