Team still distanced from Mendenhall

mesaSteeler · 10-10-2009, 11:41 AM

NFL from the sidelines

After hobnobbing around the NFL in the press boxes and sidelines, sports reporter Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop.
http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 08, 2009

Team still distanced from Mendenhall

Listening to my tape over the past week, I've picked up on something that may give a little insight into how Rashard Mendenhall is perceived by his teammates.

When talking about the second-year running back, the only player who uses Mendenhall's first name is Willie Parker - a guy who would know him reasonably well from sitting through meetings with him.

Everyone else calls him Mendenhall.

Mendenhall didn't spend much time around the team after his injury last season - at least not until the playoffs. I only saw him on one road trip.

That's not really as big a deal as it was made out to be last season. He did his rehab. He got healthy. And some coaches don't like a lot of injured players around anyway because they really can't help the team - particularly a rookie.

But it's obvious Mendenhall isn't "one of the boys."

He's quiet and in fact, comes off as a little shy.

But another 165-yard game or two and you can bet the teammates will be talking differently about him.

Posted by Dale Lolley at 5:27 PM 29 comments Links to this post

RushHard34 · 10-10-2009, 11:45 AM

wouldnt buy too much into this. and if he plays like he did last week all the time, he is EVERYONES friend

steel striker · 10-10-2009, 11:51 AM

To me this is not much of a story and, it is the media who creates most of the drama.

solardave · 10-10-2009, 12:12 PM

What I saw last week was a guy who seems maybe shy,maybe humbled by the week on STs only. So he's quiet. That doesn't make him anti-social. Believe me if he continues to play like he did last week he'll have to get over being shy because he'll be the man.

RoethlisBURGHer · 10-10-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoSlash27

I have friends like that; some of my closest friends in fact. We just happen to call each other by our last names. Certainly doesn't mean we're not close.

Now that I think about it, I always refer to Mendenhall by his last name as well. Or even more often, "Mendy".

No big deal. Not everyone is a social butterfly.

It's a non-issue that the media is making an issue, that's all.

Steelerfreak58 · 10-10-2009, 12:28 PM

No one on that team will care if he continues to show that he can run like last week. Shyness does not translate to good player just ask #92 and #43.

Edman · 10-10-2009, 12:37 PM

Not every player is a talkative social butterfly.

Rashard can be as shy as he wants as long as he takes care of business when called upon. Much ado about nothing.

See: James Harrison and Troy Polamalu.

GridironWarrior · 10-10-2009, 12:59 PM

I like Mendy's persona. He seems humbled and well spoken and bright.

Christian Snyder · 10-10-2009, 01:05 PM

This appears to be a non- issue that the media is making an issue.

Spidey · 10-10-2009, 01:51 PM

They probably refer to him as Mendy like we do, his name doesn't exactly trip off the tongue does it!

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