What??? This is The NY Times. Shpigel has been covering sports for them since 2005. Before that he worked for the Dallas Morning News. I suspect if he were making up quotes he would have been outed by now. You guys are grasping at straws. Murray said it.
No no no no no. Apologies. If we're talking about unverifiable quotes, Im referring to the specific convo I was having with Ouchie regarding the fansided article. If I was unclear there, sorry. But since we're here, lets talk the NYT article.
I have issues with posters assumptions/reading-into the NYT article as well, insofar as I read it very differently than most of y'all. But I haven't gotten into it because its apparent there's no getting people to see alternate perspectives. What I read was (paraphrasing, but with key words) "Im not the type TO KILL MYSELF" watching film. Yes, that is indicative of a player pushing back against the traditional route to greatness in the NFL. Hence, a bunch of old guys like us take issue with it. I also see what everyone else sees, and I too have issues with it in terms of his current level of play. But I also realize that times change, and maybe there are other routes to greatness. Who knows. Im the epitome of a knows-enough-to-be-dangerous football fan.
I guess I read it from the perspective that the writer was fascinated (in awe almost) with Kyler Murrays approach to football. That interview most certainly happened before his current swoon, and its timing might even be more lucrative for the writer now that said swoon has happened. Its a lot more click baity when the subject of all that reverence (again, my interpretation) is getting knocked down a peg or two. More clicks, yadda yadda yadda. People like to kick a guy when he's down.
Now, we've all seen how poorly KM has been playing, but I personally am far less concerned about a quote like that, because if it had come out when he was literally destroying teams early in the season this board would be cooing about his greatness. It is what it is.
Thats my take on the NYT article in a nutshell. That kind of stuff means little to me in the grand scheme of things. Its just part of the whole picture we are still drawing of this young man.