Good or bad for true freshman to make comments like this?
 

From ESPN.com Oneill CHambers said the following:

"There's a difference between returning receivers that are good and returning receivers that shouldn't be on the team," Chambers said. "I'm just going to work hard and do what I've got to do and not worry about much. My time will come and time will tell."

"To be honest, I barely get my reps in because players jump in front of me that have been here," Chambers said. "They don't like to be team players, be equal for each other and the better man wins, but they don't see it like that. That's all right, time will tell."

"I just look at the (defensive backs) and picture me with full pads on and see that they really can't guard me," Chambers said. "I'm just waiting for full pads, that's all I'm waiting for so I can just really show these coaches what I'm about. I'm not about play-play, I'm really about business."

I'm sure he's bound to get a "crash course" as it were from a couple of the coaches concerning P.R. ;) His statements contradict his otherwise humble and gracious demeanor in several other interviews he's given to this point.

I chalk it up to a frustrated kid trying to learn the system and being far away from home in an extremely foreign environment.

Both Gman and Dick Harmon have said (DH in an article, Gman on Cougarboard) that this is atypical of Oneill, and that they both felt that Chambers was "baited" into his comments. While that doesn't make this particular situation any better, I think that speaks more to Oneill being able to fit in here and play in Bronco's system and that his attitude won't be a huge problem.

Of course, that isn't saying that DH and Gman haven't ever been wrong before, but in the ESPN article there was a quote from Bronco about Oneill working hard and being pleased with his performance.

Honestly, it doesn't bug me one bit knowing that he feels that way about a lot of the receivers (I do too), I just think that he needs to be smarter about what he says and needs to make sure he's performing on the field.

I also think that Graham Watson (or whatever the chick on ESPN.com's name is) just made her job harder this year. Bronco isn't going to be happy with what was printed, and players are going to be a LOT more guarded when interviewing with her. At least I would be.

She's also a very sucky reporter. I've read articles she has done where you can tell she didn't do her homework. So it doesn't surprise me that she is the one that got these types of quotes.

Thanks to programs like Affirmative Action, one has to wonder.....

I find this wickedly funny. I wish Harmon would have ignored it but his efforts to explain how it was all the ESPN reporter's fault is just going to add fuel to the fire.

Oneil made an error. Let us see how he deals with the aftermath.

I know there are a few players that have talked with her and have felt that she has taken what they said and twisted it. She is not very popular with the team right now.

I think that anyone who thinks comments like these (if they are accurate) are good is suffering from severe homerism.

Being confident is one thing. I have no problems with a confident athlete. Being cocky is another thing. A cocky athlete makes me roll my eyes sometimes, but generally what they say doesn't hurt anything. Comments like this are a third thing. If you move from being cocky to putting down your teammates, including ones who are spending time helping you out, I don't see how it could possibly be good.

Given the questions around the quotes, and the previous words and actions of Chambers, it doesn't really affect my impression of him at this point. But there is little doubt to me that comments like this are a bad thing.

It doesn't bother me much. It's a little embarassing from a fan's perspective, but that's about it. Competition is good. If it heats up practice a little, so be it. Team unity is overrated.

The main thing that I got from his interview is that 'time will tell.' I guess I could answer this easily for him and let him know that 'time will tell...time.' Its what time does. It tells time. Seriously, how did this guy get into the Harvard of the West when he is confused about what time will tell?

And the fallback on any bad interview that a player gives to a reporter--Its the reporter's fault. And I found new words to live by: "I'm not about play-play, I'm really about business." Sorry Goat, that is my new signature.